No guaranteed path to the top
5 outstanding candidates were awarded the President's Scholarships on 15 August 2012.
Speech by President Tony Tan Keng Yam at 2012 President's Scholarships Award Ceremony on 15 August 2012
61 PSC scholarships were presented at the PSC Scholarships Award Ceremony on 24 July 2012.
The Straits Times
08 December 2012
No guaranteed path to the top
We thank Mr Harvey Neo ("Repercussions of meritocracy: Prized scholarships bear examination"; Wednesday), Mr Bryan Chow ("Meritocracy's about, well, merit"; yesterday) and Mr Ong Soon Leong ("Enough scholarships for deserving students"; yesterday).
We agree fully that success is not defined by winning a prestigious government scholarship.
The Public Service Commission (PSC) looks for people with the passion to serve Singapore, not those who want a scholarship just to get another award.
It assesses applicants based on whole-person qualities, and looks beyond grades and co-curricular achievements.
It looks for people with the character, commitment and capability to contribute to the public service.
Scholarship recipients have to serve out a bond in the public sector, and not all students find this an attractive prospect, given the many competing opportunities in the private sector.
For those keen to join the public sector, we would like to highlight that a PSC scholarship is but one of many routes. There are many other opportunities to join the public service, including after graduation and in mid-career.
Career advancement in the public service is not based on academic achievements.
All officers are rigorously assessed based on their performance and potential before they are promoted. Our scholarship holders know that potential alone, without performance, will not get them far.
Through this merit-based system, able and promising non-scholarship holders have joined the Management Associates Programme and the Administrative Service, and others have risen to top positions in the specialist services.
In summary, scholarship holders have no guaranteed path to the top.
They must demonstrate both potential and performance in actual work.
And officers who did not start as PSC scholarship holders but have performed well have equal opportunities to advance and develop themselves, often through scholarships in mid-career.
Basic to all this is the principle of meritocracy, which gives all Singaporeans equal opportunities to realise their potential and advance in life.
James Wong
Secretary
Public Service Commission
Five outstanding candidates were awarded the President's Scholarships on 15 August 2012 at the Istana. They were Mr Adil Hakeem Bin Mohamad Rafee, Mr Huang Jinghao Jarret, Mr Shaun Lim Yung Shen, Mr Moses Soh Juen Wei Huei Quan, and Ms Tee Ren Ling Alicia.
Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean
and Mrs Teo
Excellencies
Chairman and Members of the
Public Service Commission
Ladies and Gentlemen
1. Good evening.
2. Each year, the public sector awards many scholarships to outstanding young Singaporeans who are committed to public service. Among these scholarships, the President’s Scholarship is the most prestigious award for the best and brightest scholars in the cohort. Besides excelling in academics, the President’s scholar must be an outstanding leader, a person of impeccable character, and deeply passionate about Singapore.
The Rich Heritage of the President’s Scholarship
3. The President’s Scholarship has a long and illustrious history. It traces back to the Queen’s Scholarship which was introduced in 1885 when Singapore was still a British colony. In 1959, the Queen’s Scholarship was replaced by the Singapore State Scholarship when Singapore was granted internal self-government. This was subsequently renamed the Yang di-Pertuan Negara Scholarship in 1964 and finally came to be known as the President’s Scholarship in 1966, a year after Singapore gained independence from Malaysia.
4. The Scholarship has also evolved over the years to provide a broader base of outstanding young persons with the opportunity to acquire a good education and contribute to society. For instance, while the Queens Scholarship was restricted only to boys, the gender restriction has since been removed. The most recent change, made in 2009, was to extend the President’s Scholarship to scholars from the Statutory Boards so that outstanding students with a strong passion to serve in a specialised career within the Public Service may be considered for the scholarship.
5. Regardless of changes in name or regulations, the principles of awarding the President’s Scholarship strictly on the basis of meritocracy - not just on academic ability, but also on soundness of character - have been consistent. The high expectations that our community have for President Scholars to work hard and excel not just academically, but also in service to our society, remain the same.
2012 President’s Scholars
6. This evening, we will award the President’s Scholarship to five outstanding candidates. They are Mr Adil Hakeem Bin Mohamad Rafee, Mr Huang Jinghao Jarret, Mr Shaun Lim Yung Shen, Mr Moses Soh Juen Wei Huei Quan, and Miss Tee Ren Ling Alicia.
7. Adil, Jarret and Alicia have also been awarded the Public Service Commission Overseas Merit Scholarship. Shaun has been concurrently awarded the Singapore Police Force Overseas Scholarship, and Moses, a scholarship from the Monetary Authority of Singapore.
8. I congratulate each of you for having being recognised by the Public Service Commission for your intellectual capability, leadership potential and desire to bring the nation forward.
Bringing Singapore Forward
9. We have just celebrated Singapore’s 47th year of independence. The foresight and political will of our pioneer leaders have brought Singapore from a small trading port to the global metropolis that Singapore is today.
10. Singapore will continue to need visionary, brave and passionate leaders with the ability and heart to bring the nation forward. The global environment will be more volatile and unpredictable. We also need to address the changing aspirations of our citizens. As recipients of the President’s Scholarship, I hope you will carry that torch of our pioneers, and be the new generation of leaders who will bring Singapore to even greater heights.
11. This scholarship will open doors to you. I encourage you to seize the opportunities to hone your skills, develop your networks and learn as much as you can about how the world is changing so that you can contribute to innovative solutions not only to solve the pressing issues confronting Singapore now but also to position Singapore for continued success in the years to come.
12. Remember your duties to Singapore and fellow Singaporeans. Continue to be an active member in the community and help the less privileged. For our society to remain strong and cohesive, we need public officers who are attuned to the needs and aspirations of fellow citizens. As President’s scholars, you will be looked upon as role models personifying the Civil Service values of Integrity, Service and Excellence. I urge you to lead by example and set the standard for others to emulate.
Conclusion
13. I am confident that Adil, Jarret, Shaun, Moses and Alicia will live up to the high standards expected of them, and do Singapore proud. It leaves me now to congratulate you, your families, principals and teachers for your outstanding achievements. I wish you every success in your studies and look forward to your contributions to Singapore when you return.
14. Thank you.
Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean presented PSC scholarships to 61 recipients at the 2012 PSC Scholarships Award Ceremony held at the Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel on 24 July 2012.