What Lee Kuan Yew Taught me as a Singaporean~ (2024 Edition)

✨ “The will to survive, the will to face facts and change them, is what Singapore is built on.” 📝 Lee Kuan Yew

“To stay relevant, Singaporeans must think beyond our shores." 📝 Lee Kuan Yew

Lee Kuan Yew’s educational legacy 🌟 revolves around the transformative power of education as a tool for nation-building 🏗️ and economic development 📈.

Here are the main points of his vision (with key quotes):

🌐Central Role of Education

📚Foundation of Nation-Building: Lee emphasized that education was essential for developing Singapore’s only resource — its people.

💬“Education and training have been, and will continue to be, crucial in upgrading ourselves, increasing the net worth of human capital.” page 18.

🎯Creating Future Leaders: He believed education must nurture leadership qualities in children, highlighting the need for holistic development:

💬“Not every boy is equal in his endowments… but you want to try and get all those with the potential to blossom forth. That is your spearhead in your society; on them depends the pace of progress.” page 19.

🛠️Key Policies and Vision

🏅Meritocracy: Lee implemented policies ensuring that education focused on identifying and developing the best talent, irrespective of background:

💬“Talents in Singapore could be found in different racial groups… the education system must be meritocratic in its focus.” Lee Kuan Yew’s Educational Legacy, page 19.

Bilingualism: Lee described implementing bilingual education as his “lifelong challenge,” aiming to preserve cultural roots🌱 while equipping citizens for globalization🌏:

💬“English was rapidly becoming the lingua franca… but students also needed to learn their mother tongue to maintain a sense of belonging to their cultural roots.” page 18.

🌱Holistic Development

Education Beyond Academics: He prioritized character and values, seeking to produce individuals with intellectual discipline, humility🤝, and a love for community❤️:

💬“The ideal product is… with great intellectual discipline and, most important of all, humility and love for his community.” page 18.

🚀Global Readiness: Lee underscored the need to adapt education to future demands, preparing students for innovation💡 and global competition:

💬“What can we learn about evolving education from mass education to one that is student-centric and anchored in values?” page 2.

In summary, Lee Kuan Yew’s educational legacy was about preparing individuals who could not only contribute to economic growth📊but also embody values essential for a cohesive and resilient society🤝🌈.