ITE musical celebrates success of Fandi, two other notable alumni

Straits Times

12-07-2025

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To honour the achievements of ITE alumni and celebrate SG60, ITE is holding its ninth musical, Beyond The Classroom, at the ITE headquarters in Ang Mo Kio.
SINGAPORE – Back in the 1970s, when playing football overseas seemed far-fetched, Fandi Ahmad became the first Singaporean to play professionally in the Netherlands.
This was possible because of the support of his teachers at the Institute of Technical Education (ITE), formerly known as the Vocational and Industrial Training Board (VITB).
His story continues to be an inspiration for ITE students today.
One such student is Mr Mohammed Irfan Mohammed Rizal, 21, who aspires to become a professional beatboxer and represent Singapore in overseas competitions.
'Even though our hobbies are different, the energy and passion is there. For Fandi Ahmad, he is willing to do anything to achieve success in football because of his love for the sport – I relate to that,' the recent graduate in Higher Nitec in Film-making (Cinematography) said.
To honour the achievements of ITE alumni and celebrate SG60, ITE is holding its ninth musical, Beyond The Classroom, at the ITE headquarters in Ang Mo Kio. The two-day performance ends on July 12.
The musical has four acts, with each tracing the journey of three alumni – Fandi, Kawal Pal Singh and Siti Khalijah Zainal – and fictional character Siew Lan from their days in ITE to their accomplishments and jobs. The character Siew Lan represents ITE lecturers who were once ITE students and who have come back to teach.
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Started in 2004, ITE's musicals used to be adaptations of Broadway productions. Since 2015, the focus has shifted to works by in-house talent.
This year's musical, brought back after an eight- year hiatus, is written by Mr Julian Wong, an educator in ITE. It involves 172 students, alumni and staff from all three colleges.
When crafting the play, Mr Wong wanted to show that students have interests and a life beyond the classroom.
'From a theatrical point of view, it was so colourful that there is one alumnus on a football field, one in the courtroom as a lawyer, one in the theatre, and finally, the classroom,' said the 37-year-old musical creative adviser and playwright.
'These alumni achieved great success in fields not relating to their studies and could not have done it if they hadn't come through ITE and met educators who... supported them to go pursue (their dreams).'
As a teacher, Mr Wong understands that teachers have their 'own key performance indicators' to meet. As such, he wanted to 'push the boundaries of what teaching could look like and care about their students' interest and well-being'.
During the casting process, he encouraged Mr Irfan , now playing the role of Fandi in the musical, to audition.
With a background in beatboxing and not musical performance, he was initially hesitant. However, Mr Wong's encouragement and his interest in acting pushed him forward.
After months of preparation, he is happy he took the leap because he felt that he 'fits the role'. With his father naming him after Fandi's 27-year-old son Irfan Fandi, the footballer was a huge part of Mr Irfan's life growing up. Neighbourhood kickabouts and his father's stories about Fandi also helped him relate to the legend better.
'(This musical) means a lot to me, because I look up to Fandi and this is also a great opportunity,' said Mr Irfan.
On stage, the experience of two other notable alumni – Khalijah and Mr Singh – were also showcased.
This musical is a full circle moment for Khalijah, an award-winning actress and host or performer in many National Day Parades. Her first performance as Hermia in ITE's first musical, Midsummer Night's Dream, ignited her passion for theatre.
Khalija h thanks her mentor Tony Quek when she was in ITE. He pushed her to audition for The Necessary Stage's inaugural Theatre for Youth Ensemble programme in 2003, launching her acting career.
'Growing up, I was shy and had really low esteem. In ITE, I learnt to love myself because people are less judgmental. It created an environment where people like us felt safe,' the 40-year-old noted.
This year's musical, brought back after an eight-year hiatus, involves 172 students, alumni and staff from all three colleges.
PHOTO: BRANDON LIM @_BINGBONGPHOTO
Mr Singh, who graduated from ITE Ang Mo Kio with a Nitec in Electronics (Computer Technology) , l auds the school for imparting values that helped him through university and working life. He went on to fulfill his dream of becoming a lawyer after graduating from the University of Southampton with a Bachelor of Laws with honours.
Mr Singh is now a managing partner at Tito Isaac & Co LLP.
'To be in ITE in those days was a rough and tough place, so you would end up picking up skills you won't pick up in other institutions. I think the adaptability which I learnt from my time in ITE helped me through university and working life,' the 42-year-old said.
As the Students' Council president of his batch, Mr Singh said that it 'was a life changer', teaching him leadership and teamwork skills that one would not learn in a classroom.
'I am very humbled and honoured that my story will be told alongside legends like Fandi,' he added.