RP PRESS Published By Republic Polytechnic
Republic Polytechnic opens $27 million laboratory and training facility
3 August 2016 | ST Online
By GOH Yan Han
SINGAPORE — Republic Polytechnic (RP) unveiled its new Republic Polytechnic Industry Centre (RPIC) on Wednesday (Aug 3). The sixstorey building cost $27 million to build — in less than two years — and contains several state-ofthe-art laboratories and facilities. Associate Professor Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim, Parliamentary Secretary for the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Social and Family Development, was guest of honour at the opening ceremony and he toured the facility. He put the finishing touches of sprinkles on chocolate-coated cookies, made using the equipment at the Republic Polytechnic-Wilmar Innovation Centre. The cookies were made in the lab, using its chocolate making equipment.
The Republic Polytechnic-Wilmar Innovation Centre is a joint food innovation centre with Wilmar International, a global agribusiness group, and is one of the new laboratories at the RPIC. More than 500 pre-employment training applied science students will be able to use the lab every year for hands-on learning and skills training. Final-year student Yeoh Jia Le, 20, who is doing her Diploma in Biotechnology at RP’s School of Applied Science, had the opportunity to use the refrigerators and utensils at the new lab for her final year project, which involved using natural sweeteners to make healthy beverages. (Article continues on page 2)
(From left) Mr David Wong, Chairman of Republic Polytechnic, Associate Professor Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim, Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Education & Ministry of Social and Family Development, and Mr Yeo Li Pheow, Principal and CEO of Republic Polytechnic at the ribbon cutting ceremony of the official opening of the Republic Polytechnic Industry Centre. ST PHOTO : MARCUS TAN
9 Woodlands Avenue 9, Singapore 738964 6510 3000 |
2002 - 2017
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Sources: Berita Harian, Lianhe Wanbao, Lianhe Zaobao, Shin Min Daily News, Tamil Murasu, The Business Times, The New Paper and The Straits Times © Singapore Press Holdings Limited. Permission required for reproduction.
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E X PA N DI N G H O R I Z O N S (Article continues from page 1)
Her team collaborated with SugarNature Food, a local food technology firm, which provided them with the sweeteners. While she will not have the opportunity to work with the new chocolate making equipment, she shared her excitement for future cohorts of students. She said: “It’s more exciting; previous labs didn’t have such advanced technology and they will get the chance to be exposed to it.” Collaborations between RPIC and other industry partners — such as McKinsey & Company Microsoft Singapore — were also announced on Wednesday. The RPIC was built to be a learning hub for students, staff and industry professionals to develop skills that will be relevant for future industry needs. The facilities will allow students to familiarise themselves with industry-standard equipment and practices. Small and medium enterprises will also be able to use the facilities for training and collaboration on joint projects with the polytechnic. RP principal Yeo Li Pheow said: “The centre signifies our commitment to develop our students’ skills with a strong industry focus, giving them an edge in the future industry landscape.”
gyanhan@sph.com.sg
Associate Professor Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim (centre), Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Education & Ministry of Social and Family Development and Mr Kuok Khoon Hong (left), Chairman and CEO, Wilmar International Ltd adding sprinkles to the chocolate glazed cookies at the RP-Wilmar Innovation Centre. ST PHOTO : MARCUS TAN
Schooling students in science, sense of shopping 10 June 2016 | The Straits Times
Republic Poly’s new centre taps tech to help improve retail industry By Yuen Sin
The retail industry looks set for challenging times, with online shopping rising in popularity and vacancy rates in shopping malls inching up in recent months. But Republic Polytechnic (RP) hopes to give the sector a much needed boost by tapping smart devices and analytics at its new customer experience laboratories, which it launched yesterday. The new learning facility, which will cater to around 1,000 students every year, looks more like a shopping mall than a classroom. It includes a retail lab stocked with lifestyle products and a contact centre that trains students in responding to customer queries on platforms like social media, e-mail and voice calls. It also has a customer relationship management lab where students can learn how to interact face-to-face with different segments of the consumer market.
The 520sqm facility was built for less than $800,000 and will cater mainly to students from the School of Hospitality’s Diploma in Customer Experience Management with Business (DCXB). Speaking at yesterday’s launch, Mr Seto Lok Yin, RP’s deputy principal for industry services, said he hopes the centre can be an innovation lab that takes the shopping experience to the next level. “There are (too many) complaints about shopping here in Singapore, and we can do something about it.... (by) putting in technology and innovation,” he said. Some features in the retail lab, which stocks products from industry partners like cosmetics brand ZA and lifestyle retail store Cumulus Nimbus, include analytical tools such as SenSource – a system that can be mounted on the ceiling to record data on footfall. There is also a point-of-sale system that can be accessed through computers and tablets.
2 DISCOVER 15 YEARS OF TRANSFORMATIVE LEARNING
The new learning facility, which will cater to around 1,000 students every year, looks like a shopping mall, but is actually a classroom. PHOTO : REPUBLIC POLYTECHNIC
Students will use the data for customer analysis and RP is in talks with retail partners about possible collaborations in data analytics research.
However, Mr Irwin Lim, 38, a partner at Known Group, which owns Cumulus Nimbus, said students have to be mindful that the human touch is still important.
Ms Sindu Selvam, a second-year DCXB student, was excited by some of the technology featured in the laboratory, such as an app called OctoCount that helps staff take stock of a product.
“Customer service is not just about checking things off a box,” he said. “While interacting with a screen may be second nature to them, they have to understand that not everyone is as comfortable experiencing a retail brand through a screen as they are.
“I’ve worked part-time in retail before and it was a time-consuming process to have to do stock checks manually,” said the 19-yearold. “Some customers also gave negative feedback about this process because it was too slow.”
“Technology is just a tool, not the be-all and end-all.”
yuensin@sph.com.sg
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Makmal baru RP tingkat kemahiran kejuruteraan pelajar 30 June 2016 | Berita Harian
PELAJAR kursus Diploma Pengurusan Industri dan Operasi (DIOM) di Politeknik Republic (RP) kini boleh mempertingkat keupayaan dan kemahiran mereka dalam bidang kejuruteraan menerusi satu makmal baru di politeknik itu.
Dalam pada itu, makmal tersebut juga akan digunakan bagi projek kerjasama dengan pelbagai rakan kerja industri. RP memeterai memorandum persefahaman (MOU) dengan HMI tahun lalu bagi bekerjasama menubuhkan makmal itu dan memberi pelajar tahun terakhir DIOM peluang menjalani program bekerja sambil belajar di syarikat itu.
Makmal penghasilan canggih yang dinamakan Makmal Bersama RP-Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence (HMI) itu dilancarkan semalam sempena Hari Industri DIOM RP.
Menerusi program tersebut, pelajar boleh meraih pengalaman pelbagai aplikasi industri dalam pelbagai sektor, yang akan memberi mereka kelebihan apabila mereka menyertai alam pekerjaan kelak.
Ia dibangunkan dengan kerjasama HMI, pemain sejagat dalam aplikasi metrologi industri. Dengan operasi metrologi, penghasilan dan reka bentuk dalam satu sistem kecil, kemudahan baru itu berupaya mendedahkan pelajar kepada proses penghasilan produk daripada mula hingga selesai.
New RP laboratory to enhance engineering students’ skills
Aplikasi yang terdapat di makmal itu juga mempunyai segala macam sistem risikan penghasilan yang canggih – termasuk beberapa alat pengukuran yang canggih, sebuah alat mesin besi dan sebuah alat penghasilan tambahan. Dengan teknologi penghasilan yang canggih lagi terkini itu, pelajar dapat mempertingkat kemahiran mereka dan membina keupayaan menerusi latihan praktikal bagi menyokong kurikulum kursus pengajian yang mereka ikuti.
MAKMAL BARU: Politeknik Republic (RP) melancarkan sebuah makmal baru yang ditubuhkan dengan kerjasama Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence (HMI) bagi membolehkan pelajarnya mempertingkat kemahiran bidang kejuruteraan. FOTO : ZAOBAO
RP’s Diploma in Industrial and Operations Management (DIOM) students can now enhance their capabilities and skills in the field of engineering through the newly-launched RP-Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence (HMI) Joint Laboratory. Developed in collaboration with HMI, the lab enables the linkage of design, manufacturing and metrology operations into a single, lean system and facilitates training that complements DIOM’s course curriculum.
劳斯莱斯为共和工院 提供学生实习机会
10 September 2016 | Lianhe Zaobao
胡洁梅 报道
RP School of Technology for the Arts Are you ready for a career in the creative industry? If your answer is “Yes”, visit www.rp.edu.sg/sta to find out more!
共和理工学院和劳斯莱斯签署谅解备忘录，让 学生有机会学以致用，协助开发检验机械零件 的新系统，累积职场经验。
劳斯莱斯也会为共和工院提出意见，以改良材 料科学课程的内容，让职前学生和接受持续教 育与培训的学生受益。这家跨国企业也将和工 院携手举办工作坊、讲座和企业学习之旅。
接下来三年，预计每年有15名材料科学系学 生可到劳斯莱斯（Rolls-Royce）实习或进行 毕业专题作业，加深对非破损性检验（NonDestructive Testing）工作的认识。
劳斯莱斯新加坡董事班古（Bicky Bhangu） 博士指出，公司很高兴能延续与共和工院的协 作，让学生有机会根据公司的实际挑战应用所 学来开发解决策略，协助公司提升生产力。
劳斯莱斯是共和工院多个企业伙伴之一，它早 在2012年就开始为共和工院学生提供实习机 会，这次签署备忘录将加强双方在研究方面 的协作。
共和工院材料科学系三年级学生林俊吉（20岁） 几个月前与另四名同学到劳斯莱斯实习，学习如 何应用涡电流（eddy current）原理来进行非 破损性检验，检查飞机零件是否出现缺损。
共和工院副院长（工业服务）司徒乐然昨天 在“材料科学系企业联系日活动”上致词时指 出，共和工院与劳斯莱斯将共同开发自动化的 非破损性检验系统，更有效率地检查飞机零件 是否有缺损。
除了劳斯莱斯，共和工院昨天在“材料科学系 企业联系日活动”上也同另一家企业Jonite签 署谅解备忘录，它将与这家制造商开发可持续 的景观美化技术。
Rolls-Royce provides internship opportunities for Republic Polytechnic students RP inked a Memorandum of Understanding with Rolls-Royce to provide students from RP School of Applied Science with learning opportunities in the areas of failure investigation and Non-Destructive Testing (NDT), and to boost their industry-based learning experience. As part of the partnership agreement, some students from RP’s Diploma in Materials Science will undertake internships or final-year projects with RollsRoyce every year for the next three years, deepening their knowledge of NDT.
ohkm@sph.com.sg
DISCOVER 15 YEARS OF TRANSFORMATIVE LEARNING 3
E X PA N DI N G H O R I Z O N S
李总理: 成员国本周碰面
拓展与深化多方面合作
新印签署四项 谅解备忘录
探讨TPP解决方案 15 November 2016 | Lianhe Zaobao
针对一些跨太平洋伙伴关系协定（TPP）成员国建议检讨TPP条款，李总理 表示，我们花了五六年谈判，才达成这么一个非常详尽和平衡的协定，它涵 盖数千页的文本，要修改条款，不是这么容易的一 件事。
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对付恐怖分子 还需共同合作
李显龙总理（左二）和夫 人何晶（左一），与印尼总统 佐科（右二）和夫 人埃 里亚纳，在三宝垄 的中爪哇 省长前官邸会晤。该官邸目前用来接 待外国政要等。(何家俊 摄） 何惜薇 三宝垄报道 耕耘多时并致力于跨太平洋伙伴关系协定谈判 的每一个人，相信会对奥巴马政府决定不在新总 统就职前，寻求美国国会核准这项协定感到失望。 到访印度尼西亚三宝垄市的李显龙总理预计，协 定成员国将在亚太经济合作组织本周于秘鲁开 会时，交换意见，探讨接下来的可行方案。 李总理昨天在与印尼总统佐科举行首次非正式峰 会后，接受随行新加坡媒体的访问。他说：“我们 对跨太平洋伙伴关系协定（TPP）不会在美国新 总统于1月21日就职前，获得国会核准感到失望。 我不知道新任总统的具体立场，但他在选举期间 的立场倒是挺广为人知的，他丝毫不赞同TPP。” 美国贸易代表办公室上周五表明，在美国候任总 统特朗普宣誓就职之前，该办公室将停止寻求国 会核准TPP，协定的未来走向将交由明年就职的 新总统与新国会决定。 美国、日本、澳大利亚、文莱、加拿大、智利、马 来西亚、墨西哥、新西兰、秘鲁、新加坡和越南这 12个国家经过五年多的谈判，去年10月就TPP 达成共识，今年2月正式签署协定文本，但协定还 需获得各国立法机构核准才能生效。 奥巴马政府原本计划在总统大选结束后，在新 政府上台之前的“跛脚鸭”国会会期中寻求通 过TPP，因此数月来一直在游说国会议员。然
而，这些计划都被共和党的特朗普意外当选总 统打乱。 反对TPP是特朗普竞选纲领中的核心项目之一， 他称TPP为“灾难”，会导致大量工作机会从美 国流向海外。他反对自由贸易，承诺要制止中国 和墨西哥货品进入美国，这为他赢得大量蓝领 工人的选票。 缺少美国这个经济龙头带领，各界对TPP的影响 力和重要性将大打折扣。一些TPP成员国建议检 讨TPP条款，甚至是引进俄罗斯和中国。
制定替代方案还言之过早 对此，李总理回应说，这么做会彻底改变TPP。 “我们花了五六年谈判，才达成这么一个非常详 尽和平衡的协定，它涵盖数千页的文本。要修改 条款，不是这么容易的一件事。要如何改变？谁 要做较大或较小的牺牲，如何取得平衡？如果引 进新成员国，那是完全不同的新协定了。” 他认为，一个新的成员国，特别是一个大国，不 会随意赞同由其他国家达成协议的种种条款。 李总理强调，制定替代方案尚嫌言之过早。 “让 我们先评估大家的感受，以及他们认为暂时可如 何退而求其次，制定可行的解决方案。”
hosb@sph.com.sg
4 DISCOVER 15 YEARS OF TRANSFORMATIVE LEARNING
新印双方在反恐方面也携 手 合 作，这 很多 时 候 是 默 默 耕 耘 ，但 这 是 双 方 重 视 的 课 题 。印尼有 武 装 分 子加 入 了伊 斯兰 国 组 织 ，随 着 个 组 织 在 中 东 遇 上 困 难 ，更多武 装分子恐怕会回到印尼。 这将带来一些问题……我 向 佐 科总 统 道 谢，感 谢 印 尼 确 认 、查 获 和 逮 捕 在 峇 淡 (要对新加坡不利)的恐 怖 组 织 。但 仍 有 其 他 组 织 存 在 ，我 们 需 要 共 同 合 作 … … 在 反 恐 议 题 上 ，我 们 鼓 励 印尼带头 与其他 国 家 合 作 ，共 享 情 报 和 最 佳 作 业 方 式 。这 不 仅 是 对 付 恐 怖 分 子 ，也 是 在 意 识 形 态的层面上处理问题。
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李显 龙 总 理 谈 新印反 恐 合 作
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong: TransPacific Partnership (TPP) members met to discuss strategies in the face of a possible failed partnership Singapore and Indonesia had its first leadership retreat to discuss issues surrounding the Trans-Pacific Partnership. Both countries also strengthened its collaboration by signing four Memorandums of Understanding, with one of them being a deal signed by Republic Polytechnic and Indonesia’s Ministry of Tourism to boost the capabilities of the tourism and hospitality sector through enhanced learning.
新加坡和印度尼西亚数个部门与机构，在 李显龙总理和印尼总统佐科举行的非正式 峰会场边，签署了四项谅解备忘录，进一步 拓展和深化多方面的合作。两位领导人昨 天见证了贸工部长（工业）易华仁与印尼旅 游部长阿里夫共同签署的谅解备忘录。 这四项备忘录是：
1 新印旅游合作谅解备忘录 机构：新加坡旅游局和印尼旅游部 内容：两国1994年签署了加强、推广和发 展双边旅游合作的备忘录。新的备忘录聚 焦三方面的合作：游轮、联合营销与推广 以及会议、展览与奖励旅游业（MICE）活 动。两国可具体进行的合作包括旅游目的 地和港口开发、人力资源发展、研究与发展、 旅游投资、私企合作以及信息交流等。
2 发展智慧城市谅解备忘录 机构：新加坡国际企业发展局和望加锡市 （Makassar City）政府 内容：望加锡市是南苏拉威西首府，其愿景 是把该市打造成世界级的宜居城市。新加 坡和望加锡市公共领域和私人企业，携手 为望加锡市制定智慧城方案。具合作潜质 的范围包括发展网上政府平台、智慧卡、智 慧交通与运输、监测水灾预警系统以及智 慧街灯。
3 数码经济能力建设谅解备忘录 机构：淡马锡理工学院和印尼峇淡州立工 业学院 内容：共同制定和落实“ 培训员培训计划” （Train-the-Trainer），由淡马锡工院为峇 淡州立工业学院职员，提供软件工程和软 件开发等资讯科技相关课程。培训计划可 在峇巴淡州立工业学院、峇淡岛或淡马锡 工院进行。
4 款待与旅游能力建设计划 机构：共和理工学院和印尼旅游部 内容：透过加强教学与学习，以及分享政 府、教育学府和行业业者三方合作的最佳 作业方式与战略。共和工院将在计划下，培 训148名来自四个印尼国家旅游机构的职 员，以及印尼款待业业者。淡马锡基金会为 计划提供49万4500元资助，让培训在未 来两年里，于新印两地进行。
5 能源合作谅解备忘录 机构：兰亭天然气（Pavilion Gas）和印尼 最大规模国营企业之一的国家石油与天然 气公司（Pertamina） 内容：促进双方的合作，为本区域提供能 源方案。双方将携手探讨区域小规模液体 天然气（LNG）项目、联合营销、贸易、采 购和投资。
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Politeknik Republic dan Samsung bangun makmal Android yang baru 31 May 2016 | Berita Harian
POLITEKNIK Republic (RP) dan Samsung baru-baru ini menganjurkan latihan dan pembangunan makmal Android yang baru bagi memupuk pereka sofwe dengan kemahiran membangunkan sofwe Android demi mengembangkan idea mereka.
persekitaran yang sesuai bagi pelajar mendapat akses kepada teknologi canggih dan membina aplikasi pelbagai platform – termasuk telefon pintar, tablet, jam tangan pintar dan alat pendengaran realiti maya.
Hampir 80 pelajar di Sekolah Infokom RP yang mengambil modul pengaturcaraan Android Makmal Bergerak RP-Samsung, yang pertama sebagai sebahagian daripada keperluan dalam kalangan institusi pengajian tinggi di Singapura, bertujuan mendekatkan pembelajaran kursus mereka bakal memanfaatkan makmal itu setiap tahun. di dalam bilik darjah dan aplikasi dunia sebenar. Ia juga wadah bagi membuka peluang pembelajaran baru dalam teknologi mudah alih untuk pelajar. Kemudahan baru hasil kerjasama antara RP dengan Samsung itu bakal mewujudkan
Pengarah Sekolah Infokom RP, Encik Boo Chong Han, berkata: “Pembangunan sofwe mudah alih sentiasa menjadi kelompok pertumbuhan hangat dalam sektor informasi dan teknologi
maklumat (ICT), di samping peluang kerjaya yang banyak. “Perkongsian kami dengan Samsung, yang merangkumi Makmal Bergerak RP-Samsung – sebuah program pensijilan bersama bagi pereka Android, biasiswa dan lawatan ke luar negara – akan menyediakan lebih banyak peluang kepada pelajar kami meningkatkan kemahiran mereka.” RP dan Samsung akan menawarkan program pensijilan baru dalam pembangunan aplikasi Android bagi pelajar Diploma Pembangunan Sofwe Mudah Alih. Pensijilan pertama seumpamanya di Singapura, ia akan membantu mengasah kepakaran pembangunan sofwe mudah alih bagi pelajar. Ia akan diberikan kepada pelajar yang menunjukkan kecekapan dalam membangunkan aplikasi Android. Sempena pembukaan makmal bergerak itu, RP dan Samsung juga akan bersama-sama melancarkan Eyes On The Road (Pedestrian Edition), aplikasi mudah alih percuma yang direka bagi membantu meningkatkan keselamatan pejalan kaki di jalan raya.
Republic Polytechnic and Samsung unveil new Android laboratory RP and Samsung launched an Android training and development laboratory to equip software developers with the skills to develop Android software applications. The RP-Samsung Mobile Lab, a first among the institutes of higher learning in Singapore, bridges classroom learning and real-world application. It also serves as a platform to expose students to new learning opportunities in mobile technology. Besides the RP-Samsung Mobile Lab, RP’s partnership with Samsung also includes a joint certification programme for Android developers, scholarships and overseas trips. In conjunction with the mobile lab opening, Eyes On The Road (Pedestrian Edition), a free mobile application jointly developed by RP and Samsung to help improve the safety of pedestrians on the roads, was also launched.
Passion for the outdoors leads girl to diploma in adventure 5 May 2016 | TODAY
By ILIYAS JUANDA
SINGAPORE — By age 5, she had scaled her first mountain, Mount Ophir, with her family. When she was in secondary school, treks along the 10km trail at the Southern Ridges were a weekly family affair for Zarreen Loke. With a passion for outdoor activities running in her blood, Ms Loke, 20, who will be graduating from Republic Polytechnic with a diploma in outdoor adventure and learning this year, aspires to be a physical education teacher. She is among 4,700 RP graduands this year; among the school’s biggest cohort. “When we were younger, my father was the one who sort of planned it for us. We went for all the kayaking courses and sports climbing courses together,” said Ms Loke.
She added that she has to let students know that beyond academics, outdoor and physical education are also important. Ms Loke said outdoor adventures have helped her in self-discovery and learning more about her capabilities.
Zarreen Loke said that outdoor adventures have helped her in learning more about her own capabilities. PHOTO : ZARREEN LOKE
“It develops a person’s character traits... outdoor education does that more effectively.”
for children with autism from Rainbow Centre Singapore.
She recalled a hike up Mount Kinabalu in 2013 with her family as especially memorable, as she “experienced altitude sickness for the first time”.
On the Government’s decision to make Outward Bound Singapore camps mandatory for all Secondary 3 students from 2020, Ms Loke expressed envy as she had not attended the programme before.
She also had to find it within her to push on in the last 100m to the summit despite wanting to give up mentally. “I love the thrill and excitement that I get from outdoor activities.”
Her sister Sheereen, 24, also graduated from the same course in 2012, while their father Mikael Loke, 53, attained a specialist diploma in the course that same year.
