SPEECH BY MR ONG YE KUNG, MINISTER FOR HEALTH AND COORDINATING MINISTER FOR SOCIAL POLICIES, AT ANUGERAH MENDAKI 2025

Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim, Acting Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs and Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Home Affairs

SMS Zaqy Mohamad, Chairman of Yayasan MENDAKI

Mdm Zuraidah Abdullah, Chief Executive Officer, MENDAKI

Mr Mohamed Feroz Mohamed Akber, CEO-designate, MENDAKI

Parents and students

Ladies and Gentlemen

1.       Let me start by saying a few words in Malay.

2.       Salam Sejahtera. Pagi ini, saya amat berbesar hati dapat bersama anda semua di majlis Anugerah MENDAKI dua ribu dua puluh lima.

3.       Yayasan MENDAKI ditubuhkan pada tahun seribu sembilan ratus lapan puluh dua. Pada tahun yang sama, lebih empat dekad yang lalu, Anugerah MENDAKI telah diperkenalkan sebagai penghargaan dan galakan kepada pelajar-pelajar Melayu/Islam yang cemerlang dalam pendidikan. MENDAKI menjadikan pendidikan sebagai teras utamanya kerana ini merupakan jalan terbaik untuk membentuk generasi muda yang berilmu, berbudi pekerti dan menyumbang kepada masyarat.

4.       Kini, Anugerah MENDAKI telah diperkembangkan untuk menghargai bukan sahaja pencapaian akademik, tetapi juga bakat dalam bidang bukan akademik seperti sukan, muzik dan seni. Tahun ini, kita berbangga mengiktiraf kejayaan lima ratus dua puluh sembilan orang pelajar.

5.       Izinkan saya meneruskan ucapan dalam Bahasa Inggeris.

Our Education Journey

6.       Education has always been the most powerful social equaliser in Singapore. And it is central to Singapore’s progress as a nation. It allows every Singaporean to realise their potential regardless of background and nurtures them to contribute to family, community and country. MENDAKI has been a steadfast champion of this cause.

7.       Just as education transforms young lives, it must also constantly transform itself. Our students have to face a very different future – one shaped by technology, globalisation, demography and climate change. Over the decades, Singapore’s education system has evolved to meet the changing needs of society and economy.

8.       In the early years, education was fragmented – small pieces, delivered to different standards and languages of instruction. Then we shifted towards a unified system, introduced a national curriculum and introduced bilingualism.

9.       And we adopted English as our common working language. We opened doors to global opportunities. Then Mother Tongues kept us rooted in our culture and tradition. Today, bilingualism continues to be a cornerstone of our education policy. 

10.     Then we had a problem in the 1970s which is the high school dropout rates. That prompted us to introduce streaming to allow students to learn at different paces, tailored to their academic abilities. We built more polytechnics and established the Institute of Technical Education (ITE), to impart technical skills for the great majority of students. Today, about three in four students continue to go through technical education either at ITE or the polytechnics.

11.      The 1990s ushered in the age of computerisation. Singapore was transitioning to a knowledge-based economy. The vision of “Thinking Schools, Learning Nation” was born – to develop students holistically, nurturing their skills in critical thinking, creativity, and independent learning.

12.     Today, the Ministry of Education (MOE) strives to inculcate curiosity and nurture the joy of learning among students. We reduced examinations to free up curriculum time. We replaced the finely differentiated PSLE T-Score with the Achievement Level scoring system. We phased out secondary school streaming in place of Full Subject-Based Banding. We did all these to reduce to the stress in schools and introduce more joy to learning. We thought we have done a lot, but today people still complain that schools are stressful. Sometimes the system plays a part. Sometimes we ourselves play a part. I think as Asians we are just very hardworking as a people, so we introduce stress to ourselves.

13.     We introduced the Early Admission Exercise for Institutes of Higher Learning (IHL), so that students are admitted based on their talents and interests, and not just based on academic grades. In conjunction with this move, IHLs created multiple pathways to recognise diverse talents and interests of students. MOE has become the champion of Lifelong Learning. 

