ASEAN TAPESTRY: STORIES WOVEN THROUGH TIME

“The mind is not a vessel to be filled but a fire to be kindled.” — Plutarch

Sometimes, all it takes is a thought. When that thought materialises, your world gets busier, but shinier, and you reap a joyful harvest in time to come.

When learning is designed primarily to happen in a classroom, or as part of teachers’ instruction, assessment for (such) learning would serve to enhance the anticipated learning with feedback to meet success criteria or address learning gaps. But what if the learning for students takes place outside of classrooms, schools, or even Singapore? When learning is more about discovery and piquing curiosity than design, then the forms of assessment should then be adapted to support the unique learning experience of different students. In our ASEAN Tapestry learning journey, we had the privilege to witness the joyful harvest of such learning, of which assessment played its role in prompting, guiding, and evidencing. Our journey began in a learning programme for ourselves.

In our Teacher Leaders Programme 1 in January 2024, we took a leap of faith for a different kind of learning journey: a dialogue with our Ambassador-at-Large, Professor Tommy Koh. Professor Koh replied swiftly and positively, happily agreeing to meet a group of Teacher Leaders for a dialogue at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA). On 1 March 2024, a group of 10 Senior Teachers met with Prof Koh for a most memorable conversation. We discussed current affairs, including ASEAN affairs. Prof Koh urged us as frontline educators to impress upon our students the importance of ASEAN and the role it plays in our region and beyond — and his words gave us much food for thought.

His call to action was timely. ‘What are the countries that make up ASEAN?’ ‘When was ASEAN formed?’ ‘How did it come about?’ The answers to such basic questions of fact elude many of our Singaporean youth, let alone the complexities of geopolitics and international relations. Yet these are not merely trivia; they speak to a deeper gap in our students’ ability to recognise, analyse, and evaluate global issues and their impact on Singapore. The 2021 ASEAN Secretariat study, Understanding How Young People See ASEAN: Awareness, Values, Identity, was telling: young Singaporeans possess limited knowledge of ASEAN’s pivotal role in shaping regional cooperation and its significance on the global stage. Contrary to our glowing PISA results, Singapore ranked 8th out of the then-10 ASEAN member states in that study. There was clearly some way to go towards building ASEAN literacy in our Singaporean students. Given ASEAN’s salience to Singapore as emphasized by Prof Koh, we were interested in cultivating these Emerging 21st Century Competencies in our students — specifically their civic, global and cross-cultural literacy with an emphasis on our immediate neighbours in ASEAN.

Galvanised by Prof Koh’s dialogue, the three of us, namely Angeline Heng of Convent of the Holy Infant Jesus (Secondary) (CHIJ Sec), Christopher Ow of Methodist Girls’ School (MGS) and Alice Lim of the School of Science and Technology (SST), decided that we would collaborate towards attaining this goal.

ASEAN Tapestry: Stories Woven Through Time was conceived later that year, following several months of discussions with the ASEAN Directorate in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) and the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies – Yusof Ishak Institute (ISEAS). A total of 20 secondary schools from the S3, W3, and W5 clusters – as well as schools of the Senior Teachers involved in the dialogue with Prof Koh – were invited to participate. It unfolded in three parts, beginning in January 2025.

Part 1 brought students on a Learning Journey to the National Gallery, where they engaged with selected pieces of Southeast Asian art followed by a dialogue with curator Ms Teo Hui Min, who challenged students to conceive of Southeast Asia across diverse time periods and different, particularly non-Anglophone and non-Western, perspectives.

Part 2 featured a Masterclass delivered by academics and practitioners: Ms Joanne Lin, Senior Fellow and Coordinator of the ASEAN Studies Centre at ISEAS and Ms Melinda Martinus, Lead Researcher at ISEAS provided academic perspectives whilst Ms Michelle Lim, former Covering Deputy Director of the ASEAN Economic Community at the ASEAN Directorate, MFA and Ms Marisol Hernandez, Assistant Director for Community Relations at the ASEAN Secretariat gave us the practitioner’s perspective. These sessions challenged students’ conceptions of the region and its relevance to Singapore and our shared future.

Part 3 was the official launch of the Narrative Writing Competition, where students were invited to write about authentic stories of kinship and friendship in ASEAN, putting into practice their interpersonal communication skills and their appreciation of diversity across the region. The narrative writing competition stood out for its emphasis on authentic storytelling through students’ own voices. The theme of kinship and friendship opened a pathway for students to share real stories of real people in their lives – stories that reflected their growing sense of connection to, and curiosity about, the wider ASEAN community. At the time of the competition in 2025, AI was already commonplace and rather than prohibit its use, we channelled it purposefully: students could use AI to refine language and clarify thought, but not for idea generation. To lower the barriers to entry, we allowed submissions from individuals, pairs and trios. To further encourage participation, we also created separate categories for Upper and Lower Secondary students. Schools that were reticent to participate were assured that support was available. Our vision of the competition was one of inclusivity: a space for any student with a voice to share an authentic story along with the tumult of thoughts and feelings that accompanied it. Without making it a strict criterion, we were able to engage students to exercise their cross-cultural literacy even as they engaged in the storytelling process.