Ms Loke said her favourite activity during her course was kayaking because of the skills that she learnt, including sideways paddling and rescuing paddlers who had fallen in the water. She also savours the challenge posed by the constantly changing tides.
“Having had some experience in tutoring, I realise that being able to witness the changes in progress (of students), as well as meeting and interacting with many different people is definitely enjoyable and worth the time and effort made in teaching,” she said.
In her penultimate semester, she went for a four-month internship at Higher Ground, an Australian outdoor education centre in Tuchekoi, Queensland. She also spent her final semester planning an outdoor programme
“The students are very fortunate. They can meet so many people. They can learn skills like outdoor cooking, navigation, and they learn how to be independent and take care of themselves,” she said. She believes that going through the experience at an age when they start forming their own views will allow students “to witness the importance of the environment and to understand how shaping up one’s character can contribute to the future”. iliyasj@mediacorp.com.sg
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The students are very fortunate. They can meet so many people. They can learn skills like outdoor cooking, navigation, and they learn how to be independent and take care of themselves.
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Ms Zarreen Loke ON THE GOVERNMENT’S DECISION TO MAKE OUTWARD BOUND SINGAPORE CAMPS MANDATORY FOR ALL SECONDARY 3 STUDENTS
Copyright 2016 MediaCorp Press Ltd. Article first appeared in TODAY.
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要与教育部合作
户外探险业者盼制定指导员培训准则 26 April 2016 | Lianhe Zaobao
OL AE市场通讯主管蔡柔 文说，户外活动策划领域没有获得专业认可，雇主若要为雇员提供培 训，所能得到的政 府支持有限。她们希望加强与教育部的合作，除了制定培训准则，也能及时获 知重要信息，以便做 足准备，更好地自我提升。 邓华贵 报道 本地私人活动策划业者盼望与政府促进合作， 携手制定一套培训准则以提高户外与教育探 险指导员的素质，使整个户外教育业更专业化。 财政部长王瑞杰今年3月在2016财政年预算 案声明中宣布，政府将通过全国户外探险教 育总蓝图（National Outdoor Adventure Education Masterplan），进一步扩大学生 的户外探险教育。
担心私人业者被边缘化 配合总蓝图，教育部宣布将聘请一组全职户外 探险教育工作者，负责策划和指导在户外探 险学习中心举行的露营活动。教育部也表示将 继续和私人户外活动策划业者协作，提升户外 教育水平。 然而，一些私人户外活动策划业者对此表示担 忧。代表九家私人户外活动策划公司和一家学 府的新加坡户外与探险教育协会（Outdoor Learning and Adventure Education Association，简称OL AE），本月中旬致函 《海峡时报》，担心私人业者将从此被边缘化， 分不到户外教育市场的一杯羹。 OLAE市场通讯主管蔡柔文（36岁）受访时说， 由于户外教育的定义广泛，业界目前没有一套 规范准则，为指导员提供训练。目前身兼户外 活动策划公司Asian Detours行销总监的蔡 共和理工学院校 友张菡思（左 起）、学生罗锦荣和学科主任林玲儿，对于政 府把更多重心放在户外 教育方面而感到欣慰。（林国明摄） 柔文也观察到，户外活动策划领域没有获得专 业认可，雇主若要为雇员提供培训，所能得到 的政府支持有限。 首届毕业生张菡思（26岁）对于教育部计划扩大 蔡柔文估计本地目前有多达80家私人活动策 户外教育，如到了2020年让所有中三生参与外 Outdoor adventure industry players hope to cooperate 划公司。她说： “私人活动策划也是专业行业， 展训练充满期待。 with MOE to develop training guidelines for instructors 希望业者能获得更大的认可。我们希望加强与 张菡思说： “教育部要规范化户外教育业者的 教育部的合作，除了制定一套培训准则，也能 As the only local institution to offer a Diploma in Outdoor and Adventure Learning (DOAL), 整体素质是件好事，我只是关注他们会采取 及时获知重要信息，以便做足准备，更好地自 RP is also a member of Outdoor Learning and Adventure Education Association (OLEA). 什么具体措施，如是否会采取‘一刀切’ （one 我提升。” RP DOAL graduate Cheer Chong, 26, looks forward to MOE’s plans to expand and size fits all）的方式？户外教育涵盖的层面广 过去三个星期，OL AE已和教育部开过两次会 develop outdoor education. Cheer welcomes MOE’s efforts to standardise outdoor 阔，对于不同业者应采取不同措施。” education, but is concerned that the government might adopt a one-size-fits-all approach. 交流意见。教育部上个星期在回函中说，随着 共和工院二年级生罗锦荣（19岁）希望毕业 She suggests catering measures to the needs of each industry player. 户外教育日益普及化，教育部有必要与不同伙 后能加入外展训练中心，成为全职指导员。他 伴合作以确保其安全性。除了通过培训增加内 Second-year RP DOAL student Eugene Low, 19, hopes to join Outward Bound Singapore 说： “相信政府与私人领域合作，将开拓更多就 部的全职户外探险教育工作者，教育部还会连 after graduation as a full-time instructor. He forsees that the government and private 业机会， 对我们来说是好消息。 ” 同外展训练中心与私人业者合作。
sector cooperation will open up more employment opportunities.
教育部说，私人业者将有机会继续策划户外教 育活动，以及使用教育部户外探险学习中心。 教育部也说，私人业者所提供的多样服务、其 专业知识和热忱，将对教育部有帮助。 作为本地唯一提供户外与探险学专业文凭课程 的学院——共和理工学院也是OLAE成员之一。
学科主任林玲儿（43岁）说： “和其他发达国家 相比，新加坡的户外与探险教育发展慢了五到 十年。很开心看到政府把更多重心放在户外教 育，但也希望这将是长远的努力。”
thwakwee@sph.com.sg
6 DISCOVER 15 YEARS OF TRANSFORMATIVE LEARNING
Programme Chair of RP DOAL Lim Leng Er said she is glad to see the government increasing its focus on outdoor education and is hopeful that this will be a long term effort.
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用镜头记录日灾民重建家园 共和工院与红十字会联办摄影巡展
4 March 2016 | Lianhe Zaobao
在红十字会的邀请下， 共和工院到日本大地 震和海啸灾区捕捉灾 民劫后余生、重建家园 的故事，希望通过摄 影 展 启发更多人对海外 受灾人士伸出援手。 许翔宇 陈秋如 报道 日本东部五年前遭受九级强震和大海啸冲击， 巨浪将宝贵生命和财产席卷而去，生还者必须 重拾生计且勇敢活下去。共和理工学院学生去 年年中在新加坡红十字会的邀请下到灾区，通 过拍摄照片和纪录片，将灾民劫后余生、重建 家园的感人故事记录下来。
共和工院师生赴日本2011年大 地震和海啸的受灾区，通 过 拍摄 照片和纪录片，记录灾民重 建 家园的故事。后排左 起 为通讯与管理系讲师法诗 拉、学生黄如意、讲师莎诗达；前排左 起 为学生吴 榕伟、陈俊豪和艾兹米。（梁 麒 麟 摄） 今年是新日建交50周年，为了纪念2011年日 本大地震和海啸五周年，红十字会和共和工院 举办摄影展，希望通过学生的镜头捕捉的画面 向生还者致敬，也凸显新加坡民众的赈灾善款， 往往只了解故事轮廓。回新后对访谈录像较完 对协助当地灾后重建项目所发挥的积极作用。 整地进行翻译和转录，才深刻体会故事背后 Documenting the lives of 的心酸。” 这个以“生命的坚韧” （The Strength of Japanese tsunami victims the Human Spirit）为主题的巡回摄影展， 从初步考察、正式拍摄到后期制作，摄制队共 第一站在ION乌节购物商场，前天由外交部长 In collaboration with Singapore Red 花了九个月。受访学生都认为，参与此项目让他 维文医生主持推介仪式。 Cross (SRC), RP sent student and staff 们学以致用、累积实际工作经验。 维文致词时表扬红十字会当年在灾难发生后 迅速发动募捐以救济灾民。新加坡民众对日本 灾民的捐款逾3500万元，也是历来新加坡红 十字会为单个受灾国所筹募的捐款中数额最 高的一次。 共和工院通讯与管理系大众传播课程的九 名学生和两名讲师， 去年6月到日本福岛县 （Fukushima）、宫城县（Miyagi）和岩手县 （Iwate）进行10天的拍摄和采访。他们走访多 项以本地捐款资助的重建项目，包括多用途中 心、护理中心、幼儿园和防灾交流中心等。
生还者：悲伤不露于言表 项目组长吴榕伟（22岁）说，他们实地领略了 本地捐款对当地人生活所发挥的实际帮助。 “ 不少公共设施被海啸摧毁，重建后的多用途中 心等设施，成了当地民众聚集交流、彼此扶持 的重要场所。” 贯穿每个生还者故事的是一股乐观坚韧，不向 命运低头的精神。吴榕伟指出，悲伤不露于言 表，似乎是日本民众的特点。 “有好几次，受访 人面带微笑、侃侃而谈，但讲述的是房子或工 厂被巨浪卷走或家人罹难的故事。因为语言障 碍及时间限制，尽管现场有人同步翻译，我们
艾兹米（Azmi Athni，20岁）说： “我体会到 拍摄手法得随着工作性质而调整。我之前时常 拍演唱会照片，比较关注构图唯美。在日本拍 摄时，经讲师指点，我才明白，处理这样的题 材，受访人的故事才是重点，照片要能反映人 物及故事主题。” 新加坡红十字会秘书长班杰明·威廉 （Benjamin William）说： “学生拍摄的纪录 片和照片将让本地捐款者明白，他们的捐款无 论多寡，都能实际改善灾民的生活。希望通过 生还者的故事启发更多人对海外受灾人士伸 出援手。” 展览将在ION举办至星期天（6日），过后 陆续到怡丰城（VivoCity）、裕廊东的西城 （Westgate）和波那维斯达的星悦汇（The Star Vista）展出至4月3日。 公众可到新加坡红十字会YouTube网页观看 共和工院学生拍摄的纪录片。照片集《生命的 坚韧》在新加坡红十字会（15 Penang Lane Singapore 248486）出售，每本售价25元， 售书所得将资助红十字会本地的援助项目。
hsiangyu@sph.com.sg tanqiuru@sph.com.sg
representatives from RP’s Diploma in Mass Communication to tsunami-hit areas in Japan to document postdisaster rebuilding efforts. Launched by Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, ‘The Strength of the Human Spirit’ exhibition had its first showcase at ION Orchard. SRC’s Secretary General Mr Benjamin William commended that the students’ hard work had a positive impact and it also showed the local community how their donations contributed towards the rebuilding efforts post-tsunami. Project leader and RP student Kane Raynard Goh shared that the donations raised by SRC helped the tsunami victims in rebuilding their homes.
RP School of Management and Communication If you have a nose for news or a passion for business, visit www.rp.edu.sg/smc for more information!
Through the project, RP student Azmi Athni learnt that photography techniques differ for the required environment and appreciated how meaningful it was to bring out the story of the Japanese survivors through her exhibition photographs.
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共和工院社企管理首届36人毕业 4 May 2016 | Lianhe Zaobao 许翔宇 报道 共和理工学院三年前开办的社会企业管理专业 文凭课程，目的是培养学生社会意识和经商创 业能力；课程迎来首届共36名毕业生，为志愿 服务和社会企业领域增添生力军。 黄青晶（21岁）希望从事“既能帮助他人又能 养活自己”的工作，但当年因O水准成绩不够理 想，一度不能如愿报读课程。幸好她成功上诉 被录取，而且最终以优异成绩，在志工管理单 元课名列前茅。 “因有机会到仁慈医院实习，我 意外地发现自己擅长与年长者沟通。课程让我 领略到从事社会服务，一定要具备同理心。如 今，我更确信自己未来要当社工。” 吴坤达（20岁）则立志“把欢笑带给社会较不 幸的人”。他认为，课程让他更了解行善的意 义。 “行善必须发自内心，而要真正帮到他人， 就要设法让求助者最终能自立。” 他在世界宣明会新加坡分会（World Vision Singapore）实习时负责青年峰会的策划及 宣传。 “我打算创立自己的社会企业，着重培训 年轻人，也希望发挥自己的影响力，改善他人 的生活。” 也有意开创社会企业的蔡燕伶（21岁）认为， 课程让她领略社会企业的角色，以及有效经营 这类企业的方式。 “行善也是为给弱势群体一 个重新出发的机会，并让他们知道有需要时， 必定有求助的渠道。”
共和理工学院学生黄青晶(左 起)、吴坤达 和蔡 燕 伶顺利从社会 企业管理课 程毕业，他们希望日后为本地社会服 务和社会 企业领域 尽一 分力。 (熊俊华摄 )
Republic Polytechnic’s pioneer batch of 36 social enterprise management graduates The article featured RP’s Diploma in Social Enterprise Management (DSEM) graduates Celene Ng, Alastair Ng and Chua Yan Ling. RP began its DSEM course three years ago to nurture social awareness and business entrepreneurship capabilities in students. The course has produced its first batch of 36 graduates, adding fresh activists to the volunteerism and social enterprise fields.
hsiangyu@sph.com.sg
Young athlete on track to pursue passion for sports 26 September 2016 | The Straits Times
By Rachel Oh
Over the course of 10 years, Jeevina Ganesh has filled her schedule with not one, but five different sports – netball, football, aikido, track and field,and classical dance. “I realised I liked sports in Primary 1 during sports day, when my friends and teachers asked me to join the sports carnival,” said Jeevina, laughing at the memory of how she had to be cajoled into participating in the events. She won the carnival’s relay and long jump events, joined her school’s track and field team and, in Primary 5, went on to represent Lianhua Primary School in a running event at the national level. In addition, she took aikido and classical dance classes during weekends, but dropped them to join Admiralty Community Sports Club’s girls football team in secondary school. Now in Secondary 4, 16-year-old Jeevina recently stepped down as captain of Marsiling Secondary
School’s netball team to focus on her O levels, after leading the team for the past four years. Her passion for sports was what prompted her to apply for Republic Polytechnic’s diploma in sports coaching course through the Early Admissions Exercise (EAE), which allows students to secure places in diploma courses through course-specific talents and interests, rather than academic grades. “I wanted to continue to develop passion in students like me and be a motivation for them,” said Jeevina, who is also aiming to represent Singapore in netball in the future. The young athlete is privy to the worries and burdens faced by others her age, having experienced them herself. She especially remembers pushing herself too hard for competitions, struggling to balance sports and studies, and the pain of a loss. “The biggest difficulty was stress because of school work,” she said, adding that her family –
8 DISCOVER 15 YEARS OF TRANSFORMATIVE LEARNING
Jeevina Ganesh, who applied for Republic Polytechnic’s diploma in sports coaching course through the Early Admissions Exercise, wants to motivate other students like her and dreams of representing Singapore in netball. ST PHOTO : LAU FOOK KONG
consisting of her parents, younger brother and grandfather – was her biggest support. “My dad would pick me up after training when I was tired, and my grandpa would buy me new soccer boots. Whenever I had netball matches, they would come down to watch.” Even though school was tough, quitting sports was never an option for her. Instead, she sees it as a stress reliever.
“When I go to netball training, I feel good. Playing netball is a happy thing and makes me forget about studies for sometime.” For Jeevina, the best part about entering through the EAE is that she has a goal to work towards: She still has to pull up her mathematics grades to enter the course, but is grateful for the chance. “I’m glad I can be recognised for what I love even if I can’t study well, instead of being given up on.”
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Home coming 31 July 2016 | The New Paper on Sunday
Artists return to Republic Poly to perform at music festival By MARIAN GOVIN
The show was bigger and better. Back for its ninth year, Ignite! Music Festival was held at Republic Polytechnic over two days, with many local bands and artists coming together to perform. “This is where our music started, and it feels like home,” said Mr Shahrin Syazwan of Bear Culture. “When we were students (in RP), we dreamed about playing, but we only managed to do so after we graduated. “It is always something we look forward to. It feels like home — this is where the band started.” The band, returning for the fourth time, performed a 30-minute set to an enthusiastic crowd last night. “We treat it like homecoming,” said lead guitarist Jayme Lim. Kevin Lester, better known as The Lion City Boy, was also back for his second run. He said: “It is an honour to be handpicked to perform for this event. Ignite! 2015 was why I wrote my next album (to be released next month).”
He said he had felt so inspired after the performance that he started writing for his new album once he reached home from the festival. On Friday, he performed a 30-minute set to a crowd that went wild. Hands in the air, the festival-goers danced to the music and soaked in the vibe. SPECIAL GUEST And there was a special guest during the set — Benjamin Kheng from The Sam Willows. This year, the festival, which was run by about 700 students, saw more than 10 acts perform. Festival secretariat Zainulrahman Motalif said: “I love how the event is run and how we (students) are able to see this turn from nothing into something. “There is a sense of achievement.” Plans are underway for the next Ignite! Music Festival as it hits its tenth year next year. Chief artiste liaison officer Kelwen Liew said: “The planning for next year’s event will start after we end this one.” mgovin@sph.com.sg
HAVING FUN: (Left) The Lion City Boy performing on Friday. The festival was a success with people enjoying themselves. (Above) It was organised by about 700 students, including Ms Kelwen Liew, Mr Zainulrahman Motalif and Mr Kevin Brendan Raj Kumar (in jeans). TNP PHOTOS: ISkaNdar rOSSalI
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Pelajar menengah didedah kepada bidang komunikasi massa 26 March 2016 | Berita Harian
Secondary school students exposed to the field of mass communication In line with the Ministry of Education’s call to foster interest in lifelong learning among students, RP’s annual Media Challenge exposes secondary students to the field of mass communication. The fourth edition of the competition centres on developing a marketing communication campaign to encourage young people to avoid using their smart phones and spend more quality time with family and friends. Organised by RP School of Management and Communication, the competition provides an interactive platform for students to acquire skills in writing, communication and critical thinking, and gain greater awareness of social issues. SAMBUTAN MENGGALAKKAN: Pertandingan Cabaran Media Politeknik Republic tahun ini menerima penyertaan daripada 20 sekolah menengah, menjadikan sejumlah 32 pasukan yang mengambil bahagian dengan 160 pelajar. FOTO : POLITEKNIK REPUBLIC
PELAJAR sekolah menengah didedahkan dengan pembelajaran meluas termasuk yang di luar kurikulum. Sejajar dengan seruan Kementerian Pendidikan (MOE) dalam memupuk minat pembelajaran sepanjang hayat di kalangan pelajar, Politeknik Republic (RP) telah mendekati pelajar dan mendedahkan mereka kepada bidang komunikasi massa dalam acara tahunan RP – pertandingan Cabaran Media. Diadakan buat kali keempat, acara tahun ini bertemakan kempen komunikasi pemasaran bagi menggalak belia menghindari penggunaan telefon bijak mereka dan memupuk hubungan lebih mesra serta
meluangkan masa berkualiti bersama keluarga dan rakan.
bahagian dengan seramai 160 pelajar, jumlah tertinggi setakat ini.
Di samping memberi pendedahan kepada pelajar, ia turut menyediakan wadah interaktif bagi memperolehi kemahiran dalam menulis, berkomunikasi, pemikiran kritikal dan meningkatkan kesedaran terhadap isu sosial.
Peserta berpeluang menimba ilmu daripada kakitangan RP dan pakar daripada industri pemasaran, media sosial, pengiklanan, kewartawanan, fotografi dan banyak lagi menerusi bengkel kendalian fakulti Sekolah Pengurusan dan Komunikasi RP serta profesional industri.
Dalam acara anjuran Sekolah Pengurusan dan Komunikasi RP ini, pelajar terlibat dalam penghasilan video, fotografi dan penulisan digital bagi memasarkan kempen mereka. Sambutan tahun ini sangat menggalakkan dengan penyertaan 20 sekolah menengah, menjadikan sejumlah 32 pasukan mengambil
共和工院明年新课程 提供社媒通讯在职培训 25 November 2016 | Lianhe Zaobao
随着社交媒体盛行，各领域所需的相关专业人 才也有所增加。共和理工学院明年推出新课程， 为宣传公关和市场营销通讯的专业人士提供社 交媒体通讯方面的在职培训。 共和工院昨天发文告宣布，明年4月将开办 “社交媒体通讯策略专科文凭” （Specialist Diploma in Communication Strategies
for Social Media）课程，内容涵盖社交媒体 通讯策略、社交和数码媒体分析的研究和应用、 内容创作与市场营销，以及危机处理通讯。 文告提到，据经济发展局的资料，我国媒体业 过去五年增长了150％，而接下来五年预计能 稳定并持续地增长。共和工院说，媒体领域对 本地专才的需求也因此更大，包括可创作精彩
10 DISCOVER 15 YEARS OF TRANSFORMATIVE LEARNING
Selain itu, kelainan tahun ini daripada tahun-tahun sebelumnya ialah peserta berpeluang melihat dan mengundi pasukan yang mereka gemari. Penyertaan pelajar melihatkan pelbagai bentuk media digunakan dalam kempen tersebut
内容，并善用数码媒体与客户和利益相关者互 动的人才。 共和工院表示通过与业界的交流，找出了一般 公司在数码媒体应用方面所欠缺的技能，并指 该课程能帮助通讯专业人士了解目前与未来数 码领域的动态，以有效地与受众群沟通。 这个为期一年的“持续教育与培训”(Continuing Education and Training，简称CET) 课程，也是 本地理工学院推出的首个相关课程。
明年1月23日报名截止 课程首届招生30人，25岁或以上新加坡公民可 动用500元的技能创前程补助（SkillsFuture Credit）来支付学费。 有意报读者可从即日起报名，截止日期是明年 1月23日。
seperti video yang kemudiannya dimuat naik dalam laman Facebook dan Instagram. Pertandingan yang ditaja Majlis Belia Kebangsaan (NYC) itu dimenangi pelajar Sekolah Tinggi Perempuan Nanyang yang membuat kempen bertajuk ‘#turnitoff2016’ dengan belia digesa dan dicabar mematikan telefon bimbit mereka selama sejam dan menggunakan masa itu dengan perkara yang lebih bermakna ketika bersama keluarga dan rakan. Tempat kedua dimenangi Sekolah Menengah Swiss Cottage diikuti dengan Sekolah Inggeris Assumption di tempat ketiga. Mereka diadili Majlis Celik Media di bawah Penguasa Pembangunan Media (MDA) dan Young & Rubicam.
Republic Polytechnic launches specialist diploma RP will be introducing a new course, the Specialist Diploma in Communication Strategies for Social Media in April 2017 to provide PR and marketing professionals training in social media communications strategies. Addressing industry demands and skill gaps, this one-year Continuing Education and Training course is the first of its kind to be launched by a local polytechnic, and will cover social media communications strategies, research and application of digital media analytics, content creation and marketing, as well as crisis communication.
