singapore educational system

maturan 2013
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Slide 1: A REPORT IN ED 708 COMPARATIVE EDUCATIONAL ADMINISTRATION
PRESENTED BY: NELSON B. MATURAN

Slide 2: Singapore FLAG

Slide 4: Republic of Singapore, independent republic in Southeast Asia, comprising 1

main island and about 50 small adjacent islands off the southern tip of the Malay
Peninsula. The main island, Singapore Island, is separated from Malaysia on the
north by the narrow Johore Strait and is linked by road and rail to the Malaysian city
of Johor Baharu. On the south, Singapore Island is separated from Indonesias Riau
Archipelago by the Singapore Strait, an important shipping channel linking the
Indian Ocean to the west with the South China Sea on the east. The Republic of
Singapore is considered a city-state because most of the territory of the main island
is part of the metropolis of Singapore. The main island is densely populated,
especially in its south central portion where the central business district and main
port are located.

Slide 5: LAND & RESOURCES The total area of Singapore, including the main island
and all the islets, is 685.4 sq km 264.6 sq mi). The larger islets, which all have small
fishing villages, include Tekong, Ubin, and Sentosa. Singapore Island is low-lying
with no prominent relief features. A central area of hills rises to a maximum
elevation of 176 m (577 ft) at Bukit Timah. Numerous short streams, including the
Singapore River, drain the island. Soils are relatively infertile, and clays and sand
are the only mineral resources.

Slide 6: PEOPLE OF SINGAPORE The 2007 population estimate was 4,553,009.

Immigration is highly restricted Singapores natural population increase is 0.5
percent annually, and this rate is expected to fall as much of the population ages
beyond the childbearing years. The government is concerned about the slow growth
rate because increasingly fewer working people must support a growing elderly
population, straining available resources for health care and other social services.
The government provides tax incentives to families that have several children, but
the growth rate is still expected to fall because most Singaporeans prefer small
families.

Slide 7: ETHNIC GROUPS, LANGUAGES, RELIGION Singapores population is

ethnically diverse. Chinese constitute about three-fourths of the population. Malays
form the next largest group, and Indians the third. The countrys four official
languages are Chinese, English, Malay, and Tamil. Chinese is the primary language
spoken in the majority of homes. English is the language of administration and
business and it is widely spoken as a second language. Singapores principal
religions are Buddhism, Islam, Hinduism, and Christianity. The majority of Chinese
Singaporeans follow Buddhism, although Daoism (Taoism), and more recently
Christianity, are also popular. Malay Singaporeans are predominantly Muslim, while
more than half the Indian Singaporeans profess Hinduism.

Slide 8: The Ministry of Education aims to help students to discover their own
talents, to make the best of these talents and realize their full potential, and to
develop a passionn for learning that lasts through life. To achieve this aim, the task
of schools and tertiary institution is to: AIMS OF THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM Give
students the chance to develop the skills, character and values that will enable
them to continue to do well and to take Singapore toward the future To provide an
education system that is more flexible and diverse with greater choice to meet their
varied interest and ways of learning and being able to choose what and how they
learn will encourage them to take greater ownership of their learning To provide a
more broad-based education to ensure all-round or holistic development, in and out
of the classroom

Slide 9: To be committed to improving society To be proactive in surmounting our

constraints To have compassion towards others To be able to inspire, motivate and
draw out the best from others To be able to chart our destiny and lead To be able to
forge breakthroughs in a knowledge-based economy To be creative and imaginative

To have the tenacity to fight against the odds and not quit What we expect of our
young who aim to be national, community, business or professional leaders:

Slide 10: The mission of the Education Service is to mold the future of the nation, by
molding the people who will determine the future of the nation. The Education
Service will provide students with a balanced and well-rounded education, develop
them to their full potential and nurture them into good citizens, conscious of their
responsibilities to family, society and country MISSION

Slide 11: Teach Less, Learn More We will encourage our students to learn more
actively and independently. We want to nurture a curiosity that goes beyond the
formal curriculum, and a love for learning that stays with the student through life.
Syllabuses will be trimmed without diluting students preparedness for higher
education. This will free up time for our students to focus on core knowledge and
skills, and to provide greater space for flexibility in carrying out school-based
activities in the curriculum. Schools are providing more opportunities for the
character development of their students and for students to develop skills in
innovation. Teaching will be focused on developing understanding, critical thinking
and the ability to ask questions and seek answers and solutions. Broad-based,
holistic education Our schools are striving to provide students with a holistic
education, focused on both academic and non-academic areas. We want to give our
students a broad range of experiences and help them make the most of their years
together in school where they will interact with one another and form strong
friendships for life. As they grow up, we want to provide them with the full
opportunity to develop the skills and values that they will need for life. Besides
judging our students performance through examinations, we are also looking at
other and broader measures of how well they do in education.

