Education in Singapore is managed by the
Ministry of EducationThe Ministry Of Education is a ministry of the Government of Singapore that directs the formulation and implementation of policies related to education in Singapore.-Statutory boards:...
(MOE), which controls the development and administration of state schools receiving government funding, but also has an advisory and supervisory role in respect of
private schoolPrivate schools, also known as independent schools or nonstate schools, are not administered by local, state or national governments; thus, they retain the right to select their students and are funded in whole or in part by charging their students' tuition, rather than relying on mandatory...
s. For both private and state schools, there are variations in the extent of autonomy in their curriculum, scope of government aid and funding,
tuitionTuition payments, known primarily as tuition in American English and as tuition fees in British English, Canadian English, Australian English, New Zealand English and Indian English, refers to a fee charged for educational instruction during higher education.Tuition payments are charged by...
burden on the students, and admission policy.
Education spending usually makes up about 20 per cent of the annual
national budgetA government budget is a legal document that is often passed by the legislature, and approved by the chief executive-or president. For example, only certain types of revenue may be imposed and collected...
, which subsidises state education and government-assisted private education for Singaporean citizens and funds the
EdusaveThe Edusave programme is part of a scheme implemented for education in Singapore by the Ministry of Education for Singapore. Its stated aim is to maximise opportunities for all Singaporean children...
programme, the costs for which are significantly higher for non-citizens. In 2000 the Compulsory Education Act codified
compulsory educationCompulsory education refers to a period of education that is required of all persons.-Antiquity to Medieval Era:Although Plato's The Republic is credited with having popularized the concept of compulsory education in Western intellectual thought, every parent in Judea since Moses's Covenant with...
for children of primary school age (excepting those with disabilities), and made it a
criminal offenceCriminal law, is the body of law that relates to crime. It might be defined as the body of rules that defines conduct that is not allowed because it is held to threaten, harm or endanger the safety and welfare of people, and that sets out the punishment to be imposed on people who do not obey...
for parents to fail to enroll their children in school and ensure their regular attendance. Exemptions are allowed for
homeschoolingHomeschooling or homeschool is the education of children at home, typically by parents but sometimes by tutors, rather than in other formal settings of public or private school...
or full-time religious institutions, but parents must apply for exemption from the Ministry of Education and meet a minimum benchmark.
The main language of instruction in Singapore is English, which was officially designated the first language within the local education system in 1987.
EnglishEnglish is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
is the first language learned by half the children by the time they reach preschool age and becomes the primary medium of instruction by the time they reach
primary schoolA primary school is an institution in which children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as primary or elementary education. Primary school is the preferred term in the United Kingdom and many Commonwealth Nations, and in most publications of the United Nations Educational,...
. Although
MalayMalay is a major language of the Austronesian family. It is the official language of Malaysia , Indonesia , Brunei and Singapore...
,
Mandarin ChineseStandard Chinese or Modern Standard Chinese, also known as Mandarin or Putonghua, is the official language of the People's Republic of China and Republic of China , and is one of the four official languages of Singapore....
and
TamilTamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and in the Indian union territory of Pondicherry. Tamil is also an official language of Sri Lanka and Singapore...
are also official languages, English is the language of instruction for nearly all subjects except the official Mother Tongue languages and the literatures of those languages; these are generally not taught in English, although there is provision for the use of English at the initial stages. Certain schools, such as
secondary schoolSecondary education is the stage of education following primary education. Secondary education includes the final stage of compulsory education and in many countries it is entirely compulsory. The next stage of education is usually college or university...
s under the
Special Assistance PlanThe Special Assistance Plan is a programme in Singapore which caters to academically strong students who excel in both their mother tongue as well as English. It is only available in selected secondary schools. In a SAP school, several subjects may be taught in the mother tongue, alongside other...
(SAP), which encourages a richer use of the mother tongue, may teach occasionally in English and another language. A few schools have been experimenting with curricula that integrates language subjects with mathematics and the sciences, using both English and a second language.
Singapore's education system has been described as "world-leading" and in 2010 was among those picked out for commendation by the
BritishThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
education minister
Michael GoveMichael Andrew Gove, MP is a British politician, who currently serves as the Secretary of State for Education and as the Conservative Party Member of Parliament for the Surrey Heath constituency. He is also a published author and former journalist.Born in Edinburgh, Gove was raised in Aberdeen...
.
School grades
The school year is divided into two semesters. The first begins in the beginning of January and ends in June; the second begins in July and ends in December.
| Level/Grade | Typical age |
| Preschool |
| Pre-school playgroup A pre-school playgroup, or in everyday usage just a playgroup, is an organised group providing care and socialisation for children under five. The term is widely used in the United Kingdom. Playgroups are less formal than the pre-school education of nursery schools...
|
3-4 |
KindergartenA kindergarten is a preschool educational institution for children. The term was created by Friedrich Fröbel for the play and activity institute that he created in 1837 in Bad Blankenburg as a social experience for children for their transition from home to school...
|
4-6 |
| Primary school |
| Primary 1 First grade is a year of primary education in schools in the United States and English-speaking provinces of Canada. It is the first school year after kindergarten...
|
6-7 |
| Primary 2 In the United States, second grade is a year of primary education. Second grade is the second school year after kindergarten. Students are traditionally 7–8 years old, depending on when their birthday occurs....
|
7-8 |
| Primary 3 In the United States, third grade is a year of primary education. It is the third school year after kindergarten. Students are usually 8 – 9 years old, depending on when their birthday occurs....
|
8-9 |
| Primary 4 Fourth grade is a year of education in the United States and many other nations. The fourth grade is the fourth school year after kindergarten. Students are usually 9 or 10 years old, depending on their birthday. It is a part of elementary school. In some parts of the United States, fourth grade...
|
9-10 |
| Primary 5 Fifth grade is a year of education in the United States and many other nations. The fifth grade is the fifth school year after kindergarten. Students are usually 10 – 11 years old, and are preteens...
|
10-11 |
| Primary 6 Sixth grade is a year of education in the United States and some other nations. The sixth grade is the sixth school year after kindergarten. Students are usually 11 – 12 years old...
|
11–12 |
| Secondary school Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
|
| Secondary 1 Seventh grade is a year of education in the United States and many other nations. The seventh grade is the seventh school year after kindergarten. Students are usually 12–13 years old. Traditionally, seventh grade was the next-to-last year of elementary school...
|
12-13 |
| Secondary 2 Eighth grade is a year of education in the United States, Canada, Australia and other nations. Students are usually 13 - 14 years old. The eighth grade is typically the final grade before high school, and the ninth grade of public and private education, following kindergarten and subsequent grades...
|
13–14 |
| Secondary 3 Ninth grade is the ninth post-kindergarten year of school education in some school systems. The students are 13 to 15 years of age, depending on when their birthday occurs. Depending on the school district, ninth grade is usually the first year of high school....
|
14-15 |
| Secondary 4 In majority of the world,Tenth grade is the tenth year of school post-kindergarten. The variants of "10th grade" in various nations is described below.-Australia:...
|
15–16 |
| Post-secondary education |
Tertiary educationTertiary education, also referred to as third stage, third level, and post-secondary education, is the educational level following the completion of a school providing a secondary education, such as a high school, secondary school, university-preparatory school...
(CollegeA college is an educational institution or a constituent part of an educational institution. Usage varies in English-speaking nations...
or UniversityA university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
) |
Ages vary (usually four years,
referred to as Freshman,
Sophomore, Junior and
Senior years) |
Kindergartens
KindergartenA kindergarten is a preschool educational institution for children. The term was created by Friedrich Fröbel for the play and activity institute that he created in 1837 in Bad Blankenburg as a social experience for children for their transition from home to school...
s in Singapore provide up to three years of pre-school for children ages three to six. The three years are commonly called
Nursery,
Kindergarten 1 (K1) and
Kindergarten 2 (K2), respectively.
Kindergartens provide an environment for children to learn how to interact with others, and to prepare them for formal education at Primary school. Activities include learning language - written and oral - and numbers, development of personal and social skills, games, music, and outdoor play. Children learn two languages, English and their official Mother Tongue (
ChineseThe Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages...
