Education Minister emphasises value of sports and the ‘grit’ from it
By Adelene Wong, TODAY, 7 Feb 2014
It was, in his eyes, the right thing to do.
But the honesty shown by Dunman High School (DHS) student Lee Tai Yu during a National Inter-School Badminton Championships match last year was highlighted by Minister for Education Heng Swee Keat at the opening ceremony of the 2014 National School Games (NSG) yesterday as an example of the value that sports brings in providing a holistic education.
Tai Yu, 15, was in a doubles match against Ngee Ann Secondary School (NASS) last year when he surprised everyone by informing the umpire that the shuttlecock had touched him before it went out of play.
It resulted in the official reversing his decision and awarding the point instead to NASS, which went on to win the match.
Impressed by his actions, NASS subsequently wrote to DHS to suggest that they nominate Tai Yu for the Sportsmanship Award, the Minister revealed in his speech to about 700 guests at the event at ITE College Central in Ang Mo Kio to mark the start of the Jan 6 to Aug 29 NSG which will see about 55,000 students taking part across 28 sports.
“We want our students to have a holistic education. So we have designed our school experiences for students to acquire a broad and deep foundation for a life-long journey of learning. One of such rich experiences is sports,” said Mr Heng.
“We want our students to have a holistic education. So we have designed our school experiences for students to acquire a broad and deep foundation for a life-long journey of learning. One of such rich experiences is sports,” said Mr Heng.
“Sports develop character and values, cultivate positive attitudes and strengthen people skills ... In my view, the most valuable trait that sports develop is grit. Grit is more than resilience. When a student has grit, he is passionate about a long term goal and perseveres towards it.
“Researchers have studied high achievers. What contributes to their success are zeal and persistence of motive and effort. This makes intuitive sense. The ‘grittier’ person is focused on winning in the long run.”
Mr Heng stressed that positive character traits like Tai Yu’s honesty is what which will make the NSG meaningful. But Tai Yu, who received the Sportsmanship Award for 2013, played down his actions.
Mr Heng stressed that positive character traits like Tai Yu’s honesty is what which will make the NSG meaningful. But Tai Yu, who received the Sportsmanship Award for 2013, played down his actions.
“I just felt it was the right thing to do, so I stepped forward without any hesitation,” said the teenager who also had a brief chat with the Minister and a photo taken together.
“I still do not feel that it is a big deal. I lost that match, but it’s okay.”
Besides Tai Yu, Mr Heng also noted the “grit, discipline, and eventual triumphs” of rower Saiyidah Aisyah and equestrienne Janine Khoo at last December’s South-east Asian (SEA) Games in Myanmar.
Saiyidah had to make many sacrifices, including putting her career on hold, to train for the Myanmar Games. She eventually won the women’s singles 2km lightweight sculls gold medal.
Besides Tai Yu, Mr Heng also noted the “grit, discipline, and eventual triumphs” of rower Saiyidah Aisyah and equestrienne Janine Khoo at last December’s South-east Asian (SEA) Games in Myanmar.
Saiyidah had to make many sacrifices, including putting her career on hold, to train for the Myanmar Games. She eventually won the women’s singles 2km lightweight sculls gold medal.
Janine, 16, underwent reconstructive surgery after fracturing her cheekbones in a training accident just 10 days before her O-Levels while preparing for the Games. But she completed her exams and went on to win the women’s individual showjumping gold, Singapore’s first in the sport since 1995.
However, the Education Minister also stressed the importance of adopting a safety-first mindset while playing sports following the deaths of two students during their physical education (PE) lessons last month.
A 13-year-old Temasek Junior College student died after he felt unwell and fainted, the same week a 16-year-old Tanglin Secondary School student passed away after jogging.
“I want to remind our students and parents to inform our teachers if the students are not feeling well, or have just recovered from illnesses,” said Mr Heng. “Students should look out for one another. Teachers should know their students well and keep themselves updated in how to organise safe and robust PE classes.”
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Education announced yesterday that a revised PE syllabus will be implemented in phases.
The revised framework looks to provide schools with more support in providing developmental opportunities, and encourage and help those with specific interest and ability in certain sports to pursue them with the aim of eventual representation for school and the nation.
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