Singapore’s education fund to support 2,000 students annually
A venture funded by Singapore's government to support about 2,000 students annually to develop young leaders in Singapore was launched on May 30 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the birth of former Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew.
The Lee Kuan Yew Centennial Fund, established by donations from the private and people sectors, has collected over S $82 million from the US $60.6 million to date.
The late Lee was born on 16 September 1923. He died in 2015 at the age of 91.
Singapore can reflect on Mr Lee's values and principles and that of its founding generation of leaders through the activities marking the 100th anniversary of his birth, said Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.
One enduring lesson is the importance of educating our young people, and helping them realize their full potential, to be the best versions of themselves. Because at the end of the day, our people are the only resource that Singapore has, Mr Wong said.
Even in our early years, when we struggled to make ends meet, Mr. Lee made investing in our people a top priority. He would regularly engage young people, encourage them to get involved in society and contribute to nation-building. The funding began as a ground-up initiative by business leaders to invest in and support the development of Singapore youth to become visionary leaders with the imagination and determination to shape Singapore's future as an exceptional nation, the ministry of education said in a press release.
The government will support this fund by providing a one-off dollar-for-dollar matching match of donations for up to S $50 million US $37 m.
The funds will be managed under MOE's Education Fund. It will be used to support the Singapore Young Leaders Program, which was also launched by Mr Wong on Tuesday and the Lee Kuan Yew Post-Graduate Scholarship for Urban GreeneryLee Kuan Yew Post-Graduate Scholarship for Urban Greenery and Ecology.
On top of that, it will also help expand the Lee Kuan Yew Scholarship Awards and provide additional assistance for up to 1,000 Institute of Technical Education and polytechnic students from disadvantaged backgrounds who demonstrate resilience and potential, MOE said in a press release.
The Singapore Young Leaders Program will allow around 1,000 student leaders across higher education institutions to participate in leadership modules held throughout the year, the press release said.
These include institution-based programs like the National University of Singapore's Kent Ridge Ministerial Forum, the National Youth Council's leaders course and engagement sessions with industry and government representatives.