E X PA N DI N G H O R I Z O N S
‘Puteri Animasi’ bersaing dalam ‘Game Jam Sedunia’
30 January 2016 | Berita Harian
PERKASA DIRI: Pelajar Politeknik Republic, Cik Sulaiha, adalah bakat kreatif dalam bidang rekaan permainan yang mengatasi masalah Sindrom Asperger (sejenis autisme yang menjejas interaksi sosial) dengan memperkaya pengalaman mencipta permainan menarik yang menghiburkan. FOTO : ZAINAL YAHYA
Pelajar Politeknik Republic hidap masalah autisme namun punya bakat besar mereka permainan siber By HARYANI ISMAIL
MINAT Cik Sulaiha Salim terhadap corak animasi Jepun (anime) yang terpampang dalam komik manga Jepun membawanya setapak dekat dengan bidang rekaan permainan siber. Di sebalik ujian menghidap Sindrom Asperger (sejenis masalah autisme yang menjejas interaksi sosial dan komunikasi bukan lisan), Cik Sulaiha, 22 tahun, kini adalah antara pelajar rekaan permainan di Politeknik Republic yang dianggap berpotensi besar dalam bidang ini.
Dalam kohortnya, anak bongsu dalam tiga beradik ini adalah satu-satunya gadis Melayu yang memberanikan diri menceburi bidang rekaan permainan yang memerlukan idea kreatif lagi gila-gila. Semalam, beliau memulakan misi 48 jam bersaing dalam ‘Game Jam Sedunia’, acara ciptaan seberapa banyak permainan kreatif berpandukan tema rahsia yang hanya didedahkan di saat peraduan itu dimulakan. Ini adalah tahun kedua beliau menerajui tugas sebagai pereka watak permainan, pereka babak permainan video bukan interaktif (cutscene) dan juruanimasi. Ketika ditemui, Cik Sulaiha, yang meraih Anugerah Belia Harapan Goh Chok Tong dan beberapa anugerah lain sebelum ini, berkata: “Saya tidak menduga bidang rekaan permainan ini akan memperkasa diri saya dan memberi saya harapan idea kreatif dan gilagila saya boleh dibangunkan sebaiknya. “Berdepan dengan Sindrom Asperger sejak kecil, saya sering disalah anggap oleh orang lain, bahkan pernah dibuli sewaktu menuntut di Institut Pendidikan Teknikal (ITE).
“Disisihkan oleh teman-teman sebaya dahulu menghiris hati saya, tetapi saya kini sudah biasa berdikari dan memanfaatkan peluang mereka permainan sebagai wadah meluah rasa dan pandangan tentang keadaan sekeliling.” Cik Sulaiha menganggap bapanya, Encik Salim Saat, 60-an tahun, dan ibunya, Cik Rosita Rahman, 40-an tahun, yang cacat dan menjual air batu Malaysia, sebagai sumber inspirasi. “Mereka kuat semangat walaupun berada dalam kalangan golongan kurang upaya. Tidak sedikit pun mereka mudah patah semangat dan ingin dikasihani. “Ibu khususnya akan selalu menasihati saya agar memburu cita-cita setinggi mana yang saya mampu. “Harapan saya akan ada syarikat yang sudi menawarkan projek permainan bagi saya tebarkan kreativiti saya,” katanya yang baru mencipta permainan dengan penghujung misteri bertajuk Rapunzel. Penolong Penyelaras Program Diploma Rekaan Permainan di Politeknik Republic, Encik Jerry Chua, menganggap anak didiknya
itu sebagai berbakat dan fokus dalam tugasannya. “Saya yakin beliau boleh berjaya dalam bidang rekaan permainan ini dengan sumbangan idea luar biasanya yang kadangkala tidak pernah terfikir oleh diri kita sendiri,” katanya. haryani@sph.com.sg
‘Animation Princess’ to compete in Global Game Jam The article featured Sulaiha Salim, 22, who despite being diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome, excels as a talented RP game design student. Sulaiha takes her passion for Japanese animation and manga comics a step further by creating cyber games. Besides winning the Goh Chok Tong Youth Promise Award, Sulaiha participated twice in Global Game Jam, a 48-hour competition where participants design multiple creative games based on a secret theme only revealed at the competition.
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E X PA N DI N G H O R I Z O N S
Nano, nano, jobs for the future
28 May 2016 | The Straits Times
way to realising his dream as he is due to start work at Micron Semiconductor Asia, where he will work on the production of nanotechnology devices. “I’m intending to learn more and more on this sector and complete my undergraduate course so as to secure my position in the competitive world.”
Mr Subasinghe, a Republic Polytechnic graduate, believes that a technology such as “smart blood” may become reality one day. ST PHOTO : MARCUS TAN
But not many students share his interest. Professor Thirumalai Venky Venkatesan, director of the National University of Singapore Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Institute (NUSNNI), said that not enough Singaporean students are going into science careers, as many prefer to become doctors, lawyers or businessmen.
By Lin Yangchen
In Spectre, the latest James Bond film, the legendary agent 007 is injected with “smart blood” containing tiny location-tracking microchips that are impossible for the enemy to remove. Bond films have always caught the attention of 23-year-old movie fan Nisal Subasinghe, as they feature technologies of tomorrow. “Seeing all the wonders nanotechnology could do in movies like Spider-Man, Iron Man and James Bond, it has always made me think how far we are to achieving such technologies in real life,” said the recent graduate of the diploma in electrical and electronic engineering course at Republic Polytechnic (RP). Mr Subasinghe, who investigated nanostructured anti-reflective and water-repellent glass in his final-year project, believes that a technology such as smart blood may become reality one day. “I picked nanotechnology so that I can be part of the future,” he said. And he is on his
When he submits reports to the National Research Foundation for projects funded under its Competitive Research Programme, he is required to state how many Singaporean researchers have been involved. The answer is usually none. At the moment, there are no Singaporean PhD students or postdoctoral researchers at NUSNNI. That is a pity because, unlike other disruptive technologies featured in this series, nanotechnology is a force for job creation, not destruction. It is unlikely to automate anyone out of the work they now do. Instead, it creates new demand for workers with the training and skills in the field, one with great potential to improve people’s quality of life. The right approach to over coming the lack of interest in nanotechnology, Prof Venkatesan believes, is to enthuse Singaporean students to do science. This is why he hopes to start a programme for secondary school and junior college students to do stints at NUSNNI to experience cuttingedge nanotechnology research.
12 DISCOVER 15 YEARS OF TRANSFORMATIVE LEARNING
A similar outreach programme was started in 2003 by Ms Noreena Abu Bakar, director of the Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (IBN) at the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*Star).
The NanoCore programme brought different kinds of nanotech facilities under one roof to facilitate problem-solving, while the NYP diploma followed a study of local industry needs.
To date, the institute’s open houses and educational events have reached more than 95,000 students and members of the public. In addition, over 2,300 students and teachers have spent at least one month in full-time research attachments at IBN, with one-to-one mentoring in its Youth Research Programme, said A*Star.
In the study, NYP interviewed and surveyed about 30 companies, and consulted government agencies and institutions such as the Economic Development Board, Spring Singapore and A*Star’s Institute of Materials Research and Engineering. NYP found that a large number of applications of nanotechnology was in nanomaterials.
Over the years, 59 of the participants subsequently joined IBN. Although there has been some turnover, they still constitute a significant portion of IBN’s staff strength, said IBN executive director Jackie Ying.
The course curriculum was reviewed in 2014, when further inputs from the industry revealed an increasing emphasis in areas such as renewable energy and clean technology.
There are other signs that nanotechnology is seeping into the consciousness of Singapore students. In the Hackathon@SG2015 competition, Primary 4 pupils from Balestier Hill Primary School won first prize for creating a game in which the player controls nano robots that eat bad bacteria in a human blood vessel. Judges said it was creative and “out of the box”. Professor Andrew Wee from NUS’ Department of Physics said: “Due to the broad range of industries (spanned by nanotechnology), most educational institutions already incorporate nano science and nanotechnology concepts in their courses.” He added that the physics, chemistry and engineering degrees at NUS give students a strong foundation in the properties of nanomaterials, in order to prepare them well for future nanotechnology industries. Even more important is that the university educates its students in fundamental concepts that they can apply to rapidly changing technologies in the future. Diploma and degree programmes relevant to nanotechnology are available here. These include the NanoCore PhD programme at NUS and the diploma in nanotechnology and materials science at Nanyang Polytechnic (NYP), both launched in 2009.
Ms Song Sin Nee, programme chair of RP’s diploma in materials science, said the school works closely with nanotechnology companies and research institutions to open up final-year project and internship opportunities for the students, as well as career options, to encourage students to remain in nanotechnology-related industries after the course. Associate Professor Martin Pumera from Nanyang Technological University’s School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences said: “Based on my interaction with the industry and the fact that my nanotech-educated PhD students are immediately hired by international companies based in Singapore, I can say the industrial sector could use more of a skilled nanotech-educated workforce.” Of his five nanotech-focused PhD graduates so far, four are working with Johnson & Johnson and international drug development company Covance in Singapore, while the fifth is now a research associate in the nanotechnology energy sector in Canada. Nanotechnology is no longer just a Hollywood fantasy for students here. At NUSNNI, graduate students and postdoctoral researchers come up with 70 per cent to 80 per cent of the ideas, while the professors support them, said Prof Venkatesan. “They are the ones who are really propelling our institute forward.”
Sk i l l sF u t u re I nitiati v es
A good range of schemes to enhance lifelong learning 21 March 2016 | The Straits Times
By Calvin Yang
Be it career counselling advice for students hoping to chase their dreams or subsidies for mid-career Singaporeans looking to pick up new skills, a range of initiatives has been rolled out under SkillsFuture. The number of schemes introduced is assuring for those who want to fulfil their aspirations. Here are just a few of them. EDUCATION AND CAREER GUIDANCE Education and career guidance will be available for students as well as adults. Individuals will, among other things, discover their passions and abilities. From primary schools to universities, institutions have adopted measures to help students make decisions on such matters. EARN AND LEARN PROGRAMME The Earn and Learn scheme, designed for fresh polytechnic and Institute of Technical Education (ITE) graduates to work and gain qualifications at the same time, is gaining traction.
Since last April, the scheme has been rolled out in phases — starting with sectors such as food manufacturing and logistics. In the programme, participants get job training, work on projects or even go on overseas attachments for 12 to 18 months. They may work for four days a week and devote a day to studies. At the end of the programme, an ITE graduate gets a diploma and a polytechnic graduate receives an advanced or specialist diploma. ENHANCED INTERNSHIPS Institutions such as the polytechnics and ITE have started sending students on longer and more structured internships. These have clear learning outcomes and better mentorship and are part of their full-time diploma courses, Nitec, or Higher Nitec courses. Unlike in the past, internships now allow students to take on more meaningful activities such as projects with their attached firms.
Students on the Earn and Learn Programme for the logistics industry learning about the driverless forklift at the Supply Chain Innovation Lab at Republic Polytechnic. ST FILE PHOTO
All polytechnic and ITE courses will have enhancements to their internships by 2020. SKILLSFUTURE CREDIT More than two million people can now use $500 in credit each to pay for skills-based classes. Over 12,000 courses are available to Singaporeans aged 25 and above. The credits do not expire and will be topped up at various intervals, so they can be accumulated for more expensive courses.
New earn-and-learn course in hotel industry for ITE grads 15 June 2016 | The Straits Times
By Felicia Choo
Institute of Technical Education graduates will soon be able to study the new part-time Diploma in Business Practice (Hospitality Management) under the SkillsFuture Earn and Learn Programme (ELP), which was officially launched for the hotel sector yesterday. The one-year work-study programme is offered at Republic Polytechnic and combines on-the-job training, projects and mentoring with classroom and online learning. ELPs are being set up gradually across different sectors and the one for hotels was launched at the poly yesterday by Ms Low Yen Ling, Parliamentary Secretary for Education and Trade and Industry. It is now open to polytechnic graduates with diplomas in hospitality management and related fields, but opens to ITE graduates from October. “We want to groom local talent to take on leadership roles, improve job quality and identify emerging skill needs so as to build a future ready workforce,” said Ms Low. Mr Mohamed Aslam Mohd Rafeek, 26, and Ms Charlene Chong, 20, at Republic Polytechnic’s “hotel lab” training facility. They are participants in a SkillsFuture Earn and Learn Programme for the hotel sector. The course opens to ITE graduates from October. ST PHOTO : MARCUS TAN
SKILLSFUTURE STUDY AWARDS Early to mid-career Singaporeans can tap on the awards for fee subsidies for courses to develop skills needed by future growth sectors. The awards, worth $5,000 each, are bond-free and can be used on top of existing Government course subsidies. Up to 2,000 awards will be handed out yearly.
last month with 48 fresh diploma graduates – the largest intake for an ELP since being introduced in March last year. They have already been placed with 26 of the 54 hotel partners, and started work last month. Participants work four days a week at a hotel and attend one day of class at the polytechnic. Hotels can choose to retain the students after they graduate. Ms Isis Ong, director of learning at Singapore Marriott Tang Plaza Hotel, said: “They are very focused, enthusiastic and forthcoming in their suggestions and pick things up faster as they’ve done it before.” Classes at Republic Poly include training at a “hotel lab” equipped with a full suite of frontand back-of-house hotel facilities. Participants will graduate with a Specialist Diploma in Hospitality Business Management. ELP student Charlene Chong, 20, who works in the food and beverage department at Conrad Centennial Singapore hotel, said: “The ELP is a very targeted way of improving my skills in this industry.” Singaporeans who take up this ELP get a signon bonus of $5,000. Some 290 placements for the programme are projected for the next three years.
Although the ELP for the hotel sector was launched yesterday, the first course began
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Sk i l l sF u t u re I nitiati v es
部分时间专业文凭课程受欢迎
工院进修成人六年增倍 教育部提供的数据显示，报读工院部分时间专业 文凭和毕业专业文凭课程的人数在2008年至 2014年间，从约6400人增加至1万3800人。 苏德铭 报道 我国生育率多年处于低水平，从中学与工艺教育 学院升上理工学院的人数接下来也料将减少，但 报读工院的成人学习者近年来却见增加，而各 工院也开办了更多课程以迎合这方面的趋势与 需求。 据教育部向《联合早报》提供的数据，报读工院 部分时间专业文凭（part-time diploma）和毕 业专业文凭（post-diploma）课程的人数，在 2008年至2014年间激增了超过一倍，从约 6400人增加至1万3800人。 本地五所工院受询时都表示，报读上述文凭课程 的人数在过去几年都有增加，而各工院也开办了 更多适合成人学习者的文凭课程。 共和理工学院的部分时间专业文凭课程和毕业 专业文凭课程在过去五年来倍增，从2012年分 别只有三个和两个，增至今年的各七个。
在人数方面，共和工院透露，报读上述两种专 业文凭课程的学生人数从前年的590人增至去 年的789人，而工院预计今年将有超过800人 报读。
须提升技能应付职场竞争 共和工院发言人告诉本报： “我国工作群也意识 到在现今竞争激烈，在讲究创新的经济环境下， 提升技能更显重要，因此（工院）成人学习者的 人数也在过去几年有所增加。” 淡马锡理工学院考获部分时间专业文凭的人也 见增加，在去年有523人而今年则有669人。 义安理工学院指出，过去三年来部分时间专业文 凭课程的申请人数增加了约25％，工院这三年 来也每年开办多二至三个新课程。义安工院目前 共有11个部分时间专业文凭课程和21个毕业专 业文凭课程。
义安工院发言人说： “我们接下来仍会根据业界 需求继续推出更多课程，这也是为了支持国家技 能创前程（SkillsFuture，前称未来技能）培训 的方针。”
虽然本地报读工院部分时间专业文凭和毕业专 业文凭课程的人数过去几年有所增加，而工院 也开办了更多课程，但仍有人虽感兴趣但却犹 豫不决。
南洋理工学院表示，在过去三年推出了更多部分 时间专业文凭和毕业专业文凭课程，包括机械 电子学（Mechatronics）和酒店及旅游业管理 等学科。
沈莉芬（36岁，行政人员）从约三年前便已考虑 报读部分时间专业文凭课程，以助事业发展或找 寻新工作，但却因为担心不能兼顾工作、学习与 照顾家庭三方面而一直没有报名申请。
在去年开办了两个新部分时间专业文凭课程后， 新加坡理工学院目前共有七个部分时间专业文 凭课程和28个毕业专业文凭课程。
她受访时说： “我的孩子还小，需要花时间照顾。 若要学习就得认真努力，我不想报读后因为应付 不来而无法读完。”
刚在今年毕业于共和工院应用科学（营养与食品 科学）部分时间专业文凭课程的陈振源（59岁） 认为，在课程中所学到的知识对他的工作有莫大 的帮助。陈振源于2009年开始在CerealTech 烘培技术学校当讲师。从那时起，他便萌生再 学习的念头，以深化自己对烘焙材料化学原理 的认识。 “但当时本地工院并没有相关的部分时间专业文 凭课程，而全职课程又不适合我们这种在职人 士。当我发现共和工院在2013年开办了相关的 部分时间课程，我便立刻报读了。” 陈振源说，课程中学到的食品科学知识让他现在 能“轻而易举”回答学生的提问，也加深了他对 烘焙的了解，更好地控制食品的味道。他也告诉 记者，接下来还有意继续报读其他课程，助他将 来担任编写课程的职务。
讲师报读工院再学烘焙 烘焙技术学校讲师陈振源（59岁，图中）在课堂上，有时会被学生的问题 问倒。为了完善教学，他萌生再学习的念头，报读共和理工学院的应用科 学（营养与食品科学）部分时间专业文凭课程。 课程中学到的食品科学知识，不仅让他在烘焙课上能轻而易举地回答学 生的提问，也加深了他对烘焙的了解。 近年来，越来越多像陈振源这样的成年人到理工学院进修。数据显 示，报读工院部分时间专业文凭（part-time diploma）和毕业专业文凭 （post-diploma）课程的人数在2008年至2014年间激增超过一倍。本 地五所工院因而开办更多课程以满足这方面的趋势与需求。
Lecturer enrols in polytechnic to learn more about baking One of the adult learners is Cereal Tech School of Baking Technology’s lecturer Mr Tan Chin Guan, 59. Mr Tan has sometimes been stumped by his students’ questions. To improve his teaching, he enrolled in RP’s Part-Time Diploma in Applied Science (Nutrition and Food Science). The food science knowledge that he gained helped him better answer his students’ questions and deepened his understanding of baking. (周柏荣摄)
14 DISCOVER 15 YEARS OF TRANSFORMATIVE LEARNING
8 June 2016 | Lianhe Zaobao
Enrolment of adult learners in part-time diploma courses doubled in six years According to data provided by the Ministry of Education, the number of students enrolling in part-time diploma courses has increased greatly in the past six years. An RP spokesperson explained that the school has seen an increasing number of adult learners as the local workforce understands that skills upgrading is extremely important in today’s competitive and innovation-driven economy. RP is offering more courses to meet the demand.
Sk i l l sF u t u re I nitiati v es
共和工院办活动让学生 认识技能创前程计划
11 August 2016 | Lianhe Zaobao
苏德铭 报道 共和理工学院首次举办“技能创前程嘉年华”, 让约2500名一年 级学生认识技能创前程的各项计划，为未来职业规划做准备。 技能创前程嘉年华（SkillsFuture Fiesta）从本月2日开始举 行，目的是引导学生发掘个人才华，并介绍技能创前程的各项计 划。这些计划包括在职培训（SkillsFuture Earn and Learn Programme）及强化实习计划（Enhanced Internship）等。 另外，活动也融入学院其中一门课，让学生丰富学习。 在嘉年华上，相关人员分别讲解全球工作趋势及我国如何通过 “技能创前程”应对挑战，并向学生介绍校内职业计划。学生还 可在活动墙贴上写着个人志愿的便利贴，鼓励自己追梦。 负责活动讲解，在共和理工学院担任职业辅导员一年半的努 尔马拉（Noormala Atan, 53岁）说， “五天嘉年华后，已有
15名 一年级生向我表示有兴趣接受职业辅导。这里学生敢于发 问，不怕面对改变，这能有效地传达‘技能创前程’的各种计划 信息。” 攻读信息科技学专业文凭的吴佩玟（17岁）认为活动讲解生动有 趣，让她更了解技能创前程。 “职业辅导员通过生动有趣的方式讲解技能创前程，让我更了解 计划，也对未来的职业选项更清楚。希望将来这项活动能和其他 理工学院合办，让我们能和其他学生交流，建立人脉。” 策划活动的共和理工学院技能创前程处处长陈焕标（58岁）透 露，有85%学生通过问卷表示，更了解技能创前程的目的，同时 领悟其重要性。
Republic Polytechnic organises event to help students understand SkillsFuture RP organised its inaugural SkillsFuture Fiesta to educate students about SkillsFuture initiatives and provide career guidance. The Fiesta introduced SkillsFuture initiatives such as the Earn and Learn Programme and the Enhanced Internship programme. The Fiesta is integrated into the school curriculum to enrich the students’ learning experience. Students also discovered global employment trends and learnt how SkillsFuture can mitigate these challenges.
kiewzy@sph.com.sg
Fahami kemahiran diri dan pilih kerjaya yang sesuai
20 August 2016 | Berita Harian
By SITI RAUZAH SHAMSURI
APABILA anda mendapati kerjaya yang relevan dengan kemahiran anda, daya penghasilan dan motivasi terhadap tugas itu pasti akan bertambah. Itu sebabnya adalah penting bagi mendapatkan bimbingan tertentu jika anda tidak pasti tentang pekerjaan pada masa depan, kata Cik Noormala Atan, seorang kaunselor Bimbingan Pendidikan dan Kerjaya (ECG) di Politeknik Republic (RP). Semasa bertugas sebagai seorang pensyarah dalam kursus Pemprosesan Kognitif dan Penyelesaian Masalah dahulu, Cik Noormala kerap menemui pelajar yang memerlukan nasihat tentang pilihan kerjaya mereka. “Pada saya, amat penting bagi seseorang itu memahami secara lebih mendalam tentang diri mereka dan menerokai pilihan kerjaya sesuai supaya pelajar itu dapat merancangkan kerjaya yang memuaskan dan bermakna,” katanya. Lapan tahun kemudian, beliau bercadang menyertai Kementerian Pendidikan (MOE) sebagai seorang kaunselor ECG pada Mei tahun lalu. Antara sebabnya ialah kerana terdapat keperluan bagi membimbing pelajar supaya mereka tidak kehilangan peluang emas apabila meningkat dewasa. “Kami menyediakan kaunseling dari segi khidmat nasihat tentang minat mereka dan bagaimana ia boleh dikembangkan kepada sebuah sumber pendapatan. “Selain itu, kami juga akan membentangkan cabaran dan mencadangkan penyelesaian bagi mereka,” tambah Cik Noormala.
