School Year Commencement Message

Date: 01/09/2026

Good morning, teachers and students,

 

It is great to see you all at the beginning of a new school year. Today, I would like to kickstart the school year with our yearly goal-setting practice, "My Pledge to Act." As with the previous years, the theme centres on "Be Grateful and Treasure What We Have, Stay Positive and Optimistic." This year, our sub- theme is "Use Technology for Good, Be Prudent and Self- disciplined."

 

We live in a remarkable time. Technology connects us across borders, helps us learn in ways that were unimaginable a generation ago, and opens doors to creativity and problem- solving. With tools like AI, we can translate languages instantly, access knowledge on nearly any subject, find solutions to real- world problems, and even support those in need; whether through health apps, learning platforms, or community networks. That is something to feel grateful for and optimistic about.

 

Yet we also know the other side of the story. I am sure many of you have experienced this: you pick up your phone to check one message, and before you know it, an hour has passed — video after video, scroll after scroll. You look at the clock and it is 1 a.m., your homework is untouched, and your alarm is set for 6. It is not that you planned to stay up. It just… happened. There is even a word for it now — doomscrolling — that feeling of being pulled into an endless feed, not because you are enjoying it, but because you simply cannot stop.

 

I am not here to tell you that technology is bad. It is not. The same phone that keeps you up at midnight is also the one that helps you revise for exams, stay connected with friends, and discover things you are passionate about. The question is whether we are using it, or it is using us.

 

That is where prudence and self-discipline come in. Being prudent means pausing before we act and asking ourselves: is this helping me, or just filling time? Do I actually want to watch this next video, or am I just on autopilot? Self-discipline is the strength to follow through; to put the phone down when we know we should, to set boundaries and stick to them, even when no one is watching.

 

I will be honest — even adults struggle with this. It is not about being perfect. But every time you choose to log off and rest, every time you resist checking your notifications during study time, you are building a habit. Small choices, repeated daily, shape the kind of person you become.

 

So as we begin this school year, let us pledge to use technology for good — to learn, to create, to help others. Let us pledge to be prudent — to think before we scroll, to choose quality over quantity. And let us pledge to be self-disciplined — to set healthy boundaries so that we can enjoy this school year with clear minds and energy for the things that truly matter to us.

 

Technology will only continue to grow in our lives. The question is not whether we use it, but how. May we use it with gratitude, with wisdom, and with self-discipline - not to waste our time, but to enrich our learning, our friendships, and our future.

 

Thank you!