Minister of State, Ministry of Education and Ministry of Manpower, Ms Gan Siow Huang inspected the 58th Specialist Cadet Graduation Parade at Pasir Laba Camp this evening. A total of 1100 graduands comprising 909 from the Singapore Army, 62 from the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN), 45 from the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF), and 84 from the Digital and Intelligence Service (DIS), graduated as Specialists and Military Experts of the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF).

Addressing the graduands at the parade, Ms Gan emphasised the importance of leadership to rally and inspire people to navigate complexities and challenges, and the need for Specialists and Military Experts of the SAF to remain agile and adaptive to the ever-changing landscape in their leadership journey. She said, "As you go forward and discharge your duties henceforth, have faith and draw upon the skills and experiences you have gained to lead in a volatile, uncertain and complex environment. Even as you lead and command your fellow soldiers from the front, remember that you must continue to remain agile and adapt swiftly to ever-changing situations."

Ms Gan also reminded graduands on the importance of Total Defence, and the need for Singaporeans to stay united and remain vigilant. She said, "58 years into our nationhood, Total Defence continues to be relevant for Singapore’s future. As a small country that relies on open trade and commerce for its survival, Singapore is exposed to a myriad of threats across all dimensions. We therefore need a holistic defence strategy, one that encompasses not only military strength, but also economic stability, social resilience, psychological fortitude, preparedness for civil emergencies and robust safeguards for our digital space."

The graduation parade marked the completion of the 22-week Specialist Cadet Course for graduands from the Singapore Army, the RSN, the RSAF and the DIS, where they trained under rigorous and realistic conditions to sharpen their respective vocation expertise. The newly graduated Specialists and Military Experts will go on to assume command, training and staff appointments in the SAF. Present at the parade were senior SAF commanders, as well as families and friends of the graduands.