MENASIHATKAN PELAJAR MENGENAI KERJAYA: Semasa SkillsFuture Fiesta di Politeknik Republic (RP), Cik Noormala Atan (berdiri) berkongsi tentang hal ehwal semasa, perubahan yang berlaku di dunia, dan bagaimana menyesuaikan kemahiran pelajar bagi keperluan kerjaya mereka pada masa depan. FOTO : POLITEKNIK REPUBLIC
Sebagai sebahagian daripada inisiatif ECG di bawah SkillsFuture, RP berusaha gigih bagi
menggalakkan pelajarnya membuat pilihan kerjaya dengan bijak. Ia termasuk peruntukan kaunselor ECG, penubuhan Pusat Kerjaya RP yang memulakan operasi pada Oktober tahun lepas, ceramah kerjaya, bengkel dan sesi bimbingan kerjaya. RP SkillsFuture Fiesta 2016 yang diadakan buat julung kalinya – dengan tema “What’s in it for me?” atau “Apakah yang disediakan bagi saya?” – adalah sesuatu contoh usaha RP mempromosikan daya usaha dan manfaat SkillsFuture, selain daripada memperkasakan pelajar dalam bidang tersebut.
srauzah@sph.com.sg
Understand your skills and choose an appropriate career Education and Career Guidance (ECG) counsellor at RP, Ms Noormala Atan, encourages students to seek guidance early if they are unsure of their future career paths. She believes a good career and skills match will lead to greater motivation and productivity. Ms Noormala found that students often needed advice on their career options while working as a lecturer in Cognitive Processing and Problem Solving. Eight years on, she decided to join the Ministry of Education as an ECG counsellor in May 2015. She is with a team of ECG counsellors that delivers career workshops and career counselling sessions at RP Career Centre.
DISCOVER 15 YEARS OF TRANSFORMATIVE LEARNING 15
AC H I E V I N G SUC C E S S
Grandmas’ cancers spur him on
9 May 2016 | The Straits Times
Mr Ang is the valedictorian of the Diploma in Biotechnology course at Republic Polytechnic. He is fascinated by how the body’s system works and hopes to become a clinical scientist specialising in cancer. ST PHOTO : DESMOND FOO
By Rachel Chia
The hardest time in Mr Royce Ang’s life was after his maternal grandmother from Myanmar lost her life to cancer in 2004. She had raised him until the age of five in Myanmar, while his parents worked in Singapore. Mr Ang’s mother is from Myanmar, and his father is Singaporean. After he moved to Singapore to start primary school, he would return to Myanmar during every school holiday to visit his grandmother. When she died, he grew depressed and lost interest in his studies. As a result, his O-level results did not qualify him for junior college. He then decided to apply for the Diploma in Biotechnology course at Republic Polytechnic, as he always had an interest in biology. Last week, the now 20-year-old graduated as the course valedictorian, winning a Republic Award. “Biotech is a manipulation of genes to better treat sick patients. It’s amazing how the body’s systems are all linked, and I was fascinated about how they worked,” he said. During the course, he grew “obsessed” with the curriculum, and would go to the library to
read in-depth books on the subject, including topics that were not covered in lectures. When a friend invited him to join the polytechnic’s Service Learning Club in his first year, he also found that the act of helping others in community projects lifted him out of his grief. Then last year, his 85-year-old paternal grandmother was diagnosed with colon cancer. This second brush with cancer inspired him to research the disease for his final-year project at the Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, where he studied protein reactions in cells that might slow the spread of cancer from one part of the body to another. He is applying to the biological science and life science courses in local universities, and hopes to eventually become a clinical scientist specialising in cancer, researching ways to prolong the lives of cancer sufferers. He said: “Cancer is very complicated and the more complicated it is, the more I love it, because I like solving challenges. “Also, I really wish that I could have had more time with my grandmothers, and I don’t want other people to suffer the same way that I have.” chiaytr@sph.com.sg
16 DISCOVER 15 YEARS OF TRANSFORMATIVE LEARNING
“
FIGHTING ILLNESS I really wish that I could have had more time with my grandmothers, and I don’t want other people to suffer the same way that I have.
”
MR ROYCE ANG WHO WANTS TO RESEARCH WAYS TO PROLONG THE LIVES OF CANCER SUFFERERS
RP School of Applied Science Fulfil your dream and passion for scientific discovery through these courses: - Diploma in Biomedical Sciences - Diploma in Biotechnology - Diploma in Environmental Science - Diploma in Marine Science and Aquaculture - Diploma in Materials Science - Diploma in Pharmaceutical Sciences Visit www.rp.edu.sg/sas to find out more!
AC H I E V I N G SUC C E S S
Dulu tercicir JC, kini lulusan poly terbaik 7 May 2016 | Berita Harian
By HARYANI ISMAIL
TIMBUL rasa dirinya tidak berguna apabila kerap gagal di Maktab Rendah Pioneer, bahkan perlu mengulangi tahun pertama di aliran sains. Di saat gurunya berasa beliau tiada harapan dan sebaiknya mencari laluan lain dalam mengecapi cita-cita sebagai doktor, Encik Raziq Ikhmal Abdul Latif tidak mudah berputus asa. Di sudut hati kecilnya, beliau tahu impian itu masih boleh dicapai dengan mengharungi laluan lebih panjang mengikuti Diploma Sains Biomedikal di Politeknik Republic. Terbukti kini, pemuda berusia 22 tahun itu tidak menyesali keputusan beralih institusi pengajian kerana beliau menutup tirai persekolahannya di Politeknik Republic dengan gred purata mata (GPA) penuh sebanyak 4.0. Anak kedua dalam tiga beradik itu juga berada dalam Senarai Kepujian Pengarah dan menerima Hadiah Diploma sebagai pelajar terbaik kursusnya pada 2013 dan 2014.
Beliau kini sedang menanti permohonan ke Sekolah Perubatan Yong Loo Lin di Universiti Nasional Singapura (NUS) diterima. “Ibu bapa saya tentu terkejut dengan pencapaian cemerlang saya. Di maktab rendah saya adalah pelajar yang selalu kecundang,” katanya. Peluang kedua di Politeknik Republic tidak disiasiakannya. Beliau menguatkan semangat dan terharu diberi peluang menjalankan projek tahun terakhir di Institut Neurosains Nasional. Program bekerja sambil belajar Encik Raziq Ikhmal pula dijalankan di Pusat Perubatan Eksperimental di Queen’s University Belfast di United Kingdom. “Bagi saya, seseorang pelajar tahu apa yang dia mahukan dalam hidup serta usahakan yang terbaik. Saya tahu cita-cita saya adalah menjadi doktor. “Kerana itu apabila guru saya menyarankan agar saya ke aliran sastera kerana penguasaan bahasa saya baik, saya tetap dengan pendirian ingin kekal di dalam bidang sains,” jelasnya lagi.
BERSABAR DALAM PERJALANAN PANJANG: Encik Raziq Ikhmal Abdul Latif tidak mudah berputus asa walau berulang kali gagal di Maktab Rendah Pioneer dan kini bertekad menyertai Sekolah Perubatan Yong Loo Lin di Universiti Nasional Singapura (NUS). FOTO : KHALID BABA
Previously dropped out of JC, now top poly graduate The article featured RP student Raziq Ikhmal Abdul Latif, 22, who graduated with a perfect Grade Point Average (GPA) of 4.0. Despite not performing well in his studies and eventually having to drop out of junior college, Raziq refused to give up on his ambition of being a doctor. He took a longer route by enrolling in RP’s Diploma in Biomedical Sciences and seizing opportunities to participate in medicalrelated internship and final-year project. Raziq now awaits the results of his application to the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine at the National University of Singapore (NUS).
Seizing his chance to fulfil a dream By NUR SYAHIIDAH ZAINAL
Distracted by the pursuit of his hobbies while in primary and secondary school, Kane Raynard Goh was forced to take a longer route to reach his dream of studying mass communications in a polytechnic. His focus on contemporary dance – which he picked up when he was around eight – drew Kane’s attention away from his studies, and saw him constantly engaging in last-minute revisions for his exams. This resulted in him only qualifying for the Institute of Technical Education after his N-level exams. Fortunately, an internship at a hotel helped improve his grades and enabled him to move on to polytechnic. Once there, however, the 22-year-old went beyond even his own expectations by excelling in his course studies at Republic Polytechnic (RP), making it to the Director’s Roll of Honour for two semesters. As part of a collaboration between his school and the Singapore Red Cross (SRC), Kane even led a group of coursemates on a trip to Japan last year to document the stories of survivors from the 2011 tsunami and earthquake. In March, the photos and videos from their trip were displayed in malls here in a roving exhibition called The Strength Of The Human Spirit. The students also produced a documentary as well as a photo book, which costs $25. All sales proceeds from the more than 1,000 copies went towards welfare services run by the SRC.
Were you still dancing when you first joined RP? In RP, I decided to take a break from dance for around two years because I really wanted to focus on my academics. This course is something I’ve always wanted to do since I was young, I didn’t want to waste the chance; I really wanted to focus and... work hard and build up my portfolio as well. Why do you think it was so difficult for you academically in the past? It really was just pure disinterest. The only subjects I really did well in during secondary school were English, humanities and art. I had no interest in science, no interest in maths, and I found them so difficult. Even when the teachers gave me one-on-one tutoring sessions, it was so hard to process because it was just something I didn’t want to do. While in Japan, how did your team cope with the emotional toll of listening to the survivors’ stories? It was a very foreign experience for us, because that was our first time talking to people who went through real tragedy. As student reporters, we tend to cover school events such as graduations. We knew we had to be professionals, so we couldn’t show
16 May 2016 | The Straits Times In
our emotions, we couldn’t cry in front of our newsmakers, so that sort of played with our emotions slightly. We talked it out with our lecturers... and in our hotel rooms at night, we tried to lighten up slightly – we didn’t want to be very sulky or upset. Any advice for your peers who may also be facing challenges? Don’t be afraid. Don’t think that your dream is too big to achieve, because if you really believe in it and if you really work towards it, you’ll be able to reach it, like how I reached mine. If someone tells you that you can’t do it, don’t bother about that person, because the people who really care about you will be there to encourage and spur you on throughout your journey.
PHOTO : KUA CHEE SIONG
“
If someone tells you that you can’t do it, don’t bother about that person, because the people who really care about you will be there to encourage and spur you on throughout your journey.
”
Kane Raynard Goh, 22
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AC H I E V I N G SUC C E S S
. 11 May 2016 | Tamil Murasu
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18 DISCOVER 15 YEARS OF TRANSFORMATIVE LEARNING
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Top students in diploma courses Despite initial struggles with their studies, Mohamed Aslam and Arvind Kumar Pillai received their diplomas from RP and are now taking steps towards success. Aslam, 26, persevered through many challenges to gain useful work experience and earn a good Diploma in Hotel and Hospitality Management. He attributed his success to his teachers and fellow students. Arvind was not academically inclined when he was in secondary school. However, after having to repeat his third year at secondary school, Arvind became determined to work hard. He later pursued a Diploma in Industrial and Operations Management and eventually emerged as the most outstanding graduate of the year in RP.
AC H I E V I N G SUC C E S S Over the next two weeks, 4,600 students will graduate from Republic Polytechnic. MARIAN GOVIN (mgovin@sph.com.sg) and NURUL ASYIKIN YUSOFF (asyikiny@sph.com.sg) speak to three students who fought and beat the odds. 2 May 2016 | The New Paper
Determined,
“
There was a point when she was very depressed. She refused to talk to doctors or take medicine.
despite double disease diagnosis Her path to academic achievement has been fraught with pain, and uncertainty and the prospect of death have been constant companions. Miss Yu Xin Yi suffered renal failure at 13 and went through dialysis and a kidney transplant. At 20, she experienced the devastation of a rare, life-threatening blood disease. Despite it all, Miss Yu, 24, will be graduating from Republic Polytechnic (RP) with a diploma in pharmaceutical sciences tomorrow. Never mind that she is about four years older than her peers. “Always persevere and never give up,” she told The New Paper. Miss Yu’s health struggles started at 13 when she was diagnosed with kidney failure and hospitalised for six months. At 14, she missed another two months of school because of surgery to insert a catheter for her dialysis treatment. Her parents were determined to help her lead a normal life, so they took her to Guangzhou, China, when she was 17 to get a kidney transplant.
The transplant was a success. Miss Yu was accepted into RP and her future was finally starting to brighten. “It was normal. Great, actually,” she said. Then, at 20, she suffered another cruel blow. It began with what seemed like a fever and a viral infection. Doctors first diagnosed it as stress from school and recommended that she take a break.
Her mother, Mrs Yvonne Yu, a preschool principal, said: “There was a point when she was very depressed.
By then, she was already 21 and had not completed her poly studies. She was not sure if she wanted to return to school.
She refused to talk to doctors or take medicine.”
But her mother reminded her: “If you aren’t going to go back to school, (and) you don’t have a certificate, what are you going to do?”
But the fever continued to rage. Doctors began to suspect that there was a problem with her bone marrow and she underwent a medical test called a Bone Marrow Aspirate (BMA). The BMA confirmed that Miss Yu had Haemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis (HLH), a rare but potentially fatal disease that causes white blood cells to build up in the body. Miss Yu had to undergo chemotherapy. While battling the disease, she stayed in the National University Hospital’s intensive care unit (ICU) for five months . It was a period of anguish and pain.
“I thought I wasn’t going to make it,” she said. Her condition led to complications, resulting in an infection of her transplanted kidney, so it had to be removed. A year after her latest battle with ill health, Miss Yu was finally on the road to recovery, even though she would have to be on longterm haemodialysis.
To balance school and her dialysis treatments, her programme chair helped make special arrangements that allowed her to skip classes on the three days a week that she had to go for dialysis. “On those days, I would go home after my treatment, download the lesson notes and catch up through self-study,” she said. “It’s all possible because of help from the school, the hospital and family.”
Growing up, Miss Vivian Kek was never conscientious about her studies.
An impulsive, reckless delinquent who is now a mature and composed young man. That is how Mr Ng Jia Wei, 23, describes his transformation.
TOP STUDENT: Mr Ng Jia Wei is graduating as the valedictorian of his batch.
Mr Ng, who will graduate with a diploma in mobile software development, said he used to give his parents a lot of problems.
“With RP’s system of having to do presentations every day, I did not want to make a fool of myself in front of my classmates,” he said.
When he was 14, he joined a gang and would get into fights. It was only when he got caught for shoplifting and put on probation that he realised his mistakes.
In his first semester, he scored a GPA of 3.4 and it made him realise that he could be “good at something”.
When he enrolled in Republic Polytechnic (RP), he was determined to put his delinquent past behind him.
She had emergency surgery to remove a portion of her intestine.
So for the next three years, Miss Yu studied hard, with the goal of being a pharmacy technician.
by granny’s words
leave gang for grades
“That’s when I realised the importance of family.”
EMERGENCY Miss Yu’s stay in the ICU was the result of her small intestine bleeding and being filled with ulcers following the chemotherapy treatment.
Inspired
Spurred to
He recalled how, on the drive home from the police station, his father refused to say a word to him. Mr Ng said: “It made me feel very guilty because when I got caught, only my family members showed up. None of my friends came.
”
Mrs Yvonne Yu ON HER DAUGHTER XIN YI’S CONDITION
INDEPENDENT: Despite skipping classes for dialysis treatment, Miss Yu Xin Yi kept up with her work through self-study. TNP PHOTOS: PHYLLICIA WANG
He went on to get a Tuas Scholarship and a Republic Award, which is given to students who demonstrate good character and values. Mr Ng also topped his cohort for two years straight and has been inducted into the director’s honour roll for five semesters. He is graduating as the valedictorian of his batch. His future plans? He hopes to score a spot in the National University of Singapore to pursue a degree in Japanese studies.
It was her paternal grandmother, Madam Yap Ah Choo, 69, who gave her a wake up call when she was 17. The elderly woman was very ill, but she managed to impart some important advice to her granddaughter. Miss Kek, now 21, told The New Paper: “She said, ‘You don’t have to live for me. But you need to think of your future and live for you.’” Miss Kek’s parents split up when she was six, leaving her in the care of Madam Yap. She is still estranged from her parents. Madam Yap, who also cares for Miss Kek’s 19-year-old sister, earns a living by helping out at a fruit stall. Even when times were hard, she never failed to provide for Miss Kek and her sister. Madam Yap’s perseverance inspired Miss Kek, not just to study hard but also to be kind to others.
CLOSE: Miss Vivian Kek’s grandmother Yap Ah Choo brought her up from the time she was six.
Last year, Miss Kek received the Republic Award, which is given to students who demonstrate good character and values. She was picked for the award because she had mentored a classmate who was struggling to juggle family problems and studies. Miss Kek, who will graduate with a diploma in wellness, lifestyle and spa management, said: “I do what I can to help people who need it, even if it’s just being there for them. “Having the emotional support is important.”
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AC H I E V I N G SUC C E S S Usaha menjana bakat kreatif muda dalam bidang perfileman digiatkan menerusi Anugerah Filem Belia Kebangsaan (NYFA) anjuran *SCAPE. Edisi kedua NYFA ini menyaksikan 57 filem dicalonkan dalam 20 kategori, termasuk tujuh kategori baru berunsur teknikal.
ENCIK ABDUL ZAIMEE ABDUL RAZAK: Mahu menyangkal tanggapan buruk segelintir orang dalam masyarakat terhadap pegawai polis, terutama di Singapura. FOTO : SHAKIR SAIFUDDIN By NURMAYA ALIAS
SELAIN memelihara keselamatan masyarakat, pegawai polis mempunyai keluarga masingmasing untuk dilindungi. Lantas, filem pendek berjudul Dispatch, tulisan dan arahan penuntut-pengarah muda Abdul Zaimee Abdul Razak, 21 tahun, menampilkan kisah dua pegawai polis secara lebih peribadi. Di samping itu, beliau memaparkan babak aksi mencari seorang penceroboh. Encik Abdul Zaimee, penuntut Sekolah Teknologi Seni Politeknik Republic, menjelaskan bahawa peristiwa kekejaman polis di luar negara telah mendorongnya menulis cerita menyangkal tanggapan buruk terhadap pegawai polis, terutama di Singapura. “Saya mahu menunjukkan bahawa pegawai polis juga mempunyai masalah dan kehidupan peribadi, tetapi mereka mementingkan keselamatan masyarakat dahulu,” ujar Encik Abdul Zaimee. Dihasilkan bersama empat lagi anggota kumpulan, karya tersebut memaparkan dua pegawai polis, Dinn Mustafa, yang telah kehilangan orang tersayang, dan Ahmad Hardi, yang bakal menimang cahaya mata. Penonton bakal menyaksikan mereka bercakap tentang kisah peribadi masing-masing dalam kereta polis sebelum mendapat panggilan mencari seorang penceroboh rumah. Bagi mencipta suasana misteri, filem dirakam selama tiga hingga empat jam pada waktu malam. Kini, hasil usaha Encik Abdul Zaimee itu antara 57 filem yang dipilih dan dicalonkan dalam 20 kategori pertandingan Anugerah Filem Belia Kebangsaan (NYFA) 2016.
ANUGERAH FILEM BELIA KEBANGSAAN (NYFA) 2016
Filem pendek pelajar Poly Republic mengenai polis terima 7 pencalonan 14 July 2016 | Berita Harian
MENDAPAT TUJUH PENCALONAN: Filem pendek ‘Dispatch’ memaparkan kisah peribadi pegawai polis yang turut mendapat panggilan mencari penceroboh. FOTO-FOTO : ANUGERAH FILEM BELIA KEBANGSAAN
Pertandingan NYFA, anjuran *Scape, merupakan pertandingan membuat filem khusus bagi penuntut filem dan animasi di institusi pengajian tinggi Singapura. Ia dipersembah oleh DBS Bank. Pertandingan edisi kedua itu menerima 260 penyertaan, melebihi penyertaan tahun lalu. Tujuh kategori baru telah diperkenal dalam pertandingan kali ini, termasuk Sudut Kamera Terbaik, Pencahayaan Terbaik dan Suntingan Terbaik dalam Filem Dokumentari – selaras tumpuan NYFA mahu memberi penghargaan kepada pelbagai bakat teknikal pembuatan filem. Filem Dispatch menerima pencalonan dalam tujuh kategori, termasuk Filem Terbaik, Arahan Terbaik, Skrip Terbaik, Sudut Kamera Terbaik dan Muzik Asli Terbaik. Menurut Pengarah NYFA, Encik Nicholas Chee, 57 filem yang dicalon akan dinilai secara kritis berdasarkan taraf industri oleh 15 anggota juri. Antara pengadil itu ialah pengarah dan penulis skrip mapan Lee Thean-jeen; pembuat filem veteran Jack Neo; penggubah lagu filem Alex Oh; dan penerbit dan pengedar filem Kenneth Goh. Pemenang NYFA 2016 akan diumumkan dalam majlis penganugerahan pada 23 Julai ini. Tamu terhormat majlis ialah Menteri Kebudayaan, Masyarakat dan Belia, Cik Grace Fu. Satu lagi filem pendek yang telah mendapat pencalonan dalam enam kategori ialah Sweet Bloom of Night Time Flowers. Filem jenis fantasi itu ditulis dan diarah Encik Rifyal Giffari, 26 tahun, manakala muziknya dicipta pereka bunyi Dian Nadhirah Sachiman, 23 tahun. Mereka penuntut Sekolah Seni, Rekaan dan Media Universiti Teknologi Nanyang. Empat lagi anggota kumpulan turut menyumbang kepada pembikinan filem tersebut.
