HY2229/SSA2204 Nation-building in Singapore AY2013-14 Semester 2

Lecture 9 Becoming Singaporean: Education A. Introduction Singapore, An Education Nation? i. Objective : To understand t e relations ip bet!een edu"ation poli"ies and nation-building in Singapore To understand t e moti#ations$ ob%e"ti#es$ out"omes o& Singapore's edu"ation poli"ies sin"e 19(9 To "onsider some " allenges &or edu"ation and nation-building in Singapore

Singapore Literac! and Education Indicator "#$$ )itera"* +ate ,-. ,among residents aged 1( *rs / o#er. 1ales 3emales - !it Se"ondar* or Hig er 4uali&i"ations ,among resident non-students aged 2( *rs / o#er. 1ales 3emales 1ean Years o& S" ooling ,Yrs. ,among resident non-students aged 2( *rs / o#er. 1ales 3emales Sour"e6 Singapore 7epartment o& Statisti"s 90.1 92.1 94.1 00.0 09.5 03.5 10.2 10.5 9.5

ii.

%unction o& Education? 'ragmatic and in trumenta(i t

8to edu"ate a " ild to bring out is greatest potential so t at e !ill gro! into a good man and a use&ul "iti9en:; - )ee <uan Ye! ,1959. 8=e must a#e >ualities o& leaders ip at t e top and >ualities o& "o esion on t e ground. T is p*ramidal stru"ture o& top leaders$ good e?e"uti#es$ !ell-dis"iplined "i#i"-"ons"ious broad mass "an onl* be produ"ed b* our edu"ation.; - )ee <uan Ye! ,1900. 8T e mission o& t e @du"ation Ser#i"e is to mould t e &uture o& t e nation$ b* moulding t e people ! o !ill determine t e &uture o& t e nation. T e Ser#i"e !ill pro#ide our " ildren !it

HY2229/SSA2204 Nation-building in Singapore AY2013-14 Semester 2

a balan"ed and !ell-rounded edu"ation$ de#elop t em to t eir &ull potential$ and nurture t em into good "iti9ens$ "ons"ious o& t eir responsibilities to &amil*$ so"iet* and "ountr*.; - 1A@ !ebsite$ 1ar" 2011 iii. )*in Emp+a e 1. @du"ation &or Nation-Building - building a so"iall*-dis"iplined "o esi#e Singaporean so"iet* 2. @du"ation &or @"onom*-Building - dde#eloping Singapore's uman "apital to enable e"onomi" trans&ormation and restru"turing i#. A ,i torica( Overvie* : - main p+a e o& educationa( deve(opment in Singapore 1. 194( C 19(96 T e Dolonial @ra6 T e Eoliti"s o& @du"ation 2. 19(9 C 19596 4uantitati#e @?pansion and 4ualitati#e Donsolidation 3. 1959 C 19956 To!ards 8@&&i"ien"*-dri#en;$ and @?"ellen"e in$ @du"ation 4. 1995 F present6 To!ards 7i#ersi&i"ation and 8Abilit*-7ri#en; @du"ation B. '+a e $ $9-. $9.9 )+e /o(onia( Era i. 0ajor &eature : 1. Grappling !it lega"* o& edu"ation poli"* under t e Britis 2. Histori"al ba"Hground6 o @du"ation poli"* ser#ed Britis needsI Jne>ual treatment and out"omes o 4 separate streams o& edu"ationI #erna"ular s" ools in a plural so"iet*

ii.

'o t1$9-. Briti + 'o(ic! 2 Loca( 3eaction: 1. Britis re"ognition o& importan"e o& edu"ation to post-!ar nation-building

2. Don&li"t bet!een t e Britis and :: 1. t e 1ala* "ommunit* o#er 19(1 8+e-orientation Elan; 2. t e D inese "ommunit* o#er 19(4 plan &or D inese-medium s" ools iii. The All-Party Report on Chinese Education, 1956 - 1a%or re"ommendations ,t at be"ame prin"iples &or Singapore's edu"ation s*stem.6 a. @>ualit* o& treatment &or all languages and language streams 2

