Singapore's economy will continue to need a diverse mix of talents

Source: MediaCorp 938 Live

Such talent includes those who prefer the polytechnic pathway since it provides industry-relevant tertiary education through an applied and practice-oriented approach to learning.

This was a point Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew made after a lively dialogue session with 10 students from Nanyang Polytechnic who are mostly in their third (final) year.

Mr Lee was very keen to find out more about why they had chosen a particular course at Nanyang Polytechnic.

Some of these students aspire to further their education but may face financial difficulties as many come from single-income families.

He also wanted to know more about their future plans.

Speaking to reporters later, Mr Lee feels it's not just scoring in examinations that would give these students a good life.

"Some people are good with their hands, and an economy needs all kinds of talented people. It's diversity that we now require. We have to become a more diverse economy and provide our students with different outlets that fits their particular strengths, their particular profile."

When asked for his views on the changing education landscape such as the addition of a fourth university, he said it will only expand the academic and education sector in to a certain extent.

What is more important is to tap into the diverse pool of talent that the education system has been able to identify.

"I think we now have to try and bring up people who do not necessarily do well at university but who will do well in life. I think that's the concentration that we should give. Because I think people who go to University, (they make up) about 25 per cent, (people who go to) poly (technic), about forty plus per cent, and you have special schools, arts, sports school, we got to go in that direction."

Mr Lee had earlier toured the Poly's Digital Media Design Centre and School of Engineering to view the developments and student achievements in these areas.

Mr Lee was also told that over the last four years, more than 90 per cent of Nanyang Polytechnics graduates have found jobs upon graduation.

This is Mr Lee's first visit to Nanyang Poly, two other visits in the past in the 1970s were to Singapore Polytechnic.