Generation Grit

Military detention stint strengthens his resolve to finish studies

When his family ran into financial difficulties, Mr Lee Rui Xuan dropped everything to help out. He quit school to work, and even faked illness in the army to do part-time jobs. But he was caught going absent without official leave and sentenced to a stint in the detention barracks. His time there made him more determined to succeed, and go back to school after a five-year hiatus.

Singapore Polytechnic (SP) student Lee Rui Xuan, 22, scored a grade point average of 3.88 in his first year, and received an SP Engineering Scholarship, which is awarded to those in the top 5 per cent of their cohort. He plans to use the scholarship
Singapore Polytechnic (SP) student Lee Rui Xuan, 22, scored a grade point average of 3.88 in his first year, and received an SP Engineering Scholarship, which is awarded to those in the top 5 per cent of their cohort.
He plans to use the scholarship money of $3,000 per academic year to offset most of his school fees. ST PHOTO: TIMOTHY DAVID
Singapore Polytechnic (SP) student Lee Rui Xuan, 22, scored a grade point average of 3.88 in his first year, and received an SP Engineering Scholarship, which is awarded to those in the top 5 per cent of their cohort. He plans to use the scholarship
Mr Lee Rui Xuan
Cara Wong
Updated
Aug 20, 2020, 11:12 AM
Published
Jul 16, 2020, 05:00 AM
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Once a star student in school, Mr Lee Rui Xuan felt he hit rock bottom in 2017, when he was thrown into the army's detention barracks for going Awol (absent without official leave) from camp during his national service (NS).

There, he discovered that some of his secondary school classmates were his wardens, as they were serving their NS as military police.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on July 16, 2020, with the headline Military detention stint strengthens his resolve to finish studies. Subscribe

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