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Development and problems of Singapore secondary education 1947-1969 with special reference to the English-medium secondary schools
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Type
Thesis
Author
Ong, Kim Siong
Supervisor
Tai, Chen Hwa
Abstract
The scope of this study is a treatment of the general trends in the development of Singapore's secondary education, with special reference to the English-medium secondary schools from 1947 to 1969, from the introduction of a universal primary education system to the current stages of educational reforms of the sixties. The study examines first the character of the English-medium secondary school and traces its subsequent expansion, certain underlying philosophies and objectives, the provisions and general direction, the various proposals made and the extent to which they were being implemented, the problems met with in each stage and the progress made.
English secondary education before 1947 was exclusive and generally tailored to the simple needs of the time of Singapore's economy. The Senior Cambridge and before it the Queen's Scholarship examinations formed the culmination of secondary education.
The year 1947 saw the commencement of a search for a national system in the introduction of universal primary education in the Neilson Plan in Singapore, a move also for the eventual replacement of communal schools. However, what began as a policy for building regional primary schools for the teaching of the vernacular languages became instead one for the establishment of an education system based on the English-medium school. The Ten-Year Plan became also the basis for English secondary education but the novelty of providing universal primary education left many questions pertaining to secondary education unattended. A steady rising demand for education in the English-medium grew shortly after 1947 and led to the acceleration of the educational programme. The emphasis and value placed upon education in English was typical of the times. The Ten-Year and the Five-Year Plans set the stage for the expansion of English education in Singapore and the history of education in the fifties was largely that of the English-medium overshadowing the needs of the other school systems. A move was made forthwith to exercise more control over the vernacular schools especially those of the Chinese-medium.
The problems of the secondary school started to emerge in 1951 for the provision of a primary education in English was assumed also to carry the obligation to provide an English secondary education for everybody. Initially, the secondary schools performed the function of providing teachers for the primary schools. The first move was made to introduce bilingual education in the Chinese schools but the experiment was a failure.
In 1953, the recommendations of the Rendel Commission disapproved of a multi-lingual system. The government's policy henceforth was a restriction of secondary education to those who could derive benefit from it. High cost of education in the second level was also one of the limiting factors.
In 1955, student unrest in the Chinese secondary schools led to the appointment of an All-Party Committee whose report was a revelation of the many deficiencies and weaknesses of the education system. In 1956, the White Paper or Education Policy accepted most of the recommendations of the committee and also laid down the determinants of admission to full-time secondary education. In the meantime, demands for secondary education had arisen from other quarters, principally the Malay-medium. Educational landmark in 1957 was the passing of a new Education Bill for the establishment of a national multi-lingual system. But the many problems of secondary education remained unsolved. The English-medium secondary schools could not provide enough places for the growing number of pupils from the primary schools.
In 1959, with the formation of a new government of Singapore, attention was given to the many outstanding problems in education. The four streams of education received parity of treatment and there were provisions of more places in the secondary schools. Special commissions sat in 1961 and 1962 to examine the needs of technical and vocational education and to report on the education system of Singapore. The rapid expansion of secondary education now directed attention to the importance of quality. The task which faced the state was no longer that of simply providing school places but of re-orientating the aims and methods of education to the different needs of the nation's multi-racial society. The rise of national aspirations following the attainment of independence in Singapore was a driving force in the state's educational development. Traditional systems gave way to much restructuring and reorganisation aimed at adapting them closer to national needs. Revisions included a common curriculum of general education for two years - a combination of academic and technical subjects involving workshop practice for Secondary I and II. In addition, the curriculum for Secondary III and IV had been revised to allow more diversification in the secondary education programme. The move for the replacement of the Cambridge School Certificate examination marked the beginning of a new role for the English-medium secondary school in the seventies.
English secondary education before 1947 was exclusive and generally tailored to the simple needs of the time of Singapore's economy. The Senior Cambridge and before it the Queen's Scholarship examinations formed the culmination of secondary education.
The year 1947 saw the commencement of a search for a national system in the introduction of universal primary education in the Neilson Plan in Singapore, a move also for the eventual replacement of communal schools. However, what began as a policy for building regional primary schools for the teaching of the vernacular languages became instead one for the establishment of an education system based on the English-medium school. The Ten-Year Plan became also the basis for English secondary education but the novelty of providing universal primary education left many questions pertaining to secondary education unattended. A steady rising demand for education in the English-medium grew shortly after 1947 and led to the acceleration of the educational programme. The emphasis and value placed upon education in English was typical of the times. The Ten-Year and the Five-Year Plans set the stage for the expansion of English education in Singapore and the history of education in the fifties was largely that of the English-medium overshadowing the needs of the other school systems. A move was made forthwith to exercise more control over the vernacular schools especially those of the Chinese-medium.
The problems of the secondary school started to emerge in 1951 for the provision of a primary education in English was assumed also to carry the obligation to provide an English secondary education for everybody. Initially, the secondary schools performed the function of providing teachers for the primary schools. The first move was made to introduce bilingual education in the Chinese schools but the experiment was a failure.
In 1953, the recommendations of the Rendel Commission disapproved of a multi-lingual system. The government's policy henceforth was a restriction of secondary education to those who could derive benefit from it. High cost of education in the second level was also one of the limiting factors.
In 1955, student unrest in the Chinese secondary schools led to the appointment of an All-Party Committee whose report was a revelation of the many deficiencies and weaknesses of the education system. In 1956, the White Paper or Education Policy accepted most of the recommendations of the committee and also laid down the determinants of admission to full-time secondary education. In the meantime, demands for secondary education had arisen from other quarters, principally the Malay-medium. Educational landmark in 1957 was the passing of a new Education Bill for the establishment of a national multi-lingual system. But the many problems of secondary education remained unsolved. The English-medium secondary schools could not provide enough places for the growing number of pupils from the primary schools.
In 1959, with the formation of a new government of Singapore, attention was given to the many outstanding problems in education. The four streams of education received parity of treatment and there were provisions of more places in the secondary schools. Special commissions sat in 1961 and 1962 to examine the needs of technical and vocational education and to report on the education system of Singapore. The rapid expansion of secondary education now directed attention to the importance of quality. The task which faced the state was no longer that of simply providing school places but of re-orientating the aims and methods of education to the different needs of the nation's multi-racial society. The rise of national aspirations following the attainment of independence in Singapore was a driving force in the state's educational development. Traditional systems gave way to much restructuring and reorganisation aimed at adapting them closer to national needs. Revisions included a common curriculum of general education for two years - a combination of academic and technical subjects involving workshop practice for Secondary I and II. In addition, the curriculum for Secondary III and IV had been revised to allow more diversification in the secondary education programme. The move for the replacement of the Cambridge School Certificate examination marked the beginning of a new role for the English-medium secondary school in the seventies.
Date Issued
1970
Call Number
LA1239.7 Ong
Date Submitted
1970