ITE musical celebrates success of Fandi, two other notable alumni

SINGAPORE – Back in the 1970s, when playing football overseas seemed far-fetched, Fandi Ahmad became the first Singaporean to play professionally in the Netherlands.

This was possible because of the support of his teachers at the Institute of Technical Education (ITE), formerly known as the Vocational and Industrial Training Board.

His story continues to be an inspiration for ITE students today.

One such student is Mr Mohammed Irfan Mohammed Rizal, 21, who aspires to become a professional beatboxer and represent Singapore in overseas competitions.

“Even though our hobbies are different, the energy and passion is there. For Fandi Ahmad, he is willing to do anything to achieve success in football because of his love for the sport – I relate to that,” the recent graduate with a Higher Nitec in film-making (cinematography) said.

To honour the achievements of its alumni and celebrate SG60, ITE staged its ninth musical, Beyond The Classroom, at the ITE headquarters in Ang Mo Kio.

The two-day performance ended on July 12.

The musical was in four acts, each tracing the journeys of three alumni – Fandi, lawyer Kawal Pal Singh and actress Siti Khalijah Zainal – and fictional character Siew Lan from their days in ITE to their accomplishments and jobs. Siew Lan represented lecturers who were once ITE students and who returned to ITE to teach.

ITE’s musicals, which it began staging in 2002, used to be adaptations of Broadway productions. Since 2015, the focus has shifted to works by in-house talent.

The 2025 musical, the first after an eight-year hiatus, was written by Mr Julian Wong, an educator in ITE. It involved 172 students, alumni and staff from all three colleges.

When crafting the play, Mr Wong wanted to show that students have interests and a life beyond the classroom.

“From a theatrical point of view, it was so colourful that there is one alumnus on a football field, one in the courtroom as a lawyer, one in the theatre, and, finally, the classroom,” said the 37-year-old musical creative adviser and playwright.

“These alumni achieved great success in fields not related to their studies and could not have done it if they hadn’t come through ITE and met educators who... supported them to go pursue (their dreams).”

As a teacher, Mr Wong understands that teachers have their “own key performance indicators” to meet. As such, he wanted to “push the boundaries of what teaching could look like and care about students’ interest and well-being”.

During the casting process, he encouraged Mr Irfan, who played the role of Fandi in the musical, to audition.

With a background in beatboxing and not musical performance, Mr Irfan was initially hesitant. However, Mr Wong’s encouragement and his interest in acting pushed him forward.

After months of preparation, he was happy he took the leap because he felt that he “fitted the role”. With his father naming him after Fandi’s 27-year-old son Irfan Fandi, the footballer was a huge part of Mr Irfan’s life when he was growing up. Neighbourhood kickabouts and his father’s stories about Fandi also helped him relate to the legend better.

“(This musical) meant a lot to me, because I looked up to Fandi and this was also a great opportunity,” said Mr Irfan.

Onstage, the experiences of two other notable alumni – Khalijah and Mr Singh – were also showcased.

The musical was a full-circle moment for Khalijah, an award-winning actress and host or performer in many National Day Parades. Her first performance as Hermia in ITE’s first musical, based on Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, ignited her passion for theatre.

Khalijah thanks her mentor when she was at ITE, drama trainer Tony Quek, who directed the musical. He pushed her to audition for The Necessary Stage’s inaugural Theatre for Youth Ensemble programme in 2003, launching her acting career.

“Growing up, I was shy and had really low esteem. In ITE, I learnt to love myself because people are less judgmental. It created an environment where people like us felt safe,” the 40-year-old noted.

Mr Singh, who graduated from the former ITE Ang Mo Kio with a Nitec in electronics (computer technology), lauds the school for imparting values that helped him through university and working life. He went on to fulfil his dream of becoming a lawyer after graduating from the University of Southampton with a Bachelor of Laws with Honours.

Mr Singh is now a managing partner at Tito Isaac & Co.

“ITE in those days was a rough and tough place, so you end up picking up skills you wouldn’t pick up in other institutions. I think the adaptability which I learnt from my time in ITE helped me through university and working life,” the 42-year-old said.

Mr Singh said that being the students’ council president of his batch “was a life changer”, teaching him leadership and teamwork skills that one would not learn in a classroom.

“I am very humbled and honoured that my story (is being) told alongside (those of) legends like Fandi,” he added.