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Finland holds many lessons for Singapore: President Nathan
By Fiona Chan
HELSINKI: Singapore can learn many lessons from Finland, a country recently ranked by Newsweek as the best place in the world to live, President S R Nathan said yesterday at the end of a five-day state visit.
He had been inspired by many aspects of the Nordic country, from business and government to society and education, he said.
He described his visit to the headquarters of Finnish mobile phone giant Nokia, where he learnt how the company had upgraded itself from producing rubber-related goods to specialising in high-technology products.
'I suppose we in Singapore will have to do this from time to time, and we should back our enterprises with R&D. No product has a permanent life,' he told Singapore reporters at a press conference here yesterday.
Workers in Finland, too, continually update their skills.
'That's a good lesson for us, to show that no knowledge that you gather is enough; (you) must pursue (it) further.'
During his state visit, the first visit by a Singapore leader, the President met Finland's President Tarja Halonen, Prime Minister Mari Kiviniemi and Foreign Minister Alexander Stubb.
He and Mr Stubb discussed the evolution of regional integration in the European Union, and the progress of a similar union in Asean.
'It was a good exchange of views with him, because one learnt about the impediments that one comes across as you transit from the beginning to develop an integrated political unit, and the problems of developing a single foreign policy,' he said.
President Nathan has invited these three leaders, as well as the Speaker of Finland's Parliament, Mr Sauli Niinisto, to visit Singapore.
Another feature of Finland that Singapore should emulate is the country's egalitarian society, he said.
'The people don't flaunt their wealth; the people are quietly efficient and they have a philosophy of getting things done.
'It is a spirit that I think we must acquire,' he added.
'In everything they do, whatever their differences, when it comes to the best interests of the nation, they feel they should endure it to get things done. And I think that's a good philosophy to follow.'
Member of Parliament Josephine Teo, who was also on the trip, said Finland's education system - ranked among the world's best - holds valuable lessons for Singapore.
Mrs Teo, who chairs the Government Parliamentary Committee for Education, said Finland prizes the quality of teachers, gives them time and space to experiment with teaching methods, and recognises that exams and rankings should not be over-emphasised.
Singapore is striving to improve its education system in the same direction but can learn more from the Finns in these areas, she said.
WAIT AND SEE
'I wish I knew myself. It must happen next year. As I've said, I can't live forever. We'll wait and see.'
President Nathan, who was asked for his comments on the next presidential election, which must be held by August next year. He is 86 this year and is serving his second term as President. Each term is six years.
By Fiona Chan
HELSINKI: Singapore can learn many lessons from Finland, a country recently ranked by Newsweek as the best place in the world to live, President S R Nathan said yesterday at the end of a five-day state visit.
He had been inspired by many aspects of the Nordic country, from business and government to society and education, he said.
He described his visit to the headquarters of Finnish mobile phone giant Nokia, where he learnt how the company had upgraded itself from producing rubber-related goods to specialising in high-technology products.
'I suppose we in Singapore will have to do this from time to time, and we should back our enterprises with R&D. No product has a permanent life,' he told Singapore reporters at a press conference here yesterday.
Workers in Finland, too, continually update their skills.
'That's a good lesson for us, to show that no knowledge that you gather is enough; (you) must pursue (it) further.'
During his state visit, the first visit by a Singapore leader, the President met Finland's President Tarja Halonen, Prime Minister Mari Kiviniemi and Foreign Minister Alexander Stubb.
He and Mr Stubb discussed the evolution of regional integration in the European Union, and the progress of a similar union in Asean.
'It was a good exchange of views with him, because one learnt about the impediments that one comes across as you transit from the beginning to develop an integrated political unit, and the problems of developing a single foreign policy,' he said.
President Nathan has invited these three leaders, as well as the Speaker of Finland's Parliament, Mr Sauli Niinisto, to visit Singapore.
Another feature of Finland that Singapore should emulate is the country's egalitarian society, he said.
'The people don't flaunt their wealth; the people are quietly efficient and they have a philosophy of getting things done.
'It is a spirit that I think we must acquire,' he added.
'In everything they do, whatever their differences, when it comes to the best interests of the nation, they feel they should endure it to get things done. And I think that's a good philosophy to follow.'
Member of Parliament Josephine Teo, who was also on the trip, said Finland's education system - ranked among the world's best - holds valuable lessons for Singapore.
Mrs Teo, who chairs the Government Parliamentary Committee for Education, said Finland prizes the quality of teachers, gives them time and space to experiment with teaching methods, and recognises that exams and rankings should not be over-emphasised.
Singapore is striving to improve its education system in the same direction but can learn more from the Finns in these areas, she said.
WAIT AND SEE
'I wish I knew myself. It must happen next year. As I've said, I can't live forever. We'll wait and see.'
President Nathan, who was asked for his comments on the next presidential election, which must be held by August next year. He is 86 this year and is serving his second term as President. Each term is six years.
