TODAY reports: Education Minister Heng Swee Keat said the past four years have been a “very inspiring” time, having met people from all walks of life, such as volunteers who give their time to the community and pioneer educators who care deeply about the education system.
SINGAPORE: The past four years in politics have been “very demanding” but also “meaningful and fulfilling”, said Education Minister Heng Swee Keat, who entered politics in 2011 after spending almost three decades in the Civil Service.
Apart from being a Member of Parliament (MP) and Cabinet minister, Mr Heng also headed the Our Singapore Conversation (OSC) project, and chaired the SG50 Steering Committee.
In an interview with TODAY earlier this week, he noted that the education portfolio itself requires “fairly intense thought” before making any policy changes.
“It requires one to think of the many issues long term, and appreciate and understand what is happening on the ground,” said Mr Heng who, along with Social and Family Development Minister Tan Chuan-Jin, NTUC chief Chan Chun Sing and Culture, Community and Youth Minister Lawrence Wong, has been touted as key members of the fourth-generation leadership.
Pointing to his other “major assignments” - getting Singaporeans to air their views in the OSC and overseeing the Jubilee celebrations - Mr Heng noted that there are “no textbook answers” to them.
“In a sense, all these assignments are new to me, and they are challenging because I wanted to do it in a way that is innovative, and has an impact and is meaningful,” he said.
His duties as an MP for Tampines GRC also requires him to spend time getting to know the residents and understanding their issues. All these different responsibilities “will take up a lot of time and none of it can (be done) with very little effort”, said the former managing director of the Monetary Authority of Singapore.
Mr Heng has also had to grapple with the challenge of becoming the Education Ministry’s public face, which he admitted to being difficult in some ways as he is a “very private” person. However, he added that he recognises that this is necessary when the situation calls for it.
Despite the challenges, Mr Heng said it has been a “very inspiring” time so far, having met people from all walks of life, such as volunteers who give their time to the community and pioneer educators who care deeply about the education system.
“I’ve been very energised by many people I’ve met,” he said, adding that he is also heartened to see Singaporeans being involved in ground-up initiatives.
Asked about his achievements in the MOE over the past four years, Mr Heng stressed that they are the product of a collective effort.
He said his team has “been working hard” to broaden the definition of success, including providing different pathways for students at the post-secondary level.
More attention is also being paid to neighbourhood schools, he noted. “Teachers from neighbourhood schools have said ‘thank you for shining a light on what we do’, and indeed they worked very hard to create opportunities for everyone.”
On his future plans - and whether the hot seat at the Transport Ministry might be a consideration - Mr Heng would only say that it is up to the Prime Minister to decide what his next post will be.
Mr Heng also dismissed talk that ministers operate on their own in deciding policy matters. “It is a principle of collective responsibility … we debate many (issues) very seriously (and) all important decisions are taken by the Cabinet,” he said.
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