The inaugural China-Quotient Teachers’ Forum jointly organised by Business China and Pioneer Junior College on 17 April received an overwhelming turnout of more than 600 educators from upper primary right up to pre-university levels to ponder over the theme “Preparing Singaporean Youths to be Future-ready and China-savvy”. Minister for Education, Mr Heng Swee Keat, graced the Forum as the Guest-of-Honour and addressed participants in a keynote speech.
Veteran investor Mr Jim Rogers was also invited to share his insights with regard to education decisions concerning his two daughters, Happy, age 9 and Bee, age 5. The audience, comprised mostly of educators across racial profiles and prominent leaders from the local Chinese culture and education community, also witnessed the launch of the ‘China-Quotient Educators’ Resource Package’.
An initiative by Business China, the Forum served as a timely platform to equip educators with a deeper understanding of the forces and factors shaping China’s rise to be the world’s largest economy predictably by year 2017; and the relevance of this phenomenon to Singapore. In his keynote speech, Minster Heng recounted his personal encounters with China during his years in the civil service, sharing that he was impressed with China’s manoeuvre to circumvent the Asian Financial Crisis in 1997 and the recent global financial crisis. On the key capabilitites required to effectively engage with China, his views echoed that of former Minister Mentor and Patron of Business China, Mr Lee Kuan Yew: “fluency in the Chinese language, knowledge of China’s traditional culture and an understanding of the on-going changes in the social, economic and political conditions of a society with changing life-style that is transiting from an agricultural to an industrial economy”.
On a lighter note, Mr Jim Rogers’ 2 daughters, Happy, age 9 and Bee age 5, stole the show when they show-cased their near perfect Mandarin in a short interaction with their father and Ms Low Yen Ling, CEO of Business China. Happy, recited two Chinese poems from Tang Dynasty while Bee, her 5-year-old younger sister performed a couple of Chinese nursery rhymes. Their mastery of the Chinese language captivated the imagination of the educators present. Mr Rogers then shared his resolute to relocate his family to Singapore in 2007 as he believed Asia has huge developmental potential and that Singapore, with her bilingual education policy, can help to better position his daughters for future success. During the panel discussion, Minster Heng remarked that the two girls’ fluency in Mandarin as non-native learners, pointed to the possibility for Singaporean youths to also master the language. Panel moderator Ms Low Yen Ling, CEO of Business China, commented that their proficiency in Mandarin well qualify them to be the poster girls of Singapore’s bilingual education.
Sharing his perspectives on the importance of engaging China, Minister Heng applauded Business China’s effort in nurturing an inclusive group of bilingual and bicultural young Singaporeans, an effort that is in line with the national emphasis in sustaining our multi-cultural heritage and strengthening bond amongst different ethnic groups.
The event also saw the official launch of the ‘China-Quotient Educators’ Resource Package’, which was co-develped by Business China and Pioneer Junior College, with assistance from Ministry of Education Curriculum Planning & Development Division. The resource package seeks to inspire students of different competency and interests levels to explore, evaluate and have a better understanding of the opportunities and challenges an emerging China can pose to Singapore. Furthermore, the teaching package encompasses elements of critical thinking skills, National Education values and leadership development competencies in an effort to incorporate current value-base pedagogies into the curriculum.
“As China’s society is constantly evolving, it is necessary for us to always keep up-to-date of her developments and its relevance to Singapore. Business China hopes to become the nexus to which corporations and organisations will turn to for China-related expertise.” commented Business China Chairman, Mr Chua Thian Poh in his address. The Forum, conducted in English and held at Pioneer JC auditorium, was well-received by many of the participants. Teachers were also eager to try out the Resource Package, which they received with compliments from the organisers at the Forum, with their students.
Article contributed by: Le Chencheng (Business China Youth Chapter member)