15-06-2025
From 0% attendance to 4.0 GPA: How this ITE graduate overcame adversity and topped his class
From 0% attendance to 4.0 GPA: How this ITE graduate overcame adversity and topped his class
At just 15 years old, Moses Hee lost his father - along with his motivation to engage with the world around him.
He spiralled into a dark period of isolation and had a near-complete withdrawal from school.
Now 21, Moses has not only graduated at the top of his class at the School of Electronics and Info-Comm Technology at Institute of Technological Education (ITE) College East, but also clinched prestigious awards and made his mark in sustainability competitions.
Moses receiving the Lee Kuan Yew Model Student Award. PHOTO: ITE
Moses' struggles began at the age of 12, when kidney failure and dementia slowly deteriorated his father's health.
This took an emotional toll on him, and by Secondary 3, following his father's passing, Moses had lost all motivation to study or even to leave his house.
"I completely shut down and shut myself in," he shared with Stomp. "I didn't dare to go out and socialise; I didn't even dare to try. I didn't feel a passion or drive for anything."
Unable to cope with his academics, Moses made the decision to transfer from the Express stream to the Normal (Academic) stream.
Even then, attending school remained a challenge. He recalls barely showing up from Secondary 3 to Secondary 4, and having an attendance rate of zero per cent.
He said: "The pressure of socialising and doing well in studies, it really got to me. At that point in time, I thought the best solution for myself was to lock myself in my room and do nothing."
Everything changed when Moses enrolled in the Nitec in Web Applications course at ITE College East.
"After my first semester, once I got my first grade back, I realised that such a good opportunity was given to me to really try and make a difference for myself, so why am I not taking it?"
This shift in his mindset allowed him to find a renewed sense of purpose and a support system that he needed.
"The stress and pressure that comes with school in general still gets to me, and I'm sure it gets to others too. So it's important to have a strong support system, whether it be through friends or lecturers.
"My form teacher would meet us after competitions and buy us meals sometimes just to tell us that we were doing a good job, and to keep up the good work. It's the small things like that which really made a difference for me."
At ITE, Moses discovered a passion for sustainability. He was involved in campus-wide green initiatives, and participated in multiple competitions focused on zero-waste solutions.
Moses with his teammates Celeste Ang, and Horatius Tay Choon Yew. PHOTO: ITE GREEN AMBASSADOR AWARD 2023
For the International Exhibition for Young Investors 2023, Moses and his team developed a biodigester system that used flies to break down food waste in a self-contained ecosystem. This project earned them a Silver Medal out of 145 entries.
In the Climate Change Zero Waste Competition 2023, he created a high fidelity prototype app aimed at reducing household food waste.
On campus, Moses was involved in a recycling initiative dubbed the Bloobox Initiative. He was recognised for his environmental advocacy, and received a Silver Medal at the ITE Green Ambassador Awards 2023.
"I had a lot of commitments and juggled them with school responsibilities. I think eventually this built good character and also improved my time management skills, which is something that everyone should eventually have."
Despite the rocky start to his academic journey, Moses graduated from ITE College East with a perfect GPA of 4.0. On May 22, he was honoured with the Lee Kuan Yew Model Student Award, which recognises students who demonstrate both academic excellence and exemplary character.
When asked about his dreams and aspirations, he told Stomp: "I've always wanted to try to 'break out' of the system and become my own boss, as I've always been in leadership positions for competitions. I eventually want to bring that into the real world."
Moses is now pursuing a diploma in Information Technology at Temasek Polytechnic, with hopes to further his studies in computing at the National University of Singapore.
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