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CNA
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- CNA
NDP performer moved to tears says he felt a sense of belonging despite not being Singaporean
SINGAPORE: Every National Day Parade has its viral moment – an unexpected, heartfelt scene that captures the nation's attention. This year, that moment belonged to 17-year-old Htoo Ank Wai, a dancer whose tearful rendition of the national anthem touched hearts across Singapore. 'I just remembered looking around, it just felt like I didn't want to lose this moment forever, but obviously it had to end,' said the Higher Nitec student from the Institute of Technical Education (ITE). 'It was like post-concert depression, but you're the artist. You don't want to leave this place and you want to continue performing.' Despite being a permanent resident whose parents are from Myanmar, Ank Wai said he felt an overwhelming sense of connection and pride while performing in the NDP. He took part in the pre-parade segment, the fourth act and the finale. 'I was born and raised here. I was grateful to be living in a country where there are many opportunities for me to experience and live from,' he told CNA. As tears streamed down his face during Majulah Singapura, he thought of his late grandmothers in Myanmar, recalling their concern for him. 'I remember my grandmothers asking me: 'Is Singapore really stressful for you? Are you doing well in Singapore?'' he said. 'They always tell me if it's too stressful, can come back to Myanmar and live a life here, go to school here. 'And I just remembered that this is the moment I show them that Singapore has been good to me, I feel happy here, I am comfortable living here.' His grandmothers had hoped to see him perform one day, and he said he believed they did. 'I was thinking hopefully they are seeing it from wherever they are,' he added, recalling how he spotted two butterflies on his way home after the parade. 'I believe that if there's a moth or butterfly that is near me, it's my grandparents that passed on.' The moment also brought back memories of his family's early challenges after moving to Singapore. Standing on the Padang, he said, made every hardship feel worth it. 'I really am proud of myself in that moment and I know I would serve my nation proudly,' he said. Just 10 minutes after the parade ended, his phone began buzzing with messages of support. 'I wanted something like a star moment, but I didn't expect it to be like this specific moment," he said. "But I knew it was a moment that I should own as well, because it was me crying as a performer.' Although his mother initially played it cool, she too could not hide her pride in her son. 'They were really proud because they knew all the struggles I was going through on the way to it.' His friends and dance crew expressed their pride by turning his viral face into Telegram stickers and sharing them widely. DANCING BEYOND LIMITS Ank Wai began performing at the age of three, after teaching himself to belly dance by watching videos of Colombian superstar Shakira. He later joined performing arts CCAs through primary and secondary school, and into ITE. Although this was his second time performing at the NDP, it came with its own hurdles. Ank Wai has thalassemia — a blood disorder inherited from his mother — which often leaves him dizzy while dancing. 'I've been lightheaded and dizzy, which made me feel like I wanted to vomit, but I never had any fainting experiences at all,' he said. To manage the symptoms, he sometimes eats sweets during rehearsals – though during one session, he realised they had fallen out of his pocket. Over the years, he has developed strategies to cope with his condition. 'I'm usually able to catch myself before I even feel lightheaded. I would just go and find a nearby spot to sit down for a while and relax.' Still, he committed fully to the seven months of training leading up to Aug 9. 'I also knew I had to pace myself, because our choreography was one of the more intense ones, and because we're wearing a leather jacket, leather pants with inner wear as well.' He drank plenty of water before every performance. The adrenaline rush on the actual day also kept him going. 'When it comes to the actual day, you really push through further in your performance and you want to show Singapore a good show,' he said. 'You want everyone in their homes to feel the energy that you're bringing to your performance.' Having to balance school, his part-time job as a shift manager at Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, and intensive rehearsals, Ank Wai's parents were also worried if their son could cope with the responsibilities he had. 'I was really lacking some sleep. But I told them it's just for a while,' he said. 'I also learned how to properly manage my time and how to properly take care of myself.' 'I've been really stressed out in the moment, but as I manage my time, I realised that my stresses go away quite fast and I'm able to continue doing what I love to do.' Though Ank Wai knows his viral moment may soon fade – 'next year there's going to be another person that's going to cry' – he is thankful it allowed him to feel a deeper connection with Singaporeans. 'Even though I was born and raised here, I'm still a PR. I felt really connected with everyone, like I was part of the Singaporean family.'
