spexEducation Athletes Stories

spexEducation Athlete Stories highlights academic support systems that enable Team Singapore athletes to balance studies and sport while reaching their full potential.

Last updated 25 April 2025

Image of Jaris Goh a Team Singapore Bowler.

Muhammad Jaris Goh Ali Akbar Goh – Team Singapore Bowler

Graduate of NITEC in Fitness Training, Institute of Technical Education

After completing his ‘N’ Levels, Jaris went on to pursue the NITEC in Fitness Training with the Institute of Technical Education (ITE). He successfully obtained a GPA of 3.625 and was named the Valedictorian, ultimately leading him to further his education through pursuing the customised RP-SSP DSLM Programme.

ITE has supported Jaris in allowing him to train and compete through providing:

Flexible academic scheduling which allowed him to compete overseas
A mentor to guide him in his education plans
Additional make-up classes whenever he is back from competitions
Leave of absence for overseas training and competition stints

“It was tough as at ITE. Luckily I had good support from the school and friends who were always there to help me with my schoolwork whenever I missed classes. The support allowed me to focus on my studies and bowling, providing me with the opportunity to fulfil my dream of pursuing the customised RP-SSP DSLM course and bowl at my highest potential.” - Muhammad Jaris Goh, Team Singapore Bowler

2015 Qubica AMF Men’s World Cup, Bronze Medallist

Image of Shanti Pereira a Team Singapore Track & Field Athlete.

Veronica Shanti Pereira – Team Singapore Track & Field Athlete

Diploma in Sports and Leisure Management, Republic Polytechnic

Shanti graduated from the Singapore Sports School in 2012 and went on to pursue the customized RP-SSP DSLM programme with Republic Polytechnic.

Republic Polytechnic has supported Shanti in allowing her to train and compete through providing:

A customised class schedule which allows Shanti to train twice a day
A flexible academic load allowing her to take deferment of modules so as to train full-time towards major games
A mentor to provide education and career guidance to help in the concurrent pursuit of sports and academic excellence

“If it weren’t for the flexible academic pathway offered, the coaches I was under and the staff who guided me, I wouldn’t have been able to make to where I am today, including winning the 200m gold at the Singapore 2015 Southeast Asian Games. That was the ultimate breakthrough in my running career and I could not have done it without the well-balanced support that the Sports School and Republic Polytechnic had provided me with.” - Shanti Veronica Pereira, Team Singapore Track & Field Athlete

2015 SEA Games, Women’s 200m Gold Medallist

Image of Nurul Shafiqah Mohamed Saiful a Team Singapore Silat Athlete.

Nurul Shafiqah Mohamed Saiful – Team Singapore Silat Athlete

Bachelor of Sport Science & Management, Nanyang Technological University

Shafiqah is currently a 1st year undergraduate student-athlete from NTU’s Bachelor of Sport Science & Management.

How Shafiqah has benefitted from NTU’s Sports Science & Management programme:

Through the Discretionary Admission Scheme
Though flexible scheduling to customize her academic workload
Through multiple leave of absence to prepare for competition
Through the help of a mentor in Athlete Life Coaching

“With all these support, I am able to put in 100% for both sports and academics instead of compromising on one. My time can be fully devoted to training as well as my studies.” - Nurul Shafiqah Mohamed Saiful, Team Singapore Silat Athlete

2013 Pencak Silat World Championships- Bronze Medallist