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DICALONKAN BAGI KATEGORI FILEM TERBAIK: Filem pendek ‘Sweet Bloom of Night Time Flowers’ ini dihasilkan Encik Rifyal, pereka penerbitan Cik Julie Heather Liew dan Cik Dian Nadhirah. FOTO : SHAKIR SAIFUDDIN
Menurut Encik Rifyal, juga karyawan animasi bebas, jalan cerita filem pendek mengenai seorang gadis yang mempunyai kuasa alam ghaib itu telah ditulis sekitar enam tahun lalu selepas beliau tamat pengajian di Politeknik Nanyang. “Biarpun pada dasarnya ia mengisahkan seorang gadis yang mempunyai kuasa ghaib, mesej utama adalah menggalak penonton mengejar minat dan impian walaupun menghadapi rintangan. “Pertandingan NYFA juga berbeza daripada pertandingan filem lain kerana ia memberi pendedahan dan penghargaan kepada bakat
di belakang kamera menerusi pelbagai kategori teknikal,” ujarnya. Misalnya, filem Sweet Bloom of Night Time Flowers menerima pencalonan dalam kategori teknikal, seperti Adunan Bunyi Terbaik dan Suntingan Bunyi Terbaik. Cik Dian Nadhirah berkata: “Bunyi amat penting dalam filem, terutama filem fantasi. Senang bekerja dengan Rifyal. Beliau mempunyai idea jelas tentang jalan cerita filem dan tahu jenis muzik yang ingin dipaparkan.” nurmayaa@sph.com.sg
Republic Polytechnic student’s short film about police officers receives 7 nominations Abdul Zaimee Abdul Razak, 21, a student from RP School of Technology for the Arts, wrote and directed a short film titled ‘Dispatch’. The film features the personal stories of two police officers. Zaimee revealed that reports of police brutality abroad inspired him to produce the film to counter the negative perception against police officers, especially in Singapore. ‘Dispatch’ was among 57 films selected and nominated in 20 categories at the National Youth Film Awards (NYFA) 2016.
AC H I E V I N G SUC C E S S
Gold on her mind
16 October 2016 | The New Paper on Sunday
st file photo
Shanti has already started preparing for the defence of her 200m SEA Games crown By SWETHA SUNDARARAJAN She stormed to victory at last year’s Southeast Asian (SEA) Games on home soil, rocking the National Stadium as she became the first Singaporean to win sprint track gold in the regional athletic joust in 42 years. Veronica Shanti Pereira’s winning time of 23.60 seconds was also a new national record, as she beat the favourite and 100m champion Kayla Richardson of the Philippines. That was in June and, more than a year later, the 20-year-old can still remember the race as if it happened only yesterday. Shanti was a guest-speaker at the 2017 OSIM Sundown Marathon press briefing on Friday, and revealed that she has kicked off training in earnest for the 2017 SEA Games. Coached by Margaret Oh, the countdown began at the end of August.
Speaking to The New Paper, Shanti, who recently started an internship at the Singapore Sports Institute (SSI) under the athletes’ services department, said: “The great thing about interning with the SSI is that I’m allowed to fulfil my training hours just like how I would without actually working.” The sprint queen, who will graduate from Republic Polytechnic next May — she was enrolled in a leisure management course — will first have to qualify for next year’s SEA Games, which will be held in Kuala Lumpur from Aug 19 to 31. MAKING THE CUT She also won a bronze in the women’s 100m at last year’s SEA Games, and she will have to at least meet the third-placed times from the 2015 event to make the cut in 2017. Shanti’s 100m time last year was 11.88, while the third-placed finisher in the 200m clocked 23.92. “There are a few meets which I have t argeted (to qualify), but those I’m aiming for in particular are
the New Zealand Open (March 2017) and the Singapore Open (tentatively set for April 2017). “They’re the two confirmed ones so far, the ones I’m definitely planning for next year.” Shanti expects to make the cut and among the rivals she will go up against in the defence of her 200m crown is Filipino track star Richardson. “I don’t really know how Kayla has been doing this year. I haven’t really caught up on it,” she said. “But I heard the Thais are forming a new team and the Malaysians have been doing pretty well, so I’m really looking forward to meeting them and racing them.” The athlete has not been in the news much and admits there has been a drop in her performance over the last season. But she said: “It’s not that I wanted to keep a low profile. I just didn’t perform as well.
“I’m much more confident about next year. “Right now, training has been going very well.” As for the target in the 200m at the SEA Games, she said quite simply: “Go for gold!” swethas@sph.com.sg
“ Go for gold!
”
Veronica Shanti Pereira ON HER TARGET FOR THE 2017 SEA GAMES
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Tertarik kepada dunia IT selepas menonton filem 11 March 2016 | Berita Harian
By MUHAIMIN SUZAINI BELIAU pernah diejek ‘geeky’ dan ‘nerdy’ – istilah Inggeris yang memberi gambaran seolah-olah seseorang kurang kemahiran sosial dan melawan aliran umum. Apa tidaknya, tatkala ramai teman Cik Siti Aishah Anwar memilih haluan dalam bidang yang tidak melibatkan teknologi dan pengekodan komputer, beliau memilih untuk menjerumuskan diri dalam sektor tersebut yang lazimnya diceburi kaum Adam.
mendapatkan diploma dalam jurusan IT di Politeknik Republic. “Saya tidak pandang ke belakang selepas itu,” jelas beliau. Beliau kemudian melanjutkan pengajian sarjana mudanya di universiti dalam bidang Sains Komputer, dengan pengkhususannya dalam sistem keselamatan digital. Di sinilah beliau menghadapi cabaran genting kerana sukatan pelajaran yang amat mencabar baginya.
Gadis kecil molek berusia 24 tahun itu berkata: “Saya fikir saya boleh lakukan yang terbaik dalam sektor sedemikian lantas saya mengambil keputusan berkecimpung dalam kerjaya IT.”
Cik Siti Aishah berkata: “Apabila saya memulakan pengajian di universiti, ia sangat mencabar. Justeru, saya harus lakukan penyelidikan dan bertanyakan teman-teman sekursus.”
Penganalisis keselamatan bersekutu di syarikat e-COP itu mula tertarik dalam dunia IT apabila beliau menonton filem WarGames – filem daripada era 1980-an yang mengisahkan perihal penggodaman.
Tambahan pula, rata-rata, sekitar 90 peratus rakan sekursusnya merupakan kaum Adam – sesuatu yang agak janggal baginya memandangkan beliau merupakan segelintir daripada wanita dalam kursusnya.
Daripada situ, timbul minat mendalami lebih lanjut mengenai bagaimana dunia IT berfungsi.
Lambat-laun, setelah terbiasa akan keadaan sekelilingnya, perasaan janggal itu bertukar menjadi pemangkin baginya meneruskan apa yang beliau lakukan.
“Sejurus selepas tamat peperiksaan GCE peringkat ‘O’, saya mengambil keputusan
Ng scores biggest win, aims to fill singles void 12 September 2016 | The Straits Times
By May Chen National shuttler Ryan Ng made the most of a new scoring system to win his maiden international title. The 18-year-old was crowned champion at the Malaysia International Youth Under-19 tournament in Terengganu on Saturday, beating Malaysia’s Sim Fong Hau 9-11, 11-8, 11-9, 11-9. The win, which included victory over home favourite and world junior No. 5 Lee Zii Jia in the semi-finals, followed a final appearance at the India Junior International the previous week.
His recent run will place the 11th-ranked Singaporean among the world’s top 10 juniors. The two events were his first taste at competing under the new 11-point, five-game scoring format under trial by the Badminton World Federation. He said: “It makes the game much shorter, more intense and requires a lot more focus. But it makes me treasure every point (more) and be patient. My style has always been aggressive so I feel the 11-point format is to my advantage.”
22 DISCOVER 15 YEARS OF TRANSFORMATIVE LEARNING
MENYERLAH DALAM BIDANG IT: Cik Siti Aishah Anwar, penganalisis keselamatan bersekutu, menganggap pekerjaan dalam sektor sedemikian bak pengawal keselamatan di alam maya dan begitu memuaskan. FOTO : ZAINAL YAHYA
“Pekerjaan saya ini bak pengawal keselamatan tetapi di alam maya. “Dari pekerjaan inilah saya belajar ketahanan mental dan berfikir secara kreatif kerana jika terjadinya ancaman penggodam, saya harus melakar jalan penyelesaian,” jelas beliau. Berprinsipkan semangat jitu, beliau berharap lebih ramai wanita tampil mengejar impian mereka. “Kami tidak boleh menghentikan stereotaip tapi yakinlah, kami juga boleh mengecapi kecemerlangan,” ujar beliau dengan nada penuh yakin.
Still, it took mental fortitude for the Republic Polytechnic sport and leisure management student to ignore previous head-to-head records against some opponents in the draw. That included taking Malaysian Tan Jia Wei to the decider in the quarter-finals, winning 12-10, 11-5, -11, 6-11, 11-7. It was his first win over Tan in four encounters.
Interested in the world of IT after watching film Siti Aishah Anwar, 24, became interested in the world of IT ever since she watched the movie WarGames, a 1980s movie about hacking. After pursuing a Diploma in Information Technology at RP, Aishah studied Computer Science at university, specialising in digital security systems. Now a security analyst, she hopes that more women will ignore stereotypes and step forward to achieve excellence in the technology field.
Said coach Kelvin Ho: “Ryan has really showed maturity these two weeks. He’s very clear in what he wants to do on court. “Derek has set a very high standard so there’s still some way to go for Ryan in terms of consistency and court movement. But he has played well.” maychen@sph.com.sg
Said Ng, the third seed: “I played with a much clearer mindset this time. But I just focused this time on playing to my very best.” The result will be a boost for Ng, who left for Jakarta this morning to compete in the Pembangunan Jaya Raya Junior Grand Prix, another U-19 event. It is also welcome news following the recent retirement of two-time Olympian Derek Wong, Singapore’s top men’s singles player who reached a career-high world ranking of No. 37. “This is a big boost for me,” said world No. 277 Ng. “Derek has always been a big brother to all of us, and I just want to train hard and try to fill the void that he’s left behind.”
Ryan Ng, 18, hopes to fill the void left by recently retired Derek Wong, Singapore’s top men’s singles shuttler.
AC H I E V I N G SUC C E S S
Team hope to get to play in National Stadium again 20 December 2015 | The Straits Times
By Alvin Chia Last December, Singapore’s cerebral palsy football team captured the hearts of Singaporeans with their bronze-medal finish at the Asean Para Games (APG) — with the team’s fighting spirit and skipper Khairul Anwar’s five long-range goals being the highlights. Seven months on, coach Mohamed Zainudeen’s warriors have regrouped to play their first game since the APG. The inaugural Cerebral Palsy Football Invitational, organised by the Singapore Disability Council, will see Singapore, Thailand and Indonesia compete against each other in a triangular from today to Sunday.
or two short compared to their opponents, who field 14-strong squads. Khairul echoed his coach’s sentiments, emphasising the importance of outreach in spreading awareness. He said: “It’s good that Singapore is hosting such events. They attract so much attention – the crowd at the APG had more than 5,000 people. “I’m looking forward to more friendlies and competitions. “Hopefully we’ll have many more games at home – the more games we have at home, the more awareness we can raise.”
The team will play the opener against Thailand at Queenstown Stadium this morning (9.30am). Khairul insists life has not changed much for him as the players went back to their regular lives. He focused on his studies at Republic Polytechnic but he did itch for action during the seven-month lull.
KHAIRUL ANWAR, 29 FULL-TIME POLY STUDENT CEREBRAL PALSY FOOTBALL BRONZE
“We’ve had a long break, and the tempo dropped since most of us went back to school or to work,” said Khairul, 29, who is completing his last year in health management and promotion diploma studies. “But as the preparations for the invitational kicked in, we were back to training twice or thrice a week, even during the fasting month. “It’s given us a better sense of direction as a team.” For coach Zainudeen, 47, the break was necessary for his players to recover what they had sacrificed for the APG. “The boys had to give up a lot,” the coach revealed. “They sacrificed school, national service, work – one of them even lost his job – and it was important that we helped them settle down so that life could return to normal.” The team gained new found recognition after their APG success but, more importantly, their success opened up many avenues that inspired greater awareness of cerebral palsy football. Superstar David Beckham, who was in town during the Games, sprung a surprise visit on Khairul and praised the defender for his blockbuster strikes, a story published in The Straits Times that gained the team even more recognition. Zainudeen has been approached not just by new sponsors, but also by players seeking to join the team – and that has helped alleviate the problem of a small talent pool. The team previously turned up at tournaments a player
Khairul Anwar says playing at home far surpasses the thrill of competing abroad as the team get to bask in a higher level of support from Singaporeans. ST PHOTOS : ONG WEE JIN AND MARK CHEONG
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Pelajar poly menangi pertandingan ‘SuperTuber Search’ anjuran Jamiyah 3 October 2016 | Berita Harian
PARA FINALIS: (Dari kiri) Cik Nurul Farahin Ramli, Encik Abdul Hadi Alladin, Encik Sangminn Lee, Encik Haris Abbas dan Cik Siti Nurhidayah Sarjuna adalah finalis peringkat akhir ‘SuperTuber Search’. FOTO : TAUFIK A. KADER
By SITI AISYAH NORDIN INTERNET merupakan wadah berpengaruh yang membolehkan peningkatan interaktif di kalangan rakyat dan pemberian maklumat yang lebih cepat dan meluas. Demikian dinyatakan Menteri Negara (Perhubungan dan Penerangan merangkap Kesihatan), Encik Chee Hong Tat, semasa berucap dalam acara peringkat akhir pertandingan menghasilkan video, SuperTuber Search, baru-baru ini. Dianjurkan Jamiyah Singapura buat julungjulung kalinya, objektif utama SuperTuber Search ialah menggalak belia menghasilkan video sepanjang lima minit yang dapat menyampaikan nilai-nilai positif dalam hidup, perhubungan dan kewujudan bersama. Pertandingan tersebut dimenangi Cik Nurul Farahin Ramli, 19 tahun, pelajar jurusan komunikasi massa di Politeknik Republic. Cik Farahin bergabung dengan rakannya, Cik Nur Alisya Rosli, 21 tahun, bagi menghasilkan video tersebut.
Video Cik Farahin Nak tegur ke tak eh? mengisahkan tentang watak yang dilakon oleh beliau sendiri sebagai pencuri alat pengecas mudah alih. Cik Nur Alisya pula melakonkan watak seorang yang suka menggunakan barangan Cik Farahin tanpa kebenarannya. Namun, kerana mempunyai agenda tersendiri, Cik Farahin membiarkan Cik Nur Alisya menggunakan dan menyimpan pengecas mudah alihnya itu. Di akhir video tersebut, pemilik sebenar pengecas mudah alih itu telah menangkap Cik Nur Alisya menggunakan barangannya. “Moral di sebalik video ini ialah jangan mengambil kesempatan ke atas tahap kesabaran orang lain. Ini kerana jika seseorang itu berdiam diri, apabila tiba waktunya, dia akan membalas dengan lebih teruk,” kata Cik Farahin. Walaupun hanya menggunakan iPhone bagi merakamkan video tersebut, Cik Farahin tidak menyangka kisahnya itu dipilih sebagai pemenang.
24 DISCOVER 15 YEARS OF TRANSFORMATIVE LEARNING
“Pada mulanya saya hanya menyertai pertandingan ini untuk suka-suka. Ini adalah kemenangan mengejut!” katanya. Beliau membawa pulang wang tunai $2,000 dan sebuah camera DJI Osmo yang bernilai $900. Antara juri pertandingan itu ialah Ustaz Nuzhan Abdul Halim; pelawak Husin Saaban; sensasi YouTube Zuhairi Idris dan Hafidz Rahman dari Lepak One Korner; serta personaliti televisyen Sujimy Mohd dan Suhaimi Yusof. Encik Sujimy dan Encik Suhaimi tidak dapat hadir pada peringkat akhir acara ini. Pengerusi Forum Ekonomi Islam Sedunia (WIEF), Tun Musa Hitam; mantan Menteri Negara Kanan (Ehwal Luar), Encik Zainal Abidin Rasheed; dan wakil daripada 14 negara turut hadir bagi menyemarakkan acara itu. Pertandingan tersebut menerima 20 pencalonan, sebelum lima video terbaik itu dipilih sebagai finalis. naisyah@sph.com.sg
Poly student wins Jamiyah’s ‘SuperTuber Search’ competition RP’s Diploma in Mass Communication student Nurul Farahin Ramli, 19, won the inaugural ‘Supertuber Search’ competition. Organised by Jamiyah Singapore, the competition encouraged video submissions with the theme ‘Good Values’. Farahin collaborated with her friend, Nur Alisya Rosli, 21, to produce the short-film titled “Should I Have Said Something?”. The winning video tells the story of a character – played by Farahin – who steals mobile device chargers.
AC H I E V I N G SUC C E S S
丧母父好赌 | 受祖母小姑照顾
乐观男考佳绩回报 11 May 2016 | Shin Min Daily News
庄惠晴 报道 7岁丧母，父好赌不理家，男生却有疼爱他的祖 母和小姑，决定为她们改变自己。尽管身世坎 坷，李文伟（21岁）以亮眼的3.75学分绩点毕 业于商务应用学系（Diploma in Business Applications）还获得李氏基的赞助。 李文伟说，7岁时，母亲有一次出国公干回国时 晕倒，入院三天便离他而去。中三前自己与欠 下一屁股债的烂赌父亲同住。 自他有记忆，父亲就只是个名词，总是夜不归 宿，大耳窿到家里骚扰泼漆至少一年，对当时 念小学的他而言已是习以为常。 “父亲前后三次进监狱，卖屋还赌债，我过后 由祖母收留。” 他说，祖母是工厂杂工，月入不到1200元，对 李文伟百般疼爱。 李文伟被宠坏，认为奶奶的疼爱是理所当然 的，有时还会对她发脾气，大声呵喝。 “直到我中三那年，奶奶一次在家中跌倒需要 动手术，我才惊觉祖母付出太多，奶奶受伤后 无法工作，我们过后由小姑援助。” 小姑安排李文伟到杂货店帮忙，补贴他一些 零花钱。热爱销售类工作的李文伟打算服了兵
役，踏入社会工作。他很感激奶奶与小姑，不想 辜负他们。
RP School of Sports, Health and Leisure
“乐观悲观都是一天，何不往好的方面想，快 乐过每一天，过去的便让它去。”
chnghq@sph.com.sg
It is the only polytechnic school in Singapore that focuses on a wide spectrum of sports skills through these courses:
RP Graduate overcomes challenging family circumstances
- Diploma in Health Management and Promotion
Joseph Lee, 21, is a Lee Foundation scholar who graduated with outstanding results from RP’s Diploma in Business Applications. Joseph’s mother passed away when he was young while his father was a gambling addict who neglected him. He was brought up by his grandmother and aunt. Despite challenging family circumstances, Joseph persevered and excelled. He is grateful to his grandmother and aunt and does not want to disappoint them. He is determined to leave the past behind and focus on living each day optimistically.
- Diploma in Health Services Management - Diploma in Outdoor and Adventure Learning - Diploma in Sports and Exercise Sciences - Diploma in Sports and Leisure Management - Diploma in Sports Coaching Visit www.rp.edu.sg/shl for more information! 李文伟感动祖母对自己无 私的爱。
RP’s Problem-based Learning approach is a student-centred instructional design and strategy in which students learn by working collaboratively on problems that are often modelled on real-world issues. It promises to sharpen analytical skills and develop each student into an effective team player. DISCOVER 15 YEARS OF TRANSFORMATIVE LEARNING 25
DI S C OV E R I N G P O S SI B I L I T I E S
Dulu bergasak, kini memasak 4 July 2016 | Berita Harian
Bekas pemain ragbi antara dua terpilih wakili poly dalam pertandingan kulinari WorldSkills By FARAH MOHD REZAL
SEMASA menuntut di sekolah menengah, Encik Muhammad Danial Suboh giat mewakili sekolahnya dalam pertandingan ragbi. Kini, Encik Muhammad Danial, 19 tahun, perlu mempamerkan kemahiran yang jauh berbeza.
melakukan sesuatu tugas. Kini saya perlu lebih berhati-hati,” kata bekas pelajar Sekolah Menengah St Andrews itu. Encik Muhammad Danial berkata memasak tidak mudah. Selain kekuatan jasmani, beliau perlu berdiri lama dan cepat melakukan tugas. Menurutnya, minat memasak berputik di sekolah menengah semasa membantu ibu memasak. Pemuda yang meminati rancangan memasak terkemuka Masterchef US itu juga cuba memasak sendiri lalu menilaikannya. Ketika berumur 16 tahun, beliau memutuskan mahu menceburi bidang tersebut. Berkenaan pertandingan WorldSkills, Encik Muhammad Danial berkata persiapan dimulakan Disember lalu di bawah bimbingan jurulatih.
Pelajar tahun ketiga jurusan restoran dan operasi memasak Politeknik Republic akan mewakili sekolahnya dalam kategori memasak Pertandingan Kemahiran Sedunia (WorldSkills).
“Pertandingan ini tidak mudah. Oleh sebab itu, persiapan awal sangat penting. Saya akan memberikan idea sendiri tentang masakan yang ingin disediakan, kemudian jurulatih akan memperbaiki idea tersebut,” katanya, yang meminati masakan Perancis.
“Saya perlu lemah lembut ketika memasak kerana saya rasa semuanya harus dilakukan dengan sempurna, termasuk gaya persembahan makanan. Ini suatu cabaran kerana saya biasanya kasar semasa
Daripada 13 individu yang mendaftar untuk bertanding, Encik Danial antara hanya dua peserta yang terpilih berdasarkan kemahiran. “Saya tidak pernah mewakili sekolah dalam pertandingan seperti ini dan ia satu penghormatan besar. Dengan memasuki pertandingan ini, saya akan tahu tahap kebolehan dan kemahiran saya dalam bidang ini,” katanya. Beliau berharap dapat memenangi pertandingan itu supaya dapat mengharumkan nama negara apabila menjadi wakil di Abu Dhabi kelak.
RP School Of Hospitality Five exciting and practical programmes to choose from: - Diploma in Customer Experience Management with Business - Diploma in Hotel and Hospitality Management - Diploma in Integrated Events Management - Diploma in Restaurant and Culinary Operations - Diploma in Wellness, Lifestyle and Spa Management Visit www.rp.edu.sg/soh to find out more!
UJI KEMAHIRAN: Minat memasak berputik dalam hati Encik Muhammad Danial ketika di bangku sekolah menengah lagi. Justeru, beliau mahu menilai sendiri kemahirannya dalam bidang tersebut menerusi pertandingan WorldSkills. Foto : ITE
From wrestling on the field, to cooking The article featured WorldSkills Singapore participant and former rugby player Muhammad Danial Suboh, 19, final year student of the Diploma in Restaurant and Culinary Operations at RP School of Hospitality. Danial represented RP in the cooking category of WorldSkills Singapore, 2016. Danial’s interest in cooking began in secondary school while he was helping his mother with cooking, and from watching culinary programmes. At the age of 16, he decided to pursue his passion in cooking. He hopes to win the competition so that he can next represent Singapore in WorldSkills Abu Dhabi, 2017.
Culinary courses becoming popular 25 May 2016 | The New Paper By BOEY LYE WENG
Schools here offering courses in the culinary arts say they have seen an increase in student enrolment.