Slide 12: Ministry of Educations vision of Thinking Schools, Learning Nationa

(TLSN was frist announced by Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong in 1997. This vision
describes a nation of thinking and committed citizens capable of meeting the
challenges of the future. Thinking schools will be learning organizations in every
sense, constantly challenging assumptions, and seeking better ways of doing things
through participation, creativity and innovation. Thinking schools will be the cradle
of thinking students as well as thinking adults and this spirit of learning should
accompany our students even after they leave school VISION

Slide 13: SINGAPOREs EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM

Slide 14: SINGAPOREs EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM 1. Pre-Primary Education

Kindergartens are schools that provide a structured 3-year pre-school education
programs for children aged 3 to 6. The 3-year program consists of Nursery,
Kindergarten 1 and Kindergarten 2.. Kindergartens in Singapore are run by the
private sector, including community foundations, religious bodies, social
organisations and business organisations. Under the Education Act (1985 Edition),
kindergartens are defined as private schools that have to be registered with the
Ministry of Education (MOE). Child care centres also offer kindergarten programs to
children aged 3 to 6. Kindergartens are registered with the Ministry of Education
(MOE) while child care centres are licensed by the Ministry of Community
Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS).

Slide 15: SINGAPOREs EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM 2. Primary Education

Slide 16: SINGAPOREs EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM 2. Primary Education FAST FACTS 6

years of compulsory education National examination required to take: Primary
Leaving School Examination (PLSE) No school fees; misc. $5.50

Slide 17: Fast Facts 4-5 years of education National examination: GCE O Levels (for
Special/Express courses) or GCE N Levels (for Normal course) All students take part
in at least one CCA; CCA performance is considered for admission to JCs, CI,
polytechnics and ITE SINGAPOREs EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM 3. Secondary Education

Slide 18: Special, Express, Normal (Academic) or Normal (Technical) course

according to how they perform at the PSLE. The different curricular emphases are
designed to match their learning abilities and interests. SINGAPOREs EDUCATIONAL
SYSTEM 3. Secondary Education Secondary Education places students in the
following:

Slide 19: Special And Express Courses: 4-year courses leading to the GCE O Level
examination. Special course students offer Mother Tongue at a higher level (Higher
Chinese/Higher Malay/Higher Tamil). Normal Course: Students in the Normal course
follow either the Normal (Academic) [N(A)] or Normal (Technical) [N(T)] curriculum.
4-year programme leading to the GCE N Level examination. A 5th year leading to
the GCE 0 Level examination is available to N(A) students who perform well in their

GCE N Levels. Students can move from one course to another based on their
performance and the assessment of their Principal and teachers. Secondary Courses

Slide 20: The inner cirle centering on life skills ensures that students acquire sound
values and skills to take them through life as responsible adults and active citizens.
It comprises the non-academic curriculum. The middle circle on knowledge skills
seeks to develop students thinking, process and communication skills. This will
enable students to analyse and use information and be able to express their
thoughts and ideas clearly and effectively. It comprises skills-based subjects. The
outermost circle covers the content-based subject disciplines i.e. Languages,
Humanities & the Arts, and Mathematics & Sciences. It ensures that students have a
good grounding in content across different areas of study.

Slide 21: In the Normal (Technical) course, students offer 5-7 subjects in the GCE N
Level examination. This curriculum prepares them for a technical-vocational
education at the Institute of Technical Education. The curriculum is geared towards
strengthening students proficiency in English and Mathematics. Students take
English Language, Mathematics, Basic Mother Tongue and Computer Applications as
compulsory subjects.

