A total of 122 students received this year's Special Awards, which recognise students' achievements in both the academic and non-academic spheres.

The awards were presented on Thursday by Acting Minister for Social and Family Development Chan Chun Sing, at a ceremony held at the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organisation (Seameo) Regional Language Centre.

Nine categories of awards were presented: the Prime Minister's Book Prize, the Lee Kuan Yew Award for Mathematics and Science, the Lee Kuan Yew Award for All-Round Excellence, the Lee Hsien Loong Award for Outstanding All-Round Achievement, the Lee Hsien Loong Award for Outstanding Bicultural Students, the Lee Kuan Yew Award for Outstanding Normal Course Students, the Lee Kuan Yew Scholarship To Encourage Upgrading, the Lee Hsien Loong Award for Special Achievement, and the Sultan Haji Omar Ali Saifuddien Book Prize.

Mr Chan urged the winners to "come forth and serve the community, ... and pay it forward for the next generation".