05/05/2026
All eyes turned as Dr Syed Harun Alhabsyi arrived to officiate RP’s first Graduation Ceremony- marking the start of a season filled with milestones, pride, and new beginnings.
The hall settled into a quiet anticipation- one of those rare moments where you sense, even before anything is said, that something worth remembering is about to unfold.
As Senior Parliamentary Secretary for the Ministry of Education, Singapore and Ministry of National Development, he officiated the ceremony for Republic Polytechnic School of Technology for Arts, Media and Design (STA), officially kicking off RP’s graduation season. He arrived not just prepared in spirit, but in style too: his violet tie a deliberate nod to STA’s school colours.
In his address, Dr Syed Harun offered a reminder that resonated well beyond the stage: that creativity is not simply a matter of talent. It is a matter of courage- the courage to step forward, to persist, and to bring into the world ideas that genuinely matter. A simple message, and all the more powerful for it.
Principal Jeanne Liew and Board of Governors Chairman Abel Ang joined Dr Syed Harun as they met with our special award recipients. These were quietly personal moments- warm exchanges, proud families gathered close, and a palpable sense of reflection on how far each student had journeyed.
Among them was Faiq Faran, recipient of the Board of Governors Award for the Most Outstanding Graduate of the Year. Standing with his family beside him, it was clear that the achievement was never his alone- it belonged, in no small part, to those who had walked every step of it with him.
A defining highlight of the ceremony was the Passing of the Leaf. In this symbolic gesture, a bronzed, engraved leaf was presented to Alumni President Benjamin Alexander Chua- marking the transition of our graduates from being rooted within the institution to taking their place in a wider community. Their time as students has drawn to a close, but their connection to RP continues, in a new and meaningful form.
The ceremony also welcomed back familiar faces. RP alumni returned to the stage as The Mad Trio, a band that first came together during their student years. Led by Khim Ng, their song- built around themes of hope and possibility- brought warmth and energy to the hall. It was a fitting moment: graduates watching those who once stood exactly where they now stood, and catching a glimpse of what lies ahead.
Graduation is often spoken of as an ending. But standing in that hall, it felt far more like a beginning.
To our graduates- you arrived with questions, you grew with , and you leave ready to shape with what comes next. The world is waiting.
Be part of the family at alumni.rp.edu.sg