Straits Times
7 days ago
- Business
- Straits Times
New mentoring programme encourages more ITE students to pursue Work-Study diplomas
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Senior Minister of State for Education Janil Puthucheary speaking at the launch of the mentoring initiative for the work-study diploma programme at ITE East College on Aug 12. SINGAPORE – Students at the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) will now be able to receive guidance from mentors, in efforts to encourage more Higher Nitec students to pursue a Work-Study Diploma (WSDip) after graduation. Funded by non-profit Quantedge Foundation Singapore for five years, JumpStart, ITE's first mentoring initiative for its WSDip programme, will be done in collaboration with youth organisation The Astronauts Collective. Calling the timing of this partnership significant, Senior Minister of State for Education Janil Puthucheary said that career mentoring comes at a crucial time in an uncertain economic climate. 'Rising trade tensions and technological shifts are reshaping jobs, industries and the nature of work,' he said. He was speaking to 300 ITE students at the signing of the memorandum of understanding between ITE and the two partner organisations at the WorldX event – an annual career exploration festival for ITE students – at ITE College East on Aug 12. Dr Janil, who is also Senior Minister of State for Sustainability and the Environment, said the increasing challenge of securing jobs that meets students' expectations may cause anxiety, but the Education Ministry is 'closely monitoring the employment situation'. Students can enter the six-month mentorship programme at three points – during their internship in the final year of their Higher Nitec course, the application period for the WSDip programme or the first year of their WSDip course. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore NEL, Sengkang LRT resume service after hours-long power fault; Punggol LRT being restored Singapore Live: Services on Punggol LRT being progressively restored Singapore Luxury items seized in $3b money laundering case handed over to Deloitte for liquidation Singapore Plan to base Singapore's F-15 fighter jets in Guam cancelled Singapore Hyflux investigator 'took advantage' of Olivia Lum's inability to recall events: Davinder Singh Singapore Scoot to launch flights to Chiang Rai, Okinawa, Tokyo-Haneda, boost frequency to other places Singapore Off-duty SCDF officer dies after accident in Punggol; 15-year-old pillion rider taken to hospital Business Goh Cheng Liang, Nippon Paint billionaire and richest Singaporean, dies at 98 Voluntary mentors, comprising industry professionals and senior ITE alumni, will provide students with ongoing support and career guidance as they transition into the WSDip programme and start working. There will be a minimum of six mentoring sessions throughout the programme. An ITE spokeswoman said the programme has supported over 150 students across the three ITE colleges since it began in March 2025, and aims to support 100 more by the end of 2025. ITE's chief executive, Ms Low Khah Gek, said ITE hopes to expand the number of mentees each year, to support their target of an intake of 2,000 WSDip students by 2030. 'This is a significant increase of 400, compared to this year's intake of 1,600,' she said. The ITE spokeswoman said its first mentorship programme is targeted at WSDip trainees to jump-start the process of students gaining meaningful employment and skills upgrading via the WSDip programme. (From left) CEO of Quantedge Foundation Xie Yao Quan, Senior Minister of State for Education Janil Puthucheary, CEO of ITE Low Khah Gek, Chairman of ITE Andrew Chong, and the executive directors of The Astronauts Collective Wong Yi Fong and Marvin Kang during the MOU Signing between ITE, Quantedge Foundation and The Astronauts Collective. PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO She added that with positive employment outcomes for WSDip graduates in terms of starting salaries and full-time employment rate, the ITE hopes to encourage more ITE graduates to pursue this progression pathway. Dr Janil said that with the median starting salary for ITE WSDip graduates being comparable to those of full-time Polytechnic diploma graduates, more students should have access to the WSDip programme. He added that mentoring is crucial to help students discover their interests and equip them with the confidence and skills needed to better transition into work. 