Don't expect to have pre-economic crisis growth rates :
PM Lee
SINGAPORE : Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has said that
Singapore cannot expect to go back to the growth rates achieved
before the global economic crisis.
Speaking at the annual Edusave Scholarship awards ceremony
at his Teck Ghee division on Sunday, he said it will be tougher and
Singaporeans must work harder and smarter.
Mr Lee said that Edusave Scholarship presentations are one of the
happiest functions in the year for students who have done
well.
Noelle Chan, recipient, Edusave Scholarship, said: "When my family
is short of money, we can take out this Edusave and use it for
reading materials, books and uniforms."
Another recipient, Sambhavi Rajangam, said: "I can use it for any
extra assessment books to help increase my knowledge in a very
useful way. That is the whole purpose of this Edusave
Scholarship...I would definitely use it in a good way and not waste
it."
Mr Lee also had some advice for the recipients.
He said: "The scholarship we are giving you is to encourage you.
Use it to help further your education and do well for yourselves
and for Singapore."
Mr Lee also emphasised the importance of education and skills
upgrading in a period of lower economic growth.
He said: "So instead of being seven, eight, nine per cent, we may
(achieve) three, four, five per cent growth. But what we must try
to do is to make sure that our per capita performance goes
up.
"So even if the economy is not growing bigger and bigger, for each
one of us, we will be doing better and better and performing well.
And that means being able to contribute and having the skills and
the know-how and the education in order to do well."
Mr Lee said he makes a few visits to some schools each year and
intends to continue with the practice this year too. He said he
wants to encourage teachers, students and their parents to make the
effort to ensure the children do well in the Singapore education
system.
One hundred and eighty primary and secondary students from Teck
Ghee received Edusave Scholarships, an increase of 15 per cent from
last year.
Another 530 students received bursaries worth S$105,000 at an
earlier ceremony on Sunday.
Under the Edusave Scholarship scheme, primary school students
receive S$200 while secondary students receive S$240.
- CNA/ms