The Singapore Education System

Singapore

Singapore's recent claim to fame

Singapore

The Education Pathways

Efficiency-Driven Phase (1978-1996)

Ability-based, Aspiration-driven (1997-2011)

Student-centric, values driven (2012-present)

21st Century Competencies

Key Educational Initiatives from 1997

Key Focus

• Student-centered, Values-driven Education
• The Joy of Learning
• Entrepreneurial Dare
• Learning for Life

Survival-Driven Phase (1959-1978)

Student-Centered, Values-Driven Education

Student-Centered, Values-Driven Education

Student-Centered, Values-Driven Education

Student-Centered, Values-Driven Education

Student-Centered, Values-Driven Education

Student-Centered, Values-Driven Education

Student-Centered, Values-Driven Education

Student-Centered, Values-Driven Education

The Joy of Learning

Key assumptions

• Joyful learning experiences lead to intrinsic motivation and a desire to learn.
• Such desire to learn lead to a lifelong discovery of passions and interests.

Two Approaches

Learning through Play

SLS Online Learning Portal

Reducing load and stakes of assessments

Singapore Teaching Practice

Singapore's Context (1)

• Developed country
• No Nobel Prize Winners
• Few Singaporean companies as market leaders
• 24th on the Global Entrepreneurship Index for displaying innovation and entrepreneurship
• 78th on the Cornell-Insead 2016 report for achieving innovation efficiency.
• Culture of unwillingness to embrace risk in trying new things, preferring to stick to familiar ways to succeed/comfort zone

Singapore's Context (2)

• Culture of unwillingness to embrace risk in trying new things, preferring to stick to familiar ways to succeed/comfort zone
• "Hemmed in by our own success"

Definition of Entrepreneurial Dare

• An attitude, a mind-set of pushing boundaries, of wanting to innovate and finding a breakthrough. Applies across all domains, not just in business and enterprises, but also in scientific research, engineering, and the arts.
• Applies across all domains, not just in business and enterprises, but also in scientific research, engineering, and the arts.

Key Programmes

• Outdoor Education Programme
• Applied Learning Programme

National Outdoor Education Masterplan

• One school camp in Upper Primary
• One school camp in Secondary School
• One 5-day expedition-based Outward Bound School Programme at Secondary 3
• Build character and qualities such as resilience, tenacity, leadership, teamwork, grit, and adaptability

Applied Learning Programme

• Emphasises the relevance of what is being learnt to current needs and future trends of industries
• Provides hands-on or experiential learning for students to enact authentic scenarios
• Equips students with the skills to engage in the practical application of knowledge

Applied Learning Subjects

• Computing
• Electronics Exercise & Sport Science
• Exercise & Sport Science

Applied Learning Programmes

• School-initiated, offered in all secondary schools, and most primary schools for Upper Primary Students
• Diverse fields, not limited to:
• Digital Media, Food Science & Technology, Environmental Science & Sustainable Living, Social Innovation

The Singapore Education System Today

Valerie Baptist

• Geography & Project Work Teacher
• 9 Years at Catholic Junior College
• Head of Department - Student Development
• Interests: Music, travel, food
• Inquiry project: Building emotional and academic resilience in students

Thomas Lim

• Senior Teacher/English Language at Nan Hua Primary School
• Lead Designer of the school's Thinking Programme
• Inquiry Project: Developing Critical and Creative Thinking in the Primary School Context

Multiple Pathways

Multiple Pathways

Multiple Pathways

About me!

• Elementary/Middle School Teacher, College Lecturer and Teacher-trainer for 15 years
• Ph.D in Psycholinguistics (Psychology + Linguistics)
• Fulbright Distinguished Awards for International Teachers 2018/19
• Subjects taught: English, Research Skills, Thinking Skills
• Fulbright Distinguished Awards for International Teachers 2018/19

Singapore

Multi-racial and Multi-religious society

Economic Indicators (2)

• Foreign Reserves (Singapore): US$256 billion or US$35,500 per capita
• Foreign Reserves (US): US$125 billion or US$235 per capita
• Most expensive city in the world (The Economist Intelligence Unit)

The Great Paradox

The Singapore Education System

Where is Singapore?