Preparing Students for the Future

14.     All these efforts amount to a major reform of the education system. And the system will continue to evolve. As Minister for Education Desmond Lee recently said, in the coming years, the education system will undergo further shifts. I think there are a few key things we need to note.

15.     First, we need to prepare our young for a world shaped by AI, which is going to be an inseparable part of their lives. Our educators must be able to harness it for teaching, and guide students to use AI wisely and responsibly.

16.     We must learn to use AI to enrich our minds, reduce repetitive toil, and augment our abilities. At the same time, ensure that students do not become over-reliant on AI, such that we lose our basic skills as human beings to communicate, to try, to make mistakes, learn and master a skill. Today, everything that I am good at doing, I spent my whole life making mistakes. If I had relied on AI, I would have never learnt it. So it is important for us to do things imperfectly, making mistakes and correcting it, rather than over-relying on AI. This we must anchor in our school systems. And even as we embrace technology, the human touch – empathy, creativity, and critical thinking – must remain irreplaceable.

17.     Second, we need to strengthen the holistic development of our students, especially their mental health and well-being, which is the foundation of learning and leading a fulfilling life. Today, our young grow up with smart devices – from young, a baby already knows how to swipe on a smartphone. And this has a profound impact on their socio-emotional development, and how young people see themselves and interact with other people. 

18.     Schools, families, and communities must come together to support our young minds. Teachers can help create a safe and nurturing learning environment.  Befrienders and peer support augment the overall support. Professionals, such as counsellors and psychologists, step in where more assistance is required. Our aim is to nurture resilient, confident, and well-rounded individuals who can navigate and thrive amid life’s challenges.

19.     Third, continue to help students achieve their full potential, regardless of background or starting point. The higher education system is an ecosystem of not just courses, but also admission systems, counselling support, internship placements, employment facilitation, networking and lifelong learning. Establishing multiple pathways to success in our education system is central to helping Singaporeans fulfil their full potential, and ensuring that the broad-based compassionate meritocracy continues to work for Singapore. In particular, we will continue to enhance support for students from vulnerable backgrounds and those with Special Educational Needs.

MENDAKI’s Enduring Role

20.     Over the past four decades, MENDAKI has been steadfast in rallying, empowering and navigating the Malay/Muslim community. MENDAKI has focused on tuition and financial aid, providing scholarships, mentoring, and holistic support programmes to uplift students and their families. Through its mentoring and professional networks, MENDAKI has helped open doors for many young Malay/Muslim professionals. 

21.     Last year, more than 130,000 people benefited from MENDAKI’s initiatives – made possible by the dedication of partners, volunteers and supporters. Behind these numbers are inspiring personal stories of hard work, and individuals giving back to the community.

22.     We take Colonel (COL) Muhammad Helmi Bin Khaswan as an example, 41. He was a recipient of Anugerah MENDAKI and later, an SAF Merit Scholar. Today, COL Helmi is the MENDAKI Professional Networks Lead for Public Sector, driving initiatives to increase awareness of career opportunities in the public sector. He is also a core member of Project Pathfinders, a signature youth development programme.

23.     Another example is Dr Siti Shaireen Selamat, 53. She was also a recipient of Anugerah MENDAKI. She has accumulated 25 years of experience in the early childhood sector, as a preschool teacher, lecturer, principal and curriculum developer. She has contributed to several early childhood publications, and as the MENDAKI Professional Networks Lead for Early Childhood, continues to inspire more to pursue meaningful careers in this field.

24.     MENDAKI has been a steadfast partner in Singapore’s journey to develop and reform our education system. It ensures that the Malay/Muslim community progresses in step with the nation, and that our students today are well-prepared to be valuable members of society.

25.     Our award recipients today remind us why these efforts matter. You have done your best, achieved excellence, embraced lifelong learning, and are giving back. In doing so, you will not only shape your own future, but also strengthen your community and also Singapore.

26.     My heartiest congratulations to all our award recipients today, and my heartfelt thanks to the families, teachers, volunteers, mentors, partners, everyone who works with MENDAKI and everyone who has put in effort to support our students. Thank you and have a great day.