Image: President Tharman Shanmugaratnam (in red), with Singapore Hokkien Huay Kuan President Mr Thomas Chua (left of Tharman), and NTU President Prof Ho Teck Hua (right of Tharman).
As part of its 185th anniversary celebrations, the Singapore Hokkien Huay Kuan (SHHK) has made a gift of S$1.85 million to NTU Singapore. The gift will support NTU students with special educational needs and fund research at NTU's Chinese Heritage Centre.
At a gala dinner held on 4 Sep, SHHK President Mr Thomas Chua presented the cheque to NTU President Professor Ho Teck Hua. The cheque presentation was witnessed by President Tharman Shanmugaratnam, guest-of-honour at the event.
Prof Ho said: "We extend our heartfelt congratulations to SHHK on its 185th anniversary. NTU deeply appreciates this meaningful gift, which reflects the Huay Kuan's enduring commitment to education and heritage. This donation will boost our efforts to build a more inclusive campus where every student can thrive. It will also help us preserve and deepen our understanding of Chinese dialect heritage, enriching the cultural fabric of our multicultural society."
Of the gift, S$1.25 million will go to NTU's Accessible Education Support Fund, which supports students with special educational needs. The funds will go towards accessible transportation and assistive devices, financial support for daily living, and clinical assessments that help level the playing field for students with disabilities.
The remaining S$600,000 will support research at NTU's Chinese Heritage Centre on Chinese dialect groups and subcultures in Singapore and beyond. This initiative will contribute to the preservation and a deeper understanding of dialect heritage, identity, and history in multicultural societies.