,
MalayMalay is a major language of the Austronesian family. It is the official language of Malaysia , Indonesia , Brunei and Singapore...
, or
TamilTamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and in the Indian union territory of Pondicherry. Tamil is also an official language of Sri Lanka and Singapore...
). Many private or church-based kindergartens might not offer Malay or Tamil, so non-Chinese pupils might also learn some Chinese in these kindergartens.
The kindergartens are run by the private sector, including community foundations, religious bodies, and civic or business groups. There are more than 200 kindergartens registered with the Ministry of Education. Kindergartens are also run by child care centres as well as
international schoolAn International school is loosely defined as a school that promotes international education, in an international environment, either by adopting an international curriculum such as that of the International Baccalaureate or Cambridge International Examinations, or by following a national...
s.
The
People's Action PartyThe People's Action Party is the leading political party in Singapore. It has been the city-state's ruling political party since 1959....
, which has governed Singapore since 1957, runs 247 kindergartens through its charitable arm, the PAP Community Foundation.
Primary education
Primary education, normally starting at age seven, is a four-year
foundation stage (Primary 1 to 4) and a two-year
orientation stage (Primary 5 to 6). Primary education is compulsory and free, though there is a fee of up to
SGDThe Singapore dollar or Dollar is the official currency of Singapore. It is normally abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or alternatively S$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies...
13 monthly per student to help cover miscellaneous costs.
Foundation stage
The
foundation stage is the first stage of formal schooling. The four years, from primary 1 to 4, provide a foundation in English, mother tongue (which includes Chinese, Malay, Tamil or a Non-Tamil Indian Language (NTIL)) and Mathematics. Other subjects include Civics and Moral Education,
arts and craftsArts and crafts comprise a whole host of activities and hobbies that are related to making things with one's hands and skill. These can be sub-divided into handicrafts or "traditional crafts" and "the rest"...
, music,
health educationHealth education is the profession of educating people about health. Areas within this profession encompass environmental health, physical health, social health, emotional health, intellectual health, and spiritual health...
,
social studiesSocial studies is the "integrated study of the social sciences and humanities to promote civic competence," as defined by the American National Council for the Social Studies...
, and
physical educationPhysical education or gymnastics is a course taken during primary and secondary education that encourages psychomotor learning in a play or movement exploration setting....
, which are taught throughout Primary 1 to 6.
ScienceScience is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe...
is taught from Primary 3 onwards.
Orientation stage
All pupils advance to the orientation stage after Primary 4, where English Language, Mother Tongue and Mathematics are taught at the appropriate level according to the pupil's ability. Schools are given the flexibility to develop their own examinations to match pupils with the levels that suit them. The streaming system has been adjusted: previously, pupils were divided at Primary 5 to the EM1, EM2 and EM3 (English and Mother Tongue at 1st, 2nd and 3rd language respectively) streams, but since 2008 they are streamed according to subject. They can take their Mother Tongue at the higher, standard or foundation levels; Science and Maths can be taken at the standard or foundation levels.
Primary School Leaving Examination
At the end of Primary 6, the national
Primary School Leaving ExaminationThe Primary School Leaving Examination is a national examination taken by all students in Singapore near the end of primary six in primary school, which is also their last year in Primary school before they leave for secondary school. It is administered by the Ministry of Education...
(PSLE) is held. The examination determines whether the student is ready to leave primary school by passing; places in secondary schools are allocated according to students' performance in the examination.
Secondary education
Based on results of the PSLE, students are placed in different secondary education tracks or streams: "Special", "Express", "Normal (Academic)", or "Normal (Technical)". Singaporeans are forbidden to attend international schools on the island without Ministry of Education permission.
"Special" and "Express" are four-year courses leading up to the Singapore-Cambridge GCE "O" Level examination. The difference between these two courses is that in the "Special" stream, students take 'Higher Mother Tongue' (available for Chinese, Malay and Tamil only) instead of 'Mother Tongue'. A pass in the Higher Mother Tongue 'O' Level Examination constitutes the fulfilment of the Mother Tongue requirement in Singapore, whereas Normal Mother Tongue Students will have to go through one more year of study in their Mother Tongue after their 'O' Levels to take the 'AS' Level Mother Tongue Examinations and fulfil the MOE's requirement. A foreign language, either
FrenchFrench is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
,
GermanGerman is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
, or
Japaneseis a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities. It is a member of the Japonic language family, which has a number of proposed relationships with other languages, none of which has gained wide acceptance among historical linguists .Japanese is an...
, can be taken in addition to the mother tongue or can replace it. This is especially popular with students who are struggling with their mother tongues, expatriates, or students returning from abroad. Non-Chinese students may also study Chinese and non-Malay students Malay as a third language. This programme is known as CSP (Chinese Special Programme) and MSP (Malay Special Programme). Mother Tongue teachers conduct these lessons in school after usual hours. Students of Higher Mother Tongue languages are allowed to have up to two points taken off their O-level scoring, a scoring system discussed below where a lower value is considered better, if they meet set benchmarks. The
Ministry of Education Language CentreThe Ministry of Education Language Centre is a centralised educational institution for students in Singapore's education system to learn additional languages. There are two campuses located in Bishan and Newton, which are managed by the Ministry of Education of Singapore...
(MOELC) provides free language education for most additional languages that other schools may not cover, and provides the bulk of such education, admitting several thousand students each year.
Normal is a four-year course leading up to a
Normal-levelThe General Certificate of Education or GCE is an academic qualification that examination boards in the United Kingdom and a few of the Commonwealth countries, notably Sri Lanka, confer to students. The GCE traditionally comprised two levels: the Ordinary Level and the Advanced Level...
(N-level) exam, with the possibility of a fifth year followed by an O-level. Normal is split into
Normal (Academic) and
Normal (Technical). In Normal (Technical), students take subjects of a more technical nature, such as Design and Technology, while in Normal (Academic) students are prepared to take the O-level exam and normally take subjects such as Principles of Accounting. In 2004, the Ministry of Education announced that selected students in the Normal course would have an opportunity to sit for the O-level exam directly without first taking the N-level exam.
There are ongoing debates about the effectiveness of streaming, with some arguing that it should be abolished due to its detrimental psychological effects.
With the exception of schools offering the Integrated Programme, which leads to either an
International Baccalaureate DiplomaThe International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme is a two-year educational programme for students aged 16–19that provides an internationally accepted qualification for entry into higher education, and is recognised by universities worldwide. It was developed in the early to mid-1960s in Geneva by...
or to an
A-levelThe General Certificate of Education or GCE is an academic qualification that examination boards in the United Kingdom and a few of the Commonwealth countries, notably Sri Lanka, confer to students. The GCE traditionally comprised two levels: the Ordinary Level and the Advanced Level...
exam, most students are streamed into a wide range of course combinations at the end of their second year, bringing the total number of subjects they have to sit at O-level to between six to ten, with English, Mother Tongue or Higher Mother Tongue Language, Mathematics, one Science and one Humanities Elective being compulsory. Several new subjects such as Computing and Theatre Studies and Drama are being introduced in tandem with the Ministry of Education's revised curriculum. Subjects usually taken at O-Level are:
Languages group:
- English Language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
- Mother Tongue Languages Mandarin (Chinese
The Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages...
, MalayMalay is a major language of the Austronesian family. It is the official language of Malaysia , Indonesia , Brunei and Singapore...
, TamilTamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and in the Indian union territory of Pondicherry. Tamil is also an official language of Sri Lanka and Singapore...
, etc.)
- Higher Mother Tongue Languages (Higher Chinese, Higher Malay, Higher Tamil, etc.)
- Non-Tamil Indian Languages (Hindi
Standard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...
, UrduUrdu is a register of the Hindustani language that is identified with Muslims in South Asia. It belongs to the Indo-European family. Urdu is the national language and lingua franca of Pakistan. It is also widely spoken in some regions of India, where it is one of the 22 scheduled languages and an...
, etc.)
- Foreign Languages (French
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
, GermanGerman is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
, Japaneseis a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities. It is a member of the Japonic language family, which has a number of proposed relationships with other languages, none of which has gained wide acceptance among historical linguists .Japanese is an...
