Nur Afifah Rakif (middle), Deputy Centre Lead at My First Skool, posing alongside her colleagues.

Nur Afifah Rakif, Deputy Centre Lead at My First Skool (MFS), who is currently undertaking a Bachelor in Early Childhood Education with Early Childhood Education Leadership under the Singapore University of Social Sciences’ Work-Study Degree programme was put in the spotlight this week.

Afifah’s determination to upskill herself was mentioned in Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong’s speech at the debate on the President’s Address in Parliament on April 17 and Straits Times also featured her in an article on April 25. Highlighting that learning must be a continuous journey throughout one’s lifetime, Mr Wong said Afifah exemplifies the spirit of lifelong learning and the value of reskilling and upskilling in pursuing one’s passions.

Afifah shared that working in the early childhood education sector motivates her to upskill and be a better teacher, due to the impact of the work she does. “I see it as giving back to the community and playing a part in shaping the future, as working with young learners will have an impact on Singapore’s future generation,” she shared.

She added that upskilling has given her the opportunity to understand herself better and figure out her strengths and areas to work on. “I think we shouldn’t be scared to venture out and do something new. There is no age limit to chasing our dreams. If you want to upskill yourself, it’s never too late,” said Afifah.

Media Coverage

Straits Times Online (25 April 2023)