Leaving a Legacy in Education

Throughout her life, Ms Agnes Sng has seen the value of education first-hand. “I spent more than a decade in less-developed countries and saw the struggles that many people face — and how many of these could have been alleviated through a good education,” she reflects. “Unfortunately, accessing that education often proved challenging.”  

But it is not just in far-flung places that people struggle for an education; similar challenges have existed — and continue to exist — in Singapore, as Ms Sng has observed. As an undergraduate in the 1980s, she met many contemporaries who had to forgo school activities to take on part-time jobs. “These weren’t internships,” recalls Ms Sng, 64, “but jobs as salesgirls and tuition teachers because their salaries would help them pay for tuition fees and schoolbooks. I was fortunately supported by my family, so I could focus on school.”

Ms Sng could therefore immerse herself completely in university life, including extracurricular activities and after-school programmes. “These were valuable, as they helped me bond with my classmates in social settings,” she says. “I made lifelong friends in NUS. Unfortunately, those who had to work part-time had fewer opportunities to fully enjoy the whole suite of activities that makes university life more enriching and forge close bonds with other students.” These bonds came in useful later in her professional career. “Being able to call an old law schoolmate about a matter can make all the difference,” adds Ms Sng, who has held roles in banks, non-governmental organisations and the Singapore Academy of Law. 

Through the years, Ms Sng often came across news stories of students who had to give up their studies due to financial circumstances. “It was heartbreaking to hear these stories,” she shares. “That’s the reason why I gravitate towards bursaries.”

DOING HER PART

“The only certainty in life is death and I’m such a control freak, I like to organise things in good time,” she quipped. Wanting to do more than just make small annual contributions to bursaries, Ms Sng nominated NUS Faculty of Law as a beneficiary of a substantial portion of her Central Provident Fund (CPF) monies towards a bursary in 2015. “The nomination process at CPF is very easy and free,” she explains. “When I did it in 2015, there were just some forms to be filled out at the CPF office. These days, it can also be done online on the CPF website using your Singpass. It’s such a convenient way to leave a legacy,” she says.

Reactions to her decision were mostly supportive although one friend questioned why she had chosen to give to NUS. “He said, ‘NUS is a rich institution!’ But I feel that education institutions can never have too much money, if you want to have world-class faculty, staff and facilities for the students. Also, if you prefer your gift to directly benefit a financially needy student, you can always opt to give to a bursary.” She continues, “To me, bursaries have a unique purpose. They ensure that no one is turned away from an education because of a lack of resources,” explains Ms Sng. She adds that although her contribution is modest, it will still make a difference in someone’s life, if many people come together to donate. “It’s like when you go to a vast beach: it’s made of many granules of sand. Every bit helps.” 

---

If you have any questions on how to make a planned gift to NUS, please email legacygift@nus.edu.sg or call +65 6516 8000.