Meet RP's President’s Award for Teachers 2026 Finalists: Tzang Merwyn Tong and Dr Heng Kiang Soon
Our People and Impact
President’s Award for Teachers
4 September 2026
Celebrating RP educators who inspire students, transform learning and create an impact beyond the classroom.
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 finalists
Two RP educators were among 18 finalists for the President’s Award for Teachers 2026 (opens in new tab). Through storytelling, mentorship and industry-connected learning, they create opportunities for students to discover their strengths and make a difference.
Tzang Merwyn Tong (left) and Dr Heng Kiang Soon (right), RP finalists for the President’s Award for Teachers 2026.
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 create an impact.
The independent filmmaker and educator from RP’s School of Technology for the Arts, Media and Design teaches Visual Storytelling and Film Appreciation. By creating a safe space for experimentation and reflection, he encourages students to explore social and cultural issues through film.
I hope to instil the same sense of discovery I had, learning through practice, experience and reflection .— Tzang Merwyn Tong, RP School of Technology for Arts, Media and Design Specialist (Digital Content Creation), President’s Award for Teachers 2026 Finalist
Beyond the classroom, Tzang started First Shot(s) Festival, a student-run platform where first-time filmmakers can develop and showcase their work. It later grew into First Shot(s) X-Change (opens in new tab), bringing together students from Singapore and across Asia to co-create films, exchange perspectives and learn across cultures.
Their films were subsequently screened at the Goethe-Institut Singapore under FFIGS, a fringe programme of the Singapore International Film Festival 2025.
Tzang also co-founded Holding Space, a youth mental wellness advocacy campaign supported by the Ministry of Health. Its campus-wide festival brought together the arts, music and sport to encourage more open conversations about mental wellness.
After seeing former students experience creative burnout, he began exploring how mindfulness could be incorporated into film education. He is now partnering with the Centre for Mindfulness Singapore to develop a film-based mindfulness programme for secondary school students experiencing digital overstimulation.
Through these initiatives, Tzang helps students find their voice, build creative confidence and use storytelling to make a difference beyond the screen.
Dr Heng Kiang Soon: Creating possibilities through care and innovation
Dr Heng Kiang Soon lost sight in one eye when he was four. Growing up, he faced difficulties with hand-eye coordination, teasing from his peers and a learning environment that did not always recognise what he was experiencing.
Those experiences shaped his belief that learning is not only about imparting knowledge and skills. Students also need an environment where they feel understood, supported and confident enough to grow.
It’s not just the better-performing students who should do well. Every student deserves a chance to succeed.— Dr Heng Kiang Soon, RP School of Applied Science Specialist (Food Innovation), President’s Award for Teachers 2026 Finalist
When a part-time diploma student approached him while struggling with low self-esteem, Dr Heng continued mentoring and encouraging her. She went on to publish a book, launch a podcast and start a healthy food business.
He also creates opportunities for students to apply their learning in the agrifood industry. After spending four years developing Okara Soy Cheese and working towards its licensing by SoiLabs in 2022, Dr Heng understood how challenging it could be to bridge the gap between laboratory research and industry adoption.
He subsequently started a Short-Term Work Attachment programme that gives students industry exposure from as early as Year 1. To date, 14 students have completed the programme, gaining practical experience while showing employers what diploma students can contribute.
Dr Heng’s work with okara, a by-product of soybean processing, has also resulted in 14 products, four patents and the world’s first okara biostimulant. The biostimulant is now used by farmers in seven countries, including the United States.
By connecting mentorship, research and industry experience, Dr Heng helps students recognise their capabilities while advancing new possibilities for the agrifood industry.
Growing together, creating greater impact
Congratulations to Tzang and Dr Heng on being named finalists for the President’s Award for Teachers 2026.
Their work reflects what Becoming #GreaterMe, Together means: recognising the potential in every learner, creating opportunities for them to grow and working together to make a greater impact beyond the classroom.
Past RP recipients and finalists
RP educators have been recognised for their commitment to creating meaningful learning experiences and helping students realise their potential.