Leadership changes at the Institute of Technical Education and Temasek Polytechnic

2             Ms Low Khah Gek, CEO/ITE, will be retiring on 25 December 2025, after over 41 years in the education service. Mr Peter Lam, PCEO/TP, will be appointed CEO/ITE with effect from 25 December 2025. Mr Patrice Choong, Deputy CEO/ITE, will be appointed PCEO-designate of TP from 1 November 2025, and succeed Mr Lam from 25 December 2025.              

3             Ms Low was appointed CEO of ITE in February 2017. Under her leadership, the progression pathways for ITE students to upskill and improve their employability and career outcomes have significantly expanded over the years. In 2024, the ITE Progression Award (IPA) was also launched to support ITE graduates to upskill to a diploma. Ms Low steered the development and implementation of the enhanced ITE curricular structure featuring the new three-year Higher Nitec, the launch and rapid growth of ITE’s Work-Study Diploma programmes, as well as the expansion of ITE’s Technical Diploma offerings in collaboration with overseas partners. Under her leadership, ITE built a robust industry partnership ecosystem and integrated workplace learning as a vital component of ITE’s programmes. Ms Low was also strongly committed to supporting students in financial need, as well as those with special educational needs. This was evident in her efforts to actively engage community and industry donors, enhancing financial assistance for students, and implementing targeted intervention strategies to ensure students complete their ITE education and optimise their potential.  Ms Low galvanised ITE staff to embrace change and respond to new technologies and demands by infusing artificial intelligence (AI), sustainability and prompt engineering into all training curricula. She also fostered a strong culture of innovation and commitment to sustainability practices in ITE. Having joined the education service in 1984, Ms Low had also made significant contributions in education prior to her tenure at ITE. These include leading the review of curricula at the primary, secondary, and pre-university levels as Director of MOE’s Curriculum Planning and Development Division, as well as being Principal at Anderson Secondary School and Victoria Junior College. 

Incoming CEO/ITE

4                       Mr Peter Lam, PCEO/TP, will be appointed CEO/ITE with effect from 25 December 2025. Mr Lam’s tenure as TP’s PCEO since July 2016 is marked by his visionary shaping of TP as a future-oriented organisation. To prepare students and learners well for the industry, he steered a comprehensive review of the courses, leading to the consolidation of full-time diploma courses and the launch of more than 110 part-time programmes in the past nine years. His focus on skills mastery, entrepreneurship and globalisation is delivered systematically through core subject offerings, developing qualities that have shaped the success of countless TP students. In growing Continuing Education and Training, he led TP to be the first mover in offering joint work-study programmes with autonomous universities and in expanding micro-credentialing initiatives. His strategic positioning of TP as an active player in the Research, Innovation & Enterprise ecosystem led to increased consultancies with small and medium enterprises, and garnered significant research grants and national awards, including the Institution of Engineers Singapore Prestigious Engineering Achievement Award for TP’s catalyst-coated membrane fuel cell technology. In food and nutrition, TP secured research grants and consultancy projects with leading MNCs and SMEs, including clinical trials with Nestlé, resulting in the launch of NutrenGlucoSmart for managing Type 2 Diabetes. During Mr Lam’s tenure, TP also rapidly adopted and contextualised emergent technology like artificial intelligence in all diploma courses, and launched cross-disciplinary facilities such as the Advanced Manufacturing Centre and Aquaculture Innovation Centre. Additionally, his stewardship of Environmental, Social & Governance goals positioned TP as a ‘living laboratory’ for sustainable solutions. Mr Lam will be warmly remembered at TP for his authentic leadership, as well as strong commitment to fostering a culture of care to students, staff and the community.

Incoming PCEO/TP

5             Mr Patrice Choong, Deputy CEO/ITE, will be appointed PCEO-designate of TP from 1 November 2025, and succeed Mr Lam from 25 December 2025. Having served two decades in the higher education sector, Mr Choong has held various leadership positions, including Senior Director for Technology, Innovation and Enterprise, and Chief Data Officer in Ngee Ann Polytechnic before assuming the role of Deputy CEO of ITE from 1 November 2024. His contributions to the higher education sector include pioneering Project OpenCerts, which has allowed 15 Institutes of Higher Learning to publish eCertificates on an open Blockchain platform; launching the Global Entrepreneurial Internship Programme, which provided students with internship opportunities in startups across 14 cities worldwide; and introducing Pollinate, a Joint Polytechnic Incubator co-funded by the National Research Foundation. Besides leading the teams in ITE’s corporate services – HR, Finance, IT and ITE Academy – Mr Choong also led project teams focused on developing an entrepreneurship ecosystem for students and graduates, enhancing overseas career mobility for students, partnering with SMEs for industry transformation, and integrating new technologies into teaching and work processes.

6             Mr Desmond Lee, Minister of Education, expressed his appreciation for Ms Low’s exemplary contributions and service: “Khah Gek has served with exceptional commitment over the last four decades in the education sector. She has played an instrumental role in expanding progression pathways for ITE students, enhancing the career readiness of ITE students and supporting them to upskill, strengthening all-around support for ITE students with additional needs so that no student is left behind. We thank her for her service and look forward to working with Peter as CEO of ITE and Patrice as PCEO of TP, with confidence that they will carry out their new roles with passion and dedication, to advance our higher education sector.”   

7             The changes were also welcomed by both ITE and TP’s Boards of Governors. 

8             Mr Andrew Chong, Chairman of the ITE Board of Governors expressed his deep appreciation towards the changes and transformation led by Ms Low: “Khah Gek has been a passionate champion of ITE’s applied learning pathway. Through her leadership and steadfast commitment, she has transformed the career and technical education landscape – redefining the progression pathways for ITE graduates, strengthening the value proposition of ITE’s work-based and employability-focused vocational education, and entrenching a strong culture of innovation and capability development. On behalf of the ITE Board of Governors, I extend our heartfelt gratitude for her exceptional contributions.”

9             Mr Chong added: “We warmly welcome Peter as the new CEO of ITE. Peter brings with him extensive knowledge and experience in the higher education and skills landscape. We are excited to work with Peter for the further success of ITE under his leadership.”

10          Mr Loke Wai San, Chairman of the TP Board of Governors, expressed appreciation for Mr Lam’s service through the years: “As TP celebrates its 35th anniversary this year, we are deeply grateful for Peter’s visionary leadership and unwavering commitment to TP’s development. His passion for driving innovation in education, creating opportunities for every student to achieve their aspirations, empowering staff to reach their fullest potential, and embedding sustainability and a strong spirit of care into TP’s culture has been evident across TP. Peter’s contributions and the legacy he leaves behind will be fondly remembered by the entire TP family. We wish him every success in his new position as the CEO of ITE.” 

11          Mr Loke also extended a warm welcome to Mr Choong: “We are delighted to have Patrice join us as TP’s new PCEO. With his extensive experience in the higher education sector and strong track record in bridging academia with industry, Patrice brings deep expertise in nurturing future-ready talent, forging impactful partnerships, and supporting organisations in digital transformation. We look forward to TP reaching greater heights under his leadership.”