Aim to inspire and touch lives : NIE Teachers' Investiture Ceremony 2019

A sea of happy faces and excited chatter set the ambience for the celebrations at the annual NIE Teachers’ Investiture Ceremonies (TIC) held on 2 and 3 July 2019.

As NIE graduands eagerly don their robes that symbolise their successful completion in teacher education and stride into the Nanyang Auditorium, the stage is set for them to receive their certificates and commemorate the start of their profession ahead.

Congratulating the Class of 2019, NIE Director, Professor Christine Goh encourages them to continue building on their heart-ware.

“To inspire learning we must spark our students’ curiosity for new knowledge, and motivate them to see the relevance of the skills they learn,” Prof Goh adds, “Most of all, to inspire our students to learn, we must touch their lives with ours.”

Echoing a similar sentiment, the first TIC Guest-of-Honour, Ms Indranee Rajah, Second Minister for Education sums up the calling to teach with sound advice.

“Your mission goes beyond preparing your student for exams,” she says, “Your mission is to help prepare them for life.”

Photo 3: Ms Indranee Rajah and Professor Christine Goh with TIC Ceremony 1 Award Prize Winners

Amongst the 975-strong cohort, 44 graduands receive prizes and awards for their outstanding achievements while 16 make the inaugural batch of school counsellors from NIE’s revamped one-year Diploma in School Counselling programme.

Adding on, the second TIC Guest-of-Honour, Associate Professor Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim, Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Education also urged graduands to consider one other vocational aspect.

“Help them learn, unlearn and relearn effectively... Be the teacher who leads, cares and inspires, and help every student realise their potential and dreams to make a positive difference in the world.”

The wise words offered surely resonate well as graduands stood to recite the Teachers’ Pledge at the end of each ceremony.

And for two graduands in particular, TIC marks the start of their lifelong partnership as well.

Guests and graduands watched on as Mr Ferdinand Mar knelt and asked his girlfriend, Ms Grace Yap, for her hand in marriage. We wish the couple, both graduands from the same cohort, a memorable life together.

Once again, congratulations to class of 2019, the best is yet to come.