'Having someone who can share their experience, provide practical advice and offer encouragement can make a significant difference in helping our youth make informed decisions about their education and their career path,' he said. Mr Muhammad Zulfaqar Muhammad Rizal, 21, joined the mentoring programme on the first day of his WSDip course in Facilities Management at ITE College West in April 2025. He will graduate in April 2028. Muhammad Zulfaqar Muhammad Rizal, 21, at ITE East College on Aug 12. He has met his mentor at least five times to discuss the challenges he has faced. PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO He has since met his mentor, Miss Goh Ying Xuan, 28, at least five times to discuss the challenges he has faced during the programme and how to overcome them. Miss Goh, a former ITE student and polytechnic graduate, is currently pursuing a degree in Project and Facilities Management at the National University of Singapore under a scholarship from the Ministry of Home Affairs. Mr Zulfaqar said Miss Goh was able to use her own experiences working in facilities management during her five-year stint as a public servant to advise him on how to overcome challenging situations at work. 'There are times when I have to speak to clients, like tenants and contractors on-site. And some of them can be hard to handle. She told me not to take it personally as they come and go,' he said. He said that during their discussions, which can last between one and three hours over a meal, Miss Goh taught him how to speak and interact with others more confidently. Apart from discussing workplace scenarios, she also checks on his well-being and imparts other skills like time management. 'Although I'm in school, I'm actually at work. So she taught me how to differentiate between the two and manage my time better by focusing on one thing, instead of letting work and school interfere with each other.' He noted that having a mentor was especially beneficial in building his confidence to enter the workforce, as he had never experienced what it was like to work before starting the WSDip programme. 'A mentor can help emotionally and in hard times... especially to teach how to handle stuff that we don't usually experience when we are in school. '
Straits Times
15-06-2025
- General
- Straits Times
After things unravelled at home, she went into survival mode, he made space for others
Ms Ryka Putri Eva Sabrinna Sabtu is the recipient of the Lee Kuan Yew Model Student Award for her outstanding academic performance and conduct. PHOTO: ITE After things unravelled at home, she went into survival mode, he made space for others The TL;DR: ITE graduates Ryka Putri Eva Sabrinna Sabtu and Damien Koh Wen Hao pushed through adversity to excel, each earning this year's Lee Kuan Yew Model Student Award. When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. That's what two ITE students did when individually facing challenging family circumstances. At 18, Ms Ryka Putri Eva Sabrinna Sabtu was taking her first examinations at Institute of Technological Education (ITE) College Central when her parents kicked her out of her home after her estrangement from her parents came to a head. With the support of her lecturers, Ms Ryka rented a room and applied for financial aid, which helped to cover her school fees and meals. To pay for other living expenses, she worked 40 hours every week on top of her lessons – serving food, giving out flyers and cleaning toilets. The 20-year-old graduated from her Higher Nitec course in marine and offshore engineering in February 2025 with a grade point average of 3.957. She now dons the black-and-white seafarers' uniform at Singapore Polytechnic's Singapore Maritime Academy, where she is pursuing a diploma in nautical studies. Meanwhile, her schoolmate Damien Koh Wen Hao, 19, graduated at the top of his Higher Nitec in sport management course at ITE College West. Now in Nanyang Polytechnic's common business programme, he started a ground-up initiative in March 2025 with five peers under a youth leadership programme, providing a free, comfortable space for other young people to study and socialise in. This idea was sparked by his experience in primary school, when the breakdown of his parents' marriage meant that home was less than conducive for studying. Ms Ryka and Mr Koh were among nine ITE graduates who received the prestigious Lee Kuan Yew Model Student Award on May 22 for their outstanding academic performance and conduct. Here's how they did it. Mr Damien Koh, a sport management graduate from ITE College West, receiving the Lee Kuan Yew Model Student Award from ITE CEO Low Khah Gek on May 22. ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM 'Work hard, or fall apart' Since Ms Ryka was 16, she had already been expected to pay for her personal expenses. But in October 2023, her relationship with her family broke down, and she was told to leave home. What hit her most as she was moving out was leaving behind 'hundreds' of books as she did not know where to house them. 'That was when I cried,' she said. 'I had a full-blown collection that I used my earnings from part-time work for.' She confided in her lecturer, Ms Li Shuang, about her situation. Within a week, Ms Li found her a rental room that cost $550 a month. With savings from her part-time job and a sum borrowed from her best friend, Ms Ryka was able to pay the deposit, a month's rent and for moving services. After leaving home in December, she took any part-time job she could find to cover her living expenses. During a seven-month stint as a waitress, she worked from 7pm to 3am, then attended lessons from 8am to 5pm the next day on six days a week. Often, she stayed back after school for her commitments as a member of the Community Service Club. On how she got by on four hours of sleep on a regular weekday, she said: 'I think it was the adrenaline of having to pay my rent.' Every aspect of her life had to be tightly calibrated. Missing a train and being late to a job could mean a deduction from her salary, while submitting an assignment late meant her grades would slip. 