The Polytechnic Forum, an initiative which started in 1996, aims to provide a platform for polytechnic students to gain a deeper understanding of national issues through discussions and engagement with government and industry leaders.
Usually taking place in September each year, 60 selected students from each polytechnic will gather for a residential forum either overseas or locally. Participants will embrace their role as young Singaporeans as they glean meaningful insights from the discussions and propose ideas on how youths can help shape the future Singapore. There will be learning journeys, speakers’ series and recreational segments during the forum. Participants will discuss and present their ideas and findings based on a given theme to a distinguished panel or Ministers at the Closing Ceremony.
Follow us at Instagram @polyforum to check out some snippets from the last Poly Forum hosted by SP.
Poly Forum 2022
Happening over five days from 9, 13 to 16 September, Polytechnic Forum 2022 has resumed an in-person, face-to-face format. COVID-19 has thrown up many fault lines within the Singapore society. The Polytechnic Forum 2022 theme, keeping in line with Minister Ong Ye Kung’s recent speech at Singapore Perspectives 2022, is “Building A Caring Nation – One People, One Nation”.
300 selected student delegates from the five polytechnics were sub-divided into groups to discuss and explore the following sub-themes:
• Socio-Economic Divide
• Physical and Mental Health Challenges
• Gender Equality
• Race and Religious Divide
Key activities in the forum included a visit to the Singapore Discovery Centre to learn more about race, gender equality and Singapore's multicultural society in a fun way, as well as basic facilitation skill set. Besides having speakers talked about related topics, there were also learning journeys to PAVE, Harmony in Diversity Gallery, Enabling Village, Care Corner Senior Centre and Northlight School, just to name a few.
Dr Maliki Osman, Second Minister for Education and Second Minister for Foreign Affairs was the Guest of Honour for the Closing Ceremony. An interesting Q&A session took place between the student delegates and Dr Maliki. Many impactful memories were imprinted on the minds of the student delegates, one of which is to be the advocate for the cause under the various sub-themes of Polytechnic Forum 2022.