Quote by Lee Kuan Yew: “With every passing year, the education you have becomes more valuable.”

In an economy that keeps changing, the knowledge and habits of learning you build early become more — not less — valuable over time. This is not just about qualifications; it's about the ability to keep adapting. Education isn't a phase you complete; it's a foundation you build on forever.

This remark was made during the publication of Hard Truths to Keep Singapore Going in 2011, a series of interviews conducted in Lee's late eighties. Singapore was grappling with global economic competition from China and India, and debates about education policy and workforce skills were central to national planning.

First Prime Minister of Singapore, serving from 1959 to 1990, widely credited with transforming Singapore from a developing city-state into one of the world's wealthiest nations. His governance style was pragmatic and authoritarian, combining economic development with strict social controls. His 2011 memoir Hard Truths to Keep Singapore Going was among his last major works.