08 December 2017
Everyone wants smaller classroom sizes, because it is a widely held belief that smaller class sizes in schools lead to more individualized attention and possibly better grades.
There have been numerous calls made in recent years to the Ministry of Education to review class sizes in Singapore’s schools. This is especially in light of the fact that student enrolment numbers have been falling as our birth rates plummet.
Recently in Parliament, Non-Constituency Member of Parliament Leon Perera called for MOE to conduct a trial here to find out if reducing class sizes could improve students’ results.
Teacher-student ratios have dropped 1:12 last year in secondary schools, a ratio comparable to Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) averages. However, class sizes have not become smaller.
As our economy evolves, schools in Singapore will need to do even more beyond the textbooks. They will need to impart soft skills such as the ability to work in teams and solve problems creatively. The need to overhaul our traditional educational system to support the next generation may support the case for smaller classes.