GE2025: Desmond Lee rebuts PSP's Leong Mun Wai, says housing issues have been addressed repeatedly
Progress Singapore Party chief Leong Mun Wai has demanded answers, alleging that National Development Minister Desmond Lee has been silent over a range of housing issues, such as the Selective En Bloc Redevelopment Scheme (SERS) and Voluntary Early Redevelopment Scheme (VERS). Mr Lee has denied Mr Leong's claims, saying the PSP has "little regard for facts". He said the issues have been addressed in parliamentary debates and throughout the campaigning period. Chloe Teo reports.
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Straits Times
11 hours ago
- Straits Times
No fixed pathways to success as education system continues to evolve: Desmond Lee
SINGAPORE - Learning is not a race, and there are no fixed pathways to success, said Education Minister Desmond Lee, and Singapore's education system is evolving to reflect this. 'Explore your strengths and walk your own path,' Mr Lee said, speaking at the closing ceremony of the Pre-University Seminar 2025, held at Nanyang Technological University (NTU) on June 5. Addressing 552 students, he encouraged them to 'go back to basics' as they face a changing world, shaped by developments like artificial intelligence, and a more uncertain external environment arising from trade tariffs. He highlighted the recent actions by the United States administration to revoke Harvard University's ability to take in international students. 'This may have created confusion and anxiety, for those of you who may be interested in studying in the US.' One way to navigate this new world is to return to fundamentals - to use their five senses as a map, and their hearts as a moral compass, Mr Lee said. 'Even as the world changes, let your heartbeat guide you,' he said. 'Connect with others and always look out for one another as well as those who are more vulnerable.' He encouraged students to see the world with fresh perspectives and keep asking questions, while staying curious and connected to global developments. Take action too, he added , and be courageous in trying new things and facing failure. Listen to other people who are there to give support and help sharpen ideas, he said. And ultimately , 'smell the roses and enjoy the journey', he said. The closing ceremony on June 5 marked the end of the four-day seminar, attended by students from 30 pre-university institutions. These include junior colleges, polytechnics, and specialised independent schools. The event, with the 'Re-imagination' theme, was jointly organised by the Ministry of Education and Tampines Meridian Junior College. Students were tasked to come up with innovative solutions to Singapore's future challenges. Students took part in various workshops, panel discussions and learning journeys held from March to May. This also included a residential programme from June 2 to 5, where they got to stay in the NTU dorms. This is the 56th edition of the annual seminar. Minister for Education Desmond Lee (in white) viewing a model of Singapore in 2065 built by students at the Pre-University Seminar 2025 Closing Ceremony on June 5. ST PHOTO: JASON QUAH The students' projects, aimed at tackling gaps in society like inclusivity for people with disabilities and accessibility in the public transport system, were presented to Mr Lee during the closing ceremony. 'When we talk about re-imagining Singapore amidst all the uncertainties, we are not starting from scratch,' he said. 'We are continuing a DNA and mindset that has brought us from mudflut to metropolis, from trading port to a distinctive global city, even when our future was never guaranteed.' 'Our challenge now is to apply that same imagination and resolve to the issues of our generation and beyond.' Two students said that their main takeaway from the seminar was the importance of inclusivity and equal representation in Singapore's future. Nanyang Junior College student Liew Yan Hon, 17, said that Mr Lee's point about on being more open to individuals with different needs, an idea that aligned with his group's project on creating a more inclusive society. His project focused on creating equal employment opportunities for youths with mild intellectual disabilities, with the goal of making sure no one is left behind even as Singapore progresses. Mr Liew said his learning journeys to Rainbow Centre, a social service organisation that works with people with disabilities, and Project Dignity, a food court run by people with disabilities, helped to solidify his passion to help the marginalised in society. He added he hopes to explore volunteering and social work in the future. 'For our group, we want the future of Singapore to be less focused on being efficiency driven,' he said. 'Our main goal is to make an inclusive society, where we pull everyone up together at the same time.' River Valley High School student Cheng Yok Yong, 17, said he was struck by the analogy Mr Lee used about being guided by one's five senses and heart, and he hopes to carry into a future career in policymaking. 'I felt connected with what he said about leading with direction, with the heart,' he said. 'I feel that policy must be driven by passion, and with this direction, it will definitely help make Singapore a better place.' Cheng Yok Yong (left), River Valley High School, and Liew Yan Hon, NYJC, pose for a photo at the Pre-University Seminar 2025 Closing Ceremony. ST PHOTO: JASON QUAH Mr Cheng said this seminar also taught him in that in building policy, it is not just about the solution but how feasible it is for the people it serves. His project was on a one-stop healthcare tool to help patients and caregivers better manage their health needs. But the friendships forged were the most memorable part for him, Mr Cheng said. 'Listening to the different stories that they have is very insightful,' he said, adding how a group member with eczema shared his experience with the healthcare system in Singapore, which helped the team refine their solution . Mr Cheng said: 'This showed me why having equal representation in Singapore is important, because we need these people to shape our policies so we can make a better Singapore.' Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
