Singapore Government Press Release, Media Relations Division, Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts, MITA Building, 140 Hill Street, 2nd Storey, Singapore 179369

Tel: 6837-9666

SPEECH BY MINISTER MENTOR MR LEE KUAN YEW AT THE SINGAPORE AMERICAN SCHOOL’S 50^TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS ON 11 APRIL 2006 AT 11.45 AM

Her Excellency Mrs Patricia Herbold

US Ambassador to Singapore

Mr Bob Gross

Superintendent, Singapore American School

INTRODUCTION

I am happy to join you today in celebrating the 50^th anniversary of the Singapore American School.

Singapore American School was one of the earliest international schools to be established in Singapore. The progress of the School since 1956 parallels that of Singapore. The school house was catering for the children of 800 American families. It started in 1956 with 105 students and 10 teachers. The School has moved 4 times before settling in its present location with over 3,000 students, and is the largest of the 35 international schools in Singapore.

In the last 50 years it has grown with the number of resident Americans estimated at 15,500.

From your excellent 50^th anniversary book I learned that The Singapore American School is the largest international school in the world in terms of students. It has a reputation that enables its graduates to find places in the best colleges and universities in America and elsewhere. It now has 3,450 students of 50 nationalities. The students include (59%) US passport holders, Koreans (10%), Indians (3.6%), Japanese (3.4%), Canadians (3.2%), and Indonesians (2.6%), and Singaporeans (4.4%).

In 1956 Singapore was largely a trading city dependent on entreport trade. Today it has 7,000 MNCs of whom 1,500 are Americans.

Education is a key consideration when expatriates decide whether to relocate for work. International schools support the expatriates residing here. They want to be assured that their children will be safe and can get a good education. Singapore is ready to help the expatriate community who wish to set up their own schools.

In 1965 there were 2 international schools. We now have 35 such schools, for some 17,000 students. We have schools catering to the German, Dutch, French, Japanese, Korean, Indian, Indonesian and other communities.

Today there are two Indian International schools to provide Indian school education for children of Indian expatriates. They cater to the children of Indians in the 1,600 Indian companies in Singapore, most of them registered in the last 5 years. There are also 1,600 Chinese companies. For the present, Chinese expatriates have opted to send their children to the Singapore schools where they learn English and Chinese as the mother tongue language. They may later set up their own International Chinese schools.

As expatriates from other countries work here, there may be more international schools.

SINGAPORE – CAPITAL FOR GLOBAL TALENT; GATEWAY TO ASIA

As Singaporean companies go global, we have had to set up Singapore schools for the children of our businessmen in Hong Kong, Shanghai and further afield. Our Singapore businessmen abroad look to the government for help to set up Singapore-type schools abroad.

My wife reads the “Singapore American” sent to her because she was interested to learn how the American community in Singapore organised themselves. She told me American women have compiled a book to introduce new comers to the different ways of Singapore, where and how to get things done, what to avoid, who can help and so on. It is all a voluntary effort. The American School was started not by the US Embassy but by American businessmen and their spouses.

It is part of a great American tradition as they tamed the American continent from the east to the west coast, overcoming all difficulties. It has forged the American spirit and character, the most valuable asset Americans have. Singaporeans lack this spirit of self-help groups that get together to get things done, provide goods and services and good mutual support and help others around them.

We would like Singaporeans to emulate this American self-help culture. This cultural trait has made Americans great entrepreneurs who have the verve, vitality and vigour to keep adapting and changing their businesses and therefore their economy much better than Europeans or Japanese.

CONCLUSION

The Singapore American School has touched the lives of those who have walked through its gates.

One of my own grandsons has benefited from the Singapore American School. As a dyslexic, he was having difficulty in Hwa Chong learning two languages, English and Chinese. His parents had him admitted to the American School. The teachers were able to help him to cope with his dyslexia better than in our schools where we did not have the resources to provide the special help such students need.

I congratulate you the Superintendent, staff and students of Singapore American School on your 50^th anniversary. Your high standards have made a difference to the lives of children of many expatriates and Singaporeans. You supported the staff of American MNCs in Singapore and this brought benefits to Singaporeans.

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