)
- Asian Languages (Arabic, Bahasa Indonesia)
- Other Third Languages [Chinese (Special Programme), Malay (Special Programme)]
Humanities group:
- Combined Humanities
- History
- Geography
- Literature in English/Malay/Chinese/Tamil
- Higher Art (Art Elective Programme)
- Higher Music (Music Elective Programme)
Mathematics & Science Group:
- Mathematics
- Additional Mathematics
- Physics
- Chemistry
- Biology
- Science (Physics, Chemistry), Science (Physics, Biology), Science (Chemistry, Biology)
- Integrated Sciences
Others:
- Art
- Design and Technology
- Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
- Computer Applications
- Elements of Office Administration (until 2008)
- Elements of Business Skills (2009 onwards)
- Food and Nutrition
- Principles of Accounts
- Religious studies (Confucian Ethics, Buddhist Studies, Islamic Religious Knowledge, Bible Studies, Sikh Studies, etc.)
- O-Level School-Initiated Electives [OSIEs] (Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
, Computer Studies, etc.)
The list above is not exhaustive, and does not include new subjects such as Computing and Theatre Studies and Drama, or less common subjects, such as Integrated Sciences.
Compulsory Subjects for a GCE O-Level candidate
- English Language
- Mother Tongue (Chinese
The Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages...
, TamilTamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and in the Indian union territory of Pondicherry. Tamil is also an official language of Sri Lanka and Singapore...
, MalayMalay is a major language of the Austronesian family. It is the official language of Malaysia , Indonesia , Brunei and Singapore...
, Others)
- Mathematics
- Combined Humanities
- Science (Either 1 combined science or up to 3 pure sciences)
- One other subject (Art, Principles of Accounts, Design and Technology, Food and Nutrition, Additional Mathematics, etc.)
Candidates must take at least 6 subjects which must include the above core (English, Mother Tongue, Mathematics, Humanities, Science) subjects.
Grade and scoring systems
Most schools commonly follow the kind of grading system awarded at the Singapore-Cambridge GCE O-Level examination, which a student sits at the end of four or five years of secondary education, taking at least 6 subjects. The level of achievement in each subject is indicated by the grade obtained, with A1 being the highest achievable grade and F9 the lowest:
- A1/A2 (Distinction)
- B3/B4 (Merit)
- C5/C6 (Credit/Pass)
- D7 (Sub-Pass/fail, that is, passing at a lower standard in the exam or fail)
- E8/F9 (Fail)
A student's overall academic performance is measured through several scoring systems (such as the L1R5, L1B5 and L1R4 scoring system) depending on which type of post-secondary institution a student is applying. Each grade has a point value respective to it, for example, with grade A1 being 1 point, A2 being 2 points, and B3 being 3 points. Thus, the lower the points obtained, the better the score. For example, in the L1R5 scoring system, the student's L1 or first language (either English or Higher Mother Tongue Language) and R5 or relevant 5 subjects (which must include at least one from the Science & Mathematics group, one from the Humanities group, and excluding subjects such as Religious Studies, Mother Tongue "B" and CCA). Consequently, an L1R5 score of 6 points is considered the best score attainable to enter a Junior College. A student requires an L1R5 score of less than 20 points to be eligible for Junior College. On top of that, students must also pass English and Mother Tongue examinations.
For non-major examinations, several schools use the Mean Subject Grade (MSG) scoring system, while schools running the Integrated Programme (IP) also use the Grade Point Average (GPA) scoring system.
Co-Curricular activities
"
Co-Curricular ActivitiesCo-curricular activities , previously known as Extracurricular Activities are non-academic activities that all Singaporean students must participate in...
" (CCA) are compulsory at the secondary level, where all pupils must participate in at least one core activity, and participation is graded together with other achievements throughout the four years in a scoring system known as LEAPS ("Leadership, Enrichment, Achievement, Participation, Service"). There are many co-curricular activities offered at the secondary level, and each student is judged based in these areas. Competitions and performances are regularly organized. Co-curricular activities are often categorized under the following: Uniformed Groups, Performing Arts, Clubs & Societies and Sports & Games. Students may also participate in more than 1 CCA.
Uniformed Groups
The main uniform groups are
NCCThe National Cadet Corps is a youth organisation in Singapore. As of December 2010, it had a total strength of 19877 members. This consists of 823 Officers, 726 Cadet Officers and 17157 cadets, amongst others.The NCC is represented in 144 Secondary Schools and there are a total 176 School...
(National Cadet Corps),
NPCCNPCC may refer to:* National Police Cadet Corps, a student uniformed organisation in Singapore* Northeast Power Coordinating Council* North Point Community Church, a megachurch in Atlanta...
(National Police Cadet Corps),
NCDCCThe National Civil Defence Cadet Corps of Singapore was formed in 2005 and is currently the newest recognized member of the National Uniformed Group...
(National Civil Defence Cadet Corps), St John Ambulance Brigade,
Red Cross YouthThe Red Cross Youth is a youth organisation for adolescents and young members interested in the organization.-Singapore:In Singapore, Red Cross Youth is one of the Uniformed Groups for Primary School and Secondary School students. With a membership of 231 Teacher Officers, 1231 Links in 45 Primary...
, Singapore Scout Association,
Girl GuidesThe Scout and Guide movement in Singapore is served by* Girl Guides Singapore, member of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts* The Singapore Scout Association, member of the World Organization of the Scout Movement...
, the Boys Brigade and the Girls Brigade. Students are expected to learn drills and must wear the respective uniforms.
This is to prepare male students for National Service (NS) when they reach the age of 18. Besides military drills, they also learn skills such as team-bonding and first-aid.
Performing Arts
Performing Arts CCAs vary from school to school, although most will include the Choir, Military/Concert/Symphonic Band, Chinese Orchestra, Dance groups for different ethnic cultures, Drama and Debate. Most are oriented towards performing and the musical arts.
Clubs and societies
There is a broad range of clubs and societies, ranging from
Singapore Youth Flying ClubThe Singapore Youth Flying Club , headquartered at Seletar Airport, was established in December 1971 as the Junior Flying Club the then newly formed Singapore Armed Forces to introduce aviation and provide flight training to the youth of Singapore...
to Robotics, Media and Infocomm Clubs and martial arts.
Gifted Education Programme
The Gifted Education Programme (GEP) was set up by the Ministry of Education in 1984 amid some public concern to cater to the intellectually gifted students. As of 2005, the schools participating consisted of 9 primary schools —
Anglo-Chinese School (Primary)Anglo-Chinese School in Singapore, is the original primary school of the [ACS] family, located at the Barker Road campus adjacent to the ACS block. It opened in 1887 with the secondary school at Coleman Street, moving to a newly upgraded Coleman Street campus in 1961, leaving the Barker Road...
, Catholic High School (Primary),
Henry Park Primary SchoolHenry Park Primary School is a very large primary school in Holland Grove Road, Singapore. The school began functioning with 287 pupils on 22 March 1977. It was officially opened by Member of Parliament for Ulu Pandan, Dr Chiang Hai Ding, on 7 April 1978. Henry Park has a student population of...
,
Nan Hua Primary SchoolNan Hua Primary School is a co-educational primary school in Singapore. It is situated along Jalan Lempeng in Clementi. The current principal is Becky Neo, who has been in the post since 2010.- History :...
,
Nanyang Primary SchoolNanyang Primary School is a co-educational primary school in Singapore, normally covering ages 6 to 12. It is situated in Bukit Timah , which is a private housing district near Coronation Plaza. The principal is Mrs Lee Hui Feng. Although it is not run by the government of Singapore, it receives...
, Rosyth School,
Tao Nan SchoolTao Nan School , is a co-educational primary school in Singapore. One of the five Singapore Hokkien Huay Kuan schools, along with Ai Tong School, Chongfu Primary School, Kong Hwa School and Nan Chiau Secondary School, Tao Nan School is among the 30 most popular primary schools listed by the...
, St. Hilda's Primary School, and
Raffles Girls' Primary SchoolRaffles Girls' Primary School is a primary school for girls located in Singapore. It offers the Gifted Education Programme to Primary Four to Primary Six students. Despite its name, RGPS is not considered part of the Raffles family of schools, which consists of Raffles Girls' School , Raffles...
