On the 25th of February, some 20 students from the senior school attended the first-ever fireside chat with Mr. Tan Tee How, the permanent secretary of the Ministry of National Development. Mr Tan spoke to the students on the topic ‘Good Government – Reflections of a Civil Servant’. His discussions included the experience of being a civil servant, the differences between the private and the public sector, the learning journey in the civil service and he answered questions, among which were the entry requirements for the civil service, achieving the balance between maximum social benefit and minimum government expenditure, overcoming the challenges of corruption and self-interest and more.
The fireside was more than a purely academic discussion. Mr Tan discussed the values and attitudes that a person should have and uphold, regardless of his/her position and he emphasized that people should embrace values they claim to believe in. Mr Dennis Tang, who was also present during the chat, pointed out that Mr Tan had retained and enhanced the values that he had learnt and developed at SJI, where he completed his secondary education.
As a concluding point, Mr Tan emphasized the importance and need for humility, no matter how much one has achieved, accentuating the fact that a humble person is one who is open to learning and open to knowledge.
The students who attended the chat not only benefitted from it, but enjoyed some drinks and donuts at the end of it!
By: Thiruneeran, Culture Secretary
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