Key Facts about Singapore

• 278 square miles, 5.6 million residents (20100 per square mile) vs US 3.5m sq/mi, 325m residents (92 per sq/mi)
• Lowest birth rate in the world: 0.84 per woman
• No natural resources (oil, minerals, etc.)
• Low Tax haven (17% Corporate, 0-22% Personal)

Economic Indicators

• Net Wealth per person (Singapore vs US)
• Median: $91,656 vs $61,667 (US), Mean: $283,118 vs US $403,974 (US)
• Government Reserves: Unknown (Est US$500 billion)
• Net Investment Returns Contribution (2018): US$12.2b or US$2178 per capita

Quick Facts about Singapore Education (1)

• All Singaporeans must attend public schools
• Education is free up to Senior High (minor fees may apply), Local University fees are heavily subsidised
• Government spending on education: 2.7% of GDP (vs 4.9% in US), [13% of budget] behind defence (15.5%]

Quick facts about Singapore's Education (2)

• OECD PISA, TIMSS study: 1st in the world
• Both full national universities (NUS/NTU) ranked top 20 in the world.
• $1 billion shadow education industry
• Teacher recruitment at top 30% of cohort or higher, compensation at market rate (Bachelor's only)
• "Every school is a good school"?

Quick facts about Singapore's Education (3)

• Multi-racial Society: Integration in schools
• Bilingual Policy: English + Mother Tongue
• Diverse socio-economic backgrounds in same school
• Maximum 40 students per class
• National examinations at key stages: Primary School Leaving Examination (12 years old), GCE "N" or "O" Level (16/17), GCE "A" Level (18-19)

Chronology of the Education Focus

The Typical Singaporean Classroom

My Classroom

Special Programmes

Applied Learning Programme

Outdoor Education

A Brief History of Singapore

Early history of Singapore

• Settled by 1000AD by early Indian, Indonesian and Malaysian empires (Known as Temasek and later, Singapura [Lion City])
• The myth of Sang Nila Utama and the naming of Singapore

The Founding of Modern Singapore (1819)

• Trade wars in South-East Asia between colonial powers (Dutch, British, Portuguese, French, Spanish)
• British arrived in 1819 to establish trading settlement.
• "Renting" Singapore from the local rulers
• Establishment of formal government and mass migration. (from 1000+ in 1819 to 100000 by 1871)

The downfall of colonialism (1)

• Singapore as the jewel of the British empire
• "Singapore will never fall"-Winston Churchill
• Singapore fell in 7 days.
• Occupied by Japanese during WWII
• Great hardship of Singaporeans: Hyperinflation, Massacres, living in constant fear
• Desire for independence due to loss of faith in British Empire, injustice of colonialism

The downfall of colonialism (2)

• Return to British after WWII
• Desire for independence due to loss of faith in British Empire, injustice of colonialism, clash of identities
• Self-governance in 1959, merger with Malaysia in 1963, separation from Malaysia in 1965

Singapore 1965

Singapore 2015

Culture and Lifestyle

Hawker Centre

Liao Fan $2 Chicken Rice

Popular Cuisines/Dishes in Singapore

• National Dish: Chicken Rice/Chili Crab
• Chinese Food (Noodles, Rice, Desserts in at least 100 variations)
• Indian Food (Curries, flatbreads)
• Malay Food (Rice + Meats)
• Korean and Japanese Food
• Fast Food (120 McDonald's in Singapore)

Sentosa Beach

Singapore Botanic Gardens

Gardens by the Bay

Singapore Zoological Garden

More Quirks about Singapore

• Anyone in your parents' age group are addressed as "Uncle" or "Auntie", even strangers.
• Children live with their parents until they are married AND can afford their first home. (Usually late 20's to early 30's)
• "Would you like to buy a flat with me?" is a perfectly valid proposal for marriage.

Even more quirks about Singapore

• Most Singaporeans speak English and their Mother Tongue (e.g. Chinese). But most friends converse in Singlish.
• Singaporeans will complain about paying $3 for lunch, but will queue for hours to buy a $3000 handbag.
• 30+% of middle-class children have paid music lessons each week for years. But only 25 students (0.1%) enrol in music courses in college.

Law and Order

• No firearms for civilians
• Possession of more than 1 ounce of cocaine/heroin = mandatory death sentence.
• Lowest Violent Crime Rates in the world
• Special focus on "corruption" since 1965. No "friends" allowed. Full transparency in business deals.

National Service

• Mandatory for all males after high school
• 2 years (formerly 2.5)
• Usually military service, but possibly for law enforcement or civil defence (firefighting, paramedics)
• Deferment almost impossible (even for signing for professional sports team, enrolment in Harvard/Juilliard, etc.)

Career Tracks for Teachers