▁been ▁in ▁the ▁service ▁of ▁any ▁organisation , ▁association ▁or ▁body ▁rendering ▁services ▁in ▁the ▁field ▁of ▁education . ▁ ▁any ▁person ▁who ▁is ▁or ▁has ▁been ▁employed ▁in ▁any ▁company ▁which ▁is ▁wh olly ▁owned ▁by ▁the ▁Government ▁and ▁which ▁is ▁carrying ▁on ▁business ▁mainly ▁as ▁an ▁agent ▁or ▁instrument ality ▁of ▁the ▁Government . ▁ ▁Re cip ients ▁are ▁entitled ▁to ▁use ▁the ▁post - nom inal ▁letters ▁P PA , ▁and ▁may ▁include ▁the ▁grade ▁in ▁brackets ▁- ▁e . g .: ▁P PA ( E ). ▁ ▁The ▁P ing at ▁Pent ad bir an ▁Aw am ▁( T ent era ) ▁is ▁the ▁Singapore ▁Ar med ▁Forces ▁equivalent ▁award . ▁ ▁Description ▁ ▁The ▁medal ▁consists ▁of ▁ 4 ▁integrated ▁and ▁per for ated ▁pent ag ons ▁having , ▁on ▁the ▁ob verse ▁side , ▁a ▁four - point ed ▁star ▁upon ▁which ▁is ▁a ▁shield ▁bearing ▁a ▁cres cent ▁and ▁ 5 ▁stars . ▁Below ▁the ▁shield ▁is ▁a ▁scroll ▁bearing ▁the ▁ins cription ▁" P ING AT ▁P ENT AD B IR AN ▁A W AM ". ▁ ▁The ▁reverse ▁be ars ▁the ▁State ▁Ar ms . ▁ ▁The ▁rib bon ▁consists ▁of ▁a ▁red ▁centre ▁band ▁fl ank ed ▁immediately ▁on ▁each ▁side ▁by ▁a ▁white ▁stri pe , ▁followed ▁by ▁a ▁grey ▁stri pe ▁with ▁a ▁thin ▁red ▁stri pe ▁in ▁the ▁centre , ▁then ▁a ▁white ▁band , ▁a ▁thin ▁grey ▁stri pe , ▁a ▁thin ▁red ▁stri pe ▁and ▁finally , ▁a