Scholastic Development

On 15 April 2023, I went over to the Ministry of Education (MOE) Headquarters to attend an Economics seminar led by the Economics Society of Singapore (ESS), where 4 distinguished speakers, namely,Mr Manu Bhaskaran, the Director of Centennial Group International and the Founding Director and Chief Executive Officer of Centennial Asia Advisors, Mr Francis Tan, an Investment Strategist with UOB Private Bank, Ms Selena Ling, the chief Economist for OCBC Bank, and Dr Walter Edgar Theseira, the Associate Professor of Economics, School of Business, Singapore University of Social Sciences, spoke to us about the applications of both Microeconomics and Macroeconomics in the real world.

It was an eye-opening experience that deepened my understanding of how Economics influences Singapore's future plans for economic growth. One major concept that stood out to me was the idea of cyclical volatility, which refers to the fluctuations in economic activity that occur as a result of changes in supply and demand. In the context of Singapore, this means that factors like geopolitical tensions, oil prices, and technological advances can have a significant impact on the country's economic prospects. The speaker highlighted the fact that Singapore has made progress in reducing income inequality through fiscal transfers, which are government payments to low-income households. Additionally, the seminar touched on the potential challenges that Singapore may face from initiatives like BEPS 2.0, which aims to prevent multinational corporations from avoiding taxes through aggressive tax planning. While it remains to be seen how BEPS 2.0 will impact Singapore's economy, this issue underscores the importance of maintaining a competitive tax environment to attract foreign investment and support economic growth.

In summary, attending the seminar was an enriching experience that provided me with a deeper understanding of the complex forces that shape Singapore's economy. As I continue to pursue my studies in economics, I anticipate building on the knowledge gained from this seminar and applying it during Economics lessons.

On the 31st of March and the 1st of April 2023, I attended the Saints Model United Nations (MUN) Conference as the delegate of Australia in the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) where we discussed about the strategies to mitigate the issue of Sinking Nations. 

The event was an incredible experience for me as it was my first real-life MUN conference. It was exciting to pitch my country's stance to a real audience and to be able to engage in heated debates with the other delegates. 

One of the biggest takeaways from the conference was the importance of collaborating and compromising. Given that we only had 5 council sessions to discuss the issue, I learned that in order to achieve continuous progress in coming up with solutions, countries must work together and find a common ground. I also realised that diplomacy requires patience and careful negotiation, as each country has its own interests and priorities to consider. In addition, attending the conference has allowed me to learn about a wide range of global issues that I may not have otherwise been exposed to. From climate change to human rights, the conference gave me a deeper understanding of the complex challenges facing our world today. 

Overall, it was a transformative experience that taught me valuable skills and expanded my knowledge of global affairs. I am looking forward to applying these lessons in my future studies and career!

On 27 March 2023, I had the opportunity to visit the German European School Singapore (GESS) and meet their Grade 12 German students for a school exchange. As someone who had never participated in a school exchange before, the experience was truly memorable for me.

I was pleasantly surprised to see the programmes that the students had planned for our visit, especially given that they had ongoing examinations at that point in time. They conducted presentations in their homeroom, which impressed me with their active participation and willingness to ask questions, which was unlike the classroom setting in Singapore schools. Many of them showed that they were not shy when it came to voicing out their thoughts or opinions, even though they might be unpopular views, which I believe is something that we all can learn from. For lunch, the teachers ordered a delicious German-European meal for us, some of which includes: Goulash Soup and Apple Crumble! We ended off with an Amazing Race, where we toured their giant campus and played games organised by the students together. Impressed by their efforts, I initiated planning and conducting an Amazing Race for their visit to our campus too. With our great teamwork, we managed to complete our planning within 2 hours and facilitated it smoothly the following day, receiving many compliments from our GESS friends, which made me really proud. 

On 28 March 2023, we hosted our GESS friends on our campus. Initially, I was afraid that they might not enjoy their time at our school as much as we did at theirs, but they surprised me with their enthusiasm and positive feedback. They loved our school and even expressed their wish for their canteen to have as much food variety as ours. They were also envious of our diverse school clothing designs, which made me appreciate our school's fashion choices even more. It was also really entertaining when all of them performed their school song for us in the canteen. We invited them to attend our classes, which they found to be exciting, and we ended the day by enjoying local snacks together and exchanging our social media handles. 