HY2229/SSA2204 Nation-building in Singapore AY2013-14 Semester 2

b. Dommon "urri"ulum &or all language streams I uni&*ing @nglis and non@nglis medium s" ools into a single s*stem ". 1ala* as t e national languageI indigeni9ation o& te?tbooHs to "reate a 81ala*an identit*;

/. '+a e " $9.9 $949, pre1 and po t1 $95. c+ange i. )+e PAPS Fi e-!ear Plan "1959# $ased on the 1956 report %1a%or &eatures6 a. 1ore e&&orts made to establis 8integrated s" ools; ,S" ools instru"ting in di&&erent languages Hept. b. +apid e?pansion ,>uantit*. o& primar* and se"ondar* s" ools ". @mp asis on mat emati"s$ s"ien"e and te" ni"al sub%e"ts d. @>ual treatment o& t e &our streams o& edu"ation6 1ala*$ D inese$ Tamil and @nglis e. 1ala* as t e national language

ii.

Education &or Econom!1bui(ding a. @mp asis on te" ni"al and #o"ational edu"ation to meet needs o& industriali9ation. @?amples @?pansion and Gro!t o& Ko"ational / Te" ni"al @du"ation 19(2 C Adult @du"ation Board 1953 C Lndustrial Training Board 1959 C A@B and LTB merged to establis Ko"ational Lndustrial Training Board ,KLTB. 1992 C Lnstitute o& Te" ni"al @du"ation ,LT@s. to pro#ide postse"ondar* edu"ation

iii.

Education &or Nation1bui(ding i. Lntegrated S" ools and "o-"urri"ular a"ti#ities as an in"ubator o& "ommon e?perien"e and ra"ial armon*

HY2229/SSA2204 Nation-building in Singapore AY2013-14 Semester 2

ii.

Dompulsor* bilingualism

iii.

3lag raising and pledge-taHing "eremon* in all s" oolsI Dompulsor* stud* o& Di#i"s

6. '+a e 7 $949 $995 i. Economic /onte8t: 1. S i&t to!ards te" nolog*-intensi#e$ ig er #alue-added ser#i"es and industr* ,82nd Lndustrial +e#olutionI ad#an"ed @AL;. 2. Lmpa"t o& 192( +e"ession 3. Dompetition &rom opening up D ina$ Lndonesia amid rising land and labour "osts 4. Assessment Singapore's labour &or"e still underde#eloped "ompared to "ountries liHe JS$ Tai!an$ Mapan ii. @du"ation s*stem e#ol#es6 1. Greater emp asis on pre-uni#ersit* and tertiar* le#el edu"ation to support a modern e"onom* 2. 7ealing !it "ertain identi&ied problems and de&i"ien"ies
Educationa( 9ua(i&ication o& Singaporean Aged ".1"9 :ear , $99$ $9;# $99# Be(o* Secondar! 0932Secondar! 1941'o t1 Secondar! 213<niver it! 42Sour"e6 Straits Times$ 1991

iii.

The &oh "'en( S)ee# Report a=a )+e Report on the *inistry o+ Education >$94;? 1. )aid do!n se#eral &undamentals o& t e Singapore edu"ation s*stem 2. Ba"Hground6 Eer"ei#ed &ailure o& edu"ation to meet rapid e"onomi" needs Lne&&e"ti#e bilingual poli"* - )o! litera"* le#els$ !it problem o& ig edu"ation !astage ,40-4(- &ailures in ES)@ in 1950. Ane-si9e-&its all "urri"ulum$ s*llabus$ and s*stem #ersus #ariations in t e learning and absorption "apa"ities o& " ildren