. Seven secondary schools originally started the programme, but with the introduction of the Integrated Programme, most have folded the GEP programmes into their IP curriculum. The two remaining secondary GEP schools are
Anglo-Chinese School (Independent)The Anglo-Chinese School is a Methodist secondary school in Singapore. It is a descendant of a school established in 1886 by Rev William Fitzjames Oldham at 70 Amoy Street, Singapore, and one of a group of educational institutions collectively known as the Anglo-Chinese School...
, a school which provides both Cambridge 'O' Levels and the
Integrated ProgrammeThe Integrated Programme , also known as through-train programme , is a scheme which allows the brightest pupils at secondary schools in Singapore to bypass the "O" levels and take the "A" levels, International Baccalaureate or an equivalent examination directly at the age of 18 after six years of...
, and is one of the top school globally in the International Baccalaureate, and
Dunman High SchoolOn 2 January 2009 the school opened to a new year with an opening ceremony named "Homecoming" （回家） to welcome students and staff to the upgraded campus.-Principals:Since its establishment in 1956, Dunman High School has had eight principals:-School song:...
, a mixed autonomous government school; the autonomous all-boys
Victoria SchoolVictoria School in Singapore is a government secondary school for boys, founded in 1876, at Siglap Link, about one kilometre from affiliated Victoria Junior College....
had to suspend GEP classes due to low enrolment, with GEP students preferring IP schools.
Pupils enter the programme through a series of tests at Primary 3, which will identify the top 1 per cent of the student population. A second selection used to be conducted at Primary 6 for those who do well in the PSLE, but this was discontinued after it was found to be too difficult for these students to catch up with the programme. In the programme, pupils are offered special enrichment programmes to cater for their needs. However, not all students in GEP are successful. Some are not accustomed to the fast pace of study which affects their performance in the core subjects and may choose not to continue the programme at the secondary level.
The Secondary School Gifted Education Programme was discontinued at the end of 2008 as more students take the Integrated Programme (IP).
Integrated Programme
The Integrated Programme, also known as the "Through-Train Programme" (直通车), is a scheme which allows the most able secondary students in Singapore to bypass "O" levels and take "A" levels, International Baccalaureate or an equivalent examination directly at the age of 18 after six years of secondary education.
The programme allows for more time to be allocated to enrichment activities. By bypassing the GCE "O" level examinations, the students are supposedly given more time and flexibility to immerse themselves in a more broadly-based education. In addition, the students enjoy more freedom in the combination of subjects between Year 1 - 4 as compared to their non-IP counterparts. Generally, only the top performers (usually from Special, and sometimes Express, stream) are eligible to be part of the IP programme. This will ensure that the main body of the students pursue their secondary education at their own pace by first completing a 4-year "O" level course before going on to a 2-year "A" level education (as opposed to a 2-year "O" level and 4-year "A" level education).
As a result, schools with an IP allow their students to skip the "O" levels at Secondary 4 and go straight into junior colleges (JCs) in Year5/JC1. The
Integrated ProgrammeThe Integrated Programme , also known as through-train programme , is a scheme which allows the brightest pupils at secondary schools in Singapore to bypass the "O" levels and take the "A" levels, International Baccalaureate or an equivalent examination directly at the age of 18 after six years of...
with the revised Singapore-Cambridge GCE "A" levels or the IB Diploma as a terminal qualification has become an increasingly popular alternative to the standard secondary education pathway. This is because it is perceived as having moved away from the usually heavy emphasis on the sciences, a phenomenon resulting from the post-independence need for quick and basic technical and industrial education; to subjects in the arts and humanities. Such programmes are more project-based and students are expected to be independent learners.
The first batch of IP students sat for the revised GCE "A" Level or International Baccalaureate Diploma examinations in 2007.
The schools offering the IP / IB programmes in Singapore are:
- Anglo-Chinese School (Independent)
The Anglo-Chinese School is a Methodist secondary school in Singapore. It is a descendant of a school established in 1886 by Rev William Fitzjames Oldham at 70 Amoy Street, Singapore, and one of a group of educational institutions collectively known as the Anglo-Chinese School...
(IP - IB)
- Cedar Girls' Secondary School
Cedar Girls' Secondary School is an all-girls educational institution/high school established in 1957 in Singapore with an enrolment of 507 girls, 13 classes and a staff of 18. The school went single session in 1992 and gained autonomous status in 1996. All classes are in the Express or Special...
(IP, last two years at Victoria Junior College))
- Dunman High School
On 2 January 2009 the school opened to a new year with an opening ceremony named "Homecoming" （回家） to welcome students and staff to the upgraded campus.-Principals:Since its establishment in 1956, Dunman High School has had eight principals:-School song:...
(IP + Bicultural Studies Programme)
- National Junior College
National Junior College is the first junior college established by the Ministry Of Education, located in Bukit Timah, Singapore. It is considered as one of the top five junior colleges in Singapore. NJC offers a two-year course for pre-university students leading up to the GCE 'A' Levels...
(IP)
- NUS High School of Mathematics and Science (IP - NUS High School Diploma)
- Nanyang Girls' High School
Nanyang Girls' High School is an all-girls secondary school in Singapore. It participates in the Integrated Programme with Hwa Chong Institution under the Hwa Chong Affiliate Programme...
(IP + Bicultural Studies Programme)
- River Valley High School (IP + Bicultural Studies Programme)
- Temasek Junior College
Temasek Junior College is a prestigious junior college located in the Eastern region of Singapore and is considered as one of the top five colleges in Singapore....
(IP + Chinese Language Elective Programme)
- Hwa Chong Institution
Hwa Chong Institution is an independent school in Singapore for students aged 12 to 18 covering both secondary and pre-university levels. A Ministry of Education-designated FutureSchool, it operates under the Special Assistance Plan for bilingualism, and offers the Integrated Programme and also...
(IP + Bicultural Studies Programme)
- Raffles Institution
Raffles Institution , founded in 1823, is the oldest centre for pre-tertiary learning in Singapore. It is an independent school in Singapore providing secondary and pre-university education. RI consists of a boys-only secondary section , and a coeducational pre-university section...
(IP)
- Raffles Girls' School (Secondary)
Raffles Girls' School is an independent girls' secondary school in Singapore. RGS was recognised by the Ministry of Education in 2006 by being awarded the School Excellence Award , among other awards...
(IP, last two years at Raffles Institution)
- Victoria School
Victoria School in Singapore is a government secondary school for boys, founded in 1876, at Siglap Link, about one kilometre from affiliated Victoria Junior College....
(IP, last two years at Victoria Junior College)
- St. Joseph's Institution, which is a La Sallian Institution (IP-IB)
Admission to post-secondary institutions
Upon completion of the 4- or 5-year secondary school education, students (excluding IP students) will participate in the annual Singaporean GCE 'O' Level, the results of which determine which pre-universities or post-secondary institutions they may apply for. Pre-university centres include junior colleges for a two-year course leading up to GCE 'A' Level, or the Millennia Institute for a three-year course leading up to GCE 'A' Level. Junior colleges and the Millennia Institute accept students on merit, with a greater emphasis on academics than vocational technical education. Students who wish to pursue vocational education go on to post-secondary institutions such as the polytechnics and the
Institute of Technical EducationThe Institute of Technical Education is a post-secondary institution in Singapore that provides pre-employment training to secondary school leavers and continuing education and training to working adults....
(
ITEITE or Ite may refer to:* ITE, LLC a Product Development Services Company located in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA* Information Technology Equipment* Institute of Technical Education * Institute of Transportation Engineers* In-the-ear hearing aids...
), where they receive a diploma upon successful completion of their courses.
Admission to a two-year pre-university course at junior colleges after graduating from secondary school is determined by the L1R5 (first language + 5 relevant subjects) scoring system. This scoring system is based on the 'O' Level subject grades, which range from A1 (best) to F9 (worst). The candidate adds the numerical grades for six different subjects: English (or another language taken at the 'first language' level), a Humanities subject, a Science/Mathematics subject, a Humanities/Science/Mathematics subject, and two other subjects of any kind. The best L1R5 unmodified score is therefore 6, for a student with A1 grades in six subjects which meet the criteria.