26 DISCOVER 15 YEARS OF TRANSFORMATIVE LEARNING
A spokesman for At-Sunrice GlobalChef Academy said there has been a four per cent increase for Culinary Arts and Pastry Bakery programmes. New intakes were added to meet the growing demand for continuing education modular programmes such as basic cakes, short crust pastry, wine, French eclairs and choux pastry, and both moist and dry heat cooking techniques. Singapore Hotel and Tourism Education Centre (Shatec) is also seeing a growing interest in its F&B and culinary courses and it plans to roll out more courses, said its spokesman.
POLY COURSES Local polytechnics are also offering culinary courses and increasing intakes. Republic Polytechnic’s Diploma in Restaurant and Culinary Operations (DRCO) has seen strong demand and its intake figures have risen, from 58 students in 2011 to 96 students this year. A Nanyang Polytechnic (NYP) spokesman said that its Diploma in Food & Beverage Business programme has been consistently over-subscribed by about 17 times. In the last three years, an average of 1,050 students applied for places. NYP increased the intake from 45 to 60 this year. Apart from setting up their own restaurants and contributing to food production, those who graduate from culinary programmes can explore other career paths such as private chefs for ambassadors, owners of demo kitchens, guest relations to restaurant managers, catering, food and beverage suppliers, food journalism, food ingredient application technicians and food technologists.
DI S C OV E R I N G P O S SI B I L I T I E S
63-year-old keeps mind and body fit 16 May 2016 | The Straits Times By Amelia Teng
Mr Sebastian Lim has an accountancy degree from the then University of Singapore, from which he graduated in 1979, but that has not been enough for him. The 63-year-old freelance financial adviser enjoys going for all sorts of classes to pick up new skills, from data analytics to martial arts. He earned a specialist diploma in business analytics from Republic Polytechnic this year, after a year of classes which cost him less than $500 after subsidies. Mr Lim, whose wife is also a financial adviser, attended night classes three times a week at the polytechnic’s campus in Woodlands. He lives in Bedok. “I read in the news about data analytics and I found it interesting in terms of how it is used to predict trends,” he said. “It’s a bit challenging
after so many years of not being in school, especially when the course involved some mathematics and statistics. We also had to learn SQL, a data-based language.” But Mr Lim, who worked as an accountant for more than 20 years, said: “Is there an age limit to learning? Learning a new skill is an asset in life. My daughter has an online business and maybe what I’ve learnt can help her in customer analytics. It is also useful for businesses. It helps in decision-making and knowing how to make use of data.” Next, he wants to take classes in social sciences to “keep an open mind” and “understand social issues better”. He goes for martial arts classes in wing chun and aikido every week. “I’m still fit, and I want to learn self-defence,” he said.
ateng@sph.com.sg
Mr Lim (centre) goes for martial arts classes in wing chun and aikido every week, and has a blue belt in aikido. The freelance financial adviser enjoys picking up new skills, and graduated with a specialist diploma in business analytics from Republic Polytechnic this year. ST Photo : DESMOND WEE
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. . 5 .
”
Going beyond his disability to help others John Danesh Krishnan won his battle against eye cancer but eventually lost his sight. Despite his disability, John has overcome many obstacles along the way due to his positive outlook on life. Currently pursuing a Diploma in Social Enterprise Management (DSEM) at RP, John always finds joy in helping others and making a difference in the community. His lecturers commended him on his diligence and shared that he is an inspiration to other students. John has the drive and determination to succeed, and aspires to become a lawyer in future.
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许宝琨：
水产养殖业须接纳科技 以克服人力及土地制约 17 September 2016 | Lianhe Zaobao
许宝琨前天在水产养 殖业交流活动上，鼓 励业者对科技抱有更 开放的态度，并与研 究机构加强合作关系， 寻找可持续生产鱼类 的方案。 邓玮婷 报道 水产养殖业必须更愿意接纳科技，才能跨越有 限的土地面积和海域空间，以及人力短缺所带来 的挑战，进一步增加我国的食鱼产量。 贸工部兼国家发展部政务部长许宝琨医生前天 在一个水产养殖业交流活动上发表这个看法。 共和理工学院和新加坡国立大学属下热带海洋 科学研究所，昨天联办第二系列的水产养殖业交 流日，邀请业者、政府机构及学术界代表，就影 响该行业的课题交流经验与看法。 许宝琨在致词时说，气候变化预计会减少全球食 物供应，而人口不断增加则会导致食物需求上 升。野生鱼类也将受过度捕捞影响，产量继续下 滑。基于这些现象，水产养殖未来在确保我国食 物量方面，将扮演者更重要的角色。 “我们国家九成的食物来源进口自国外，如果不 提早准备，后果不堪。” 许宝琨提到，业者必须对科技抱有更开放的态 度。 “市场已经存在不少可行的方案，问题在于 我们是否愿意采纳这些措施和技术。我了解接 触新事物时难免有些担忧，因有些新技术还没 有实际成果，但如果不尝试，又怎么会知道当中 的潜力。”
共和理工学院 海洋与水产养 殖学大专课 程学生在交流日上与业者互动，了解他们的发 展前景。(曾道明摄）
与邻国合作互惠互利
吸引年轻人加入此业
他说： “水产养殖业是个朝阳行业，我们需要跳 出现有的框框，不要认为新加坡市场小，没有必 要为采用科技投资大量金钱。其实我们可以与邻 国伙伴探索合约农耕的机会，本地业者可以提供 相关科技，由对方进行养殖和加工，收成可以是 双方共同拥有。”
另外，他也强调水产养殖业须不断吸引新一代青 年加入，否则这个行业将无法维持下去。
Apollo Aquaculture 集团运营总监林明发 说： “许多业者不抗拒新科技，但在把作业方式 他举例说，一些业者如Apollo Aquarium已成 科技化前，他们都有不同的顾虑，包括是否影 功在养殖场采用科技，包括利用感应器观察水质， 响现有的资金周转和成功率等。而且，一小部 或是陆地再循环水产养殖系统，防止外来环境如 分的业者也不太清楚如何向有关政府机构申请 浮游生物大量繁殖带来的破坏，并增加产量。 补贴。” 南洋理工大学化学与生物医学工程学院副教授 陈金转受访时说，调查显示，野生鱼类产量未 来将不断下滑，但鱼却依旧是人类的重要蛋白 质来源。因此，水产养殖业其实有许多契机供业 者探索。
许宝琨说，业者和研究机构须加强合作关系，寻 找可持续生产鱼类的方案。研究机构是以严谨 的学术方式制定方案，但业者可让这些概念变得 更实际，在现实生活中产生正面影响。
28 DISCOVER 15 YEARS OF TRANSFORMATIVE LEARNING
“如果要吸引他们，我们除了要改变水产行业的 形象，也需调整当中的工作性质。有了科技，这
个行业将变得更工业化……有感应器和监视器等， 这将让年轻人对这个行业更感兴趣。” 共和理工学院2014年推出的海洋与水产养殖学 大专课程，明年将迎来首批毕业生。
tengwt@sph.com.sg
Koh Poh Hoon: Aquaculture industry must use technology to overcome manpower and land constraints At RP’s second Aquaculture Industry Engagement Day, professionals from aquaculture industry, government agencies and academia gathered to explore the way ahead for the industry in Singapore. Minister of State for National Development and Trade and Industry Dr Koh Poh Koon encouraged the aquaculture industry to be open to science and technology and strengthen partnerships with research institutions to develop sustainable production methods. He stressed that the industry must continue to attract the younger generation, and added that the industry’s image and nature of work must change to do so. RP’s Diploma in Marine Science and Aquaculture, which was launched in 2014, will see its first batch of graduates in 2017.
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Nature Society on mission to save horseshoe crabs
WATCH VIDEO ONLINE
Learn more about the horseshoe crab http://str.sg/4xYf
10 October 2016 | The Straits Times
Volunteers Noraisah Arsad (second from left), with her kids Mohamad Raiyan Mohamad Rizal and Marsya Sorfina Mohamad Rizal, and Ms Elzbet Diaz de Leon with Mr Stephen Beng, chairman of NSS’ Marine Conservation Group, rescuing horseshoe crabs at Mandai Mudflats. ST PHOTO : LIM YAOHUI
To conserve them better, society finds out more about the animals, urges other countries to do so too By AUDREY TAN
Little is known about the horseshoe crabs in Asia, other than the fact that they suffer froman identity crisis. They may be called crabs, but these ancient animals are actually more closely related to arachnids – a group that includes spiders. The Nature Society (Singapore) or NSS, however, is on a mission to find out more about these animals in a bid to conserve them better, by collecting data about native populations and urging countries that have them to do the same. There are four species of horseshoe crabs found around the world, three of which can be found in Asia.
But the three species – coastal, mangrove and Chinese horseshoe crabs – are considered data deficient on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species, which means not enough is known about them to classify how close to extinction they are. The Atlantic horseshoe crab, found in the Americas, is the only species with an international classification – it is considered vulnerable to extinction, having been harvested for its blood, which is used in the pharmaceutical industry. “More information is needed to reassess the status of the three Asian horseshoe crab species, which live in fast-disappearing mudflat and mangrove habitats, ” said NSS volunteer J. Vanitha, who was in Hawaii last month to speak about the society’s ongoing horseshoe crab rescue and research programme at the IUCN World Conservation Congress. In Asia, these animals are threatened with habitat loss as mudflats and mangroves make way for development. In 2012, the NSS proposed to IUCN, the international body in charge of classification, that there was a need to review the status of Asian horseshoe crabs and encourage
cooperation between countries which have the Asian horseshoe crabs to conserve the habitats. Their proposal was accepted and the society is now working to collect data on two of the three Asian horseshoe crab species found in Singapore – the coastal and mangrove horseshoe crabs. NSS is also in talks with naturalists and scientists in neighbouring countries – such as Malaysia, which has all three Asian horseshoe crab species – on how they can get involved in the effort to reassess the status of the Asian horseshoe crabs. One way to do this is to enlist the help of citizen science volunteers, which NSS has been doing, said Ms Vanitha, 35, a teacher. Since 2005, NSS volunteers have been venturing out to the Mandai mudflats – a coastal habitat near Sungei Buloh – on a monthly basis to rescue horseshoe crabs entangled in prawn nets. But the programme expanded in 2007, when volunteers realised they could use the opportunity to measure, record and study the horseshoe crabs. Mr Stephen Beng, chairman of the NSS’ Marine Conservation Group, said horseshoe crabs have an important place in the marine
food chain. Their eggs and young, for instance, provide food for birds that stop by the Mandai mudflats. He added: “Horseshoe crabs are a flagship species of mudflats and mangroves, and citizen science programmes like ours can help raise awareness about the significance of their habitats – less than 1 per cent of Singapore remains covered with highly diverse and productive mangroves.” Students from Republic Polytechnic’s (RP) Diploma in Environmental Science are also working on rearing mangrove horseshoe crabs in captivity to gain insights into their breeding cycle, with the intention of breeding them until they reach the reproductive stage and then releasing them into areas where they were once abundant. Dr Linus Mak, a lecturer from the Diploma in Environmental Science programme at RP’s School of Applied Science, said: “It will offer insight into the local species, the threats they face, breeding and conservation methods, and help bridge the gap in data deficiency.”
audreyt@sph.com.sg
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Pementasan ‘di sebalik tudung’ 22 October 2016 | Berita Harian
SESI LATIHAN: Anggota Pentas Karyawan, sebuah kumpulan teater Politeknik Republic, ketika berlatih bagi persembahan ‘Siapa Curi Tudung Neelofa?’ yang akan dipentaskan pada 4 dan 5 November ini di Pusat Kebudayaan Republic. FOTO : TUKIMAN WARJI
By NURMAYA ALIAS
PERSEMBAHAN teater bertajuk Siapa Curi Tudung Neelofa? bakal membuat penonton membayangkan jalan cerita yang pasti berhubung kait dengan kes pencurian tudung. Namun, anggota Pentas Karyawan, sebuah kumpulan teater Melayu daripada Politeknik Republic (RP) yang menerbitkan pementasan teater itu, juga ingin mengetengahkan sebab mengapa sesetengah kaum Hawa memakai tudung. Pementasan Siapa Curi Tudung Neelofa? itu akan diadakan pada 4 dan 5 November sempena Pesta Seni Masyarakat RP, Reflections 2016. Reflections 2016 meraikan ulang tahun politeknik itu yang ke-10. Penulis skrip dan pengarah pementasan tersebut, penggiat teater Anwar Hadi Ramli, menjelaskan bahawa anggota Pentas Karyawan menimbulkan idea membuat drama berkenaan tudung berdasarkan tema pesta seni itu iaitu lapisan atau layers. “Semasa berbincang mengenai idea pementasan, mereka berbicara tentang topik tudung secara kiasan. Secara fizikal,
tudung sekadar sehelai kain. Tetapi, di sebalik sehelai kain itu, mereka mahu menerokai sebab mengapa wanita memakai tudung,” kata Anwar semasa ditemui di sesi latihan kumpulan teater itu. Lantas, mereka menghasilkan cerita mengenai seorang wanita bernama Neelofa lakonan Cik Nur Asfarina Mohd Ishak, 19 tahun, yang baru melancarkan sebuah butik yang menjual pakaian Muslimah. Pada satu hari, Neelofa mendapati sebuah kotak tudung telah hilang. Suami Neelofa bernama Hamzah, lakonan Encik Muhammad Aliff Shah Ramli, 22 tahun, mendapatkan khidmat seorang penyiasat untuk menyoal lima suspek yang disyaki mungkin mengambil tudung-tudung yang hilang. Dalam proses siasatan, lima suspek tersebut berkongsi mengapa mereka memilih menutup aurat mereka.
Memberi contoh, Cik Nurfareena, yang memainkan peranan sebagai salah eorang suspek bernama Aisyah, berkata: “Pada usia 13 tahun, saya mengalami sakit ruam kulit disebut lichen planus. “Oleh sebab saya tidak mahu orang tahu saya ada masalah kulit, saya buat keputusan memakai tudung. “Jadi, apabila saya fikirkan semula, saya asalnya memakai tudung kerana sebab sakit. Ini mendorong kami membuat kajian tentang sebab-sebab lain mengapa wanita memakai tudung.” Penonton bakal menyaksikan antara sebab lima suspek itu memakai tudung ialah kerana ingin mendekatkan diri kepada Yang Maha Esa, hendak mencari jodoh atau hendak menyembunyikan tatu.
Bagaimana timbul inspirasi untuk membuat drama berkenaan tudung?
“Memakai hijab atau tudung juga dilihat sebagai gaya fesyen hari ini,” ujar Cik Nurfareena, yang akur bahawa topik tudung mungkin sensitif.
Presiden Pentas Karyawan, Cik Nurfareena Mohd Noor, 19 tahun, penuntut jurusan komunikasi massa di RP, menjelaskan bahawa idea itu tercetus berdasarkan beberapa kisah peribadi.
Cik Nur Asfarina, bagaimanapun, menyarankan supaya penonton datang menyaksikan pementasan tersebut dengan minda terbuka.
30 DISCOVER 15 YEARS OF TRANSFORMATIVE LEARNING
“Ada babak kelakar dan menghiburkan dalam persembahan kami. Watak Neelofa dalam cerita ini, misalnya, tiada kaitan dengan pelakon popular Neelofa di Malaysia. “Watak Neelofa dalam drama ini macam seorang Datin yang suka mengarah-arah orang,” kata Cik Nur Asfarina. nurmayaa@sph.com.sg
Staging ‘behind the headscarf’ RP’s Community Arts Festival, Reflections 2016, features many exciting performances by students and home grown acts. One such act is a theatrical performance titled “Who Stole Neelofa’s Headscarf?” by Pentas Karyawan, a Malay cultural group in RP. The performance sheds light on the reasons Muslim women don headscarves. The group produced a story about a boutique shop owner, named Ms Nur Neelofa, who finds her box of headscarves missing one day and investigates five possible suspects. Throughout the investigation, the five suspects share their reasons for wearing their headscarves.
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In tune with traditions 6 September 2016 | The Straits Times
Young Malay composers are not only preserving their traditions, but also reimagining and reinterpreting them. By Nabilah Said and Nur Asyiqin Mohamad Salleh
A small but growing number of young Malay music creators are looking to their roots and breathing new life into traditional Malay arts and culture. From weaving in bits of Malay literature into their music, to bringing instruments from the East and West together, they are not just preserving their traditions, but also reimagining and reinterpreting them in contemporary pop and classical music. Their efforts can be heard in two upcoming performances: B3 Concert by youth group Nusantara Arts on Saturday, and contemporary music and dance creation Ikan Girl on Oct 21 and 23. Music and language will collide at Saturday’s B3 Concert – which stands for Belia. Bahasa. Budaya, or Youth. Language. Culture – when nine Malay poems will be reinterpreted as musical compositions. The show at the School of the Arts Concert Hall is a culmination of a three-month project done in conjunction with this year’s Bulan Bahasa, or Malay Language Month. Winning entries from a poetry competition for those aged 16 to 30 were handed to young composers Danial Ariffin Azman, Bakti Khair, Amni Musfirah and Zulkifli M. Amin, who wrote music based on them in a span of three weeks. Nusantara Arts, says its artistic director Zulkifli, decided to merge poetry and music to get Malay literary enthusiasts and musicians here collaborating. “Language is often misunderstood by those unfamiliar with Malay poetry, and music is often underappreciated,” says Zulkifli, 33. “By combining these aspects and creating a refreshing approach, we want to see more people taking a step forward and contributing creative works to the scene.” The works will be performed by the group’s ensemble, Nusantara, which showcases keroncong instruments such the cak and the cuk, two ukulele-like instruments. Keroncong is an Indonesian style of music, but Nusantara also features the piano, flute and saxophone. Zulkifli, who has at least 150 compositions under his belt, is inspired by the structure,
Young composers (from left) Syafiqah ‘Adha Sallehin, Danial Ariffin Azman and Bakti Khair are behind upcoming performances breathing new life into traditional Malay arts and culture. PHOTOS: AZMI ATHNI, COURTESY OF BENJAMIN BOO
sounds and interlocking patterns of the gamelan orchestra. “This has a deep impact on my compositions either by the use of gongs or mimicking gamelan music and its harmony,” he says. “There’s so much to discover in this region and every day is a new discovery.” Young Malay composers, he notes, tend to infuse elements of Malay music into their works – a sign that they are keen on keeping the “culture going in their craft”. Says the Lasalle College of the Arts graduate: “There’s always the stigma that the younger generation is more inclined to popular and mainstream music instead of traditional genres– probably due to the lack of exposure . “It’s a rich culture, but often times the lack of understanding creates a barrier between the young and their heritage. I think from the involvement of youth in the arts and culture scene here, the setting up of musical groups, arts companies and events, we’re on the right track. It’s a healthy scene.” Meanwhile, coming up on Oct 21 and 23 is Ikan Girl, a multidisciplinary performance featuring an original composition by 26-yearold Syafiqah ’Adha Sallehin, accompanied by elements of traditional Malay dance, Bharatanatyam (traditional Indian dance from South India) and contemporary dance.
Ikan Girl is part of the Singapore International Festival of Music, which runs from Oct 13 to 30, and Syafiqah, who teaches music at the School of the Arts, is the festival’s artist-inresidence this year. The Oct 21 performance will be preceded by Portrait Of A Composer, with original compositions by Syafiqah performed by the festival ensemble. On Oct 23, it will be preceded by Portrait Of A Virtuoso, with a recital by Syafiqah on the accordion and Nabillah Jalal on the piano. Nabillah, 24, is the music director of Ikan Girl. She recently completed her studies at London’s Royal College of Music and returns to Singapore later this month. Ikan Girl – or Fish Girl – is based on an 18th- or 19th-century Malay poem titled Syair Bidasari. It is about a girl, Bidasari, who has a soul linked to that of a fish. The story is similar to that of fairy tale Snow White, with an evil queen who is jealous of Bidasari’s beauty. Here, the queen takes the fish out of the water, which causes Bidasari to lose consciousness. She is eventually rescued by a prince. For Ikan Girl, Syafiqah is working with The Bhumi Collective, an arts group which champions Malay traditional dance and music. Nabillah is one of its founders.
The music will be performed by what Syafiqah describes as a “standard Malay ensemble”, comprising the accordion, flute and violin, as well as the piano and percussion instruments. She adds: “The music is a fusion of contemporary and tradition. I used not only rhythms from Malay music that go together with the Malay dance repertoire, for example, the joget, but I also used contemporary sound colours.” For example, to produce scenes of excitement or anger, the musicians might play their instruments in unconventional ways, such as producing screeching sounds on a violin or a harsh note on the flute. “I hope audiences will be open minded, especially those who don’t usually listen to classical music. It will be an eye-opener for them,” says Syafiqah. Nabillah and Syafiqah maintain that the piece has a relatable story with Bidasari, which was made into a black-and-white film in 1965, starring Jins Shamsuddin and Sarimah. “There is a certain ‘Melayuness’ to it, which will be a starting point for people to understand that classical music is not elitist, but very accessible,” says Nabillah.
nabilahs@sph.com.sg asyiqins@sph.com.sg
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‘Boost ties between locals and foreigners’ 1 December 2016 | The Straits Times
Mr Ganesh Kalyanam (left) is part of the inter-polytechnic international student integration working group and director of the office of student and graduate affairs at Republic Polytechnic. He is seen here with student Rusydi. The group was one of 17 winners honoured by the National Integration Council. ST PHOTO : LIM SIN THAI
Minister makes call amid backdrop of rising antiimmigration sentiments globally By Melody Zaccheus
Singapore is not immune to the anti-immigration rhetoric which has been on the rise across the globe. Highlighting how fault lines have been exposed by Brexit and the recent US presidential election, Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Grace Fu yesterday said the combination of developments “may cause local-foreigner sentiments to sour” and strain social cohesion in Singapore. She urged individuals and groups to step forward and promote integration “to demonstrate that we have the determination and resilience to keep Singapore cohesive and harmonious even as the external environment has become more challenging”. Ms Fu was speaking at the inaugural National Integration Council’s awards and appreciation dinner at Furama River Front Hotel, where 17 awards were given out to individuals and organisations who have contributed significantly to integration. Ms Fu is chairman of the council. Among the winners was an inter-polytechnic international student integration working group. In 2013, it launched a programme across Singapore’s five polytechnics which has since identified more than 400 integration ambassadors. The ambassadors underwent a two-day programme called “Diversity.Inclusion.You” to transform
them into “positive opinion multipliers” within their schools and spheres of influence. One of the ambassadors, a Year 2 applied science student at Republic Polytechnic, Mr Muhammad Noor Rusydi Rasib, 22, said that the programme encouraged students to let go of stereotypes.
RP School of Infocomm If you are a problem-solver and you have a passion for emerging technologies, these courses will take you one step closer to your dream:
He said: “If you allow yourself to get to know them as individuals, you will realise that there might actually be some common areas of interest.”