Independent Singapore
13 hours ago
- Independent Singapore
New era in education: Desmond Lee revamps teacher training and MOE's direction to prepare students for a changing world
SINGAPORE: Teachers, long seen as the quiet engine of Singapore's education system, may soon experience a shift in how they are trained — and recognised. At the 12th Teachers' Conference and ExCEL Fest (TCEF2025) held at the Singapore Expo this week, newly appointed Education Minister Desmond Lee announced a revamp of the Postgraduate Diploma in Education (PGDE), the foundational training programme for degree holders entering the teaching profession. In his first major policy address since taking the helm at the Ministry of Education (MOE), Lee framed the overhaul as both practical and philosophical — a way to future-proof the system not just for students, but for the educators guiding them. 'We learn by doing,' he said. 'And we will walk alongside our new teachers as you hone your craft to help our students learn and grow.' From theory to practice: A faster, flexible pathway The PGDE, currently a 16-month course administered by the National Institute of Education (NIE), will be shortened to a one-year programme. For decades, the PGDE has served as the professional gateway for aspiring teachers, covering education studies, curriculum specialisations, practicum stints in schools, and language training. Its broad-based academic rigour has trained generations of teachers, but it has also drawn critique for being rigid, overly theoretical, and misaligned with the fast-evolving challenges of today's classroom. See also Leon Perera asks: Do we have true meritocracy in Singapore? The new model hopes to change that, not by discarding theory, but by embedding it meaningfully in hands-on teaching environments. For many in the education space, this signals a long-overdue shift away from a passive, credential-heavy pipeline towards one that privileges agility, creativity, and real-world responsiveness. Teaching in the age of AI, fragmentation, and climate crisis But this wasn't just a bureaucratic update to a diploma. In a speech delivered to a packed hall of teachers and parents, Lee used the moment to reflect on what Singaporean education must become — and what teachers must be equipped to face. 'The world our children will inherit will be very different from the one we now know,' he said. Pointing to global conflict, rising protectionism, the encroachment of AI, and the misinformation glut on social media, Lee described a landscape of seismic change — one where traditional answers no longer suffice. 'Intelligence will tell us to push the boundaries,' he added. 'But we will also need moral judgment to tell us where to stop.' That dual charge — equipping students with both capability and conscience — now falls more heavily on educators. It is, in Lee's words, a call for teachers to 'nurture values-driven pioneers, innovators, problem-solvers, bridge-builders, connectors and contributors for the betterment of our community, our nation, and even the region and the world.' From 'good workers' to thoughtful designers? Critics of Singapore's education system have long argued that it focuses too heavily on producing efficient workers rather than original thinkers. In that light, Lee's address — and the structural reforms it accompanies — reads as more than an administrative refresh. It may mark a deeper shift in ethos. In workshops held during the conference, teachers explored everything from the chemistry behind cooking to nature journaling as a medium for building a sense of place — activities that subtly underscore the move toward creativity, experimentation, and context-rich learning. Lee has said, 'Not only do we want our students to learn how to navigate a more complex world, we hope that our students will also grow up to be values-driven pioneers, innovators, problem-solvers, bridge-builders, connectors and contributors for the betterment of our community, our nation, and even the region and the world. Only then can Singapore continue to be a shining light far beyond SG60.' For a system often accused of being rigid, this growing encouragement of flexibility and design thinking feels intentional. And with Lee — one of the younger ministers in Cabinet — now overseeing the ministry, MOE may finally be signalling a generational turn in tone and ambition. Opening the classroom to second careers The refreshed PGDE also opens the door wider to mid-career professionals — individuals who bring with them industry experience, life lessons, and alternative worldviews. Lee expressed hope that more such professionals will join the teaching fraternity, noting their potential to 'bring values, industry experience, and heart into the classroom.' In a time when moral literacy, critical reasoning, and interdisciplinary fluency are increasingly vital, the inclusion of diverse teaching profiles could prove to be a quiet revolution in bureaucratic Singapore — one built not from the top down, but from the evolution of the classroom up. What this means for the road ahead As Singapore looks to its post-SG60 future, education reform remains one of the most sensitive yet vital fronts. The PGDE revamp — while technical in nature — may be the first step in a larger reimagining of what it means to teach, and what it means to learn, in the republic. It's not just about shortening a course. It's about reshaping the journey. Because if, as Lee says, the classroom is where the next generation learns how to navigate complexity, then teacher training is where the map gets drawn. And now, it seems, that map is beginning to evolve for the students it hopes to guide.
