SM Lee Hsien Loong at the Teck Ghee CCC-CDC Education Merit Award Presentation Ceremony 2026

Good morning everybody, very happy to join you for our Teck Ghee CCC-CDC Education Merit Award Presentation Ceremony.

First of all, congratulations to all the students receiving awards today. Well done! You have worked very hard, and I am sure your parents, your families and your teachers are all very proud of you. So to the parents and teachers, thank you also — because behind every student’s achievement is a huge amount of encouragement, sacrifice and support.

Uncertain World

I had an event like this in January a few months ago, and I told the students then that they were growing up in an uncertain world. We hoped for a peaceful year  ̶  that was still in January, so 平平安安 过新年. But we really could not tell what surprises were in store.

Iran War

It has been just about three months, and already many things have happened. War has broken out in the Middle East. The US and Israel have attacked Iran. Thousands of lives have been lost. Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz. It has disrupted supplies of energies and other critical goods for the whole world, and everybody has been affected. Asian countries have been amongst the worst hit. Singapore has been affected too, although fortunately not quite as bad as some of our neighbours.

Now there is a ceasefire in place which is supposed to be for two-weeks. I think about one week has passed. And the US and Iran are talking. Iran now claims it has re-opened the Strait of Hormuz, but the US says, “We are still blocking ships from shipping oil out of Iran.” So it is hard to tell exactly what is happening, and it is impossible to say how things will turn out.

But what we do know is this – even if the war stops immediately, we cannot go back to where we were before the war started. And even if we could, it would take months or even years to repair the damage, and to restore the energy production and supply fully.

That is why as soon as the war broke out, the Government responded and immediately implemented a $1 billion package, to help households and businesses. For example, we will bring forward the CDC Vouchers worth $500 per household – originally due next January, now we will give them out in June. We will also increase the Cost-of-Living Special Payment by $200 per person, bringing the total amount up, to between $400 and $600, in cash. We are also providing more help targeted to the most affected sectors. For example, $200 in cash this month, for all active platform workers, private-hire drivers, and taxi drivers. We are providing temporary support for school bus operators and some other operators of essential transport services, so that parents are not affected straightaway, and school bus operators do not have to raise their fares immediately. Businesses get something  ̶  they get enhanced corporate tax rebates too.

These measures will not solve all of the problems. But they will help households and businesses to cope with the immediate pressures. The Government is tracking what is happening closely, and I am sure so are you. If the situation gets worse, we are ready to do more and we can do more. Having built up our resources and capabilities over the years, we have what it takes. And I think we are in a strong position to deal with the situation, and to help Singaporeans survive the crisis.

Focus on what you can do

In times like this, we have to watch what is happening in the world. But there is no point getting anxious about things which are beyond our control. As the saying goes, keep calm and carry on. Focus on the practical things that each of us can do to respond to the situation and make ourselves more secure, and to help one another. For example, we should all do our part to conserve energy – turn off the lights you do not need. Do not waste energy, save a little bit. Energy costs have gone up, fuel is scarce, electricity is expensive.  

For students, focus on what is before you now — your studies, your friendships, and your growth as a person. Of course, study hard. But also make time for sports, for reading, for your CCAs, for activities that develop your character and enable you to grow as a full and complete person. What matters is not just how well you do in your exam, but also to keep learning, keep improving, and building the confidence and the resilience that will see you through the rest of your lives.

Volunteering in Community Organisations

As for parents, by all means focus on your work and family commitments. But I would also like to encourage you to be active in the community.

In uncertain times, our togetherness is crucial for seeing us through the troubles. During COVID, the formal and informal networks that we had in Teck Ghee, in Ang Mo Kio and all over Singapore, were crucial in giving people a sense of reassurance and helping people see through the crisis. Common folk made masks and hand sanitizers from everyday household materials and distributed them to others. Some families self-organised  ̶  they delivered food and essentials to neighbours who were quarantined, or to old folks who were at home and did not want to go out and expose themselves. These ground up individual efforts made a big difference to Singaporeans’ morale, and the sense we felt that we were in this not alone, but with our neighbours, with our friends, with our community  ̶  that we would help each other, we would go through it together. And it also made everybody feel that there is something meaningful we can do to help, to be active, to make a difference. We are not just wringing our hands, worrying about what the next day will bring. So this is how we came through as one people, one nation, one Singapore.

These community networks are one of Singapore’s strengths. They depend on people coming forward to serve, who care for their fellow Singaporeans, and who want to make a difference. We need to renew these networks, nurture them, build them up patiently year by year, in good times and bad. So that when we need them, when there is a crisis, they are there and we can rely on them.

So I encourage all of you  ̶  the parents as well as some of the older kids  ̶  to step forward, and to join the volunteer groups we have here in Teck Ghee. Get to know your friends and neighbours, work with them, and to look after one another.

Earlier when you registered, we distributed this little booklet to you  ̶  the “Teck Ghee Community”  ̶  and it contains some information about some of the upcoming events we are organising in our community. I hope some of these events will catch your interest, and you will come and take part, meet old friends and make new ones. But most of all, I would like you to flip to the back page. On the back page there is a QR code. If you scan the QR code, it will show the opportunities which we have for volunteering in Teck Ghee, in our different little groups and organisations in the community. So I hope you will think about it. I hope you take a look at the groups which are there. And I very much hope you will consider signing up to join the team, and to help make this a more vibrant community.

Conclusion

Congratulations once again to all our award winners. May today’s awards encourage all of you to continue doing your best. Make full use of the opportunities which you enjoy because you are in Singapore. Support one another, learn from one another. Keep going, even when things are uncertain. I hope to see many of you back here again next year, receiving more awards and taking your education further forward.

Thank you very much.