Juliana Binte Juma’in

In the day, Juliana teaches secondary school students and is a teacher officer of her school’s National Police Cadet Corps (NPCC). The NPCC Black Cane Award winner of the 72nd NPCC Officer Training Course definitely surprised her students when she showed up in her Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) uniform during the school’s celebration for Total Defence Day. Some students even cheekily asked if she had been a teacher officer of the wrong Co-Curricular Activity this whole time. Juliana serves as a Bridge Watchkeeper and it is evident her students have developed newfound respect for her when they probe about her Singapore Armed Forces Volunteer Corps (SAFVC) experiences.

For most Singaporeans, mothers + national service = the perfect concoction of teary-eyed farewells. In fact, most Singaporean mothers know the day will come when their sons have to serve National Service. But for Juliana Juma’in, a mother of three, the clichéd scenario happened in reverse. Her children were the ones who sent her off as she embarked on the SAFVC’s 2-week continuous Basic Training (stay-in) in Maju Camp and Pulau Tekong. It was not easy for Juliana to leave her daughter (only 4 years old back in 2015) but the SAFVC Volunteer (SV) knew that it was the right thing to do, as a mother, as a teacher, as a citizen of Singapore.

While many are aware that Juliana’s younger sister, Aqilah Juma’in, is also part of the SAFVC, only a select few knew about the moment of serendipity that happened between the sisters. It turned out that the sisters, who were both part of the first batch to join the SAFVC, had submitted their application without each other’s knowledge. It was only at a later phase when they had to submit information of family members did they both realise they were applying to join the same cause!

Background information

Juliana Binte Juma’in
English Language Subject Head
Seng Kang Secondary School
Singapore Citizen
SAFVC role: Bridge Watchkeeper