Slide 22: In the Normal (Academic) course, students offer 6-8 subjects in the GCE N
Level examination. They have, as compulsory subjects, English Language, Mother
Tongue and Mathematics. For upper secondary, Combined Humanities and a Science
subject are also compulsory.

Slide 23: Co-Curricular Activities (CCAs) CCAs are an integral part of our students
holistic, well-rounded education. They help nurture in students qualities such as
resilience, tenacity, confidence and perseverance, which prepare them to adapt and
thrive in a rapidly changing world. Every secondary school student takes part in one
CCA taken from the following options: Sports and Games Uniformed Groups
Performing Arts Groups Clubs and Societies Students may also participate in a
second activity. In particular, students who are not involved in competitive sports
(e.g. students in CCAs such as performing arts and clubs) are encouraged to take up
sports and games as their second CCA.

Slide 24: From Secondary to Post-Secondary Education

Slide 25: Post-Secondary Education Options Junior Colleges (JCs) and Centralised
Institute (CI) For students who are academically inclined and have the necessary
GCE O Level qualifications. Offer a 2-year junior college/3-year centralised institute
pre-university course leading to the GCE A Level examination. Polytechnics For
students who wish to pursue applied and practice-oriented training and have the
necessary GCE O Level qualifications. From 2006, the polytechnics may admit up
to 5% of their respective intakes based on students special talents and aptitudes.
3-year courses are the norm. Polytechnic graduates with good grades have the
opportunity to pursue tertiary education at the universities. SINGAPOREs
EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM 4. Post-Secondary Education

Slide 26: Post-Secondary Education Options Institute of Technical Education (ITE) For
students with GCE O or N Level certificates. Offers 1- to 2-year technical or
vocational courses. Students who do well will be able to proceed to the polytechnics
for diploma programs. Qualified candidates may also subsequently progress to the
universities.

Slide 27: Pre-University Education Pre-University Education prepares students for

the GCE A Level examination at the end of the 2-year junior college or 3-year
centralised institute course. Students who completed their pre-university education
will receive a School Graduation Certificate. Fast Facts 2-3 years of education
National examination: GCE A Levels All students take part in at least one CCA; CCA
performance is considered for university admission

Slide 28: The inner circle centring on life skills ensures that students acquire sound
values and skills to take them through life as responsible adults and active citizens.
It comprises the non-academic curriculum. The middle circle on knowledge skills
seeks to develop students thinking, process and communication skills. This will
enable students to analyse and use information and be able to express their
thoughts and ideas clearly and effectively. It comprises skills-based subjects. The
outermost circle covers the content-based subject disciplines i.e. Languages,
Humanities & the Arts, and Mathematics & Sciences. It ensures that students have a
good grounding in content across different areas of study.

Slide 29: From Pre-University to University Education The National University of

Singapore (NUS) and the Nanyang Technological University (NTU) conduct separate

admission exercises under the following broad university admission framework for:
A Level O Level for Polytechnic graduates

Administration & Supervision : Administration & Supervision Managed by the

Ministry of Education (MOE) which directs education policy. It controls the
development and administration of public schools which receive government
funding but has also advisory and supervisory role to private schools. For both
private and public, there are variations in the extent of autonomy in their
curriculum, scope of government aid and funding, tuition burden on the students
and admission policy The Ministry is headed by the Minister, assisted by the
ministers of state and parliamentary secretary. Under the MOE are 3 deputy-general
of education, deputy-secretary of policy and deputy secretary for services

Outstanding practices : Outstanding practices High standards of teaching with a

distinctive record of topping among 49 countries in the TIMSS third International
Mathematics and Science Study Bilingual policy (english, tamil, mandarin, malay)
Broad-based curriculum (more courses special, express, normal, technical) High
quality and rigorous education system Strong belief in investing in education,
science laboratories and technology facilities Universities fall in good rankings in
Asias best universities

Issues and problems : Issues and problems According to critics including parents,
education system is very specialized, too rigid and elitist Excessive educational
streaming at a young age

Addressing the Issues : Addressing the Issues While streaming still exists, various
refinements have been made There is not greater flexibility for students to cross
different streams Government now experimenting with ability-banding in other ways
such as subject-based rather than overall academic performance Principle of
continuous improvement is valued