Mr Kwok Wui San, Chairman, Council for Third Age (C3A)

Distinguished Guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Good afternoon. It gives me great pleasure to join you today to commemorate the National Silver Academy’s (NSA’s) third anniversary.

Established in May 2016, the NSA partners with post-secondary educational institutions, and community-based organisations to offer a range of subsidised short courses and intergenerational learning programmes to promote active learning among seniors. Learning keeps seniors’ minds active and allows them to stay engaged with their friends, the community and society. I am heartened that over 32,000 participants have benefitted from the NSA course offerings to date.

Singapore has a rapidly ageing population. By 2030, one in four Singaporeans will be aged 65 and above. Over the years, we have strengthened efforts to empower seniors to stay active and healthy through various active ageing programmes in the community. Many of them have accumulated a wealth of skills and experiences over the course of their lives. Today, our seniors are more educated, and can play an active role in supporting our community-building efforts. We are already seeing a new generation of “modern active agers” in Singapore – older Singaporeans with a strong desire to contribute back to the society.

I am glad that the Action Plan for Successful Ageing launched in 2015 has supported seniors to achieve these goals. The Action Plan is a national blueprint covering more than 70 initiatives across 12 areas to help Singaporeans lead active lives, age confidently, and build strong bonds with family and community. Learning was identified as one of the key focal areas under the Action Plan to support older Singaporeans’ aspirations to stay engaged and live actively.

One senior who has exemplified this is 82 year-old Mr Ng Bock Hock, who has been actively participating in various learning and volunteering activities since he retired some 20 years ago. Mr Ng enjoys attending NSA courses, as he can pursue his interests and learn at his own pace. Calligraphy became one of his hobbies since he enrolled in a calligraphy course with NSA. Today, he regularly practises calligraphy to maintain his fine motor skills, and to keep his mind active. He has also recently completed a NSA autobiography course. Mr Ng is the epitome of a lifelong learner, pursuing knowledge for interest and self-enrichment, while staying active and healthy.

Beyond gaining new knowledge, learning also empowers our seniors to fulfil their aspirations. Madam Hamidah, 61-year-old, took up NSA courses on Marketing, Effective Negotiation Skills, and Entrepreneurship over the last two years with an aim to expand her coffee beans business that was set up five years ago. I am glad that Madam Hamidah has leveraged technology, and applied the knowledge acquired from her NSA courses to promote her business on her website and social media platforms. I understand that she also plans to enrol in a sales-related course next. Madam Hamidah’s insatiable desire to improve herself serves as a role model for many of us.  I hope Mr Ng and Madam Hamidah’s stories will inspire more seniors to engage in active learning, and remain active contributors to our society.

A recent study conducted by the Duke-NUS Medical School’s Centre for Ageing Research and Education found that senior learning improved civic engagement, as it fulfils the desires of seniors to stay engaged and contribute to the society. The researchers also found that learning helped seniors forge strong bonds within the community, as they enjoy sharing their new knowledge with family and friends. More importantly, the seniors have developed greater self-confidence and purpose, as they are able to apply the skills and knowledge acquired in their daily lives. This helps seniors to build mental resilience and enhance their quality of life. C3A will use the findings of the study to enhance the NSA and its learning experiences, in order to cater to the changing needs of older Singaporeans.

Recent studies also suggest that enabling technologies and learning methods can enhance seniors’ interest in learning and their abilities to learn. Our efforts to transform into a Smart Nation provides opportunities to better support senior learning. Older Singaporeans of tomorrow will be more educated and tech-savvy, leveraging digital platforms to access services, information and social networks. C3A has launched a “National Silver Academy” mobile application, so that seniors can obtain more information on NSA courses while on the go. In parallel to this, the NSA will also look into offering courses via e-learning in future.

I look forward to seeing C3A establish more NSA touchpoints within the community to enhance the accessibility of learning opportunities for our seniors. Moving forward, C3A has plans to work with corporate partners and unions to conduct NSA courses for mature employees. This will allow them to enjoy the convenience of learning in their workplaces, as well as align their learning outcomes to stay engaged.

Age is no barrier to learning. Through various initiatives and platforms, I hope it will continue to promote a journey of positive ageing, where seniors can lead active and meaningful silver years, and participate as integral members of society. 

Thank you.