To facilitate students from our own schools taking part, we arranged for third-party adjudication by the researchers from ISEAS. We furnished them with a simple rubric which they found helpful for rating the entries even though they were not schoolteachers accustomed to grading with rubrics. After receiving the anonymized entries from us, they proceeded to score the 53 entries received and surfaced for us the top 3 entries for the two categories.

Concurrent with the ISEAS judges’ scoring, a Readers’ Choice Award invited all students from participating schools to vote for their favourite story, with the most popular entry in each category receiving recognition.

Winners of both the centralised judging as well as the Readers’ Choice voting were then invited to a Stories Presentation Workshop, where they were coached to bring their stories to life through multimedia, monologue, skit, poetry recital, music, or song.

The competition came alive at the Stories Presentation during the Award Ceremony held at CHIJ Secondary, graced by Ambassador-at-Large Mr Ong Keng Yong. Each prize-winning entry was given airtime to present an excerpt of their story to the audience of peers, parents, teachers, and school leaders.

In numbers: the Learning Journey was attended by 39 students from 7 schools; the Masterclass by 58 students from 7 schools; 53 entries were received from 5 schools for the writing competition; and the Award Ceremony drew participation from 6 schools, with 40 students, parents, teachers, and school leaders in attendance.

The programme continued into the second semester of 2025. Students from the three schools – CHIJ Sec, MGS, and SST – had the opportunity to visit the Indonesian, Vietnamese, and Thai embassies for dialogues with their respective Ambassadors. These authentic, in-person exchanges gave students a deeper understanding of the social, historical, and geopolitical contexts that shape our region. As part of Racial Harmony Day celebrations in July, participating students shared their learning from the embassy visits at SST.

In commemoration of ASEAN Day in August 2025, students from all three schools were invited to MFA for a dialogue with Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Vivian Balakrishnan. Students engaged with the minister through their  well-considered questions which sparked off an enlightening and wide-ranging discussion on Singapore’s foreign policy and national interests that further heightened students’ civic, global and cross-cultural literacy as their questions were answered.

MFA’s social media posts:

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We are immensely grateful to the MFA, particularly the former Director General of the ASEAN Directorate, Mr Rajpal Singh, for supporting the ASEAN Tapestry and the enormous opportunities that it brought our students.

It was a delight to adopt a different approach to assessment for learning in our ASEAN Tapestry, especially for the narrative writing competition. Instead of

emphasising the technical qualities of structured writing, we encouraged students voice and inclusivity by giving the option of collaborative work, rather than competitive (standardardized) merit.  

In 2026, the ASEAN Tapestry continues another year in a different form. Students from the three schools have come together to collaborate on a series of challenges on tourism, climate change, sustainable cities and the arts. All projects will be shared in MFA to the ASEAN Directorate in August. This will pave the way for greater involvement in next year’s ASEAN’s 60^th Anniversary celebrations chaired by Singapore.

If this collaboration interests you in big or small ways and you feel that nudge to be a part of an interschool collaboration where you will meet great and like-minded colleagues in our fraternity, please write in to Angeline at he********************@mo*.sg to indicate your interest. Our small team would love to engage you, share more about our venture into ASEAN Tapestry and welcome you warmly.

We leave you with anecdotes from teachers and students, and hope that their learner voice will encourage you to seek learning for yourself, and/or your students,  beyond the classroom, schools, and even Singapore.

Student voices

Pamelyn Soh (CHIJ Sec – Class of 2025, currently in National Junior College J1) ‘Through this programme, I’ve had plentiful opportunities to research about ASEAN. The writing competition and the dialogue were eye openers on the connectedness of ASEAN and what ASEAN countries do to help one another grow. Together, we can be more united and stronger in weathering the unpredictable future.’

Natasha Tan (CHIJ Sec – Class of 2025, currently in National Junior College J1) ‘This programme has given me the opportunity to participate in an engaging dialogue on ASEAN and insights into ASEAN consensus building, regional cooperation and inclusivity. Through this experience, I appreciate Singapore’s foreign policy and believe that we should always be united, resilient and future-ready. My horizon has also expanded to look beyond my perspective as a young person to that of Singapore’s and ASEAN’s. As a youth, I hope to explore more global, regional and cultural issues and how I can play my part to resolve them.’

