To commemorate Singapore’s 50th birthday, the Singapore Chinese Teachers’ Union (SCTU) initiated a special project in March this year titled the SG50 “I love my Singapore” Creative Writing Competition, which allowed Singaporean students who are taking Chinese language in primary and secondary schools, as well as junior colleges to express their feelings towards the nation on her Golden Jubilee creatively via essays, drawings and poems.
Teachers from all over Singapore encouraged and guided their students to embark on the creative writing competition as either individuals or in teams, and conducted the preliminary round of selection. Out of more than 200 submissions garnered from 42 educational institutions in late April, 95 winning essays were selected for compilation into a book through another round of rigorous assessment by the SCTU Organising Committee. 10,000 copies of the book were then printed and distributed to all the schools in mid-August and also to members of the public during the series of NTUC’s National Day events over the National Day weekend.
At an award ceremony held this afternoon at the Resorts World Sentosa to congratulate the 108 students whose submissions were selected, guest of honour NTUC Secretary-General Chan Chun Sing said, “This creative writing competition holds great meaning, as it not only allows Chinese students the opportunity to express their love towards Singapore by using the Mother Tongue which they learnt, but also instill in them a deeper appreciation of the Chinese language. I am sure that our young can continue to grow their love for the Chinese language and culture with the guidance of their teachers, who are committed to their cause of educating our young to reach better proficiency in the language.”
The award ceremony was also held in conjunction with the union’s Teachers’ Day celebration. About 320 guests, which included award recipients, their teachers, members of the SCTU executive committee, and invited guests from the Chinese embassy and Ministry of Education, attended the event.
SCTU President, Lian Hwee Eng said, “We were very happy to have the support of SG50 Committee for this nation-wide project involving students of all levels. From the entries in the compilation book, readers would be able to appreciate the creativity of the students and feel their love for Singapore. I am very heartened that the submissions were of very good quality and high standards, and the credit should also go towards the Chinese language teachers who have spent time teaching and guiding the students.”