All in all, it was a fruitful learning experience, getting to know the German culture and the similarities and differences in school systems and lives. I look forward to having more school exchange opportunities in the future!

On 17 February 2023, I attended the Budget 2023 Conversations organised by REACH, where we had 2 rounds of breakout discussions in the format of World Café and dialogue sessions with Minister of State, Finance, and Transport, Mr. Chee Hong Tat, and Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Communications and Information and Ministry of National Development REACH Chairman, Mr. Tan Kiat How.

As someone who has attended many REACH events, I found this to be the most unique one so far. The event space was filled with Singaporeans from very different age groups and backgrounds, and it was fascinating to hear the personal touches of everyone's story when we discussed the topics covered in the Budget. I was grateful for the opportunity to provide the perspective of youths during the conversations and to meet friendly people who genuinely cared about one another as fellow Singaporeans. This event reaffirmed my belief in the power of dialogue and communication as a means to foster a sense of community and understanding in our society.

This event was a valuable experience that left a lasting impression on me and served as a reminder of the importance of open communication and dialogue in building a strong and united community!

On the 1st of December 2022, Minister of Home Affairs and Law, Mr. K Shanmugam, shared and answered some questions regarding the recent repeal of Section 377A, democracy, and our multi-racial society in Singapore. 

Mr. Shanmugam spoke about the reasons why Section 377A was repealed. He believes that to repeal an existing law, society needs to be ready for it. Thus, he said that persuasion and practicing leadership to communicate with Singaporeans uncomfortable about the issue was the key to ensuring that society would not be shaken once a law is officially repealed. He mentioned that regarding the repeal of Section 377A, most Singaporeans were afraid of societal changes such as school dress codes and marriage laws. There were concerns guarded by religious beliefs too. Despite so, Mr. Shanmugam strongly believes that the repeal was necessary as, an act between two men is a private matter, and there should not be a law to criminalise privatised conduct. 

When ‘Chinese privilege’ was mentioned, Mr. Shanmugam emphasised that the usage of ‘Chinese privilege’ came from the term, ‘white privilege', where the whites were superior and the non-whites were slaves, in the context of the history of the United States of America (USA). But this is not the case for the Chinese and the other minority racial groups in Singapore, thus, there is no such thing as ‘Chinese privilege’ in Singapore. Moreover, I was enlightened that our system of laws is nothing similar as compared to other countries. For example, while French is the first language in France, as the majority of the locals are French, in Singapore, even though Chinese is the majority race group, English is our first language because it is the common language for all the races living in our country. It is said that Singapore’s laws do not follow the nature of things, which makes our country a unique one.

In a nutshell, I am happy to learn more about the repeal of Section 377A, and I am proud of the law system, which builds racial harmony, and promotes equity in Singapore. 

On 20 November 2022, I attended an event, organised by the National Youth Council (NYC), which I was invited to at the Singapore Model Parliament 2022. Through a couple of discussions with Singaporeans from all walks of life as well as the Minister of National Development, Mr. Desmond Lee's insightful sharing, I had a wonderful learning session about Singapore's public housing.

I learned in-depth about the Housing & Development Board's public housing schemes and system, and the government's aims to keep such housing accessible and affordable. It was also heartening to see that so many Singaporeans, regardless of whether they represented first-time or existing homeowners, single or married, were all willing to give up their spots in their long-waited Build-To-Order (BTO) flat for one another, in sight of giving in to the other group's needs which they were convinced were more important than theirs.

One segment that intrigued me the most was the discussion about striking a balance between preserving existing animal habitats in forests and building new homes in these forested areas. Through conversing with the other participants, we could not settle on an agreement as to how much housing should we build in forested areas, and how many animal habitats we should preserve.

In a nutshell, I am looking forward to more conversations like this and for Singapore's public housing to grow toward providing building estates with more affordable housing and greater equity. Nonetheless, I do wonder that as we fight for public housing to become more affordable, are we risking our homes becoming smaller?