HY2229/SSA2204 Nation-building in Singapore AY2013-14 Semester 2

3. +e"ommendation6 Abilit*-Based Streaming i. @nd o& Erimar* T ree Normal Bilingual ,NN'.$ @?tended Bilingual ,N@'.$ 1onolingual ,N1'. ii. A&ter ES)@ Spe"ial ,Top 10-.$ @?press ,40-.$ Normal ,(0-. Gi&ted ,Top 3-. - 1924 4. +e"ommendation6 Dreation o& a Nationa( Education S! tem i. Ln 1923$ t e go#ernment announ"ed t at b* 1925 s" ools !ould onl* instru"t in @nglis C "reation o& a National @du"ation S*stem ii. Lnstitutionali9ed t e 81ot er Tongue; bilingual poli"*6 @nglis O 1T ,@nglis as &irst language. Summar! 3e u(t o& Nationa( E8amination >@overnment and @overnment Aided1 c+oo( ? 'SLE @/E OALEBELS :ear No. Sat No. C No.Sat No. C 'a ed 'a ed $94. 52$4(2 42$((0 .;.4C 3($0(3 21$452 5#."C $9;# 49$235 41$112 ;7..C 32$002 22$3(0 5;.-C $9;. 39$(92 40$922 ;..;C 29$130 2($933 ;9.#C Sour"e6 1inistr* o& @du"ation6 @du"ation Statisti"s 7igest 1990

i#.

Long1 tanding I ue , prob(em and debate rai ed b! t+e NES 1. @ns rinement o& prin"iple o& merito"ra"* - Abilit*-di&&erentiation

2. Musti&i"ation o& "ompetiti#e ig -stress edu"ation s*stem ,le#el up instead o& le#el do!n.

3. Lmportan"e to t e &ormation o& so"ial identities in Singapore

4. @mp asis on language-learning and a">uisition

(. 1arginali9ation o& t e linguisti"all* !eaH / older generation edu"ated in non@nglis language streams

0. Eer"ei#ed 7e#aluation o& et ni" languages (

HY2229/SSA2204 Nation-building in Singapore AY2013-14 Semester 2

#.

Education &or nation1bui(ding 1. ,n( Ten( Cheon( Report on *oral Education "19-9#$ Lntrodu"ed ne! 1oral @du"ation programme into primar* and se"ondar* s" ools$ repla"ing e?isting 8@du"ation &or )i#ing; and 8Di#i"s; program

2. 1924- 1929$ Dompulsor* 3e(igiou Dno*(edge edu"ation introdu"ed &or all upper se"ondar* students

#i.

Ot+er deve(opment $. $9;4 )o*ard E8ce((ence in Sc+oo( i. Greater de"entrali9ation o& management o& edu"ation / greater e?pansion and di#ersi&i"ation

ii.

Lndependent s" ools ,3 in 1922I 2 presentl*.

iii.

Autonomous s" ools ,1994. Go#ernment s" ools !it partial independen"e

2. 1991 . /01pro in( Pri1ary School Education2 Report led b* 7E1 Ang Teng D eong a. Eroposed at least ten *ears o& general edu"ation &or all Singaporeans

b. Streaming at E4 instead o& E3

". +epla"ement o& pre#ious streams !it 3 language learning streams at E( and E0$ ,@11$ @12$ @13$ 1@3.

d. 1odi&i"ation o& ES)@ &rom a pass-&ail e?am to a pla"ement e?amination 0

HY2229/SSA2204 Nation-building in Singapore AY2013-14 Semester 2

e. Lntrodu"tion o& Normal ,Te" ni"al Stream.

&.

Lntrodu"tion o& Lnstitutes o& Te" ni"al @du"ation &or post-se"ondar* s" ool lea#ers

E. '+a e - $994 pre ent, @(oba(iEation and it c+a((enge i. 19956 Go#ernment under E1 Go D oH Tong began a ma%or re#ie! o& t e edu"ation s*stem

a. BAD<7+AE6 Need &or e"onomi" restru"turing to!ards a <no!ledge-Based @"onom* ii. Ne! &rame!orH6 F)+in=ing Sc+oo( Learning NationG >)SLN? a. Ab%e"ti#es6 i. Driti"al and "reati#e t inHing ii. LT pro&i"ien"* iii. National @du"ation ,Diti9ens ip @du"ation. i#. Administrati#e @?"ellen"e iii. )o*ard FAbi(it!16riven EducationG: %urt+er decentra(iEation and diver i&ication o& education ! tem a. 1ore &le?ibilit* and autonom* to "alibrate and tailor pedagog* and "urri"ulum

b. 1ore edu"ation pat !a*s to suit students' passion$ pre&eren"es and learning needs

". 1ore opportunities &or ig er edu"ation/li&elong learning

i#.

6eve(opment a. "###, /ompu( or! Education Act$ all Singaporean " ildren born a&ter 1 Manuar* 1990 to a#e "ompulsor* primar* edu"ation.

