Wong graduated on Oct. 13 with a bachelor’s degree in Chinese language and literature and was the oldest among the university’s 3,611 graduates this year and one of nine retirees receiving degrees.
His success marked a turnaround from his first examination, when he received a D+ because he could not type Chinese using Pinyin, a system based on the Roman alphabet.
“I was completely lost. Every student around me was typing quickly, while I couldn’t even type a single word,” Wong told Channel News Asia. “It was painful and frustrating because I knew the answers … Everything was already in my head – I simply couldn’t type it.”
He considered dropping out, but Lee Wee Heong, head of the university’s Chinese Studies department, encouraged him to continue. He began learning Pinyin alongside his university coursework and eventually earned nine A and A- grades, along with several literary awards.
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Singapore University of Social Sciences. Photo courtesy of the university |
Wong’s ambition to attend university dated back decades.
After completing secondary school, he joined Keppel Shipyard as an apprentice and rose to become a marine engineering manager during a career spanning more than 40 years. He continued taking technical and vocational courses and sat for the A-Level examination, but a university degree remained out of reach.
After retiring in 2019, he enrolled in a diploma program and volunteered with a community organization. In 2022, he read about a university graduate in his 70s and decided to pursue a degree himself.
His first application to SUSS was unsuccessful, but he contacted the head of department to request another opportunity and received advice on improving his application. With his family’s help, he gathered educational certificates accumulated over several decades before applying again.
“When I learnt I was accepted into the program, I jumped in joy. I was one step to achieving a lifelong dream that I thought would have been impossible at my age,” he said.
His wife, Yeo Siew Guk, 71, supported him throughout his studies, often staying awake until he returned from evening classes, sometimes as late as 11 p.m. “I’m so proud of him, I really support the effort he put in his studies … I knew he would be able to do it,” she said.
Wong wished his late parents could have witnessed his graduation, adding: “Even though they’re no longer here, I feel that I’ve fulfilled that wish for them.”
Wong’s achievement comes as more older Singaporeans pursue further education. The country is now a super-aged society, with 21.4% of citizens aged 65 or older, up from 13.7% a decade ago.
At Republic Polytechnic, the proportion of learners aged 60 and above taking short courses or full diploma programs rose from 5.5% in 2022 to 11.3% in 2025, The Straits Times reported in July.
Temasek Polytechnic recorded an average annual increase of 50% in applications from seniors since 2023. Its SkillsFuture Academy received more than 500 applications for part-time and specialist diplomas from people aged 60 and above between 2021 and April 2026.
At the National University of Singapore, nearly 30 people aged 60 and above enrolled in postgraduate programs between 2020 and 2026.
Wong now hopes to volunteer as a Chinese tutor for underprivileged children and encourage other retirees to continue learning.
“When we are young, we study to build a better future. Later in life, learning can be a way to fulfil a dream that we once had to put aside for our family,” he said. “The important question isn’t whether you’re too old. It’s whether you want to give yourself another chance to learn.”