Students scoring 20 points and below may be admitted for either a Science or Arts Course. In addition, a student must also achieve at least a C6 grade, which is 50% or higher, in the GCE 'O' Level English Language and Mathematics papers in order to qualify for junior college admission. Pre-university centres that are particularly associated with academic excellence, however, usually expect students to attain points in the single digits, in order to be admitted. This is because the system is merit-driven, with places given to those with lower scores first.
For admission to a three-year pre-university course at the Millennia Institute, the L1R4 (first language + 4 relevant subjects) scoring system is used, and students are expected to score below 20 points to be admitted. Students may opt for any of the science, arts or commerce streams when pursuing a three-year pre-university course.
For students seeking admission to diploma courses in polytechnics, the L1R2B2 (first language + 2 relevant subjects + 2 best subjects of any kind) scoring system is used. However, students will also be required to meet specific prerequisites outlined by the different polytechnic schools they are applying for. Students applying for courses in the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) Colleges will also have an independent scoring system, depending on the course they are applying for.
Bonus points can be deducted from a student's aggregate score, thus lowering it. These bonus points may come from either scoring an 'A' or 'B' grade in CCA, taking Higher Mother Tongue Language and obtaining a minimum of 'D7', or through affiliation (for feeder schools). Bonus points are capped at 4, except for those applying to schools offering Chinese Language Elective Programme (CLEP) or Malay Language Elective Programme (MLEP).
Pre-university
The pre-university centres of Singapore are designed for upper-stream students (roughly about 20%-25% of the cohort) who wish to pursue a university degree after two to three years of pre-university education, rather than stopping after polytechnic post-secondary education.
There are 18
Junior CollegesJunior colleges in Singapore were designed to offer an accelerated alternative to the traditional three-year programme, but the two-year programme they offer has become the norm for students pursuing university education....
(JCs) and a Centralised Institute (CI), the
Millennia InstituteMillennia Institute is the only Centralised Institute in Singapore.MI was established on 3 January 2004, to conglomerate the sparsely organised three-year pre-university institutes into a single entity...
(MI, established 2004), with the
National Junior CollegeNational Junior College is the first junior college established by the Ministry Of Education, located in Bukit Timah, Singapore. It is considered as one of the top five junior colleges in Singapore. NJC offers a two-year course for pre-university students leading up to the GCE 'A' Levels...
(NJC, established 1969) being the oldest and
Innova Junior CollegeInnova Junior College is a government co-educational 'A'-level preparatory junior college located in Woodlands, Singapore.-Facilities:...
(IJC, established 2005) the newest.
Junior college
Junior colleges in Singapore were initially designed to offer an accelerated alternative to the traditional three-year programme, but in recent years the two-year programme has become the norm for students pursuing university education.
JCs accept students based on their GCE "O" Level results; an L1R5 score of 20 points or less must be attained for a student to gain admission. JCs provide a 2-year course leading up to the
Singapore-Cambridge GCE Advanced LevelThe Singapore-Cambridge General Certificate of Education Examination is an annual examination conducted in Singapore. It is conducted jointly by the Singapore Ministry of Education , University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate and the Singapore Examinations and Assessment Board...
("A" level) examination. The CI accepts students based on their GCE "O" Level results; an L1R4 score of 20 points or less must be attained for a student to gain admission. The MI provides a 3-year course leading up to the
Singapore-Cambridge GCE Advanced LevelThe Singapore-Cambridge General Certificate of Education Examination is an annual examination conducted in Singapore. It is conducted jointly by the Singapore Ministry of Education , University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate and the Singapore Examinations and Assessment Board...
("A" level) examination.
Centralised Institute
The Centralised Institutes accept students based on their GCE "O" level results and their L1R4 score (which must be 20 points or below). A Centralised Institute provides a three-year course leading up to a GCE "A" level examination. There were originally four Centralized Institutes:
Outram InstituteOutram Institute was one of 4 original Centralised Institutes in Singapore, and one of the two CIs to have been merged to establish the nation's current only CI, Millennia Institute. Outram Institute is the first Centralised pre-university Centre in Singapore, founded by Ministry of Education,...
,
Townsville InstituteTownsville Institute was one of the four original centralised institutes in Singapore and one of the pre-university centres in Singapore that offers a three-year curriculum leading to the Singapore Cambridge General Certificate of Education Advanced Level examination.The centralised institute...
,
Jurong InstituteJurong Institute was one of 4 original Centralised Institutes in Singapore, and one of the two CIs to have been merged to establish the nation's current only CI, Millennia Institute.-History:...
and
Seletar InstituteSeletar Institute was one of the four original centralised institutes in Singapore and one of the pre-university centres in Singapore that offers a three-year curriculum leading to the Singapore Cambridge General Certificate of Education Advanced Level examination.-History:SI was established as...
.
Townsville InstituteTownsville Institute was one of the four original centralised institutes in Singapore and one of the pre-university centres in Singapore that offers a three-year curriculum leading to the Singapore Cambridge General Certificate of Education Advanced Level examination.The centralised institute...
and
Seletar InstituteSeletar Institute was one of the four original centralised institutes in Singapore and one of the pre-university centres in Singapore that offers a three-year curriculum leading to the Singapore Cambridge General Certificate of Education Advanced Level examination.-History:SI was established as...
stopped accepting new students after the 1995 school year and closed down after the last batch of students graduated in 1997.
There currently remains only one Centralised Institute in Singapore, the
Millennia InstituteMillennia Institute is the only Centralised Institute in Singapore.MI was established on 3 January 2004, to conglomerate the sparsely organised three-year pre-university institutes into a single entity...
, which was formed following the merger of Jurong and Outram Institutes. Additionally, only Centralised Institutes offer the Commerce Stream offering subjects such as Principles of Accounting and Management of Business. The standard of teaching and curriculum is identical to that of the Junior Colleges.
Polytechnics
Polytechnics in Singapore provide 3-year diploma courses. They accept students based on their GCE "O" level, GCE "A" level or Institute of Technical Education (ITE) results. Unlike polytechnics in some other countries, they do not offer degree courses.
Polytechnics offer a wide range of courses in various fields, including
engineeringEngineering is the discipline, art, skill and profession of acquiring and applying scientific, mathematical, economic, social, and practical knowledge, in order to design and build structures, machines, devices, systems, materials and processes that safely realize improvements to the lives of...
,
businessA business is an organization engaged in the trade of goods, services, or both to consumers. Businesses are predominant in capitalist economies, where most of them are privately owned and administered to earn profit to increase the wealth of their owners. Businesses may also be not-for-profit...
studies,
accountancyAccountancy is the process of communicating financial information about a business entity to users such as shareholders and managers. The communication is generally in the form of financial statements that show in money terms the economic resources under the control of management; the art lies in...
, tourism and hospitality management, mass
communicationsCommunication Studies is an academic field that deals with processes of communication, commonly defined as the sharing of symbols over distances in space and time. Hence, communication studies encompasses a wide range of topics and contexts ranging from face-to-face conversation to speeches to mass...
, digital media and
biotechnologyBiotechnology is a field of applied biology that involves the use of living organisms and bioprocesses in engineering, technology, medicine and other fields requiring bioproducts. Biotechnology also utilizes these products for manufacturing purpose...
. There are also specialised courses such as marine engineering, nautical studies,
nursingNursing is a healthcare profession focused on the care of individuals, families, and communities so they may attain, maintain, or recover optimal health and quality of life from conception to death....
, and
optometryOptometry is a health care profession concerned with eyes and related structures, as well as vision, visual systems, and vision information processing in humans. Optometrists, or Doctors of Optometry, are state licensed medical professionals trained to prescribe and fit lenses to improve vision,...
. They provide a more industry-oriented education as an alternative to junior colleges for post-secondary studies. About 40% of each Secondary 4 cohort would enrol in Polytechnics.
There are five polytechnics in Singapore, namely:
- Singapore Polytechnic
Singapore Polytechnic , the first polytechnic established in Singapore, was founded in 1954. The former campus was originally located at Prince Edward Road...
, founded 1954.
