7 November 2006, SJII

Bro Michael Broughton
Mrs Mavis Oei
Fellow Josephians
Ladies and Gentlemen


On behalf of the SJI International Leadership Council and the SJI Family, I would like to thank the Estate of the late Tan Sri Khoo Teck Puat for their generous donation of $5 million to SJI International to fund scholarships at the School.

In the early 1980s, MOE converted some of our schools into independent schools. This was a move to free up our education system and give our established schools more room to improve and innovate. SJI was among the first few schools which applied for and was granted independent school status by MOE.

Like other independent schools, SJI has over the past 20 years made good use of the autonomy and flexibility granted to further develop the School's character and ethos, and improve on its educational programmes. Through constant experimentation and leveraging on its strong traditions and values-centred education, SJI has not only maintained its high academic standards. It has also developed strong niches in leadership development, character formation and pastoral care.

SJI is introducing the Josephian Programme next year. It will have strong emphasis on talent development, communication and life skills. A unique strength of this programme is the strong linkage of the primary and secondary levels of education, achieved through SJI's collaboration with St Michael's Primary School, soon to be renamed SJI Junior. I believe this same spirit of innovation and excellence has provided the impetus for SJI to establish SJI International.

Establishing SJI International is a timely development because our education system is now in the midst of reinventing itself to better respond to the challenges of our times.

Besides changes aimed at improving overall quality and maintaining relevance, we are also moving away from the "one size fits all" approach to allow some differentiation and specialization, so as to cater to the different needs and talents of our young. In this regard, privately-funded schools like SJI International are welcome additions to our system, and they will complement the mainstream, state-sponsored schools.

Privately-funded schools enjoy the advantages of nimble adaptability and are better able to respond to changing needs. They can develop string niches and special programmes. Compared to state-sponsored schools, they can also take in more international schools, and the diversity of backgrounds of their student populations make for an enhanced learnng environment. It is no coincidence that some of the best schools in the world are privately-funded.

Establshing SJI International is also a courageous move. Funding for private schools can be a big challenge. More so for SJI International because of its goal of becoming an accessible and inclusive educational institution that caters to promising students, regardless of their family backgrounds.

However, there is always support for a good idea that meets important needs, especiallu one driven by people of passion, faith and determination. This, I believe, is the reason why SJI International has managed to secure so much support from SJI old boys, the Catholic community and even the corporate sector within a short span of 6 months. 50 SJI old boys have formed a Leadership Council and together they contributed in excess of $1 million for scholarships. 12 corporations and organisations from Singapore, Indonesia and Thailand have pledged another $3 million, also for scholarships. And this latest donation of $5 million from the estate of the late Tan Sri Khoo Teck Puat will increase the total amount raised for the scholarship to date to $9 million.

Significant progress has been made in establishing SJI International. Barely 6 months after the inception of the idea, constuction work is now going on. This new school will open its door in January 2007, with an expected initial enrolment of 150. With SJI's 155-year old tradition of excellence and given the strong public support, I am confident that SJI International will succeed in realising its vision of providing accessible, values-centred quality education to young people in Singapore and the region.

In conclusion, I would like to thank Mrs Mavis Oei and other members of the Khoo family for making possible this donation. The late Tan Sri Khoo was an ardent supporter of education for the young, especially those from needy families. I am happy that his Estate has decided to continue this tradition of giving to education, thus making a difference to the lives of future generations in Singapore and the region.

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