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The other winners include students from the Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information at Nanyang Technological University who had taken a stand against anti-foreigner sentiments through video interviews and blog posts, via a campaign called AnOther Angle.
- Diploma in Information Technology
Production company Big Red Button also brought together more than 1,000 people from diverse backgrounds in the Central Business District over four Mondays to have conversations on childhood memories and their aspirations over a cup of coffee or tea.
- Diploma in Mobile Software Development
Ms Fu praised the winners’ efforts, and added that their continued support is important as integration takes time and needs to be sustained as the increasing diversity in Singapore society brings new social complexities. She said that Singapore’s multicultural identity did not happen overnight but was “conscientiously forged by many people over decades of nation building”. “This effort must continue for effective integration and social harmony to be achieved,” she added. melodyz@sph.com.sg
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- Diploma in Infocomm Security Management - Diploma in Interactive and Digital Media
Visit www.rp.edu.sg/soi to find out more!
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The future is for you to decide: Minister 24 September 2016 | The Straits Times By Charissa Yong
The questions came thick and fast on an eclectic mix of topics: Can Singapore take in refugees? Should smoking be banned here? Can bursaries be given to students from middleincome families? For over two hours yesterday, 300 students from the five polytechnics here grilled Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office Chan Chun Sing on topics they were curious or passionate about at a dialogue. Mr Chan’s response: While the Government today may have a position on each of these issues, future generations will have to decide for themselves what kind of Singapore they want. “You have to decide for your generation what option you want to pursue,” he said at the event at Republic Polytechnic.
Mr Chan responding to questions put to him by polytechnic students at yesterday’s dialogue. ST PHOTO : LAU FOOK KONG
The dialogue marked the end of the annual, week-long Polytechnic Forum, where students discussed topics such as the social safety net, education and national security.
When fielding questions, Mr Chan urged students to think of the effects of policies on different segments of society, and whether they were appropriate for the times. He also encouraged them to be inquisitive and to think for themselves. He said: “Employers are looking for people with skills, not only pieces of paper (degrees). You must be prepared for that.” “Whatever job you think is hot in the market now, by the time you finish your studies... the jobs may no longer be relevant,” he said. After the session, health promotion management student Chrystine Wong, 22, said the remark made her think about how she could make herself stand out as a prospective employee, for instance, by building the skills needed to help people age actively. Another student, Ms Nur Syafiah Erfatin Markhaban, 21, said: “My generation cares about getting good results to get a good job, but future employers will care more about skills.” charyong@sph.com.sg
Secura partners tertiary institutions to set up cybersecurity R&D laboratory 21 October 2016 | The Business Times Online
By JACQUELYN CHEOK
CATALIST-LISTED security company Secura Group on Friday said that it will partner Republic Polytechnic (RP), the University of Glasgow, and the University of Glasgow Singapore to establish a joint facility for research and development (R&D) in cybersecurity. The laboratory will be located within RP’s campus, and focus on topics such as cybersecurity for the Internet of Things, data analytics and Industry 4.0. The latter is also also known as the Fourth Industrial Revolution, under which manufacturing will be revolutionised by the integration of physical processes, robotics, computing and networking. The estimated aggregate investment in the R&D laboratory for the next three years is S$10 million. Secura chief Paul Lim said: “We hope that this collaboration will be an incubator to grow the cybersecurity ecosystem and create unique cybersecurity products and solutions for tomorrow’s market.
jaccheok@sph.com.sg
Catalist-listed security company Secura Group on Friday said that it will partner Republic Polytechnic (RP), the University of Glasgow (UOFG) and the University of Glasgow Singapore (UGS) to establish a joint facility for research and development (R&D) in cybersecurity. PHOTO : ST FILE
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本地生产一品凉茶 100％天然食材熬煮 11 March 2016 | Lianhe Wanbao
黄丽容 报道 市面上的凉茶饮品林林总总，一品凉茶 (Top Taste) 以其功能性和美味受到消费者的喜爱。 一品凉茶采用100％天然食材熬煮，而不是以 浓缩物调制，没有添加防腐剂、人工色素与香 精。产品在新加坡生产，获得国际食品安全管 理 (HACCP) 认证和清真食品（Halal）认证。 此外，一品凉茶是本地第一家获标准、生产力 与创新局（SPRING Singapore）资助，与共 和理工学院（Republic Polytechnic）合作 开发功能食品的饮品生产商。所谓的功能食品 是指对身体机能有益处，有足够营养可改善健 康状况的食品。
一品凉茶共有17种饮品，分塑料瓶和铁罐两 种包装。瓶装饮品包括薏米、雪耳羹、灵芝、 姜茶、红竹叶、洋参茶、山楂洛神茶等；罐装饮 品有菊花茶、夏枯草、罗汉果、薄荷蜜、马蹄 水、杏仁露和洋参菊花茶，其中5种罐装饮品： 无糖的罗汉果和少糖的菊花茶、洋参菊花茶、 马蹄、夏枯草获得保健促进局的“较健康选 择”(Healthier Choice) 标签。 瓶装售价$1.50-$2，在各大邻里商店、药材 店、大学食堂和QQ Rice店销售；罐装售价 $0.85-$1.20，可在NTUC Extra、指定职总 平价超市、昇菘超市和百美超市买到。 询问电话：65587377。
一品凉茶不含防腐剂、人工色素与香精。
Locally produced 100% natural herbal tea The article reported that of all the herbal tea drink products, Top Taste is popular among consumers for its features and taste. Top Taste is the first drink manufacturer to receive funding from SPRING Singapore and collaborates with RP to develop functional foods. Functional food contains nutrients that improve the health benefits of food. The Halal-certified drinks consist of 100% natural ingredients and do not contain preservatives, artificial colours or flavours. It is made in Singapore and is regulated under Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP).
Chat with Nathan leads to poly journey 9 September 2016 | The Straits Times
support programmes to raise the education levels of financially needy Singaporeans.
Ex-president urged then ITE student to get a polytechnic spot during meeting
“We had a very good chat,” said Mr Santhiran, who was then pursuing his Higher Nitec in sports management at ITE College West. “Most importantly, he told me not to stop my education with ITE, as many people tend to finish ITE and go straight to work.” Mr Santhiran said those words motivated him a lot, especially as they were from a former president. Last night’s tribute event was organised by the Hindu Endowments Board (HEB), Narpani Pearavai – the coordinating body for the Indian Activity Executive Committees – and the Singapore Indian Development Association.
By Fabian Koh
An hour-long chat with the late Mr S R Nathan made Mr Santhiran Ezhavarasan realise the importance of furthering his studies.
Attendees included current and former Indian ministers, such as Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam and former Cabinet minister S. Dhanabalan, as well as Indian civil servants and community leaders.
Mr Nathan had encouraged the then Institute of Technical Education (ITE) student to get a place in a polytechnic after his ITE studies. That is precisely what Mr Santhiran has done. Last night, at a gathering of the Indian community here to remember the late former president, he told an audience of 800 that he had this week been accepted into Republic Polytechnic to pursue a diploma in sports coaching. The 23-year-old was one of seven people who delivered eulogies to Mr Nathan last night at the PGP Hall in Serangoon Road, before an
Mr Santhiran with Madam Urmila Nandey, wife of Mr Nathan, at the gathering of the Indian community in Singapore to remember the late former president yesterday. ST PHOTO : MARK CHEONG
audience that included family members of Mr Nathan, who died at age 92 on Aug 22. Mr Santhiran, who is currently doing national service, told The Straits Times that his hourlong meeting with Mr Nathan in January last year left a deep impression on him.
34 DISCOVER 15 YEARS OF TRANSFORMATIVE LEARNING
He had just received the S R Nathan Education Award, which helped pay for his school fees and gave him an allowance, and Mr Nathan had asked to meet all the recipients. The award is provided by the S R Nathan Education Upliftment Fund, set up in 2011 to
In his eulogy, Mr R. Jayachandran, chairman of the HEB, recalled how Mr Nathan was still thinking about issues concerning the board even though he was then already in hospital. At the event, Mr Tharman presented Mr Nathan’s family with a memento – a book containing photographs of Mr Nathan interacting with the Indian community. fabkoh@sph.com.sg
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Republic Poly’s panel probes youth’s habits
21 November 2016 | The Straits Times
It helps firms or public agencies find out about young people’s preferences, or test their marketing ideas By Ang Yiying
Millennials at a polytechnic are now conducting research on other millennials for companies or public agencies. Republic Polytechnic’s (RP) Youth Panel initiative, which started in June this year, helps companies or public agencies find out about young people’s habits and preferences, or test their marketing ideas, by getting young people to participate in surveys for incentives the companies offer. Respondents currently come from over 1,000 RP students aged 17 to 25. In the pipeline are plans to recruit more people aged 17 to 35 from its alumni, as well as from other schools and institutions. The Youth Panel is run by a committee – a core group of 10 consumer behaviour and research students – which acts like a mini research agency, recruiting members, distributing incentives to participants and summarising findings in infographics. These students do not get extra credit but instead treat it as a learning experience for themselves or to build up their portfolios. At the moment, the panel is not charging firms using its services. Ms Sharryl Ng, a lecturer at the School of Management and Communication, said companies had been approaching RP for some time because its staff members and students had expertise in consumer research.
Second-year consumer behaviour and research students Sharifah Shafiqah Haron and Juan Yong Sze Yen, both 19, are part of a 10-strong committee of the Youth Panel. ST PHOTO : ANG YIYING
Ms Samantha Lim, StarHub’s segment marketing manager of its prepaid business, said of tapping RP’s Youth Panel: “We find that the demographics match our user profile. We’d like to know how they make their decisions.”
She said: “They (the companies) had questions, for instance, ‘Which colour of product should we put in our advertisements?”
As to the benefits for students, RP’s Ms Ng said it allowed those running the Youth Panel to gain hands-on experience in doing consumer research. She said of the students: “In the long run, the idea is for them to take more ownership.”
She added that the Youth Panel helped companies that wanted to get young people’s opinions but may find it hard to specially recruit them.
For second-year consumer behaviour and research student Juan Yong Sze Yen, 19, also the president of the Youth Panel committee, it was away to add to his learning.
So far, it has helped telco StarHub find out how young people used their phones while travelling overseas.
He said: “It gave us the insight to how research is really done. Presenting the results in a summarised version is a lot of work... You need to be precise and concise in the working industry.”
The company last year launched a product where customers could buy a prepaid card in Singapore for their overseas data use.
ayiying@sph.com.sg
“
VALUABLE INSIGHT It gave us the insight to how research is really done. Presenting the results in a summarised version is a lot of work... You need to be precise and concise in the working industry.
”
MR JUAN YONG SZE YEN a Republic Poly second-year consumer behaviour and research studentand president of the Youth Panel committee.
“
MATCHING USER PROFILE We find that the demographics match our user profile. We’d like to know how they make their decisions.
”
Ms samantha lim A STARHUB’S SEGMENT MARKETING MANAGER OF ITS PREPAID BUSINESS, ON TAPPING ON RP’S YOUTH PANEL.
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工院生设计应用软件 帮特殊需求人士下厨 4 April 2016 | Lianhe Zaobao
RP School of Engineering If you are a problem-solver who loves tinkering with gadgets and unravelling complex puzzles, check out these courses: - Diploma in Aerospace Avionics - Diploma in Aerospace Engineering - Diploma in Aviation Management - Diploma in Electrical and Electronic Engineering - Diploma in Engineering Design with Business - Diploma in Engineering Systems and Management - Diploma in Green Building Energy Management - Diploma in Industrial and Operations Management - Diploma in Supply Chain Management - Common Engineering Programme Visit www.rp.edu.sg/seg to find out more!
共和理工学院用户体 验 设计学系 应届毕业生阿莫（左 起，21岁）、伊兹万（21岁）、莫哈默（21岁）以 及 沙非（20岁）为特 殊需求人士设计出 一款设计简约的应用软件，让他们更容 易理 解在 厨房工作该 注 意的事项。(共和理工学院艺术科技学院提 供）
陈秋如 报道
300名，展出作品共62件，其中24件作品由学生 与私人机构、社会企业以及政府机构合作完成。
特殊需求人士在踏入厨房工作之前，必须读懂食 艺术科技学院助理主任（能力与工业）孔伟聪 物卫生新技能资格框架下的培训课程手册，当中 复杂的文字构成了一定的挑战。共和理工学院四 （42岁）表示，学生们在构思作品时，不能只顾 及展现创意，也得考虑到客户与社会的需求。他 名用户体验设计学系应届毕业生发挥巧思，设计 说： “作品的种类多样化，而过去几年我们逐渐 出一款简单的应用软件，让特殊需求人士可以更 容易地通过视频和基本的文字讲解，掌握在厨房 专注于实境学习。毕业作品让学生体验将来工 作上会遇到的难题，也提供了与真实客户合作的 工作该注意的事项。 机会。” 这款应用软件是学生们与社会企业Soul Food 另一吸引眼球的作品是教导乐龄人士创作音乐的 合作的毕业作品，从构思至完成用了四个月的时 活动项目。音频艺术学系五名应届毕业生通过与 间。团队成员莫哈默（21岁）说： “我们起初没有 关怀社区服务协会的合作，教导乐龄人士如何利 与特殊需求人士相处的经历，不知如何满足他们 用日常物品创作音乐。 学习上的需求。”团队通过观察，发现他们比较 容易接受使用图像讲解的方式，因此为应用程序 做出相应的设计。Soul Food接下来一个月在进 行应用程序的实用评估后，会加以采用。 这个应用程序日前在共和理工学院艺术科技系 （School of Technology for the Arts）毕业 作品展上展出。参与展览的应届毕业生人数约
36 DISCOVER 15 YEARS OF TRANSFORMATIVE LEARNING
团队成员莱昂纳尔（20岁）表示，乐龄人士在参 与活动后，变得更开朗、活跃。他说： “乐龄人士 能从中认识到自己有能力创作音乐，而年龄不是 问题。”
tanqiuru@sph.com.sg
Polytechnic students design application to help people with special needs Four students from RP’s Diploma in Design for User Experience collaborated with Soul Food Enterprise to design an application that allows people with special needs to easily grasp important information on working in the kitchen through video and basic text. Another five students from RP’s Diploma in Sonic Arts worked with Care Community Services Society to develop a programme that teaches senior citizens to use everyday objects in the creation of music.
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The joy of close encounters 8 October 2016 | The Straits Times (Recruit)
Interacting with students on a day-to-day basis is what Republic Polytechnic lecturer Jenny Ng loves most about her job
“When I was an associate lecturer, the main objective was the delivery of lessons. “Contact time with students occurred only during lessons and was hence limited — there were no after-class interactions and I did not manage internship placements or mentor final-year projects. “I realised that I desired a deeper level of engagement with my students,” she recalls.
By MANDY GOH
CHOOSE a job you love, and you will never have to work a day — this may sound cliché, but it certainly rings true in the case of Ms Jenny Ng. Ms Ng, 37, is a lecturer at the School of Sports, Health & Leisure at Republic Polytechnic. While planning the curriculum may be tedious, she is motivated by her sense of mission to equip her students with the knowledge and skills to be ready for the workforce. She says: “I love to impart my knowledge and experience, hence I enjoy interaction with students the most. It is very gratifying to see how the students benefit from the lessons. “At the end of the day, the most rewarding part of my job is to see each batch of my students graduate.”
time lecturer in February 2007 to realise her ambition of becoming an educator. A year later, she left her job to focus on starting a family. In 2011, she returned as an associate lecturer, which she thought was ideal as it allowed her to stay in touch with her passion, yet spend more time with her young children.
Since converting to full-time employment, her workload has increased, along with more roles and responsibilities. However, that has also brought a greater sense of fulfilment because of closer interaction with students.
In June 2014, she decided to take up a full-time lecturing position with extra responsibilities and engagement with students, considering her children were older then, and a full-time position offers additional financial benefits.
She also has opportunities to take on interesting portfolios such as being an education and career guidance (ECG) champion, where she gets to work closely with career counsellors to equip students with the necessary knowledge, skills and values to make informed education and career decisions.
“Having my own children reminded me of how much I love teaching and that I still have much to contribute towards the education cause.
Exciting career path In addition, full-time lecturing has opened up exciting career prospects for her.
She explains that there are various career pathways for staff based on their passion and interests at Republic Polytechnic. Academic staff can progress from lecturers to senior lecturers. And as they gain more experience, they can further contribute as principal lecturers in the area of pedagogy or technology, where they take the lead in funded projects to make a meaningful impact, which in turn will benefit relevant stakeholders in the industry. The academic leadership track, which is based on assessment of one’s potential for managerial roles, is another possible progression. Having worked for six years at Republic Polytechnic, Ms Ng notes that a good educator is one who can motivate and encourage students to learn, and see every student as a teachable person. It is important to show genuine concern towards students and have passion in one’s subject, she says. “This will spark interest in the students to learn from you and also make you more relatable and approachable,” she adds.
She recalls vividly a student who came up to her on graduation day and said, “Thank you, Ms Jenny. You have made a difference in my life. I couldn’t have graduated without your guidance.” Interest in health and nutrition Since young, Ms Ng has had a strong passion in nutrition and health. During her adolescence, she was already intrigued by the correlation between diet and its effects on health. That led her to first take up O-Level food and nutrition at secondary school, and then pursue a diploma in applied food science and nutrition at Temasek Polytechnic. After graduation, she worked as a dietetic assistant at a hospital for a year before completing a Bachelor of Nutrition and Dietetics at Flinders University of South Australia. The four-year full-time degree programme, which included a one-year internship, provided her with solid training in medical nutrition therapy, community nutrition and food service. Her education background has proven to be tremendously beneficial to her as a bachelor’s degree in nutrition and dietetics is required in her field of expertise, alongside relevant industrial experience. To keep herself updated on the industrial practices these days, she often attends dietetic and health-related conferences and workshops, and collaborates with industry partners on nutrition-related projects. Engaging students Ms Ng, who has three children — a pair of eight-year-old twins and a four-year-old boy — first joined Republic Polytechnic as a full-
Ms Ng (second from left) enjoys interacting with her students and finds it very gratifying to see how they benefit from her lessons. Photo : CHONG JUN LIANG
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Nurturing the next generation 20 February 2016 | The Straits Times (Recruit)
Republic Polytechnic educator Jeremy Kong finds it fulfilling to be part of his students’ education journey By ESTHER TEO
REPUBLIC Polytechnic’s (RP) programme chair Jeremy Kong never expected to enter the teaching profession. The 35-year-old was an analyst at the Bioanalytical Mass Spectrometry Facility (BMSF) at the University of New South Wales in Australia before he made the switch. Among its functions, the BMSF brings together equipment and expertise to support medical, biological and molecular / macromolecular research to help detect, treat and find cures for cancer, and develop new drugs. Mr Kong, who holds a bachelor’s degree in science with honours from the university, decided to give teaching a go at RP as he felt it was a rare opportunity to enter the education industry. A learning process It has been 10 years since then, and the programme chair of the polytechnic’s Diploma in Environmental Science says he has enjoyed every moment of his stint. He says: “RP is a people-oriented organisation where I can nurture the next generation while developing my own skill sets. Being highly industry-centric, it is equipped with the latest state-of-the art tools and systems used in the market.” Mr Kong, who is currently teaching lab management and environmental health and safety modules, also looks after the curriculum development of the diploma course. Plus, he works hand-in-hand with a technology centre manager at the RP School of Applied Science to align the research capability of the school with the curriculum content. He relishes the dynamism of his industry as it strives to remain one step ahead of the rapid changes in technologies and industry trends to provide the necessary training to prepare students for the future. He says: “The environment we live in has many aspects we can improve on. It is a diverse and complicated issue, and there are many solutions available. “The school constantly gets students involved in programmes and events in and out of the polytechnic for their learning.”
Mr Kong (seated) says opportunities abound in the education sector, now more than ever. PHOTO : CHONG JUN LIANG
RP’s Environmental Technology Centre undertakes applied research and development in the areas of renewable energy, sustainable products, waste and water management, environmental conservation and aquaculture. It works with industry partners and government agencies in project collaborations, internships and also industry mentorship programmes. “I believe that every student will at some point, develop interest in a specific environmental issue or technology. I want to facilitate their learning by linking them up with the ‘right’ lecturer at RP or industry mentor, who will give them further inspiration and insights,” adds Mr Kong. Clearing misconceptions Mr Kong says that the younger generation may hesitate to enter the education industry for fear that their professional skills will stagnate and they will become irrelevant to their industry.
It also ensures that educators possess relevant skills and knowledge through various upgrading and retraining schemes supported by a generous training budget that each fulltime staff is entitled to annually. Opportunities abound in the education industry, now more than ever.
“On top of ensuring our students’ good academic performance, we also look into initiatives that develop their character, professional ethics and social skills,” he says.
While many people see this sector as only consisting of teachers or lecturers, there are other roles that support the daily teaching function, Mr Kong explains.
An educator also has to adopt an approachable personality to communicate better with students and impart industry knowledge so students can gain insight into the working world.
In many instances, teachers and lecturers have a secondary role in managing administrative work or technology development. There are opportunities for horizontal career advancement if one is interested.
Despite the demands, witnessing students succeed at life and work is the most fulfilling aspect of his job.
Mr Kong says that entrants to the industry now will also play an active role in the latest SkillsFuture framework, which the Government has recently put in place.
He believes these fears are unfounded as educators have to stay updated with industry information.
Educators are now looking into new initiatives that will provide developmental support and help polytechnic and ITE students deepen their skills post-graduation.
Planning for training and collaboration with the industry partners are important agendas for the education sector.
There will also be more online learning opportunities and Continuing Education Training programmes to help retrain existing employees.
RP, in particular, supports its teaching staff in cross-functional development through various inter-departments projects and rotations.
Fulfilling moments One more misconception Mr Kong is quick to correct is that being an educator is an easy job.
38 DISCOVER 15 YEARS OF TRANSFORMATIVE LEARNING
“A lot of work is involved in constantly developing and keeping the curriculum relevant for the students.
He feels especially moved when students keep in contact with him even after their graduation. Some send him e-mail or SMS messages to thank and inform him of their new jobs or successful applications to university programmes, which makes him happy. Last year, a student couple even returned to RP for their wedding photoshoot and insisted that Mr Kong be a part of the shoot. The pair had first met in his class during the second year of their diploma programme. “Being able to be part of my students’ education journey is a rewarding experience. This is something I would not have experienced if I had chosen research as a career,” he says.
