Speech By President Tharman Shanmugaratnam At The President’s Scholarship Award Ceremony on 13 August 2024 at Shangri-La Hotel

Mr Chan Chun Sing, Minister for Education and Minister-in-Charge of the Public Service

Chairman and Members of the Public Service Commission

Distinguished Guests

1.  My heartiest congratulations to this year’s President’s Scholarship recipients!

2.  I am glad that your parents, family members, school principals and teachers are here with you for the occasion.

3.  Each year, the public sector awards many scholarships to outstanding young Singaporeans who are committed to serving the nation through a career in the public service. Among these scholarships, the President’s Scholarship is awarded to the most exceptional individuals in each cohort, who demonstrate all-round excellence and dedication towards improving the lives of Singaporeans.

4.  When we award a public sector scholarship, whether it is the President’s Scholarship or one of our other scholarships, we are first investing in capabilities.

5.  Over the years, I have often told my peers and friends abroad that a capable public service has been one of Singapore’s stand-out strengths.

6. There is high international regard for our incorruptibility. But less well known are the constantly evolving capabilities within the public service, its rare ability to work on a whole-of-government rather than siloed basis, and the networks between government, the business sector, the labour movement and the community that give Singapore significant advantage. Never perfect, always being improved, but a real stand-out strength for Singapore. It has enabled us to overcome crises relatively quickly, and helped Singapore and Singaporeans make steady progress.

7.  These capabilities within the public service are now needed more than ever. We live in an unstable and profoundly uncertain world. More polarised, faced with an accelerating crisis of global warming and the environment, growing energy and food security challenges, and more prone to conflicts. We have to live with these risks, hold together, and do well as a people.

8.  It will require a continuous stream of capable, dedicated leaders at every level of society. The public service in particular will have to be innovative, forward-thinking and constantly responsive to the needs of Singaporeans. It will have to develop greater expertise in each field, be prepared for a world of more frequent crises, listen to different voices, and respond in creative and sustainable ways to the evolving aspirations of our citizens.

9.  For our scholarship recipients embarking on their undergraduate studies, it is not too early to find ways to develop these capabilities. It means expanding your intellectual horizons, and engaging with a broad range of people.

   1.  Your time in university is an opportunity to step out of your comfort zones, and go beyond excelling in your studies.  

   2.  An opportunity to get to know people from diverse places and backgrounds, and engage meaningfully in the local community. 

   3.  You will, I’m sure, take away something valuable with these engagements, whether it is a new skill, a different perspective, or a deeper empathy for ordinary people in the community.

10.  Remember, above all, that our public sector scholarships are fundamentally a call to service.  They are not merely a privilege, but a responsibility placed on you.

11.  The President’s Scholarship in particular is a pinnacle award within each cohort, but it is not the pinnacle of your life, nor an assurance that you will reach the pinnacles of the public service. It reflects your exceptional record to date and potential as a young Singaporean, and trust in your ability to inspire others and work with them, tirelessly, for the betterment of our nation.       

12.  This year, we are proud to have Emily Tan, Dylan Toh, and Marianne Wang as the recipients of the President’s Scholarship. Emily and Marianne have also been awarded the Public Service Commission Scholarship and Dylan the Singapore Police Force Scholarship.

13.  We will soon hear the full citations for each of them. They have each demonstrated all-round excellence, in different combinations of sports, the arts and volunteer work, alongside their studies.

14.  I encourage each of you, Marianne, Dylan and Emily, to keep your intellectual and social horizons wide. As President’s Scholars, you will be role models in both the pursuit of excellence and humility, and in your commitment to improve the lives of all Singaporeans. 

Conclusion

15.  Your success is a result of collective effort and the many people who have been supporting you. I extend my congratulations to your families, school principal and teachers, and friends, for making you who you are.

16. Once again, my heartfelt congratulations to each of you, and I wish you the best in the journey ahead.