What global citizenship means to Singapore primary students

Abstract

One challenge in the crafting of a school-based curriculum for global citizenship (GC) is the wide range of conceptualisations of global citizenship ranging from the simple incorporation of group-work in class activity to the inclusion of more issues-based, justice oriented curriculum content. As schools in the small island-state of Singapore 1nake sense of globalisation, what do pupils know or understand about global citizenship? This article reports on the findings of a qualitative study of what local and international pupils, aged 11, understand of GC in Singapore. Broadly, their understanding cohere around three themes respect, responsibility and issues in relationships. These themes are nuanced by differences in perceptions due to the school curriculum, pupils' ethnicity and nationality and, to a lesser extent, gender; these differences underline the need to include pupils' voices for a 1nore dynamic and rigorous approach in global citizenship education (GCE) curriculum development.