09 January 2019

Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has urged parents to support the recent changes to the education system, which aim not just to equip students needed to earn a living, but also to develop character and values.

Mr Lee said that for the Republic to succeed, Singaporeans must not only be well-educated citizens and well-trained workers, they also need to have “intangible but essential values”.

He added that there is a need for students to understand the world, and to feel a sense of nationhood and community. They must also have the “resilience and determination to overcome adversity, defend ourselves, prosper and thrive in the world”.

Recent changes to the education system will make learning more meaningful for students. These include reducing the emphasis on academic results, dedicating more curriculum time to deeper learning, and helping students draw the link between textbook content and the real world.

03 January 2019

Educators say that more can be done to increase diversity in Singapore’s elite schools and make our education system more inclusive.

Already, the Ministry of Education has instituted the enhanced Independent School Bursary scheme, under which students at independent schools from low-or middle-income families will pay lower fees than what they are charged now.

Education Minister Ong Ye Kung said that the enhancements meant are to put students’ and parents’ minds at ease.

But aside from cost, there are other factors that parents from lower-income families would normally consider for their child’s choice of secondary school. These include distance from home, friendships and networking, as well as academic demands and rigour.

National University of Singapore economics lecturer Kelvin Seah explained that children from poor families may not be aware of the differences between an independent school and a government one – in terms of curriculum, environment, and resources – and thus “may not recognise the value in applying to such schools”.

The MOE said about 14 per cent of students across the eight independent schools and two specialised independent schools received bursaries this year.

03 December 2018

Education Minister Ong Ye Kung has said that in order to prepare Singapore’s youths for the future, several trade-offs in our educational system would have to be made.

He reiterated the need to preserve meritocracy, and yet develop a mindset that that goes beyond academics.

Mr Ong also said that the idea of lifelong learning has changed the concept of how an individual with a good education would most likely be prepared for the rest of his or her career.

While an academic degree will help open doors, it should not be the only path to success, said the minister. Increasingly, employers are also looking for demonstrated skills and competencies that go beyond academic qualifications.

Mr Ong said that tailoring teaching to students’ needs will give them a greater chance of doing well. Finding a balance between the rigour of education and the joy of learning is also important, said the minister.

21 November 2018

A recent report by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development commended Singapore on its ability to provide upward social mobility to its citizens via a good education system.

Social mobility is defined as the movement of people between different levels of social stratification. Indicators for social mobility include changes in wealth, income and status. Upward social mobility is a virtue as it indicates the citizenry is becoming better off over time, at least in terms of material advantage.

However, the same OECD report alluded that Singapore does not do well in terms of providing relative mobility, that is, in terms of how disadvantaged students perform relative to their peers.

It is recognized that we should keep social mobility high because it is an undeniable good in itself.

Poor social mobility leads to an overly stratified society, as well as unfairness, tension and exploitation between different groups.

The OECD report also marks Singapore down in a metric termed “national resilience”. This measures the proportion of students in the bottom quarter of SES (“disadvantaged students”) who get marks in the top quarter of their country’s students.

Hence, Singapore has yet to create an equitable education system that gives equal opportunities to all students to succeed, regardless of family background.

It has also been noted that many disadvantaged students are going to what parents and educators deem to be less good schools, which is an alarming fact in itself, because too much academic stratification in our school system will ultimately tear the nation apart.

A disadvantaged student in what is perceived to be a not-so-good school has a higher chance of becoming discouraged and eventually becoming a disgruntled citizen. Singapore’s advancement and national security will be significantly threatened should this become systemic in our society.