On the 8th, 9th, and 15th of October 2022, I attended the Singapore Model Parliament (SMP) 2022, which changed my perspective of Singapore almost completely. 

Throughout the course of the 3 days, Minister of Health, Mr. Ong Ye Kung, Senior Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Health and Law Rahayu Mahzam, Speaker of Parliament, Mr. Tan Chuan-Jin, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Communications and Information and Ministry of National Development REACH Chairman, Mr. Tan Kiat How, Professor Yaacob Ibrahim, Professor Leong Ching, and Dr. Woo Jun Jie, gave speeches to explain the thought processes and considerations of politicians when shaping and producing a bill. They also gave us an overview, and insights into the Parliament, which includes shaping our thought processes to analyse and mitigate an issue properly, allowing us to have an idea of how a policy would be implemented to address the root cause of a problem accurately. It is truly an honour to meet all of them and to be given a chance to see Singapore from their different point of view.

The event is a memorable one for me as I was given a chance to construct and present a policy with my team, where we had fought for the implementation of taxes on assets of housing, at the Parliament House, which is probably a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I signed up for this event with two of my good friends, Valerie and Jessica, and I must say, we are extremely lucky and thankful to be part of the hundred selected from the three hundred over applicants. We had no clue what we were signing up for but I am glad that we did. We met so many like-minded people and it was a fruitful experience for us to engage in conversations with politicians, and brilliant people that were curious about the world and interested in becoming a Member of Parliament (MP). It was also a splendid space for us to ask our queries and speak to the guest of honours in a private setting. 

My greatest takeaway would be that being educated does not necessarily mean that one is informed enough. 

I had always thought and lamented about what the government can implement to mitigate a problem and address the needs and concerns of the masses, but after listening to the ministers' speeches, I learned that I was not informed enough to measure the costs and benefits of implementing a policy, and thus, I never knew that because of the many trade-offs and constant need for considerations of other groups of people, implementing a policy, or even for politicians to come up with the most accurate sentence to 'react' to a problem of the people, is easier said than done. 

In summary, I will always remember this event as an exceptional one and as a fond memory. I would also like to give a big "thank you" to everyone I've met at the Singapore Model Parliament, especially the organisers, for such an exciting experience!

On 27th August 2022, Minister of Education, Mr. Chan Chun Sing, Minister in the Prime Minister's Office, Ms. Indranee Thurai Rajah, and Founder & Director of The Whitehatters, Shahrany Hassan, had a sharing about Singapore's legacy of a cohesive multi-racial society. 

Some of the takeaways I had was that it is important to build a common ground rather than a middle ground between fellow citizens. Singapore is a socially cohesive society that transcends religious, racial, and social barriers. It is key for us to respect and celebrate our diversity and each other's differences by taking an effort to understand one another's race and religion as well as change our perspectives. In fact, this is actually a very powerful way to unite our country. It is not an uncomfortable issue and the truth is, we have to address it. I learned that we can do so by just simply asking our friends of different races to share more about their cultures! Minister Chan Chun Sing said, "Be quick to forget what we give but always remember what we receive." 

A major realisation I had was that even though racial harmony in the country is successful, it is not perfect as it is still very fragile. A simple remark about race can stir up a huge conflict among citizens. Hence, everything little thing we say can cause a great impact and by the time we regret it, it'll be too late. So why not start by choosing the right words to say and respecting each other regardless of race, language, or religion?

On 27th August 2022, I learned a lot more about the importance of city planning and about Singapore's development structure through a tour of the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) Centre which mainly focused on Singapore's Long-Term Plan Review (LTPR). I understood that there were 5 objectives (Plab, Sustain, Steward, Cherish and Move) that are considered for any infrastructure that is built in the country. The tour enlightened me about the different ideas and methods that were used to build a more sustainable Singapore, for example, how to build on a piece of land such that it can be multi-purposed, which is extremely crucial as Singapore has limited land space. Out of all the schemes that the URA implemented, I felt that The Landscaping for Urban Spaces and High rises (Lush) Scheme was the most interesting one as it mentions that developers must replace greenery lost from the site, with greenery in other areas within the development. The tour was fascinating for me and I would love to attend a tour like this one again!

