Education in Singapore A Response to Economic Challenges & Nation Building

Education during the Colonial Period ( )  Mission Schools – English medium  Singapore Free School (1834) – later RI (1963)  King Edward VII College of Medicine (1905)  Raffles College (1926)  Vernacular Schools – Chinese, Malay and Tamil Govt support for Malay schools (not all) Role of community – clan associations, businessmen University Of Malaya

Strengths  Enterprise & pioneering spirit of the various community  existed entirely on their own resources  Preservation of cultural & linguistic differences in Singapore

Challenges  Education was limited to those who could afford (end of colonial period, >40% were illiterate)  Divided along racial lines  Due to world events (revolutionary fervor & changes in China in the early 20 th C)  Politicized  threat to the govt

Post-War Years ( )  1947 – Ten-Year Plan Free Education – ages 6-12 yrs To foster capacity for self-govt MT as medium of instruction EL from 3 rd year Standardised curriculum Selection for English Primary School Training College Meanwhile, Unrests continued

Post-War Years ( )  1955 – Limited Self-Government All-Party Committee Proposed education policy that met the needs of various committees  nationhood  NE Bilingual primary education Trilingual secondary education ECA Teaching of civics  Parity of treatment for all 4 language streams  Technical education and industrial training emphasized Policy took shape Emphasis on Maths and Science nd Lang compulsory in Primary School

Challenges of Independence Political Confrontasi Clashes with Malaysian leaders  Highlighted our vulnerability Economic Lost Malaysian hinterland Unemployment (double digit) -fall in entrepot trade withdrawal of Br forces Social Lacked built-in reflexes (loyalty, patriotism, shared history/ tradition) Population divided by race, language, religion… racial riots Solution? Dual role of education  Economic transformation  Disciplined cohesive society

Post Independence Years Labour-Intensive Industries ( s)  Aims: Nation Building Economic Development Education for more people Different types of education were provided for different age groups Malay as the National Language Overall increase in student intake at various levels Focus on Mathematics, Science and Technical subjects

 Nation Building Pledge taking, flag raising & lowering ECA grades 1969, common curriculum for all Sec 1 & 2 in all 4 language stream schools Improved quality of education Attention to teaching resources, planning (facilities), research, organisation, and evaluation Promote use of Mandarin 1978, SAP schools 1971, GCE ‘O’-levels Meeting Economic Challenges Second Language in Secondary schs Lower Sec – Tech Subject Girls had a choice/ VITB/ Science Labs in all Sec/ SP and NA Tech College Post Independence Years Labour-Intensive Industries ( s)

Problems  High education wastage Attrition rate 29% for primary 36% for secondary  Variation in academic performance New Economic Challenges  Labour Shortage  Competition from Other Countries Lower cost Lower productivity

Industrial Restructuring -1980s  Higher/ Tertiary education was encouraged Increased intake NU merged with U of Singapore = NUS NTI, 1981 (engineering and technology) 1991, NTU BEST (EL, MA) for large protion of the workforce who have less tha P6 education Improved quality of education Streaming introduced to bring out the best in every individual and to reduce dropout rate GEP, 1984 Increased investment Building more schools, single-session schools 1988,89 – Independent Schools Relaxed entry to Secondary school

Moving into the 1990s Economic Restructuring What was the focus in the 1990s?

1990s  Further concentration on post secondary and tertiary education  to develop the manpower needed for the push to high tech and knowledge intensive products and services 1992, SIM – Open U 1997, became privatized 1992, ITE 1993, Edusave 1994, 4 th Polytechnic, TP , Autonomous schools

1990s  Twin forces of globalization and technological change Ability-driven Curriculum School environment Teaching service Education structure Education hub Administrative excellence

1990s  1997, $2 bil on IT in classrooms  IT Masterplan  PW  NE  ECA  CCA  Post-grad and Arts education encouraged  PRIME  SEM  Cluster Schools  Compulsory Education, 2000

Education Policies & Practices in Singapore 60s-70s Flag-raising & Pledge-taking Billingualism ECAs Technical Education 80s-early 90s Streaming Moral Values Vocational Traning Schools given Greater Autonomy Late 1990s Caring Thinking & Creative thinking IT NE CIP Compulsory Pri Education (2000)

Education Policies & Practices in Singapore 21 st Century TLLM (2003) Integrated Programme/ Through Train (2003) Future Schools (2008) Specialised Schools - NUS Maths & Science School - School of Science & Technology - School of the Arts - Singapore Sports School - Pathlight & Northlight Schools

Education Policies & Practices in Singapore Leveling up for all economic-social classes? Financial Assistance Schemes Government Bursaries Edusave Scheme (1993) to maximise opportunities for all Singaporean children rewards students who perform well or who make good progress provides students and schools with funds to pay for enrichment programmes or to purchase additional resources.

Summing Up What are the features of our education system? Do you agree with what the government has done so far? What would you do differently?

Practice Question ‘Instilling and reinforcing national loyalty through National Education is the main consideration of our education system’. Do you agree with the statement? EYA