88 and still giving: Teh Kiu Cheong champions youth education at NTU

Text: Christine Teh

For Coen Loo, a third-year Materials Engineering student with a second major in Medical Biology at NTU, university life has not always been easy.

Before receiving the support of a bursary in 2023, she had to juggle part-time jobs alongside a demanding academic schedule to continue her university education.

“Unfortunately, my mother and uncle, the sole breadwinners of our household of six, were unemployed, making life mentally and physically challenging,” she recalls.

Her circumstances changed when she became a recipient of the Teh Kiu Cheong and Tan Siew Hwa Bursary, by NTU alumnus Mr Teh Kiu Cheong.

Mr and Mrs Teh Kiu Cheong (both seated) with student beneficiaries (from left) Spyridon Giakoumatos, Coen Loo and Sai Harsh Venugopal at the Meet-the-Recipients session. 

“The bursary has lifted a huge weight off my shoulders, allowing me to focus on my academic goals and bringing me closer to my dream of becoming a medical device engineer, so that I can invent devices that improve the quality of life for patients,” Coen says.

Mr Teh, now 88 years old, is a champion of education to change lives. Born in Malaysia in 1936, he was a baby during the Second World War and grew up witnessing the hardships of the time.

Despite the challenges, he excelled academically from a young age. His essays were published in Sin Chew Daily while he was still in primary school, boosting his confidence and setting the foundation for a lifelong love of learning.

Supported by his father, Mr Teh moved to Singapore in 1958 to pursue his studies in science at Nanyang University, the predecessor institution of NTU Singapore.

He was part of the university’s third cohort of students and quickly found the academic environment inspiring. “The campus had an air of freedom, and living in the hostel allowed me and my peers to form close bonds,” he recalls fondly.

After earning his degree in Science at the age of 23, he received a scholarship to pursue a Master’s in Physics at the University of Wisconsin–Madison in the US in 1962, where he was exposed to the Western world and cutting-edge trends.

He returned to Singapore and embarked on a career in teaching, serving as a senior physics teacher for the pre-university class at Queenstown Secondary Technical School.

“As a former teacher, I have a heart for education. Students are the future of a nation,” he said.

But his true passion was in business. After class, he often walked down Market Street with a friend, captivated by the energy of the trading environment.

He left teaching in 1970 to join the stock trading industry. His talent in mathematics and drive to succeed helped him thrive, and in 1981, he co-founded Grand Orient Securities with three partners. The firm was later sold to UOB Kay Hian Securities in 2001, at which point he retired.

Reflecting on his career, he says, “We must be able to take it up and let go. I have a drive to strive which turned into perseverance.”

Mr Teh reading a thank you note from Coen Loo (far left), one of the student beneficiaries.

Aiming to nurture future leaders, Mr Teh established the Teh Kiu Cheong and Tan Siew Hwa Bursary in 2020. Named after him and his wife, the bursary supports promising but financially challenged Singaporean and Malaysian undergraduates at NTU.

He remains actively engaged with his beneficiaries, attending the Meet-the-Recipients session last year with great enthusiasm.

“I want to support capable students so they can access bursary support and attain their university education. I have been through the turmoil of a war and witnessed the ups and downs of managing a business. I hope to encourage NTU student recipients to forge their own paths to success. If they find success one day, they can pay it forward and create a positive cycle of giving,” he says.

Other than bursary, he has also made other gifts to support NTU initiatives such as cultural fund and academic awards.

Inspiring students to go further

Another bursary recipient is Spyridon Giakoumatos, a third-year Computer Science student at NTU. Growing up in a single-parent household, he often hesitated to join co-curricular activities that required extra costs.

“With Mr Teh’s support, I can now fully focus on my academic and extracurricular pursuits. After graduation, I hope to work for a leading tech company and apply my knowledge in artificial intelligence, which I believe can solve real-world problems,” he said.

Third-year Computer Science student beneficiary Spyridon Giakoumatos at Pulau Ubin last year, as part of NTU Outdoor Adventure Club's Firelight Camp.

Both he and Coen see the bursary not only as financial aid but also as a bridge to opportunities they might not have accessed otherwise.

Coen aims to pursue a Master’s or PhD degree specialising in biomaterials. A research exchange programme in Japan further deepened her passion for the field, reaffirming her desire to make meaningful contributions through her work.

“I am sincerely grateful to Mr Teh for making this bursary possible,” she shares. “One day, I hope to support students facing similar challenges by contributing to their education. Currently, I do my part by donating to children with medical struggles, participating in food drives, and volunteering during my free time.”

For Coen, Spyridon, and many other recipients, Mr Teh’s generosity has opened doors to opportunities that were once out of reach and serves as a lasting reminder of the transformative power of education and philanthropy.

Additional reporting by Sadia Roohi