An exclusive interview with Mr Lawrence Wong, Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth, who shares his vision and aspirations for the young people of Singapore

Here in Halogen, we constantly ask ourselves — in what context do we build young leaders? What are we building young leaders for?

In our mission to nurture young leaders, we need to question the type of leaders we intend to build, and how we can do it. How can we build young leaders to have vision in volatility, understanding in uncertainty, clarity in complexity and agility in ambiguity? In what ways can we encourage youth to flourish with their unique potential, talents, and make-up, and not impose on them our definitions of success? What is our role as educators?

The quest for these answers led us to interview Mr Lawrence Wong, former Senior Minister of State for Education and now Acting Minister of the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY) — an apt candidate who can lend us his perspectives.

Halogen360 (H360): With your new portfolio as Acting Minister of MCCY, what are you championing for the future of youth development in Singapore? What is your dream for young leaders?

Acting Minister Lawrence Wong (LW): My hope is for the young leaders of tomorrow to be both visionaries and problem-solvers. We want our young to dream big and champion bold initiatives. At the same time, we want them to be action-oriented—to be prepared to work hard, collaborate with one another, and take concrete actions to achieve their goals.

MCCY will support our youth in these aspects, whether through funding or by linking them with other like-minded individuals. We want to empower our young to serve the community and give back to society.

“My hope is for the young leaders of tomorrow to be both visionaries and problem-solvers.” – Acting Minister Lawrence Wong

H360: The future is projected to be even more volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous. Besides economic opportunities, there has been talk on developing youths holistically, giving room for expression and development beyond academic achievement. How will the government facilitate the holistic development of our youths?

LW: The government will continue to provide opportunities for our youth to pursue their dreams in all areas. When I interact with young people, what comes across most strongly is that they are driven by passion and purpose. Increasingly, they are prepared to forge their own pathways in life, even if means doing something that is different from conventional notions of success. For example, I see more and more young people interested in pursuing careers in the arts and sports, in setting up social enterprises, and in serving the community.

The government will do its part to develop a full spread of talent, by equipping our youths with the relevant skills, and providing access to resources and opportunities, so that all can fully actualise their potential.

H360: We are seeing many changes in the education sector, including an emphasis on character education. Prime Minister shared that values must not be sacrificed for progress. As the former Senior Minister of State for Education, how do you see the future of education in the context of holistic development? How do you think we can raise competent young leaders with good character?

LW: Education must develop the whole person and help a child acquire a broad range of knowledge, skills, values and dispositions needed to live life fully, contribute actively to society, as well as prepare for a challenging and dynamic future. Beyond equipping our children with content knowledge and skills, we also want to ensure that we develop in them social-emotional competencies, and deep values and strength of character to anchor our young and ensure they have the resilience to succeed.

That is why we emphasise holistic education. And that is also why the Ministry of Education (MOE) has put renewed emphasis on Character and Citizenship Education (CCE) in schools. But achieving a good balance in the development of a child requires more than just the effort of school leaders and teachers. Parents also play crucial roles in shaping the attitudes, beliefs and character of our children.

“Education must develop the whole person and help a child acquire a broad range of knowledge, skills, values and dispositions needed to live life fully, contribute actively to society, as well as prepare for a challenging and dynamic future… That is why we emphasise holistic education.” – Acting Minister Lawrence Wong

H360: How can educators encourage their students to be active citizens and leaders in their own communities?

LW: Our educators play a crucial role in developing and nurturing our young people. Besides having programmes that nurture citizenship and leadership, educators should lead by example and find ways to serve the community and give back to society. Educators can inspire students with their own passion.

Every year, the Outstanding Youth in Education Award features and recognises passionate and committed young educators who have inspired their students. One common trait these winners share is the strong passion they have that spurred them to go the extra mile for the youths under their charge.

H360: We see that social technologies also have the power to impact society, to do social good and powerfully affect our culture and community. What is your vision for youths and social media in Singapore?

LW: I see social media as a platform with the potential to bring about positive transformations. Social media is already pervasive among young people growing up today. They have the potential and capacity to use social media in new and creative ways that bring about greater levels of interactivity and connectivity. If we harness the power of this new media effectively, it can help to build stronger community ties, mobilise grassroots activism, and facilitate collective action for the betterment of society.

We already see this happening in Singapore. For instance, Project Hello Stranger is a voluntary movement by a group of young people who want to see a happier Singapore. Through social media, they have initiated a movement to engage Singaporeans and get them to show their soft and friendly side.

H360: If you have one piece of advice for young people in Singapore, what would it be?

LW: Be fearless in the pursuit of your dreams, and in pushing boundaries. Continue to embrace the global village and the boundless opportunities it offers. You may not have the ability to change the world by yourself, but start small to effect change in your community. Draw others to you in the journey through your passion and purpose. Believe that as a team, you can achieve great things. Above all, stay connected with family, friends and the community here. Together, we can build a gracious and caring society in Singapore we are proud to call Home.

Article by Jael Chng