President’s Award for Teachers

The President’s Award for Teachers is a prestigious national award recognising educators for their dedication and commitment to nurturing youths.

Established in 1998, the award honours educators who inspire their students, prepare them for life and demonstrate a commitment to continuous learning. Recipients are presented with the award by the President of Singapore at the annual Teachers’ Day Reception.

Meet RP’s 2026 finalist: Tzang Merwyn Tong

Helping students find their voice through film

For Tzang Merwyn Tong, teaching storytelling is not simply about helping students make better films. It is about giving them the confidence to express themselves and use their stories to make a difference.

The independent filmmaker and educator from RP’s School of Technology for Arts, Media and Design was one of 18 finalists for the President’s Award for Teachers 2026 ↗ (opens in new tab).

Through the Visual Storytelling and Film Appreciation modules he teaches, Tzang encourages students to explore social and cultural issues through film. By creating a safe space for experimentation and reflection, he helps them develop their creative voice and the confidence to discuss subjects that matter to them.

Building confidence through first films

Tzang extends his teaching beyond the classroom through First Shot(s) Festival, a student-run platform he started for first-time filmmakers from STA.

The festival gives students the opportunity to complete and showcase their first films. Through the creative process, they learn to develop their ideas, respond to feedback and build the confidence to share their work with an audience.

The initiative later grew into First Shot(s) X-Change ↗ (opens in new tab), bringing together students from Singapore and across Asia to co-create films.

Working across cultures and creative disciplines challenges students to navigate different perspectives, overcome communication barriers and find new ways to tell stories together.

Their films were subsequently screened at the Goethe-Institut Singapore under FFIGS, a fringe programme of the Singapore International Film Festival 2025. The screening gave students a public platform for their work and showed them how stories developed through learning and experimentation can connect with wider audiences.

Using storytelling to support wellbeing

Tzang also believes storytelling can help people approach difficult conversations with greater openness and empathy.

Together with RP School of Sports and Health colleague Aaron Chen Angus, he co-founded Holding Space, a youth mental wellness advocacy campaign supported by the Ministry of Health.

The campaign culminated in the Holding Space Festival, a campus-wide event combining the arts, music and sport. By presenting mental wellness through activities that youths could relate to, the festival encouraged students to express themselves and engage in more open conversations about their wellbeing.

After seeing former students experience creative burnout in the industry, Tzang also began exploring how mindfulness could be incorporated into film education. This became part of his MA in Arts Pedagogy and Practice at Goldsmiths, University of London.

His approach was endorsed by the Centre for Mindfulness Singapore. Tzang is now partnering with its CEO, Dr Kathirasan K, to develop a film-based mindfulness programme that uses reflective film viewing to support secondary school students experiencing digital overstimulation.

From helping first-time filmmakers share their work to using film to support mental wellness, Tzang creates spaces where students can discover their voice, grow in confidence and use storytelling to make a difference.

His work reflects what Becoming #GreaterMe, Together means: educators and students learning from one another, growing through shared experiences and using their strengths to create a greater impact beyond the classroom.