04 December 2016
In the latest Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMMS), students in Singapore outperformed their peers from 63 other countries in maths and science.
The test was administered by the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement, a non-profit research cooperative based in Amsterdam.
The Ministry of Education said that the latest results also affirmed a trend that students today are better able to apply knowledge and skills, and solve non-routine maths and science problems.
Syllabus changes, which saw two “massive rounds” of content reduction in 1998 and 2003, could have played a part in the improvements, said Ms Low Khah Gek, deputy director-general of education (schools).
“The reason for content reduction is really to free up time, so that our teachers can teach differently, our students can learn in a more active way, and be given more space to actually investigate, explore as well as talk in class,” she said.