On 18th June 2022, I had the privilege of meeting the Minister of Health, Mr. Ong Ye Kung at One Marina Boulevard! The session was truly an unforgettable experience, as Mr. Ong shared with us Singapore's future plans and addressed some of our most pressing concerns about our country.

One of the aspects that I appreciated the most was the level of transparency that Mr. Ong demonstrated during the session. It felt like a heart-to-heart conversation, and he was open and honest about the challenges that Singapore faces and the reasons behind the government's policies. As a teenager, it was refreshing to hear from a high-ranking government official who took the time to explain Singapore's plans and policies in a way that was easy to understand. Mr. Ong's explanations helped me to better appreciate the complexity of the issues facing Singapore and the rationale behind the government's decision-making process. Furthermore, Mr. Ong's insights and perspectives on Singapore's future direction left a lasting impression on me. I was inspired by his vision for a more inclusive and sustainable Singapore, and his words encouraged me to think critically about my own role in shaping Singapore's future.

Overall, meeting Mr. Ong was a deeply enriching experience that allowed me to better understand the challenges and opportunities facing Singapore. His insights and perspectives have left a lasting impression on me, and I am grateful for the opportunity to have been a part of such a meaningful conversation.

On 30th May 2022, I attended a workshop where I had a discussion with our school counsellors, teachers, student mentors, our Principal, Mr. Tham, as well as the lecturers from the Ngee Ann Polytechnic School of Design & Environment on Design Thinking in the design of Spaces, about renovating a part of our campus. 

It was a very interesting workshop as we used lego blocks to design our ideal student corner in our school. I learned to understand the different aspects that are required of the room and to build it such that almost everyone's needs are met. I was also able to study and apply the techniques used by Designers such as the Design Thinking Process and Divergent Thinking to curate the look for our new Student Development Centre.

In conclusion, attending the workshop on Design Thinking in the design of Spaces was a valuable experience that allowed me to learn from a diverse group of experts. Through the workshop, I gained a deeper appreciation for the complexities involved in designing functional spaces that meet the needs of diverse user groups. The hands-on approach using lego blocks and applying design thinking processes made the workshop engaging and informative. As a result of this experience, I am more confident in my ability to curate the look and feel of functional spaces, and I am excited to apply my newfound knowledge to future design projects.

On the 8th and 9th of April 2022, I participated in the Saints Model United Nations (MUN) Conference as the delegate of Cambodia in the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) where we discussed Geopolitical Strife over Hydroelectric Energy. 

I always wondered how politicians communicate and discussed their views or their opinions on a particular world-related issue. Through the conference, I learned that politicians would conduct a debate to find out if the proposed resolution would be feasible in consideration of all 193 Member States. As it was my first MUN Conference, I had some difficulties pitching my country's stance on this issue at the beginning. 

Nevertheless, it was a wonderful experience as I learned a lot more about the world around me through the fruitful conversations I had with the other delegates. 

From January to September 2019, I had the honour of representing my school in the Innovation Programme (IvP), an initiative organised by the Ministry of Education as a Gifted Education Branch (GEB) special programme. The IvP is renowned for cultivating students' creative problem-solving and thinking skills. It is tailored for highly motivated students interested in innovation and invention and aims to nurture participants' problem-solving dispositions and critical thinking abilities. This includes the capacity to critically analyse existing problems, generate innovative ideas to address these issues, and develop prototypes to test and refine their solutions. 

For my part, I developed a robot designed to assist the elderly with their daily chores. This project was a culmination of skills from 2 years of coding lessons and insights gained from Design & Technology (D&T) classes. The robot was engineered to help the elderly with gardening by navigating their homes and watering plants at regular intervals. To address the challenge of managing heavy loads, the robot was also equipped to carry gardening tools and supplies. After months of developing the prototype, I showcased my work to judges at the National University of Singapore (NUS) and was elated to have been awarded a Distinction for my work. 

I am profoundly grateful for this opportunity and honoured to have been nominated by my D&T teacher to represent our school with the robot I created. The IvP experience has been invaluable in enhancing my creative problem-solving skills and deepening my passion for innovation.