- Ngee Ann Polytechnic
Ngee Ann Polytechnic , is an institute of higher learning in Singapore, founded in 1963 as Ngee Ann College with 116 students...
, founded 1968.
- Temasek Polytechnic
Temasek Polytechnic is the third polytechnic to be set up in Singapore. The polytechnic was established on April 6, 1990. With a 30 hectare campus overlooking the scenic Bedok Reservoir in the eastern part of Singapore, TP's campus places particular emphasis on the preservation of the natural...
, founded 1990.
- Nanyang Polytechnic
Nanyang Polytechnic is a Singaporean polytechnic located in Ang Mo Kio next to Yio Chu Kang MRT Station, Singapore.-History:*Established 1 April 1992...
, founded 1992.
- Republic Polytechnic
Republic Polytechnic , commonly abbreviated to RP, is a tertiary institution located in Singapore. It was the first school system in Singapore to use Problem-based learning pedagogy for all its diplomas....
, founded 2002.
Graduates of polytechnics with good grades can continue to pursue further tertiary education at the universities, and many overseas universities, notably those in Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom, give exemptions for modules completed in Polytechnic.
Polytechnics have also been actively working with many foreign universities to provide their graduates a chance to study niche University Courses locally. For example, Ngee Ann Polytechnic has engaged with
Chapman UniversityChapman University is a private, non-profit university located in Orange, California affiliated with the Christian Church . Known for its blend of liberal arts and professional programs, Chapman University encompasses seven schools and colleges: Lawrence and Kristina Dodge College of Film and Media...
in the U.S. to provide a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Creative Producing for graduates of the School's Film and Media Studies department. Nanyang Polytechnic, likewise, has tied up with the
University of StirlingThe University of Stirling is a campus university founded by Royal charter in 1967, on the Airthrey Estate in Stirling, Scotland.-History and campus development:...
in Scotland to provide a course in Retail Marketing.
Institute of Technical Education
The
Institute of Technical EducationThe Institute of Technical Education is a post-secondary institution in Singapore that provides pre-employment training to secondary school leavers and continuing education and training to working adults....
(ITE) accepts students based on their GCE "O" level or GCE "N" level results and they provide 2-year courses leading to a locally recognised "National ITE Certificate." There are 10 ITE Colleges in Singapore. A few ITE graduates continue their education at polytechnics and universities. ITE students are sometimes seen as being less capable and possibly less successful than polytechnic or JC students. Recent speeches by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Minister of Education Tharman Shanmugaratnam have pointed out that there can be different definitions and types of success, in a bid to work towards a more inclusive society. However, this has mostly been lip service, with little concrete action being taken to give ITE students greater recognition or address the stigmatisation that exists. This is admittedly a difficult job as such views have been ingrained in society for many years.
ITE provides three main levels of certification:
- Master National ITE Certificate (Master Nitec)
- Higher National ITE Certificate (Higher Nitec)
- National ITE Certificate (Nitec)
- Technical Engineer Diploma (TED)
There are also other skills certification through part-time apprenticeship courses conducted jointly by ITE and industrial companies.
Universities
Singapore has four universities.
- the National University of Singapore
The National University of Singapore is Singapore's oldest university. It is the largest university in the country in terms of student enrollment and curriculum offered....
- Nanyang Technological University
Nanyang Technological University is one of the two largest public universities in Singapore with the biggest campus in Singapore and the world's largest engineering college. Its lush 200-hectare Yunnan Garden campus was the Youth Olympic Village of the world's first 2010 Summer Youth Olympics in...
- Singapore Management University
The Singapore Management University was officially incorporated on January 12, 2000, and was Singapore's first private university funded by the government...
- SIM University
SIM University is a private university in Singapore. Established in 2005, UniSIM is approved by Singapore's Ministry of Education to award recognised Singapore degrees. The university is part of the Singapore Institute of Management Group...
(UniSIM),
The
Nanyang Technological UniversityNanyang Technological University is one of the two largest public universities in Singapore with the biggest campus in Singapore and the world's largest engineering college. Its lush 200-hectare Yunnan Garden campus was the Youth Olympic Village of the world's first 2010 Summer Youth Olympics in...
and
National University of SingaporeThe National University of Singapore is Singapore's oldest university. It is the largest university in the country in terms of student enrollment and curriculum offered....
each have more than 20,000 students and provide a wide range of undergraduate and postgraduate degree programmes including doctoral degrees. Both are also established research universities with thousands of research staff and graduate students.
A third university,
Singapore Management UniversityThe Singapore Management University was officially incorporated on January 12, 2000, and was Singapore's first private university funded by the government...
(SMU), opened in 2000, is home to more than 7,000 students and comprises six Schools offering undergraduate, graduate, and PhD programmes in Business Management, Accountancy, Economics, Information Systems Management, Law and the Social Sciences. The University has an Office of Research, a number of institutes and centres of excellence, and provides public and customised programmes for working professionals through its Office of Executive and Professional Education.
The fourth university, privately-run
SIM UniversitySIM University is a private university in Singapore. Established in 2005, UniSIM is approved by Singapore's Ministry of Education to award recognised Singapore degrees. The university is part of the Singapore Institute of Management Group...
(UniSIM), opened in 2005.
Two other public institutions are also sponsored by the government: the
Singapore University of Technology and DesignThe Singapore University of Technology and Design will be Singapore's fourth autonomous university. It is developed in collaboration...
and the
Singapore Institute of TechnologySingapore Institute of Technology is a publicly-funded institute of higher learning in Singapore that caters primarily to local polytechnic graduates who wish to pursue a bachelor's degree...
. Many private universities exist, including foreign universities which have established campuses in Singapore such as the
Chicago Business SchoolThe University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
and Technische Universität München.
The
Southern Cross University University of New BrunswickThe University of New Brunswick is a Canadian university located in the province of New Brunswick. UNB is the oldest English language university in Canada and among the first public universities in North America. The university has two main campuses: the original campus founded in 1785 in...
, Queen Margaret University,
Temple University, The City University of New York,
Baruch CollegeBernard M. Baruch College, more commonly known as Baruch College, is a constituent college of the City University of New York, located in the Flatiron district of Manhattan, New York City. With an acceptance rate of just 23%, Baruch is among the most competitive and diverse colleges in the nation...
,
University of Nevada, Las VegasUniversity of Nevada-Las Vegas is a public, coeducational university located in the Las Vegas suburb of Paradise, Nevada, USA. The campus is located approximately east of the Las Vegas Strip. The institution includes a Shadow Lane Campus, located just east of the University Medical Center of...
,
Aventis School of ManagementAventis School of Management is an international graduate business school. Aventis School of Management campus is based in Singapore offers a strong focus on leadership and general management skills. Aventis School of Management is one of the five business schools in Singapore that is registered...
,
Curtin University of TechnologyCurtin University is an Australian university based in Perth, Western Australia, with additional campuses in regional Western Australia and at Miri , Sydney and Singapore...
&
University of Wales Institute, CardiffCardiff Metropolitan University is a university situated in Cardiff. It operates from three campuses: Llandaff on Western Avenue, Cyncoed, and Howard Gardens in the City Centre. The university serves over 12,000 students...
have established offshore campuses in Singapore to provide local and foreign (in particular, Asian) students the opportunity to obtain a Western university education at a fraction of the cost it would take to study in Canada, the UK, the U.S.A. or Australia.
University of New Brunswick College, SingaporeUniversity of New Brunswick College, Singapore was the first off-shore campus of Canada's University of New Brunswick, and the first by any Canadian Institution in Singapore...
,
Queen Margaret University, Asia CampusQueen Margaret University, Asia Campus is an off-shore campus of Scotland's Queen Margaret University in Singapore, and the first offshore campus by any British Institution in the Republic.- Location :The Campus is located at Ah Hood Road, Singapore....
,
NYU Tisch School of the Arts, AsiaTisch School of the Arts Asia, NYU's first branch campus abroad, opened in Singapore in fall 2007. Tisch Asia is Singapore’s first graduate arts school and offers Master of Fine Arts degrees in animation and digital arts, dramatic writing, and film production...
began operations in Singapore between 2007 and 2008, with the
Curtin University of Technology Singapore CampusCurtin Singapore is the second off-shore campus of Australia's Curtin University. Curtin Singapore provides local and international students with the opportunity to receive an Australian Style University Education in Singapore.- Location :...