Independent Singapore
2 days ago
- Independent Singapore
'Would you like to have a go?' — Desmond Lee was asked if he wanted to try out Singapore's pink concrete-laying robot at NS Square
SINGAPORE: On a humid afternoon at the NS Square worksite in Marina Bay, National Development Minister Desmond Lee did something you don't often see a Cabinet member do: He grabbed a joystick. Beside him stood site engineer Ryan Lock, who guided the Minister through the controls of Singapore's newest construction marvel—a bright pink concrete levelling robot, humming steadily over a freshly poured slab. 'Would you like to have a go?' Ryan asked. 'Well, if you trust me, sure,' the Minister replied, nudging the machine gently into motion. It might've looked like a casual demo, but the implications are serious. This robot is Singapore's first laser-guided concrete screeding unit—a high-precision machine capable of levelling surfaces to within ±2 mm tolerance, twice as fast as a traditional crew. It operates via remote control with a 20-metre range, using an onboard navigation system that interprets digital construction drawings to move and level autonomously. More than just a tech showpiece, the robot frees up two to three workers per project, allowing them to shift into roles that are less physically demanding and more future-proof. See also Govt launches new employment pass to attract top foreign talent More than a robot — a sign of industry reform 'This is the first time this robot is deployed in Singapore,' Lee noted in a Facebook post after visiting the site. 'It is exciting to see the adoption of such technology in the Built Environment sector. I hope more construction firms will do so, and drive the transformation of the industry.' That transformation is already underway. Backed by BuildSG and the Building and Construction Authority (BCA), the robot is part of a larger national effort to modernise Singapore's traditionally labour-intensive construction sector. Under the Built Environment Industry Transformation Map, Singapore is pushing for greater adoption of robotics, digital planning tools, and automated manufacturing to remain globally competitive and environmentally sustainable. Robots, drones, and a new way of building Over the past year alone, the BCA has helped trial a wide range of technologies, including, Robotic rebar-tying machines, drone-based structural inspections, and fully automated loaders for materials handling. See also Lockdown News Singapore: No Need for Strict Measures, Says Expert The goal is to reduce reliance on manual labour, enhance jobsite safety, and raise the overall standard of construction quality. Also, it's not just policy speak. In April, BuildSG even took to social media to showcase other machines similar to the NS Square robot, encouraging firms to 'level up' their capabilities with automation. Singapore's construction sector is surging with S$53 billion in contracts projected for 2025, even as manpower quotas tighten and carbon targets take effect . The BCA says 23 robotics and automation solutions are already deployed across 56 projects—part of the refreshed Built Environment Industry Transformation Map that stresses Advanced Manufacturing & Assembly (AMA). Beneath the stage, a story of progress When NS Square officially opens in 2027, most Singaporeans will marvel at the fireworks, performances, and national displays it hosts. However, beneath their feet will lie a few layers of concrete laid not just by hand, but with the help of a machine—a symbol of how technology, when used right, can build better and lift people up at the same time. From levelling concrete to levelling up the industry's best practices, this pink robot is doing more than just paving ground—it's paving the way forward.
