national education

Most of us think that being a president or prime minister is the coolest job ever. The reality is that the jobs of Singapore's current President Mr. S R Nathan and Prime Minister Mr. Lee Hsien Loong come with a lot of responsibilities. Do read up if you want to know more about the jobs of the President and the Prime Minister!

The family tree

 

The Government

So now that you know where the President and the Prime Minister stand in the government family tree, here comes the serious (or cool, as some of you think) part –the jobs of a President and a Prime Minister.

So, you want to be a President/Prime Minister?

The job of a President is similar to that of a school principle, and the job of a Prime Minister can be likened to that of a teacher. Both work hand in hand to ensure a safe and orderly environment for you and me.

A President is the head of state, while a Prime Minister is the head of the government. These two powerful men, together with the other members of the government, are the reason for Singapore's peaceful and orderly environment. We live in a vibrant society because of the laws they make. So, how are laws made? Well, before a law is passed down to Singaporeans, the Prime Minister proposes and explains the suggestion to the Parliament. Then, the Bill is passed to the Presidential Council for Minority Rights, who determines that the Bill is not unfavourable to any racial or religious groups in Singapore. If the Council consents to the Bill, it is sent to the President. Once the Bill has the President's approval, it becomes a law. The law is then implemented by the Executive committee, Judiciary committee, and must be obeyed by you and me!

Other than making laws, the President and Prime Minister also hold the responsibility of making Singapore a great place to live in: meeting the presidents and prime ministers of other countries to build good international relations, attending to our needs, running for elections, ensuring good governance…and the list goes on. It is no wonder Singapore is ranked the best place to live in within Asia!

Putting aside the glitz and glamour of meeting important people and gracing important functions, the job of the President and the Prime Minister is indeed important and it is definitely not meant for just anyone. However, if you dream of becoming Singapore's next President or Prime Minister, do not let anything stop you! Just study hard and build up on your leadership qualities!

PRESIDENTS OF SINGAPORE

 1 st President: The Late Encik Yusof bin Ishak (1965 to 1970)

2 nd President: The Late Dr Benjamin Henry Sheares (1971 to 1981)

3 rd President: The Late Mr C V Devan Nair (1981 to 1985)

4 th President: The Late Dr Wee Kim Wee (1985 to 1993)
5 th President: The Late Mr Ong Teng Cheong (1993 to 1999)

6 th President: Mr S R Nathan (1999 to 2005, 2005 to present)

 

PRIME MINISTERS OF SINGAPORE

1 ST Prime Minister: Mr Lee Kuan Yew (1959 to 1990)

2 nd Prime Minister: Mr Goh Chok Tong (1990 to 2004)

3 rd Prime Minister: Mr Lee Hsien Loong (2004 to present)