&
University of Wales Institute, Cardiff: Asia CampusUniversity of Wales Institute, Cardiff: Asia Campus is an off-shore campus of Wales' University of Wales Institute, Cardiff in Singapore, and will be the second offshore campus by a British tertiary Institution in the Republic once it commences operations in late 2008 or early 2009.- Location...
due to join them in December 2008.
The government has planned the fourth public university,
Singapore University of Technology and DesignThe Singapore University of Technology and Design will be Singapore's fourth autonomous university. It is developed in collaboration...
(SUTD), to meet the rising demand for university education. It will start its operations at Changi in 2011.
A fifth public institution
Singapore Institute of TechnologySingapore Institute of Technology is a publicly-funded institute of higher learning in Singapore that caters primarily to local polytechnic graduates who wish to pursue a bachelor's degree...
to be started in 2011 was announced in 2010. The institution is intended to provide an upgrading pathway for polytechnic graduates.
International and private schools
Because of its large expatriate community, Singapore is host to many
international schools. International and private schools in Singapore generally do not admit Singapore students without permission from the Ministry of Education.
However, on 29 April 2004 the Ministry of Education permitted three new international schools to be set up without permission being needed to admit Singapore students. These schools must follow the compulsory policies set by the Ministry such as playing the
national anthemMajulah Singapura is the national anthem of Singapore. Composed by Zubir Said in 1958 as a theme song for official functions of the City Council of Singapore, the song was selected in 1959 as the island's anthem when it attained self-government. Upon full independence in 1965, Majulah Singapura...
and taking the pledge every morning, as well as following the nation's policies on bilingualism. These schools --
Anglo-Chinese School (International)Anglo-Chinese School , Singapore is a Methodist private school, owned by the Methodist Church in Singapore. Students take a 6-year course, with the IGCSE in the fourth year and the International Baccalaureate in the sixth year. Before 2007, students took the International A-Levels...
,
Hwa Chong InternationalHwa Chong International School , a co-educational secondary international school in Singapore, is an affiliated school of Hwa Chong Institution catering to both local and foreign students.-Overview:...
and
SJI InternationalSaint Joseph's Institution International is an independent coeducational Catholic international school in Singapore with approximately 700 students aged 12–18...
-- are private schools run by the boards of other locally-renowned institutions . The school fees are 15 to 20 percent lower than those of foreign international schools. Their intake includes students from countries such as
Malaysia,
IndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
,
IndonesiaIndonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
,
People's Republic of ChinaChina , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
,
TaiwanThe Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...
,
South KoreaThe Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
,
PhilippinesThe Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
,
VietnamVietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
,
NetherlandsThe Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, and the
United KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
The Council for Private Education (CPE)
Established under the Private Education Act, the Council for Private Education is a statutory board empowered with the legislative power to regulate the private education sector. In addition to its role as the sectoral regulator of private education institutions, the Council facilitates capability development efforts to uplift standards in the local private education industry.
On 20 May 2010,The Council for Private Education (CPE) has registered the first batch of private education institutions (PEIs) under the Enhanced Registration Framework (ERF). Following the launch of the new private education regulatory regime on 21 Dec 2009, all PEIs within the regulatory scope of the Private Education Act are required to register with the CPE under the ERF. Under the Enhanced Registration Framework, private institutions must meet requirements relating to their managers, teachers, courses and examination boards. Out of 308 which applied, less than a third were given the stamp of approval and students are relieved that their school has made the mark. Only 63 ERF applications have been evaluated by the CPE, of which 36 PEIs have been registered for a period of four years, and 26 PEIs have been registered for one year. The registration period awarded to a PEI is dependent on its degree of compliance with the Private Education Regulations.
The following PEIs have been awarded four-year registration period under the ERF
- Academies Australasia College
- Academy Of Human Development
- Advent Links-Sauc Education Centre
- Ascensia Academy
- Asia Institute Of Management
- At-Sunrice Academy
- Aventis School of Management
Aventis School of Management is an international graduate business school. Aventis School of Management campus is based in Singapore offers a strong focus on leadership and general management skills. Aventis School of Management is one of the five business schools in Singapore that is registered...
- BMC International College
- City College
- CSM Academy International
- Curtin Education Centre
- East Asia Institute of Management
- ERC Institute
- Informatics Academy
- Insworld School
- International School Of Design & Technology
- Ivy Education Centre
- Kaplan Higher Education Academy
- Kaplan Learning Institute
- Learning Capital College
- Management Development Institute Of Singapore
- Marketing Institute Of Singapore Training Centre
- MDIS College
- Parkway College Of Nursing & Allied Health
- PSB Academy
- SAA Global Education Centre
- SGP International Management Academy
- Shelton College International
- Singapore American School
RedWebsiteThe Singapore American School is a private international school in Singapore. Established in 1956, the school offers an American-based curriculum from preschool through to Grade 12 for approximately 3,800 expatriate students, making it the largest international school in the world...
- Singapore Chinese Chamber Institute Of Business
- Singapore Institute Of Management
- Singapore Institute Of Materials Management
- SSTC School For Further Education
- STET Institute
- TMC Academy
- Tourism Management Institute Of Singapore (TMIS)
- TMIS Business School],
- Yuvabharathi International School
- International Executive Education Center (IEEC)]
Private Tuition
Private tuition, which is getting increasingly popular, is a controversial matter. Due to the competitiveness of Singapore's education system, many parents send their children for extra lessons, sometimes even learning the curriculum ahead of school.
Meritocracy
MeritocracyMeritocracy, in the first, most administrative sense, is a system of government or other administration wherein appointments and responsibilities are objectively assigned to individuals based upon their "merits", namely intelligence, credentials, and education, determined through evaluations or...
is a fundamental ideology in Singapore and a fundamental principle in the education system which aims to identify and groom bright young students for positions of leadership. The system places a great emphasis on academic performance in grading students and granting their admission to special programmes and universities, though this has raised concerns about breeding elitism. Academic grades are considered as objective measures of the students' ability and effort, irrespective of their social background. Having good academic credentials is seen as the most important factor for the students' career prospects in the job market, and their future economic status.
Curricula are therefore closely tied to examinable topics, and the competitiveness of the system led to a proliferation of
ten year seriesTen year series is a colloquial term used by Singaporeans, in particular students, to refer to official compilation books of examination papers in past years for the GCE N-levels, O-levels and A-levels, approved by the Ministry of Education and University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate...
, which are compilation books of past examination papers that students use to prepare for examinations.
Bilingualism (Mother Tongue)
Bilingualism, or
mother tongue policy, is a cornerstone of the Singapore education system. While English is the first language and the medium of instruction in schools, most students are required to take a "Mother Tongue" subject, which could be one of the three official languages: Chinese, Malay or Tamil. The choice is determined by the student's race. A non-Tamil Indian may choose to offer Tamil or a non-official language such as
BengaliBengali or Bangla is an eastern Indo-Aryan language. It is native to the region of eastern South Asia known as Bengal, which comprises present day Bangladesh, the Indian state of West Bengal, and parts of the Indian states of Tripura and Assam. It is written with the Bengali script...
,
GujaratiGujarati is an Indo-Aryan language, and part of the greater Indo-European language family. It is derived from a language called Old Gujarati which is the ancestor language of the modern Gujarati and Rajasthani languages...
,
HindiStandard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...
,
PunjabiPunjabi is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by inhabitants of the historical Punjab region . For Sikhs, the Punjabi language stands as the official language in which all ceremonies take place. In Pakistan, Punjabi is the most widely spoken language...
or
UrduUrdu is a register of the Hindustani language that is identified with Muslims in South Asia. It belongs to the Indo-European family. Urdu is the national language and lingua franca of Pakistan. It is also widely spoken in some regions of India, where it is one of the 22 scheduled languages and an...
. However, Chinese students from a non-Mandarin background, such as Cantonese speakers, must learn Mandarin. Mother Tongue is a compulsory examinable subject at the Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) and the GCE "N", "O" and "A" level examinations. Students are required to achieve a certain level of proficiency in what the government considers their mother tongue as a pre-requisite for admission to local universities. Students returning from overseas may be exempted from this policy.
