When I was in Oxford reading the PPE degree, I had a dream that one day I would have a Master degree. Later, when I found out that I could apply for a Master of Art degree from Oxford by decree, I change that dream to two Master degrees. Subsequently, when I was in the Marine Corps Command and Staff College, they introduced a scheme to do a concurrent Master degree in Military Studies. I signed up and got the second Master degree. Finally, when I received the SAF Postgraduate Award to study Public Administration in Harvard, I succeeded to get the third and final Master degrees. This is more than a dream comes true.
As I reflect on the journey of these three Master degrees, academic appreciation is one thing, the ability to take any topic, conduct independent research, and write a good analytical essay is the skill I picked up at Oxford, and refined at both Quantico and Harvard. That was also the foundation for my subsequent avid contribution of articles to Pointer—the Journal of the SAF–as well as my current blogging prowess.
On education in general, my reflection is that it had lifted me from the kampong school of Sing Hua to a nationally recognized school of Dunman High School via the SAP programme. Then, through the Humanities Award programme, it had brought me to Hwa Chong Junior College, where the best students in Singapore assembled. Then through the SAF scholarship, I went to Oxford and learned with the best in the UK. In Quantico, I am a classmate to some of the best officers from many countries. Finally, when I was in Harvard, besides mixing with the best brains in the USA and other countries, through the Mason Fellow Programme, I also had the chance to interact with many leaders-students from many developing countries. Education to me is a great leveler.
One question that was often asked of me is since I have three Master degrees, why don’t I do a PHD. My answer is I have neither the desire nor the need for a PHD. As a person, I’m more interested in width then in depth of studies, and I never desire to be an academician or a researcher. So doing a PhD is out for me.
There women had helped me greatly in my education. One is my mother, who taught me the importance of diligence and discipline in study—Never burn any mid-night oil. Second is Mrs. Tay, my Sec.4 English teacher, who taught me care and motivation as a person. Finally, my wife, Lee Yoong, who had stayed and encouraged me when I did my second and third Master degrees. When I had to do my thesis in Quantico, she even helped me to proof read it. The thesis was very well received and I was awarded the degree. The rest like they say, are history.
#Yeo See Peng