Basic education in Singapore

Abstract

This chapter explains key educational policies, programs, and structures in Singapore and some of their socio-political underpinnings. It provides an overview of the primary, secondary, and post-secondary education structures and how they are designed to offer multiple pathways, particularly with the introduction of subject-based banding. The chapter discusses access to education and how different agencies work together to support disadvantaged learners. In addition, we describe the system-wide recalibration toward valuing a holistic education, including character and citizenship education, and describe the process involved in continually reviewing and refining the national academic curriculum. We also provide examples of school and teacher agency within a prescribed national curriculum. The chapter explains our unique cluster support structure, and the School Excellence Model, a self-assessment model for schools to improve their capacity to engage in self-appraisal and school improvement. With the conviction that an education system is only as good as its school leaders, middle managers and teachers, information is included on how teachers are developed during pre-service and the various professional development opportunities in-service teachers have access to, within and beyond their schools. There is also a section on how teachers with leadership competencies are given opportunities to lead and are developed to become school leaders, guided by a Leader Growth Model and a set of ten Leadership Competencies for Principals. We conclude by reporting six key interrelated thrusts from the current educational reform.