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Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura
Speeches

aLIVE Asatizah Awards & Symposium 2026

17 October 2026

Speech by Chief Executive of MUIS, Mr Kadir Maideen at the aLIVE Asatizah Awards & Symposium 2026.

ILHAM Management Committee Members;
ILHAM Executive Director, Ustaz Muhammad Hafiz Bin Abdul Rashid;
Esteemed Asatizah.

Assalamualaikum Warahmatullahi Wa Barakatuh,
And a very good morning to all.

Introduction

  1. It is a pleasure to join you at the aLIVE Asatizah Awards and Symposium 2026. Today, we come together to celebrate the dedication, patience and care that our asatizah bring to their students every day. It is also an opportunity for us to learn from one another, and strengthen our shared commitment to Islamic education.

Aspire to Inspire

  1. Behind every student’s learning journey is a dedicated educator. This year’s theme, “Aspire to Inspire: Purpose, Competence and Compassion,” reminds us of three important things:

    • to know why we teach;

    • to continually improve how we teach;

    • and to care for those we teach.

Those are the qualities that allow us to inspire our students and make a lasting difference in their lives.

Teaching as an amanah

  1. Teaching is more than just imparting knowledge. It is an amanah, a responsibility entrusted to every educator. While an aLIVE lesson may last only a few hours each week, the values we teach, the confidence we build, and the encouragement we give can leave a lasting impact on our students.

  2. Sometimes, it is the simplest gestures that make the biggest difference. A word of encouragement. A little patience. Or an act of kindness. These are the moments that our students may carry with them for a long time.

  3. This is also the focus of today's keynote by Ustaz Fathurrahman Dawoed, entitled "Reviving Our Intention, Renewing Our Calling". I hope his sharing will encourage us to reflect on the sincerity and sense of purpose that first inspired us and yourselves to become educators and how we can continue to nurture that calling throughout your teaching journey.

Celebrating excellence, Inspiring the asatizah community

  1. Today, we recognise asatizah who have demonstrated excellence and dedication in their service. My heartfelt congratulations to the 20 recipients of the Outstanding Asatizah Award, and the 20 nominees who will receive certificates and tokens of appreciation.

  2. Over the years, the awards have evolved in its rigour, and the asatizah look forward to the evaluation of their work. Today, I would like to remind our asatizah that it is not only about winning the awards, but it is also about our contribtions throughout our teaching journey. Every one of you are winners because of your contributions. I've also seen how there are many teachers who are consistent in their work and continue to be given other forms of reward. The dedication that the teachers have is consistent and is not just for the sake of winning awards.

  3. I also congratulate the 12 recipients of the Dedicated Asatizah Award for their steadfast commitment to our students. Each of you represents the very best of what it means to serve as an educator.

  4. Among those we recognise today is Ustaz Mohamed Yusoff Bin Mohamed Jakaria, one of this year’s Outstanding Asatizah Award nominees. He joined aLIVE in 2025, bringing with him four decades of experience teaching in our national schools and the madrasah sector. Yet, his passion for teaching and learning remains strong and he continues to contribute to aLIVE. He continues to mentor fellow asatizah and care for his students, whom he sees as an amanah entrusted to him by Allah.

  5. Ustaz Yusoff's journey reminds us of something important. Being an excellent educator is not simply about how long we have taught, or how much knowledge we possess. It is about the lives that we touch throughout the journey, the values we pass on, and our willingness to keep learning and growing with others and the students.

  6. But today is not only about those receiving awards. It is also about recognising every asatizah here. Week after week, you prepare lessons, guide your students, and encourage those who may be struggling. You find ways to make religious learning meaningful for every student. Much of this work happens quietly, away from the spotlight. Yet, its impact can last a lifetime. For this, I want to express my sincere appreciation to each one of you, present and those not present, for your dedication throughout your journey.

Excellence requires competence and compassion

  1. Our students today are growing up in a world very different from the one many of us experienced in the past. They have different interests, learning needs, and ways of engaging with knowledge. As educators, we must continue to grow alongside them. Sound religious knowledge remains essential. But how we communicate, engage our students, and make our teachings relevant to their lives is equally important.

  2. Competence must go hand in hand with compassion. A good educator does more than impart knowledge. A good educator listens, understands, and encourages. Students may not remember every lesson. But they will remember the teacher who believed in them, who showed patience when they struggled, and who helped them find confidence in themselves.

  3. This is why today’s dialogue, “Practising Compassion: One Step at a Time”, is important. Compassion does not always require grand gestures. Often, it begins with small, everyday actions. Taking time to listen. Recognising a student's special needs. Or finding another way to explain a difficult concept. These simple acts build meaningful connections and make learning more effective.

Future-ready and inclusive

  1. Our students today have access to information at their fingertips. This is a challenge for our educators. They are exposed to new ideas and influences beyond the classroom. As asatizah, our responsibility goes beyond keeping pace with these changes. We must guide our students to navigate this changing world with confidence, sound values, and a strong sense of identity.

  2. Today's Forum Theatre segment brings real classroom scenarios to life. It gives us an opportunity to reflect on how we can better respond to different learning needs with empathy and creativity. I encourage everyone to participate actively, share your experiences, and learn from one another. There is much we can learn from each other's experiences. By sharing ideas and exploring new approaches, we can continue to grow and become better educators.

Upholding the trust placed in our asatizah

  1. As religious educators, we hold an important position of trust within our community. Parents entrust their children to us, not only to gain religious knowledge, but also, to develop good character, sound values, and a love for their faith. This trust is both a privilege and a responsibility.

  2. The Asatizah Recognition Scheme, or ARS, sets the professional standards and ethical conduct expected of our religious educators. But upholding this trust goes beyond meeting formal requirements. It is reflected in how we conduct ourselves every day. Through our integrity, our actions, and the care we show to those entrusted to us.

  3. As we celebrate excellence today, let us also reaffirm our shared commitment to providing a safe, respectful, and nurturing learning environment for every student. Every student deserves to feel safe when they are learning at our centres. Every student deserves to feel supported. And every student deserves to be respected.

  4. When we provide such an environment, our students are better able to learn, grow in confidence, and develop a meaningful relationship with their faith. This is a responsibility that every one of us shares.

Investing in the future of our asatizah

  1. Recognising excellence must also go hand in hand with investing in the professional growth of our asatizah. As educators, we never stop learning. Through professional development programmes, training and coaching opportunities, we aim to develop and help our asatizah deepen their knowledge, sharpen their skills, and grow in confidence as educators.

  2. The Inspire Walk today is another example of this commitment to strengthening our teaching community. It features contributions from the ILHAM Research Workgroup and aLIVE Curriculum Workgroup, showcasing ideas, research and practical approaches that can enrich classroom teaching. I encourage you to explore these contributions and consider how the ideas shared today can be applied in your own classrooms.

  3. When we invest in our asatizah, we invest in the future of Islamic education in Singapore. Every educator we support has the potential to inspire many more students.

In closing

  1. Dear Asatizah, as we reflect on this year's theme, "Aspire to Inspire", I hope we will carry three things with us. First, teach with purpose. Remember the amanah entrusted to us. Second, keep learning. So that we can continue to give our best to our students. And lastly, lead with compassion. Because sometimes, the greatest lessons we impart are not through our words, but through how we treat others, and our actions.

  2. To all our award recipients, congratulations once again. And to every asatizah here, thank you for the difference you make in the lives of our students within our community. May you continue to find joy in your profession, in your teaching, in developing your students. I wish everyone a meaningful and enriching symposium ahead.

Wassalamualaikum Warahmatullahi Wa Barakatuh.