HY2229/SSA2204 Nation-building in Singapore AY2013-14 Semester 2

b. @nd o& 8Streaming;I To!ards 8Banding; i. 2004$ distin"tion bet!een @11 and @12 streams remo#edI I s" ools gi#en &le?ibilit* to 8organi9e and band t eir students to a" ie#e t e best edu"ational out"omes;.

ii. 2002$ @13 stream repla"ed b* sub%e"t-based banding ,Standard or 3oundational le#el. -

". Lntrodu"tion o& Integrated 'rogramme ,LE. in 2002 ,repla"es G@E.

d. E tab(i +ment o& pecia(iEed c+oo( i. S" ool o& t e Arts ii. Sports S" ools ,2004. iii. NJS Hig S" ool o& 1at emati"s and S"ien"e ,200(. i#. Nort lig t S" ool ,2005. #. S" ool o& S"ien"e and Te" nolog* ,SST.

e. Increa e in univer it! pace i. Singapore's 3rd Jni#ersit* in 1999 C Singapore 1anagement Jni#ersit* ii. iii. i#. Singapore Lnstitute o& Te" nolog* ,SLT. admits &irst bat" in 2010 Singapore Jni#ersit* o& Te" nolog* and 7esign ,SJT7. admits &irst bat" in 2012 National 7a* +all* 2012 0 uni#ersities b* 2020 &or 40- o& ea" s" ool "o ort ,Jp &rom 25- "o ort parti"ipation rate.

&.

FLi&e(ong LearningGH F/ontinuing Education and )rainingG

HY2229/SSA2204 Nation-building in Singapore AY2013-14 Semester 2

i. 1ore &unding and support &or adult learning/ !orH&or"e de#elopment CC =orH&or"e 7e#elopment Agen"* 2002

ii. Eart-time "erti&i"ation$ diplomas and degree "ourses in LT@s$ Eol*te" ni"s$ SL1 Jni#ersit*$ NTJ$ NJS
Educationa( Attainment o& Singaporean "##$ Be(o* Secondar! 40.9Secondar! 24.1'o t1 Secondar! 0.0>non1tertiar!? 6ip(oma 2 Ot+er 2.9'ro&e iona( 9ua(i&ication <niver it! 13.0Sour"e6 Singapore 7epartment o& Statisti"s "#$$ "#$$ 33.419.02.913.024.(-

%. I i.

ue and /+a((enge %undamenta( 9ue tion and )en ion 1. Donse>uen"es o& restru"turing o& e"onom* and edu"ation s*stemP 2. 1erito"ra"* #s Ln"lusi#eness C @du"ation &or All or @du"ation &or NBest and t e Brig test'P 3. 1anaging e?pe"tations and aspirations C 1erito"ra"* O Ln"lusi#eness does not Q @>ualit* o& Aut"omesP 4. Tensions6 a 8=orld-Dlass Dit*; t at Singaporeans !ill "all ome *et attra"t top global talentP

ii.

E&&ectivene o& )SLN 2 F)eac+ Le , Learn 0oreG? 1. Dontinued ea#* relian"e on e?aminations

2. 8Tea" )ess$ )earn 1ore; Q 8Tuition 1ore$ )earn 1ore;P

3. Ln"reased "ompetition / pressure to do !ellP

HY2229/SSA2204 Nation-building in Singapore AY2013-14 Semester 2

iii.

)+e F're ure /oo=erG Education S! tem E8amination , )uition, A e ment, Stre and FItA )+e EndG 1. Stress and >ualit* o& li&e ,&or bot parent and " ild.I "ause o& migration 2. So"ial stigma and ps*" ologi"al !ell-being 3. Ere-o""upation !it Grades$ @du"ational 4uali&i"ations as 7e&initions o& Su""ess

i#.

@(oba(iEation 2 )+e Dno*(edge1Ba ed Econom! 1. 1ore Singaporeans A#erseas i. T e iron* o& enabling Singaporeans' mobilit*

2. Singapore as @du"ation Hub 8T e Global S" ool ouse; ii. Ln&lo! o& &oreigners and so"io-politi"al tensions

#.

