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Chasing Dreams with Discipline and Diplomas
Chasing Dreams with Discipline and Diplomas
Polytechnic Graduation 2026
In May, 38 student-athletes completed their post-secondary journey with Diplomas in Business Studies and Business from Ngee Ann Polytechnic (NP) and Republic Polytechnic (RP) respectively. Their graduation reflects the drive, support and determination needed to pursue excellence in both sport and studies. For these student-athletes, graduation marked the culmination of more than three years of balancing academic and sporting commitments through an athlete-friendly polytechnic pathway.
Among the top graduates was bowler Jayan Kuay, who graduated from NP with an impressive list of achievements. He received the Lee Wee Nam Silver Medal & Prize for the second most outstanding performance, earned a Diploma with Merit, and was awarded the Trans Eurokars (Mazda) Prize for the most outstanding academic performance in the Entrepreneurship Management Option.
For Jayan, the decision to join the SSP-NP programme was driven by his desire to continue pursuing high-performance sport while receiving a strong academic foundation.
“I chose to embark on the post-secondary programme with Singapore Sports School and Ngee Ann Polytechnic because I wanted to continue pursuing high-performance sport while receiving a strong academic foundation. Hearing from seniors about the robust support system gave me confidence that I would be able to balance both commitments effectively,” said Jayan.
For netballer Janissa Tan, the SSP-NP programme provided the support she needed to continue pursuing sport while progressing academically.
“The support from the school is something I would never find outside Sports School, and it played an important role in helping me to balance my studies and further pursue my sports,” said Janissa.
Her journey taught her resilience, discipline and effective time management. She also highlighted the importance of having a strong support network.
“Having encouraging coaches, understanding lecturers and mentors, supportive friends and family gave me the strength to keep going and to give my best in everything I do,” she shared.
As a student-athlete who often trained twice a day and travelled overseas for competitions, Janissa appreciated the flexibility and understanding shown by her lecturers.
“They are always willing to give us time to catch up with school work and specially make time out of their busy schedules to help us stay on track despite being away from school,” she said. “This support helped me to focus on competing overseas without worrying about falling behind in school. Knowing that the school has my back made me feel at ease.”
She attributed her strong academic performance to careful planning and discipline, often scheduling study sessions around training and making time for assignments even after demanding days.
Track and field athlete Laavinia Jaiganth also credited the SSP-NP Diploma structure for enabling her to continue pursuing athletics after secondary school.
“The SSP-NP Diploma structure was really instrumental to me continuing to pursue my sport past secondary school,” she said. “Due to the dedicated lecturers and support system from both SSP and NP, I was able to feel confident and motivated to balance my academics and sports.”
The flexibility of the programme allowed her to attend a month-long training camp in Ecuador through Leave of Absence arrangements while continuing to submit assignments. The experience contributed to her eventual achievement as the U20 400m National Record holder.
Cyclist and RP graduate Valencia Tan also reflected on the impact Sports School had on her development.
“I would not be where I am today without the support I received from the Singapore Sports School. Looking back, joining Sports School was truly one of the best decisions I have made,” she said.
When she first joined, Valencia was a junior cyclist with limited experience and achievements. She shared that Sports School recognised her potential early on and provided the support, funding and belief that helped her grow.
“The support, funding, and belief they placed in me have shaped me into a completely different person and athlete from who I was three years ago,” she said. “Although my time at Sports School was relatively short, these past three years have been incredibly significant in my sporting journey, and the lessons and experiences I gained will stay with me wherever I go.”
For these student-athletes, the polytechnic pathway has provided more than an academic qualification. It has equipped them with the structure, flexibility and support needed to pursue sporting excellence while preparing for future careers and opportunities beyond sport.
In May, 38 student-athletes completed their post-secondary journey with Diplomas in Business Studies and Business from Ngee Ann Polytechnic (NP) and Republic Polytechnic (RP) respectively. Their graduation reflects the drive, support and determination needed to pursue excellence in both sport and studies. For these student-athletes, graduation marked the culmination of more than three years of balancing academic and sporting commitments through an athlete-friendly polytechnic pathway.
Among the top graduates was bowler Jayan Kuay, who graduated from NP with an impressive list of achievements. He received the Lee Wee Nam Silver Medal & Prize for the second most outstanding performance, earned a Diploma with Merit, and was awarded the Trans Eurokars (Mazda) Prize for the most outstanding academic performance in the Entrepreneurship Management Option.
For Jayan, the decision to join the SSP-NP programme was driven by his desire to continue pursuing high-performance sport while receiving a strong academic foundation.
“I chose to embark on the post-secondary programme with Singapore Sports School and Ngee Ann Polytechnic because I wanted to continue pursuing high-performance sport while receiving a strong academic foundation. Hearing from seniors about the robust support system gave me confidence that I would be able to balance both commitments effectively,” said Jayan.
For netballer Janissa Tan, the SSP-NP programme provided the support she needed to continue pursuing sport while progressing academically.
“The support from the school is something I would never find outside Sports School, and it played an important role in helping me to balance my studies and further pursue my sports,” said Janissa.
Her journey taught her resilience, discipline and effective time management. She also highlighted the importance of having a strong support network.
“Having encouraging coaches, understanding lecturers and mentors, supportive friends and family gave me the strength to keep going and to give my best in everything I do,” she shared.
As a student-athlete who often trained twice a day and travelled overseas for competitions, Janissa appreciated the flexibility and understanding shown by her lecturers.
“They are always willing to give us time to catch up with school work and specially make time out of their busy schedules to help us stay on track despite being away from school,” she said. “This support helped me to focus on competing overseas without worrying about falling behind in school. Knowing that the school has my back made me feel at ease.”
She attributed her strong academic performance to careful planning and discipline, often scheduling study sessions around training and making time for assignments even after demanding days.
Track and field athlete Laavinia Jaiganth also credited the SSP-NP Diploma structure for enabling her to continue pursuing athletics after secondary school.
“The SSP-NP Diploma structure was really instrumental to me continuing to pursue my sport past secondary school,” she said. “Due to the dedicated lecturers and support system from both SSP and NP, I was able to feel confident and motivated to balance my academics and sports.”
The flexibility of the programme allowed her to attend a month-long training camp in Ecuador through Leave of Absence arrangements while continuing to submit assignments. The experience contributed to her eventual achievement as the U20 400m National Record holder.
Cyclist and RP graduate Valencia Tan also reflected on the impact Sports School had on her development.
“I would not be where I am today without the support I received from the Singapore Sports School. Looking back, joining Sports School was truly one of the best decisions I have made,” she said.
When she first joined, Valencia was a junior cyclist with limited experience and achievements. She shared that Sports School recognised her potential early on and provided the support, funding and belief that helped her grow.
“The support, funding, and belief they placed in me have shaped me into a completely different person and athlete from who I was three years ago,” she said. “Although my time at Sports School was relatively short, these past three years have been incredibly significant in my sporting journey, and the lessons and experiences I gained will stay with me wherever I go.”
For these student-athletes, the polytechnic pathway has provided more than an academic qualification. It has equipped them with the structure, flexibility and support needed to pursue sporting excellence while preparing for future careers and opportunities beyond sport.
- Chasing Dreams with Discipline and Diplomas