The Straits Times, 3 June 2009
Minister shares 4 Cs to a great varsity life
· Confidence
· Compassion
· Compartments
· Company
By Yen Feng
Students David Fong, Amy Pryke and Kiron Cheong replied to a question posed by Education Minister Ng Eng Hen(above), who told the students to send their replies 'American Idol-style' via SMS, during the Pre-University Seminar. -- ST PHOTOS: LIM SIN THAI
FOUR 'C's have been identified as essentials in the backpacks of students as they prepare for university life.
For Education Minister Ng Eng Hen, they include neither cash nor certificates, and are, instead: confidence, compassion, compartments and company.
WHY MARRIAGE IS CRUMBLING 'In modern, urban industrialised cities, the economic rationale for marriage has weakened considerably. Even the social reasons for marriage - compassion and parenthood - have competing alternatives of singlehood, marriage without kids and the singular pursuit of one's career. This explains in part our rising singlehood and infertility.' |
Dr Ng, who is also Singapore's Second Minister for Defence, was addressing some 500 students from junior colleges, polytechnics and secondary schools yesterday at this year's Pre-University Seminar, an annual residential workshop for students at the pre-university level.
Seminar participants will, this week, focus on the theme, From Crisis To Confidence: Lessons And Opportunities.
The minister's bundle of treasures for the students, aged 16 to 19, represents the values he hopes will steady them amid the nation's worst economic upheaval in decades.
Referring to national crises such as the Japanese Occupation in 1942 and the struggle for independence in 1965, he had this poser for his audience: 'Through every crisis, some survive or do better and others don't. What is it that produces different outcomes when difficulties arise?
'That is the question we must try and answer today.'
First, he urged confidence, but cautioned against unrealistic expectations.
He also cited the need for compassion, because 'with compassion, we develop the humility to accept things we cannot change, and at the same time we hope that through our individual acts, life can be made better for someone else'.
As for 'compartments', he advised students not to be overwhelmed by their commitments.
Those who deftly juggle their many activities - examinations, relationships and hobbies - are more likely to reach their goals because they know how to prioritise them, he said.
His fourth 'C' - for 'company' - refers to the kinship of friends and family, including a life partner.
Dr Ng urged the youth to be there for their loved ones because 'you cannot build ties through being absent'.
A 30-minute dialogue followed his address, during which students peppered him with questions, mostly on the education system.
Catholic Junior College student Michelle Djong, 18, asked if local universities might venture overseas to boost the nation's reputation as an education hub, to which his answer was 'No'.
This was because the universities here are still quite young, so the right strategy would be to increase Singapore students' international exposure, as is being done in schools now, said Dr Ng.
To Joel Chen, 18, from Serangoon Junior College, who wanted to know whether students were picking up the right values from the schools' compulsory Community Involvement Programmes, the minister said: 'There is a distinction between the education opportunities provided versus the outcomes.
'There are different provisions in our system but it also depends on what people make of it.
'It's up to you.'
Tomorrow, participants will discuss how citizens can help each other through the recession.
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