Structura( unemp(o!ment? 1. SolutionP - +etraining and !orH&or"e de#elopment i. @.g. Basi" @du"ation &or SHills Training ,B@ST.$ in 1923 and =orHer Lmpro#ement Se"ondar* @du"ation ,=LS@.

ii.

2002$ =orH&or"e 7e#elopment Agen"*

2. Eroblems i. )earning "ur#e too steepP ii. Situation !orsened b* in&lu? o& unsHilled guest !orHers and managers$ pro&essionals

#i.

Income ineIua(it!? 3ic+ get 3ic+erJ 'oor get 'oorer?

8T e "ogniti#e elite$ alread* t e ones best pla"ed to bene&it &rom Singapore's streamed s*stem o& edu"ation !ill gain &urt er ad#antage &rom t e LE and t e !ell-to-do !ill bene&it &rom t e establis ment o& pri#ate s" ools and uni#ersities$ and opportunities to seeH edu"ation abroad; ,Gopinat an$ p. 05. 81an* Singaporeans are &inding t emsel#es in t e !rong al& o& a dual labour marHet t at separates$ !it in"reasing s arpness$ t e sHilled and t e !ell paid &rom t e unsHilled and lo! paid' ,Garr* +odan ,1995. 10

HY2229/SSA2204 Nation-building in Singapore AY2013-14 Semester 2

#ii.

Socia( %i

ure H I

ue

1. @litism$ A" ie#ement-Arientation

2. Eolari9ation o& 8Better endo!ed; #ersus 8)ess endo!ed;

#iii.

Socia( mobi(it! and inter1generationa( mobi(it!? ST$ 2( Manuar* 2011 ,8Earents' ba"Hground t e edge &or students at top s" ools6 11.
Murong =est S e"ondar* BuHit 1era S e"ondar* D ai D ee S e"ondar* S t Mosep Rs Lnstitution H!a D ong Lnstitution 1et odist Girls +a&&les Girls 0 10 20 30 40 (0 00 50 20 1ot er 3at er

Eer"entage o& parents !it uni#ersit* >uali&i"ations in s" ools ,Adapted &rom Straits Times$ 2( Manuar* 2011.

o o o

ST$ 10 3ebruar* 2011 ,8Gro!ing =orr* o& so"ial mobilit*; b* 7r Lrene Ng$ NJS. ST$ 23 3ebruar* 2011 ,So"ial immobilit* not a problem$ replies 1A@. see 1A@ !ebsite 1ar" 20116 @du"ation 1inister Ng @ng Hen de&ended edu"ation s*stem in Earliament6 8still best !a* to mo#e up;

11

HY2229/SSA2204 Nation-building in Singapore AY2013-14 Semester 2

i?.

0ore diver i&ied pat+*a! K 0ore inc(u ivene

1. @mplo*ment 1arHet *et to "at" up !it t e edu"ation s*stem

2.

8Status An?iet*; C Earents and students

3. 8Status An?iet* o& t e Ln"umbent @lite;

@. /onc(u ion: )o*ard @reater Inc(u ivene ? i. Eer#asi#e-ness and importan"e o& edu"ation in t e li#es o& Singaporeans

ii.

@du"ation as de#i"e &or so"ial " ange$ national "o esion and e"onomi" restru"turing 1. 2012 Singapore Budget$ SS10.0billion allo"ated out o& estimated SS(0.2billion

iii.

T e 3uture6 To!ards Greater Ln"lusi#enessP C But Ho!P

8Aur mission...is to build an in"lusi#e so"iet* and a stronger Singapore. Lt means upgrading and restru"turing our e"onom* so t at !e "an sustain gro!t $ "reate better %obs in e#er* #o"ation and enable Singaporeans to earn better in"omes. =e a#e to depend less on &oreign labour and more on ig er sHills$ inno#ation and produ"ti#it* to dri#e our e"onom*. Lt means more elp &or " ildren &rom poorer omes to o#er"ome earl* disad#antages$ &ind t eir strengt s and de#elop to t eir &ullest potential$ so t at !e Heep so"ial mobilit* up .; - Singapore go#ernment$ 1inistr* o& 3inan"e's 8Budget Ln Brie&; 2012

12

HY2229/SSA2204 Nation-building in Singapore AY2013-14 Semester 2

All +ig ts +eser#ed. @dgar )iao 2014

13