Polytechnic Forum 2008 |
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For most participants who went through Polytechnic Forum (PF), it was not only a learning journey outside classrooms but a valuable experience of a lifetime!
"The forum actually teaches us about real life issues and how to go about solving them as a team. And the solving of these problems is structured just like in RP’s PBL system," said Satish Kumar s/o Murugesen, a student representative in this year’s Polytechnic Forum and Pre-University Seminar.
Gwendolyn Tan shared, "PF became something serious to fun! It is an experience that no money can buy. No one will understand, unless you are in it. And it has bonded a lot of people from different walks of life together, with a common goal."
54 Republic Polytechnic students were among the 300 student participants, staff facilitators and representatives from other polytechnics to network, connect and actively discuss on various issues related to their subthemes such as entrepreneurship, health, community service and new engines of growth.
Jointly organised by the five polytechnics and National Youth Council, PF is a five-day residential programme at Downtown East from 16 to 19 September 2008. PF 08 also saw more support from partners such as People’s Association, PAYM, National Environment Agency, Singapore Youth Olympic Games Committee, Social Innovation Park and Health Promotion Board.
As participants embarked on a journey to explore the main theme, “Connecting Youths in the Changing World”, they were engaged from the P.Connected! networking session in June to the pre-forum and actual forum activities in September .
During the intensive pre-forum week from 8 to 12 September 2008, students participated in various workshops and Kopitiam talks (round-table discussions with experts), engaged themselves in project works and discussions, and visited organisations to acquire more knowledge in preparation for the actual forum.
This year’s PF was twice as happening as for the first time, performing groups students from the various polytechnics banded together to put up magnificent fusion performance items for the Closing Ceremony on 18 September 2008. The Closing Ceremony was graced by RADM(NS) Lui Tuck Yew, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Education and Ministry of information, Communication and the Arts.
For performing arts students such as Muhammad Nurhakim B Margono from CREATE, PF had offered them opportunities in acquiring new knowledge and skills such as stage and artiste management.
Said Hafidz Leong Hanafie Waren, PF had further enhanced his musical knowledge “because I get to mix around with different talents from different polytechnics and I get to bring these knowledge back to RP and to my IG”.
At the actual forum, fun times rolled in as participants engaged in various challenges such as T-shirt making, bowling and BBQ competitions, attended a terrarium making workshop at Hort Park, interacted with the Minister and Members of Parliament from Pasir Ris- Punggol GRC in a dialogue session. PF reached its climax at the Closing Ceremony at D’Marquee, Downtown East, where students finally got to showcase their talents after two weeks of hardwork and rehearsals. 
On the last day when everyone bade adieus, “It is great seeing that dead-beat everyone had a wide smile on their faces when heading home, i am sure everyone had enjoyed the whole experience they had during and also after the forum,” said Ching Lian Li.
Till we meet again in next PF.
For more information, visit www.polyforum.edu.sg
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