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分享企业知识
24 February 2016 | Lianhe Zaobao
工院生赴柬助当地青年创业 共和工院学生将在柬埔寨逗留10天，利用这段时间和当地青年做一对一的交流，了解他们的 创业点子后，为他们提供建议，共同发展可行的创业方案。
胡洁梅 报道 共和理工学院社会企业管理系的24名学生下个 月底将到柬埔寨参与志愿工作，把创业和企业知 识同当地的年轻人分享，帮助他们发展可持续的 创业点子。 这项“青年生计计划” （Youth Livelihood Programme）由世界宣明会新加坡分会 （World Vision Singapore）和共和工院合作 推出，旨在为柬埔寨青年提供一个可持续的援助 方式，由工院生向年龄相近的柬埔寨青年分享经 验，催化创业点子。共有25名柬埔寨年轻人获选 参与计划，年龄介于17岁至22岁。
世界宣明会找我们合作时，我们都期待为学生提 供这个机会。” “柬埔寨青年了解当地的需求，有自己的创业点 子，而共和工院学生则可以分享他们在学校所累 积的创业和企业知识或经验，我们的学生在过程 中能学以致用，为社会做出一些贡献。” 他指出，虽然学生在当地只逗留10天，但回国后 仍会与柬埔寨青年联系，六个月后跟进对方企业 方案的进展，确保计划的可持续性。 参考材料会以英文和高棉语（Khmer Language）呈献，当地也会安排几名通译员，在 必要时促进两国青年的沟通。
共和工院学生将在柬埔寨逗留10天，利用这段 时间和当地青年做一对一的交流，了解他们的创 业点子后，为他们提供建议，共同发展可行的创 业方案。最佳的创业方案也会获得世界宣明会的 部分资助。
将前往柬埔寨的共和工院学生来自社会企业管 理系一至三年级的学生，一些学生明年也有机会 再参与计划，借助今年取得的经验来提升计划 的成效。
共和工院社会企业管理系高级讲师李国伟受访 时说： “海外社区服务计划能帮助和支持有需者， 但我们也希望这类社区服务计划不仅是一次性 的活动，而是可以产生更长远的效应。因此，当
世界宣明会新加坡分会会长朱碧凤指出，世界宣 明会致力于推广青年教育项目，启发年轻人去推 动公益活动，青年生计计划就是一个由青年领 导的项目。除了交换知识和技能，计划也旨在鼓
励受惠群体负起责任，确保创业点子的可持续性， 冯 礎莉（中）和陈骏豪（左）修 读 社会 企业管 理课 程，两人将到柬 埔寨同当地的青年分享 改善他们的社区。 所学的知识，协助他们把创业点子化为可行 的方案。讲师李国伟希望 通 过 这项计划为有 因此，参与计划的25名柬埔寨青年之后也会在各 需群体提 供 更可持续的支持。(曾道明摄） 自的青年组织或社区中推广所学到的知识。 共和工院社会企业管理系二年级学生冯礎莉 （19岁）去年在工院安排下到缅甸参与志愿服务， 帮助当地妇女改造店面橱窗设计、产品的陈列方 式来吸引顾客，她从中也获得满足感。她也因此 决定申请加入青年生计计划。参与的学生须通过 面试，展现对社区服务的热忱。 冯礎莉说： “和曾参与的海外社区服务不同，我 们这次不是纯粹到那里提供服务，而是由青年分 享自己的想法，我们提供建议去帮助他们以可持 续的方式去落实点子，这样的形式比较有意义。” 获选参与计划的陈骏豪（19岁）是第一次到海外 参与社区服务。他未来想从事社会服务相关的工 作，特别是青年方面的工作，青年生计计划让他 有机会去认识其他国家的环境，了解当地青年的 想法，启发他对社会服务的热忱。
Republic Polytechnic students head to Cambodia to share social enterprise knowledge Twenty-four RP’s Diploma in Social Enterprise Management (DSEM) students will head to Cambodia for a 10-day youth exchange programme to share business ideas and develop a viable entrepreneurship programme together with Cambodian youths. Called the Youth Livelihood Programme (YLP), it was jointly launched by World Vision Singapore and RP to provide sustained aid efforts. A total of 25 Cambodian youths will benefit from the exchange programme.
ohkm@sph.com.sg
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GRADUAN CEMERLANG POLITEKNIK REPUBLIC Majlis Tamat Pengajian Politeknik Republic tahun ini menampilkan 4,726 pelajar, termasuk 112 pelajar dewasa, yang telah menamatkan pengajian mereka. MUHAIMIN SUZAINI (msuzaini@sph.com.sg) menemubual antara pelajar Melayu / Islam yang menyerlah dalam kursus masing-masing.
DIPLOMA SAINS BAHAN
Tidak sia-sia suka tunggang basikal BMX
16 May 2016 | Berita Harian
SIAPA sangka minat menunggang basikal BMX selama lebih 10 tahun membuat Encik Hasbi Basman cenderung kepada sains dan ingin mengetahui lebih mendalam bahan yang digunakan di sebalik basikalnya. Anak kelima enam beradik berusia 27 tahun itu menyifatkan minatnya itu sebagai salah satu sebab mengapa beliau memilih kursus Diploma Sains Bahan di Politeknik Republic (RP). Minatnya berbaloi kerana beliau lulus dalam kursus itu baru-baru ini dengan memperoleh Gred Purata Mata (GPA) 3.06. “Daripada hanya menunggang basikal, saya mula cenderung dan menyelidik sifat bahan yang terdapat pada basikal saya. “Justeru, saya mengambil keputusan mendalami kursus ini,” jelas Encik Hasbi. Menurutnya lagi, beliau sebenarnya tidak mahu meneruskan pelajaran setelah tamat Perkhidmatan Negara (NS) kerana berhasrat melanjutkan perkhidmatan sebagai anggota tentera sepenuh masa. Tambahan pula kursus kejuruteraan yang beliau ikuti sewaktu di Institut Pendidikan Teknikal (ITE) sebelum menyertai NS tidak begitu digemarinya. Lantas, baginya, tidak masuk akal meneruskan apa yang tidak beliau sukai.
IBU PENGUBAH FIKIRAN: Walaupun Encik Hasbi Basman pada mulanya ingin menjadi anggota tentera sepenuh masa setelah tamat Perkhidmatan Negara, ibunya menggesa agar beliau sambung belajar. Ternyata, keputusannya berbaloi. FOTO- FOTO : KHALID BABA
Namun, atas gesaan ibunya, beliau berubah fikiran dan mendalami kursus dalam bidang tersebut.
memberinya peluang secara langsung, melibatkan diri dalam projek besar.
“Apabila saya mula memasuki politeknik, pola pemikiran saya agak negatif.
“Ketika program bekerja sambil belajar, saya diberi kesempatan memeriksa bangunan sebelum ia dirasmikan – satu penghormatan bagi saya kerana jarang peluang sedemikian diberikan kepada pelajar,” ujarnya.
“Tapi, lambat-laun dorongan teman dan pensyarah yang berwibawa membantu saya mengharungi kursus ini,” ujar Encik Hasbi. Kini, jika beliau mengimbas kembali detik perjalanannya di politeknik, beliau akan tersenyum kerana menurut Encik Hasbi, beliau tidak sedikit pun menyesal dengan keputusannya meneruskan pelajaran.
Semasa tempoh itu jugalah beliau dianugerahkan sijil dinamakan PCN II yang diberikan bagi mengiktiraf keahliannya dalam ujian partikel magnetik semasa bekerja. Ini mendorong beliau mahu menumpukan perhatian pada pekerjaan sepenuh masa dalam bidang tersebut.
Baginya, pengalaman tersebut membuka matanya kepada pelbagai perkara baru.
“Saya sebenarnya sudah pun mendapat pekerjaan sepenuh masa di syarikat semikonduktor.
“Saya dapat pelajari sifat sesuatu bahan dari segi keutuhan dan kekuatannya dan bagaimana ia berfungsi,” katanya lagi.
“Apa yang penting ialah kita tidak harus ragu-ragu dengan kebolehan kita dan lakukan sesuatu bersungguh-sungguh,” ujarnya.
Semasa menyertai program kerja sambil belajar, beliau juga terdedah kepada dunia pekerjaan yang
40 DISCOVER 15 YEARS OF TRANSFORMATIVE LEARNING
Berita Harian interviewed two graduating RP students who performed well in their respective courses. His love for riding BMX bicycles is not in vain Hasbi Basman’s passion for BMX bike riding motivated him to enrol in RP’s Diploma in Materials Science. Hasbi explained that rather than just riding his bicycle, he became curious and started studying the materials used for manufacturing bicycles. He thus decided to pursue a course in materials science. Hasbi shared that he entered polytechnic with a negative mindset, but with time and constant support and encouragement from his friends and lecturers, he became appreciative of his course. He eventually graduated with good results and has secured a full-time job at a semiconductor company.
T R A N SFO R M I N G L I V E S DIPLOMA KAJIAN DAN KELAKUAN PENGGUNA
为我国反霸凌活动出力
Ingin guna ilmu untuk 邓紫棋拍短片鼓励 buka perniagaan dan 受害者 sumbang kepada masyarakat 29 February 2016 | Shin Min Daily News
NOMBOR dan kira-kira bukanlah kegemaran Cik Nur Hidayah Sam Dahari. Namun, di sebalik ‘kebenciannya’ terhadap nombor, tersirat dalam sanubari gadis tinggi lampai itu rasa ingin tahu apa makna di sebalik sesuatu nombor dan data itu.
“Justeru untuk mencapainya, apa yang penting ialah saya harus sentiasa membuka minda terhadap apa jua perkara,” ujar beliau.
Anak sulung tiga beradik yang menetap di daerah Jurong West berusia 21 tahun itu berkata: “Saya benci nombor terutama apabila saya perlu membuat kiraan. “Tetapi, ada kisah di sebalik nombor, lantas ia mendorong saya menyelidik rasional di sebalik nombor dan data yang tertera.” Perasaan selalu ingin tahu itulah yang mendorong Cik Nur Hidayah mengikuti kursus Diploma Kajian dan Kelakuan Pengguna menerusi skim Kemasukan Langsung ke Politeknik (DPA) pada 2012. 歌手邓紫棋为我国反霸凌 活动出力，与百名歌 迷同台拍摄 拒绝霸凌的宣传 短 片。 (邓紫棋面簿）
Beliau baru-baru ini menamatkan kursusnya dengan Gred Purata Mata (GPA) 2.39. “Saya tertarik dengan kursus ini kerana ia menghimpunkan pemasaran, psikologi dan penyelidikan dalam bidang perniagaan bersama.
周自蕙 报道 香港歌手邓紫棋为我国反霸凌活动出力，拍摄宣传短片鼓励面对受害者坚强面对。
“Jadi, saya mempunyai pilihan yang lebih luas kelak di alam pekerjaan,” ujar beliau. Beliau akur pada mulanya bahawa memang agak payah baginya menyesuaikan diri dengan sekitaran berbeza memandangkan gaya pembelajaran di peringkat sekolah menengah dan politeknik agak berbeza. “Di sekolah menengah, pelajaran yang diterapkan berdasarkan perspektif pelajar, tetapi di peringkat politeknik, pemikiran dan pelajaran yang diterapkan berdasarkan taraf industri,” ujar beliau. Namun, lama-kelamaan beliau dapat menggarap apa yang diajarkan kepadanya dengan bimbingan pensyarahnya yang tidak henti memberi dorongan dan motivasi kepadanya. Selian itu, kerana prestasi cemerlangnya ketika menjalani program bekerja sambil belajar, Cik Nur Hidayah ditawarkan pekerjaan sepenuh masa dan kini sudah memulakan pekerjaan bersama syarikat tersebut. Sungguhpun begitu, beliau masih ingin meneruskan cita-cita membuka perniagaannya sendiri satu hari kelak. “Saya memang impikan untuk menubuhkan perniagaan sendiri.
邓紫棋日前来新， 与百名歌迷同台拍摄拒绝霸凌的宣传短片，同时为我国非营利组织反儿童 青少年霸凌联盟 (Coalition Against Bullying for Children and Youth，简称 CABCY） 筹款。 GEMAR KAJIAN: Walaupun tidak menyukai data dan nombor, Cik Nur Hidayah Sam Dahari sedar bahawa ada cerita yang tersirat di sebalik angka sedemikian.
A desire to use her knowledge to open a business and contribute to society Nur Hidayah Sam Dahari admitted that it was initially difficult for her to adapt to different learning styles between secondary school and polytechnic. However, with time, the graduate from RP’s Diploma in Consumer Behaviour and Research could absorb what she was taught in school with the guidance of her encouraging lecturers. Her good academic performance landed Hidayah a full-time job with a company. She is determined to pursue her ambition of starting her own business and use her knowledge to continue contributing to society one day.
短片由共和理工学院艺术科技系讲师执导，幕后团队为八名媒体制作与设计专业文凭学生。 邓紫棋与粉丝亲自为白色面具上色，表达被霸凌的感受，来表达受害者伤痛的过去，再通过 用摘下面具并扔掉的动作，寓意勇敢抛开伤痛的过去，笑对更好的未来。 邓紫棋在为新专辑的同名主打歌《新的心跳》拍摄的音乐故事中，就扮演一名遭受校园欺凌 的女孩， 她在短片中说，自己也常常需要面对流言的伤害，她鼓励霸凌受害者，他们并不孤 单，是有力量冲破障碍的。 对于参与活动，邓紫棋说： “每个人都需要一个探索及抒发自己的地方。每个过去都在建立我 们更坚强的内心。多鼓励自己，多和积极的朋友在一起，就能冲破过去，活出更好的自己。” “这一次活动见到很多歌迷，有的来自新加坡，还有的专门从吉隆坡甚至香港赶来。为了这次 活动，他们付出了非常多的时间和耐心，在绘製面具的时候更可以看到他们的用心和创意。希 望我们未来仍然在一起，为社会带来更多正能量。”
chchew@sph.com.sg
G.E.M films short video encouraging victims of bullying RP teamed up with Asian popstar G.E.M. and local anti-bullying charity organisation, Coalition Against Bullying for Children and Youth (CABCY), to create a powerful video message to lend support to cyberbullying victims and call for them to break free. The short film was done with RP School of Technology for the Arts, with eight Diploma in Media Production and Design students as camera crew and editors.
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T R A N SFO R M I N G L I V E S
甩掉40公斤
开启健康人生散爱心 9 August 2016 | Lianhe Zaobao
邓华贵
报道
四年内成功甩掉40公斤，脱胎换骨后的胡佳 伟立志活出更健康人生，今年起也开始把更多 爱心和温暖散播到社会各个角落。 眼前身材瘦削的胡佳伟（27岁，数码行销与通 讯经理），让人难以想象他的体重曾一度超过 100公斤。 原来年幼时的他胃口特别大，除了发育期一人 可吃下三四碗饭，也特别爱吃甜食。 “我以前 很爱吃饭，喜欢吃炒粿条之类的油腻食品，吃 越多越开心。” 随着体重渐增，胡佳伟在求学时期无可避免加 入校内的“健康俱乐部”，也被禁止在食堂购买 甜饮。然而他“不死心”，携带一个深色水瓶到 学校，与饮料摊摊主聊天打好关系，说服摊主 每天把利宾纳果汁卖给他。 胡佳伟说： “可能是因为当时读书压力大，感 觉通过饮食可解压，所以就拼命吃。还记得中 学时每天下课后，都会跑到学校附近的鸡饭摊 大吃一顿，每天也会带糖果到学校吃。加上不 爱运动，很快就变成小胖子。” 中三那年，胡佳伟的体重高达101公斤，是他至 今一生中最胖的时期。由于肥胖问题，他比一 般人更容易感到疲累，需要不断进食才能打起 精神，朋友也给他取了外号叫“肥仔”。 除了经常感到疲累，胡佳伟也比一般人更容易 冒汗，随之而来的是令人尴尬的体臭。由于经 常流汗，每当他坐在操场站起来后，总发现之 前所坐的位置留下一圈汗迹，还因此被同学取 笑尿裤子。 升上共和理工学院后，胡佳伟初次体验无须 穿校服上学的自由，却也逐渐开始重视个人形 象。 “我发现要是身材肥胖，很难买到好看的 衣服，所以从那时起下定决心，一定要减掉身 上的赘肉。” 为了达到理想体重，胡佳伟开始积极运动，每 天风雨不改到民众联络所的健身房跑步。求学 时期的他从未在体能测验的2.4公里跑步项目 中及格，因此他的首要目标是在最短时间内完 成2.4公里。不知不觉，他从原本需要25分钟 才跑完，慢慢缩短至约11分钟，体重也渐渐降 至80公斤。
谨记善心人帮助 工作后回馈社会 除了运动，胡佳伟也改变饮食习惯，有整整两 年以酸奶取代米饭，配鸡胸肉吃。踏入社会工 作之前，他也有五年完全不碰油炸或太甜太咸 的食品，并开始学习有氧格斗。渐渐地，他的 体重在四年内降至60公斤，并以体格配军务等 级（PES）中最好的A级入伍。 甩掉赘肉后的胡佳伟感觉脱胎换骨。他透露， 英文名原为Alvin，但他开始减肥后把名字改 为Timothy。 “现在感觉肥胖时的Alvin和瘦 下来后的Timothy，是两个完全不同的人。成
为了减肥，胡佳伟曾天天练跑，终于达到理想体重。 （唐家鸿摄） 胡佳伟求学时期，体重曾一度“破百”，达到101公斤。(受访者提供)
通过短片 提醒行孝 要及时
在从事公关宣传工作之前，胡佳伟曾执导过两部 短片，通过短片刻画人与人之间的感情，及反映 社会现象。
则半身残障。家豪将车祸造成的悲剧一事迁怒母 亲，在遇上富家女惠娟之后，他更面临一场人生 的重大抉择，在母亲和爱人之间必须舍弃其一。
第一部短片是他在工院时的作业，名为《饭碗》， 《悔意》根据真人真事改编，取材于20多年前一名 描述一对父子之间的感情。短片搀杂了华英语和 媳妇把家婆丢弃在光明山寺放生池的社会事件。 福建话，有很大部分是他和父亲关系的真实写照。 胡佳伟说： “每当我听到这类社会新闻时，总会感 制作过程中，两人的感情有所增进，父亲也观赏了 到痛心。 希望通过影片反映出社会现实 ，借此提 影片，给予他支持。 醒人们孝顺父母。” 第二部短片则是胡佳伟在2009年操刀的《悔意》, 讲述一场意外导致父亲过世，短片中的儿子家豪
功减肥后，我依然继续运动和保持健康饮食， 避免再次变回Alvin。”
曾经有一名阿嬷问我她的手机是不是坏了，因 为很久没响了。我检查后发现手机根本没坏， 只是没人打电话给她。从那时起，我每隔两天 就会打电话和她聊天。”
求学时家境不太好的胡佳伟如今踏入社会后， 也希望尽力把爱心和温暖带给更多人。他透露， 在工院修读媒体系时曾须制作一部短片，但由 在生活紧凑的新加坡，胡佳伟今年为自己设下 于没有电脑，便写信到一家杂志社求助。没想 的目标，却是要把更多重心放在亲情、爱情和 到求助信件被刊登在杂志上，不久后便通过杂 友情。 “我的祖父今年刚过世，让我感悟到生 志社收到一名匿名善心人士寄来的5000元支 命短暂，在工作的同时，也不应忘了关怀身边 票，以及当时价值3000多元的苹果电脑。 人。与其说是上门探望独居老人，不如说是结 交了年长朋友。我喜欢听他们讲故事，了解他 匿名人士仅给他留了一则短信，表示不要求任 们丰富的人生阅历。” 何回报，只希望他将来事业有成，同样尽力做 善事，把爱心传播出去。胡佳伟从此铭记在心， 胡佳伟今年的国庆愿望，是希望新加坡成为一 今年起每个月探访桥北路一带的独居年长者两 个更包容的社会。 “希望新加坡在前进同时，不 三次，陪他们聊天解闷，偶尔也送上小礼物。今 要忽略年长者或较不幸的一群，成为一个充满 年农历新年，他就亲手制作了200多个黄梨挞 关爱的社会。” 分发给他们。 胡佳伟说： “有义工每天为这些独居老人送上 膳食，但我们也不应忽略他们心灵上的需要。
42 DISCOVER 15 YEARS OF TRANSFORMATIVE LEARNING
thwakwee@sph.com.sg
After shedding 40 kilos, he actively volunteers to help others in need Hu Jia Wei, 27, used to weigh more than 100kg. After shedding 40kg, he was spurred to start helping others in need. A binge eater when he was younger, Jia Wei was often the subject of ridicule due to his weight. After entering RP, the freedom to wear his own clothing made him conscious of his appearance. From then on, he was determined to lead a healthier lifestyle. While studying RP’s Diploma in Mass Communication, he made use of an anonymously donated computer to produce two videos that teaches the importance of filial piety.
T R A N SFO R M I N G L I V E S
Fitness exercises for seniors at Enabling Village By Priscilla Goy
The Enabling Village is the first community space here dedicated to integrating people with disabilities into society, but the general public may not know that they can use the facilities too.
and Family Development and SG Enable, an agency which helps people with disabilities. Launched last December, its other facilities include a supermarket, food outlets, an information and career centre for people with disabilities, and job training facilities.
To raise awareness of the Enabling Village’s outdoor fitness corners and promote a healthy lifestyle, a pilot project is now being tried out to introduce exercises that can be done at these corners to the elderly from nearby senior activity centres.
Equipment at the fitness corners, selected with help from Changi General Hospital, is suitable for use by people with disabilities and the elderly.
The village, a five-minute walk from Redhill MRT station, was developed by the Ministry of Social
SG Enable chief executive Ku Geok Boon told The Straits Times: “As Enabling Village is an
SG Enable hopes the project will benefit 800 seniors by the end of next year.
inclusive community space, we hope more people use its facilities. The fitness corners allow people of different abilities and ages to exercise together.” The fitness programme in the community project was designed by SG Enable and six students from Republic Polytechnic (RP), mostly health management and promotion students. Standard Chartered Bank donated $250,000 towards fitness classes for lowincome seniors and the fitness equipment. The first pilot session was held last Friday, for 40 seniors from NTUC Health’s SilverACE Senior Activity Centre in Redhill. RP students and volunteers from Standard Chartered were
11 July 2016 | The Straits Times
present to demonstrate exercises that can be done at the fitness corners. Another session, involving 40 elderly people from the Bukit Merah branch, will be held this Friday. Said Ms Low Pei Pei, a lecturer at RP’s School of Sports, Health and Leisure: “The exercises aim to increase the seniors’ strength, so they are less prone to falls.” Mr Bidin Salim, 79, was one of the seniors who had a go at the outdoor fitness corner. “The equipment is easy to use, even for old people like me,” he said.
Seniors trying out the exercise equipment at the fitness corner. Republic Poly students and StanChart volunteers were there to help. ST PHOTO : AZMI ATHNI
DISCOVER 15 YEARS OF TRANSFORMATIVE LEARNING 43
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All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part without permission is prohibited. Information is correct at time of print. OCC / DEC 2016