Like many Singaporeans, Tan Wei Xiong is intrigued by China.
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Unlike most of his peers, the 23-year-old has already spent four years in Shanghai. He graduated recently from Fudan University with a Bachelor of Arts in Chinese Language and Literature.
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This month, Wei Xiong — who holds a Public Service Commission (PSC) Overseas Merit Scholarship (Teaching) — will begin his Master of Philosophy in Education programme at the University of Hong Kong.
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Explaining his interest in China, he said: “I was brought up in a very traditional Chinese family. So, Chinese culture is close to my heart.”
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He added: “I always had the interest and passion to work in the education service. It’s something that just came naturally — since my kindergarten days, I’ve wanted to be a teacher.”
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Wei Xiong signed up for the PSC scholarship for teaching in 2004 as he was keen to contribute to the education landscape in Singapore, from policy planning to classroom experience.
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In 2005, during his first-year university holidays, Wei Xiong was attached to the Ministry of Education’s (MOE) Curriculum Planning and Development Division.
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He was tasked with translating recommendations in the Chinese Language Curriculum and Pedagogy Review Committee report into concrete policies and curriculum.
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“From that experience, I realised that policy is an area I enjoy,” he said.
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Wei Xiong spent his second-year university holidays teaching at Beatty Secondary.
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In his third year, MOE sponsored his attachment to an educational non-governmental organisation (NGO) called Projectwhy in New Delhi, India. For a month, he taught English and Mathematics to children living in urban slums.
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“This trip was a life-changing experience for me as it reaffirmed my career choice. I felt the immense impact that teachers and public servants can have on children and the masses.”
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Wei Xiong’s involvement in education and charity did not end there. In 2006, he began sponsoring five Chinese students from rural Yunnan with part of his PSC scholarship allowance. These students are orphans, or have parents who are in ill health and cannot afford their education.
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“I wanted to do something, and while the allowance is not a lot, it’s more than sufficient for these students in China.”
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Two of these students have since graduated and moved on to university and technical college. He keeps in touch with them through letters and once-a-semester visits.
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Wei Xiong has also undertaken other private charity initiatives in China, raising his own funds and negotiating with local bureaucrats.
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“PSC scholars are encouraged to go out and explore,” he said. “I don’t feel like I’m being held back by anything. If I want to do something, my scholarship officer will assess my need and help me.”
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Despite his accomplishments in China, Wei Xiong remains focused on his ultimate goal of teaching Mandarin and Chinese culturein Singapore.
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“What’s closest to my heart is still education,” he said.
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