'My life was like a chain of consequences that I couldn't afford to fumble,' she said. 'It was either work hard or fall apart.' Ms Ryka Putri Eva Sabrinna Sabtu graduated from her Higher Nitec course in marine and offshore engineering this year and is now pursuing a diploma in nautical studies at SP. PHOTO: ITE The tide turned in 2024 when she applied for and received the Keppel Care Foundation Scholarship, which is awarded to students from disadvantaged backgrounds who have excelled academically and demonstrated strong leadership qualities. With the cash award of $9,600 covering her living expenses for that year, she could work fewer hours and focus on her studies. That year, she went on to represent ITE nationally in the prestigious Tan Kah Kee Young Inventors' Award, a competition that encourages youth to develop creative innovations. She won a Commendation Award for designing a modified hanger that prevents clothes from slipping off poles in bad weather. She also took part in contests such as ITE's Student Ideation and Design Competition, where she and her team won first place for designing the best sustainability visitor centre for recycling company MeTech. Being independent from a young age taught her to be her own safety net and cope with her emotional struggles. 'I learnt not to let pain harden me,' she added. After graduation, she dreams of taking the helm as a chief officer on a ship. She hopes that students who face similar hardships will continue working hard to achieve their goals. 'Keep showing up for yourself. Drag your tired body if you have to,' she said. At the same time, she reminds others in similar situations to treat themselves with care. 'The sun doesn't ask for perfection to rise – neither should you.' Paying it forward Mr Koh was near the end of his primary school years when his parents divorced, which meant he often looked after himself and his twin brother while their father was not at home. A self-described 'socially awkward' student in secondary school, he opened up during his time in ITE, thanks to teachers who saw his potential. In 2024, his lecturer encouraged him to join the ITE Student Leaders Forum, where he and his schoolmates developed and proposed projects themed around sustainability and inclusion. The forum kicked off his involvement in a series of community projects. That year, he became the president of ITE College West's student development programme, ACE Club, where he coordinated volunteering projects such as a Rummikub game competition with seniors at Fei Yue Active Ageing Centre in 2024. In March 2025, during his first year at NYP, he co-founded Youthful Thinking, which provides young people a free, conducive environment to study and rest, unlike at cafes where they have to buy at least a drink. The project also aims to offer mentorship and companionship to these youths, and has a recreational space for games and movies. He started this initiative as part of the 10-week Youth Leaders' Collective programme by the National Community Leadership Institute, which aims to equip young people with the skills and know-how to run their own ground-up initiatives. Mr Koh, now a first-year Nanyang Polytechnic common business student, co-founded Youthful Thinking as a conducive environment for youth to study and rest at. ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM From 9pm to 11pm once a week, his team of six – a mix of junior college, polytechnic, and ITE students – met online to draft the proposal that eventually became Youthful Thinking. After pitching to potential partners, they secured a space for one day at Macpherson Community Club, sourced some stationery and furniture donations through a Telegram channel, and made their ideas a reality. They held their first 'Homework Cafe' with five youth on May 25, where they coached students on their homework and bonded with them through games. The team plans to hold these sessions once or twice a month. 'A lot of people say it takes a village to raise a child. In my case, it was the community around me,' Mr Koh said. 'To give back that same energy to help that one kid, who might be going through a tough time, means so much to me.' He hopes other youths who had difficult childhoods realise their potential, and that they are 'much more than their labels'. As for winning the Lee Kuan Yew Model Student Award, he said: 'This success is not my success.' 'This success is for fellow ITE students, and for everyone who has ever felt like they are not good enough.' Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
