Graduation ceremonies at polytechnics and the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) have been cancelled due to Covid-19, the institutions announced in a joint statement on April 6, 2020.

Ong: Happy occasion could turn into tragedy if graduation ceremonies become infection clusters

Minister for education Ong Ye Kung shared in a Facebook post that many polytechnic students have expressed their disappointment about the cancellation of the 2020 cohort's graduation ceremonies.

He wrote that he understood their disappointment, adding that the ceremonies were milestones that students and parents have been looking forward to.

However, he shared that the happy occasion could turn awry due to the current status of the virus outbreak:

"It is currently not safe to hold ceremonies. We don’t want to trigger a cluster of infections. Then a happy occasion will become a tragedy."

Never attended his own graduation ceremonies

Ong also shared that he had never attended his own graduation ceremonies.

The minister, who received overseas scholarships for his bachelor's and master's degree, had to miss both due to personal circumstances.

"When I finished my undergraduate studies, I was immediately summoned to return to Singapore to serve my bond," he shared.

"Years later, when I finished my Master’s, I rushed back because our first baby was going to pop anytime. So again I missed my graduation."

Ironically, the first time he donned a graduation gown was not for his own graduation, but after became Minister for Education and attended NUS’ Commencement ceremony as guest-of-honour.

On how he felt missing his graduation ceremonies, he said, "I missed them for reasons more important than attending them. I chose to graduate to working life, and to fatherhood instead."

Ong added that he and his wife "hardly remember" their wedding dinner or ceremony as well, but have instead accumulated 23 years of memories as a family.

Encouraged students to mark occasion with loved ones at home instead

Ong reminded students in his post that most of them would not remember missing their graduation ceremonies years from now.

"You will remember that you graduated in an extraordinary year in history, where the human spirit was put to the most stringent of tests, and kindness and love in our communities helped us pull through," he wrote.

However, he encouraged students to celebrate the occasion with their loved ones at home.

"Do mark the occasion at home with your loved ones. Take a nice picture and have a nice meal with your family," he suggested.

"But I am sure you can come up with much better ideas to celebrate the occasion than mine. Congratulations!"

Read his full post here.

Top image via Ong Ye Kung/Facebook