Delayed Graduation Ceremonies for ITE, Polytechnic and University Graduands Affected by COVID-19 Situation

Mr Liang Eng Hwa asked the Minister for Education whether the graduation ceremonies for ITE, Polytechnics and Universities will still be organised at a later date for the current batch of graduands should the COVID-19 situation improve and permit.

Mr Speaker, Sir, each Institute of Higher Learning (IHL) typically holds over 10 graduation ceremonies, with the larger ones holding over 20 ceremonies, and some sessions can involve more than 1,000 people.

Realistically, in the light of COVID-19 and the need for safe distancing measures, our IHLs will not be able to hold traditional graduation ceremonies this year. It will also not be practical to postpone these large-scale ceremonies later this year, even if it is safe to do so by then. Because by then, graduands would have dispersed and gone their separate ways after completing their course.

Nonetheless, when the COVID-19 situation improves and stabilises, the IHLs will explore other ways, not involving big ceremonies, to help our students celebrate and commemorate the occasion, should they wish to.

We understand the disappointment of many students and parents. However, having explained the decisions, many have also expressed their understanding of the priority to safeguard health and lives, and that they would take this in their stride. Some graduands have also found their own creative ways to mark the occasion, such as a group of Temasek Polytechnic students who recently held a virtual ceremony on Minecraft.

We want to reassure our students that even though we are unable to hold the physical ceremonies, our students' achievements in their education journey and graduation are no less significant.

Thank you, Sir. Sir, indeed, the 2020 batch of graduates are an extraordinary cohort, they face challenging and trying circumstances and we should do our very best to help them if we can. So, I would like to ask the Senior Parliamentary Secretary again, should the COVID-19 situation improves and permits, say one year down the road, and graduates and their families are still keen to have a graduation ceremony, would MOE be prepared to support and importantly, to keep the option open for them?

Mr Speaker, I want to thank the Member Mr Liang Eng Hwa for his supplementary questions. In MOE, we understand the students' disappointment of not being able to mark the graduation with their family and their friends in one ceremony like before. It is hard, but unfortunately, given how easily infectious COVID-19 is, the need for safe distancing measures will continue to remain even after the circuit breaker measures are lifted.

Despite these unfortunate circumstances due to COVID-19, the IHLs have come up with many ways, not involving big physical ceremonies, to support and help the students to celebrate and commemorate this important occasion of their graduation and achievements. For the Polytechnics and the ITEs, traditionally, they hold their annual graduation ceremonies in the month of May, this month. Each of our Polytechnics and the ITEs have already set up a graduation website where congratulatory messages can be posted, in addition to the list of graduates and also the award winners. On top of that, additional commemorative materials such as graduation videos, e-handbooks or even graduation sticker packs, that were creatively done by the Faculty, were developed by the institutions.

Having said that, the Polytechnics and the ITEs are considering to allow gown rentals for photo-taking and eventually the opening of campuses for photo-taking, as and when safe distancing measures are scaled back. So, they are considering all that. That is for the Polytechnics and the ITEs.

As for our Autonomous Universities (AUs), as of now, SMU has decided that they will hold a virtual ceremony in place of the July ceremony. For the rest of the AUs, given that the graduation ceremonies are at least two to six months away, the other five AUs are deliberating the approaches and will certainly keep the graduands informed.

I would like to add that, beyond the commemoration of our students' graduation, all our IHLs are looking at ways to support our graduates given the uncertain economic outlook. For example, all the graduates graduating from ITEs, Polytechnics and AUs, will be offered complimentary access to pursue at least two CET modules and all our Education and Career Guidance (ECG) counsellors are available to support them in terms of career guidance and also career preparation.