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Young S'poreans need to know more about post-independence history: PM Lee
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7 I4 K7 B- G& j0 X; I9 N1 PSINGAPORE : More needs to be done to educate young Singaporeans about Singapore's founding fathers and its post-independence history, says Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.
5 F1 y% c7 C! ISpeaking at the 25th anniversary of Raffles Junior College and the official opening of its new campus in Bishan, he said this was one way to help young Singaporeans stay committed to Singapore.& ]% D* W# B( J! X
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One of the top junior colleges in Singapore, RJC has produced many top students and high flyers.% u) F* K3 Z/ c% _# G, c& r
4 @+ j3 t# A `And with its spanking new premises and independent status, it wants to create more opportunities for its students..
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PM Lee said: "But RJC's mission is not just to produce brilliant students who can compete with the best in the world. More importantly, RJC must also nurture a leadership team for Singapore - students who are committed to Singapore and their fellow Singaporeans, because they have benefited from the system, and have a genuine desire to give back to society and make a difference in the lives of others."
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The Prime Minister says he hopes all young Singaporeans will get a better sense of their country's history. ! Z* U/ }8 P, w0 s; e$ p
$ v9 |, A6 C( S" N/ y+ vIn fact, the syllabi in History and Social Studies is being updated to teach the younger generation more about Singapore's founding fathers and its tumultuous post-independence past.
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. B) }$ R) z% S8 J1 p. P& k! U9 QMr Lee said: "We now have a lacuna, a gap, in the generation of Singaporeans who were too young to know our pioneering leaders first-hand and, at the same time, too old to have learnt the modern syllabus. Hence when Mr Rajaratnam passed away recently, many Singaporeans in their 30s and younger admitted they knew little about who he was and what he had done."
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) n B% @1 o) aIn fact, it was only in the last 6 years that more post-independence history was taught.4 \" f) Y& q* ~. W- p0 p4 ?
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This was because the government felt that more time need to have passed to allow for an objective, historical perspective of the events which happened. |
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