Yip Yu Mun (CHIJ Sec – Class of 2025, currently in Hwa Chong Institution J1) ‘Participating in ASEAN Tapestry was an incredibly eye-opening experience that allowed me to dive deep into and explore the diverse cultures and shared identity of our region. Our dialogue with Minister Vivian Balakrishnan was also a highlight. Hearing his perspectives and experiences firsthand bridged the gap between our classroom learning and real-world diplomacy. The experience taught me that our youth voices carry genuine weight in shaping regional understanding and it inspired me to think more critically about Singapore’s place in the global landscape.’

Ong Kai Xuan (CHIJ Sec – Class of 2025, currently in Catholic Junior College J1) ‘Through this programme, I have learnt how ASEAN countries work together to help one another in times of difficulty and gained insights into the political climate in ASEAN countries and the role ASEAN plays on the world stage. It was exciting and meaningful to be involved in the dialogue together with my friends as a young person who has not yet been inducted into the world of politics. It made me realise Singapore’s role in ASEAN as well as how important ASEAN is to the world.’

Katie Tan (MGS Year 3 student) ‘Through ASEAN Tapestry, I have had the opportunity to attend multiple sharings and a field trip allowing me to learn more about ASEAN. I gained a deeper understanding and appreciation of the beautiful diversity across ASEAN countries. Ultimately, the programme showed me that our regional differences are not barriers, but rather a collective strength that allows ASEAN countries to uplift one another and thrive together.’

Charlotte Lee Wen Xin (MGS Sec 3 student) ‘Taking part in last year’s ASEAN Tapestry Creative Writing Competition gave me the opportunity to express my ideas through writing and appreciate diverse perspectives from across ASEAN. It inspired me to become more confident and creative as a writer and performer.’

Amber Lim Zi Shan (MGS Year 3 student) ‘Joining this programme compelled me to look beyond our borders and explore the ties that bind our ASEAN nations. The process of drafting my writing piece required the analysis of economic and social ties between our countries and the subsequent dialogue sessions in CHIJ served as eye-openers, showing exactly how member countries uplift each other through shared challenges. As a youth, I now feel a strong sense of responsibility to use my voice to educate others about ASEAN’s cultural and economic landscape and help shape a more resilient future together.’

Kate Chua Le En (MGS Sec 3 student) ‘Participating in the ASEAN Tapestry Writing Competition last year was a meaningful experience that broadened my perspective. It taught me to appreciate the rich cultures and the value of ASEAN kinship while helping me recognise the importance of unity despite our differences. Through researching, reflecting, and writing, I learned to see issues from different perspectives and express my thoughts more thoughtfully and effectively. The experience not only strengthened my writing skills but also deepened my appreciation for the unique identities of our neighbouring countries.’

Siya Saurabh Rathi (MGS Year 3 student) ‘The ASEAN Tapestry Writing Competition and the dialogue at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs were truly invaluable experiences. Through this programme, I had the opportunity to deepen my understanding of ASEAN and its role in fostering regional cooperation, particularly in promoting social and racial harmony. It helped me appreciate that despite our diverse cultures and backgrounds, we can work together to overcome shared challenges. I have gained meaningful insights that will continue to inspire me to contribute towards a more united and resilient ASEAN in the years to come.’

Chloe Lynn Annatashya Satyawijaya (SST Year 3 student) ‘ASEAN Tapestry allowed me to be surrounded by passionate mentors and like-minded peers, giving me the opportunity to retell personal stories artistically. By attending the learning journeys, masterclasses, and finally presenting my writing in another medium through the presentation, my confidence in creative expression improved greatly.’

Teacher voices

Alice: ‘This journey was far from easy, but it was undeniably worthwhile. At every stage, we planted small seeds to deepen students’ understanding of ASEAN and empower them to see themselves as active contributors to the ASEAN community, with voices that matter and can make a difference. Guided by our  bold vision and strengthened by the unwavering support of our stakeholders and school leaders, our team embraced every challenge as an opportunity to learn, grow, and innovate.’

Christopher: ‘Professor Tommy Koh’s sheer optimism somehow sparked off this crazy idea which has somehow taken on a life of its own. But having seen the fruits of the rich and deep learning experiences we were somehow able to put together, I would like to see this experience grow larger and benefit an even wider pool of students. The generous efforts of our various partners deserve, I feel, a much wider audience amongst our Singaporean students.’

Angeline: ‘ASEAN Tapestry has been an enriching experience not only for the students involved but also for the teachers. The immense support from MFA, ISEAS, ASEAN Secretariat and the National Gallery were more than we asked for and without which, the collaboration would not have borne fruit. Personally, I have gained much knowledge from this collaboration and it motivates me to craft programmes to educate our students on ASEAN literacy and to gain a deeper understanding of the importance of adaptability and resilience.’