The "gamble" of revamping a current affairs competition

By Zelig Dhi Lee Bai Hong

Project Director (Chancellor's Challenge Shield 2010), NUS Students' Political Association Year 3 Geography Major and University Scholars Programme


CHAMPIONS: The winning team from Hwa Chong Institution (HCI) posing with Guest of Honour Ms. Grace Fu, Senior Minister of State for National Development and Education.


PRESENTATION: I presented a Policy Recommendation Booklet summarising student participants' contributions to Concept Plan 2011 based on their inputs in CCS 2010 to Ms. Grace Fu for MND's consideration.
Seventeen years have passed since the inception of the Chancellor's Challenge Shield (CCS) - Singapore's most prestigious current affairs competition targeting students from Junior Colleges and tertiary institutions. I was asking myself - can we empower these ardent youths to help their fellow youths learn about what they ought to know about Singapore and the world? Can we relook at existing strategies in enhancing current affairs awareness?

Stepping up as CCS 2010's Project Director was a novel challenge for me. It was my maiden project as director. Despite not having participated or organised previous editions of CCS, my past experience in similar competitions proved useful as I oversaw the revamping process. Revamping CCS from being a knowledge-based competition to that of a competition advocating creative and critical synthesis of current affairs was my key objective.

I introduced a theme related to a prevailing current affairs problem, addressed to participants with new challenges such as an Application Question and a novel Semi-Final round comprising a Video Assignment. Riding from the debate generated from the Kent Ridge Ministerial Forum 2009 where MM Lee discussed his vision for Singapore in 50 years' time, I decided that our youths ought to have their say - through contributing to the Government's Concept Plan 2011, henceforth the theme "Singapore 2061 - What do YOU want it to be?"

The revamping process wasn't as smooth as I expected - as we had limited budget to work with and we also had to deal with the additional commitment required as well as the need to drum up participation for the competition. Nonetheless, the revamping process was perhaps the biggest gamble a Project Director would ever take - which paid off with City Developments Limited and Urban Redevelopment Authority coming onboard as our Corporate and Supporting Partners respectively. The Ministry of National Development then invited teams in the finals to the upcoming World Cities Summit - the rarest opportunity ever for a JC student. Everyone, from the organisers to participants - acquired fresh perspectives on Urban Planning and Development in Singapore, where the learning process was symbiotic and interactive.

I'm glad that my "gamble" in revamping CCS paid off. Student participants rose up to the call to forge a Sustainable and Liveable Singapore with original and passionate proposals. Our distinguished guests and supporters gave their thumbs up, knowing that the seed for youths to propose and forge effective socio-politico change has been well-planted to grow in future editions of CCS.