Speech by Minister Chee Hong Tat at the Arif Budiman Malay Language Teacher Award (AGAB) Presentation Ceremony

Distinguished Guests,
Teachers,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Salam sejahtera

Introduction

A very good evening to everyone. I am very happy to join you today, as we gather for the 19th Arif Budiman Malay Language Teacher Award.

Since 2007, AGAB has recognised 83 outstanding Malay Language teachers across primary schools, secondary schools, Junior Colleges and Millennia Institute. This evening, we will be adding five more names to this list of distinguished educators.

Beyond recognising excellence in teaching, this award is a reaffirmation of our teachers' dedication and an appreciation of their contribution in both the classroom and our community.

The Ideal of Arif Budiman

This award takes its name from two core ideals of great teaching. Arif is about wisdom - not just the mastery of knowledge but the discernment to know what truly matters. Budiman goes further. It describes someone who takes that wisdom and expresses it outward - with kindness, integrity and a quiet sense of responsibility - towards the people around them.

Together, they capture what a true exceptional teacher embodies - teaching is not just about the transfer of knowledge, it is an act of service. Every day, our teachers do far more than teach our students grammar and literature. They inculcate values to students and shape their character, support their families through difficult times, and help build caring and cohesive school communities.

Every Arif Budiman teacher is not only an educator to their students in the classroom; they are also a source of influence and inspiration to our children in their lives, and throughout their lives, even after they have left the school.

Importance of Our Mother Tongue Languages

Our Mother Tongue Languages are an integral part of our heritage and cultural identity. They create a sense of belonging and reflect our values, they are the glue that binds us across the generations.

With English being the main working language in Singapore and also the primary language among many households, there is an even stronger and more urgent need to keep our Mother Tongue Languages vibrant and relevant for our next generation. Both parents and teachers play a very important role in exposing our next generation to their Mother Tongue Language in their everyday lives from a young age.

This has also been my own personal experience. My mother was a Chinese Language teacher. She began her career at Whampoa Secondary School, and later at Raffles Junior College, where she taught until she retired. I grew up speaking Mandarin with my parents at home and learning the Chinese Language from teachers in school. This exposure to my Mother Tongue Language from a young age has helped me to build a useful foundation in the language, and it has also connected me with my cultural and heritage roots, including Chinese traditions and values. And I believe the same is true for every Mother Tongue Language.

To our parents, thank you for being the first teachers. The conversations over meals, the bedtime stories, singing the songs that would have been passed down from your parents - these are important moments where love for the language is first kindled, the seeds are first planted, and this is long before a child steps into a classroom.

To our students, I would like to encourage you to speak your Mother Tongue Language with pride, explore it with curiosity, and think of it as more than an exam subject. The Mother Tongue Language is a key that can help open many useful doors in life. It is a link across the generations, carrying the wisdom of those who came before you, and we hope you can learn it well and continue to pass it on as a precious gift to those who come after you.

I am also glad to know that from this year, students who excel in their Mother Tongue Language at the PSLE will be offered this subject at the higher level when they go to Secondary 1, regardless of their overall PSLE score. I am sure our teachers will continue to inspire your students to make full use of this opportunity and to nurture in them a lifelong love for the language.

AGAB Recipents - In Service of Something Greater

This evening, we celebrate our educators who exemplify the highest ideals of our teaching profession. Our AGAB teachers embrace innovation without losing sight of what matters most - the human connection between the educator and the learner. They encourage every student to discover his or her potential, mentor fellow educators and contribute generously to the wider fraternity and community. Their professionalism, humility and unwavering commitment have enriched not only the lives of their students, but also the future of Malay Language education in Singapore.

This year, we welcome five outstanding educators into the AGAB family: Cikgu Diana Binte Mohamed Mazlan of First Toa Payoh Primary School; Cikgu Nur Azirah Binte Mohd Nor of Cantonment Primary School; Cikgu Syafiqah Binte Md Anuar of Meridian Secondary School; Cikgu Julaiha Bte Haron of Punggol Secondary School; and Cikgu Nur Maizurah Binte Rosle of Nan Chiau High School. Each of these teachers exemplifies the passion, professionalism and dedication that define an Arif Budiman. Congratulations to all our five educators!

Cikgu Diana and Cikgu Azirah believe that every child should be seen, supported and encouraged, and that every child should also have a sense of empathy and demostrate inclusion. Through initiatives such as the Recess Befriender Programme, where student leaders actively reach out to classmates who may be left out during recess, and through thoughtfully designed role-play experiences supported by purposeful feedback, they have nurtured students who are more confident and also more caring.

Cikgu Syafiqah, Cikgu Julaiha and Cikgu Maizurah remind us that outstanding teachers create impact that extends beyond their own classrooms. In addition to designing authentic and engaging learning experiences for their students, they also share their lesson resources and mentor fellow teachers, which helps to strengthen professional learning across our schools. Their commitment to making the Malay language meaningful is reflected in achievements such as having a student who learnt Malay as a third language and went on to be named Best Actor in Berita Harian's P. Ramlee Film Video Competition.

My warmest congratulations once again to our five AGAB recipients. I would also like to extend my heartfelt congratulations to our finalists: Cikgu Nasuha Binte Rahmat of Outram Secondary School, Cikgu Aidah Binte Hosni of Fern Green Primary School, and Cikgu Azhar Bin Abdul Rashid of Horizon Primary School. May this recognition affirm the difference that each of you make every day, and inspire you to continue shaping lives through the gift of the Malay language.

Closing - A Tribute Beyond One Evening

As Teachers' Day draws near, I would like to wish every teacher - I know there are many teachers with us here today, a very Happy Teachers' Day! Selamat Hari Guru! Thank you for all that you have done for our students. May you continue to find great joy and deep fulfilment in nurturing our next generation and the future of our nation.

In today's day and age where technology can generate sentences and essays with speed and fluency, what Mother Tongue Language teachers do still remain irreplaceable. Because what you safeguard is not just the language itself, but everything that the language carries - its values, its warmth, its budi bahasa. That is something that no algorithm can teach and no chatbot can feel. It is the human connection between the educator and the learner.

On behalf of all Singaporeans and of every parent whose child has come home speaking their Mother Tongue Language with pride, confidence and joy, terima kasih, Cikgu! The work that you do is very important and it matters more than what words alone can express.

We mentioned Tan Sri P. Ramlee earlier. One of his famous songs is Getaran Jiwa - vibrations of the soul. If I may read to you the first few lines of the lyrics of the song:

Getaran jiwa melanda hatiku
Tersusun nada, irama dan lagu
Walau hanya sederhana
Tetapi tak mengapa
Moga dapat membangkitkan
Sadarlah kamu wahai insan

If we make some changes to the lyrics, I think it will still be relevant to the topic that we are discussing today, which is the Mother Tongue Language:

Getaran jiwa melanda hatiku
Tersusun indah, bahasa ibundaku
Walau hanya sederhana
Tetapi tak mengapa
Moga dapat membangkitkan
Rasa cinta pada watan

Please allow me to conclude my speech with a pantun.

Melur berkembang di taman permai,
Disiram embun setiap pagi;
Ilmu dicurah tidak ternilai,
Jasa guru dijunjung tinggi.

Terima kasih.