The bilingual policy was first adopted in 1966. One of its primary objectives is to promote English as the common (and neutral) language among the
diverse ethnic groups in SingaporeThis article is about the demographic features of the population of Singapore, including population density, ethnicity, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects of the population....
. The designation of English as the
first language is also intended to facilitate Singapore's integration into the world economy.
In recognition of Singapore's linguistic and cultural pluralism, another stated objective of the bilingual policy is to educate students with their "mother tongues" so that they can learn about their culture, identify with their ethnic roots, and to preserve cultural traits and Asian values. Within the Chinese population, Mandarin is promoted as a common language and other Chinese dialects are discouraged, to better integrate the community. In 1979, the
Speak Mandarin CampaignThe Speak Mandarin Campaign is an initiative by the government of Singapore to encourage the Singaporean Chinese population to speak Mandarin, one of the four official languages of Singapore...
was launched to further advance this goal.
Financial assistance
Education policy in Singapore is designed to ensure that no child is left behind in education even if they do not have the financial capacity to pay school fees. Therefore, school fees in public schools are heavily subsidized, so that students pay as little as SGD 13 for fees. In addition, there are many possible assistance schemes from either the government or welfare organisations to help students cope with finances during their studies. Some of these are listed below.
Financial Assistance Scheme
The Financial Assistance Scheme (FAS) is an MOE programme to provide financial assistance for education to low income families with monthly household income of less than SGD 1,500 or SGD 1,800, depending on the number of children in the household.
Students eligible for FAS receive a full waiver of miscellaneous fees, and partial subsidy on national examination fees. They may also enjoy full or partial fee subsidy if they are in Independent Schools. In 2005, there were 15,000 recipients of FAS; MOE is expecting this number to increase to 33,500 following an enhancement of the FAS in 2006.
Edusave Merit Bursary
Each year, the Edusave Merit Bursary (EMB) is given out to about 40,000 students, who are from lower-middle and low-income families and have good academic performance in their schools.
Student exchange programmes
About 120 of the 353 primary and secondary schools in Singapore have some form of exchange programmes which allow students to visit overseas schools. In 2005, the
Ministry of EducationThe Ministry Of Education is a ministry of the Government of Singapore that directs the formulation and implementation of policies related to education in Singapore.-Statutory boards:...
set up a SGD 4.5 million School Twinning Fund to facilitate 9,000 primary and secondary school students to participate in these exchange programmes, particularly in ASEAN countries,
ChinaChinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
and
IndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
.
Key statistics
Sources:
- Yearbook of Statistics Singapore, 2004
- Singapore Budget 2006
- Education Statistics Digest 2009
| Government budget for education |
SGD 5.2bn (2005)
at 19.3% of total budget, 3.1000053453467 of GDP |
| Ratio of students to teaching staff (Primary) |
21.4 pupils (2009) |
| Ratio of students to teaching staff (Secondary) |
17.9 pupils (2009) |
| Enrolment ratio, aged 6–20 years |
87.4% (2004) |
| Literacy rate (aged 15 years and above) |
94.6% (2004) |
| Mean years of schooling (aged 25 years and above) |
8.8 years (2004) |
Education qualification of population
Source: Census 2000.
| Resident non-students aged 15 years and over by highest qualification attained |
| Highest qualification attained |
Population (2000) |
Percentage (2000) |
Angle Sector (2000) |
| Total |
2,277,401 |
100.0% |
360.0° |
| No qualification |
445,444 |
19.6% |
70.6° |
| Primary - PSLE |
276,542 |
12.1% |
43.6° |
| Lower secondary - Sec 1-3 |
248,598 |
10.9% |
39.2° |
| Secondary - 'N' & 'O' levels |
560,570 |
24.6% |
88.6° |
| Junior College(Upper Secondary) - 'A' level, Nitec & Higher Nitec |
226,275 |
9.9% |
35.6° |
| Polytechnic - Diploma |
140,970 |
6.2% |
22.3° |
| Other Diploma |
112,371 |
4.9% |
17.6° |
| University - Degree, Masters & Ph. D |
266,631 |
11.7% |
42.1° |
Schools and Enrollment
Source: Singapore Education Statistics Digest 2008
| Type of School |
Number of schools (2008) |
| Kindergarten |
200+ (2004) |
| Primary |
Government |
133 |
| Government-aided |
41 |
| Secondary |
Government |
120 |
| Government-aided |
28 |
| Independent |
5 |
| Specialised |
1 |
| Mixed Level1 |
Government |
5 |
| Autonomous |
3 |
| Independent |
6 |
Junior College
Centralised Institute |
Government |
9 |
| Government-Aided |
4 |
| Independent |
1 |
- This category includes Full School, 6th Form School and JC Plus.
| Type of School |
Enrollment (2008) |
Number of teachers (2008) |
| Primary |
272,097 |
12,723 |
| Secondary |
201,531 |
10,454 |
| Mixed Level1 |
30,981 |
2,112 |
Junior College
Centralised Institute |
24,232 |
1,997 |
- This Category include Full School, 6th Forms School and JC Plus.
International comparisons
Singapore students took first place in the 1995, 1999 and 2003 TIMSS Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study. They used Singapore Math Primary Mathematics series. The national textbooks have been adapted into a series which has been successfully marketed in North America as a rival to Saxon math and an alternative to controversial
reform mathematicsReform mathematics is an approach to mathematics education, particularly in North America. It is based on principles explained in 1989 by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics . The NCTM document, Curriculum and Evaluation Standards for School Mathematics, attempted to set forth a vision...
curricula, which many parents complained moved too far away from the sort of traditional basic skills instruction exemplified by Singapore's national curriculum.
Criticisms
Critics of the education system, including some
parentA parent is a caretaker of the offspring in their own species. In humans, a parent is of a child . Children can have one or more parents, but they must have two biological parents. Biological parents consist of the male who sired the child and the female who gave birth to the child...
s, state that the education system is too
specialisedIn academia, specialization may be a course of study or major at an academic institution or may refer to the field that a specialist practices in....
, rigid, and
elitistAcademic elitism is a charge sometimes levied at academic institutions and academics more broadly, arguing that academia or academics are prone to undeserved and/or pernicious elitism; the term "ivory tower" often carries with it an implicit critique of academic elitism...
. Often, these criticisms state that there is little emphasis on
creativeCreativity refers to the phenomenon whereby a person creates something new that has some kind of value. What counts as "new" may be in reference to the individual creator, or to the society or domain within which the novelty occurs...
thinking, unlike education systems in other societies, such as those in the
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Those defending the current education system point out that Singaporean students have regularly ranked top when competing in international science and mathematics
competitionCompetition is a contest between individuals, groups, animals, etc. for territory, a niche, or a location of resources. It arises whenever two and only two strive for a goal which cannot be shared. Competition occurs naturally between living organisms which co-exist in the same environment. For...
s and assessments. Detractors believe this is more an indication of students' skills in using
roteRote learning is a learning technique which focuses on memorization. The major practice involved in rote learning is learning by repetition by which students commit information to memory in a highly structured way. The idea is that one will be able to quickly recall the meaning of the material the...
to prepare for a certain style of competition or examination than of their ability to think critically.
In response to such concerns the Ministry of Education has recently introduced a greater focus on creative and critical thinking, and on learning for life-long skills rather than simply learning to excel in examinations. However, this is still not the case and many Singaporean children are pressured on by their parents and teachers to do well in studies.
There have also been complaints about excessive educational streaming at a young age. A popular local film,
I Not StupidI Not Stupid is a Singaporean comedy film about the lives, struggles, and adventures of three Primary 6 pupils who are placed in the academically inferior EM3 stream. Written and directed by Jack Neo, and produced by MediaCorp Raintree Pictures, the movie stars Xiang Yun, Richard Low, Selena Tan,...
, highlights the competitiveness of the system and the
social stigmaSocial stigma is the severe disapproval of or discontent with a person on the grounds of characteristics that distinguish them from other members of a society.Almost all stigma is based on a person differing from social or cultural norms...
that students struggling with studies have to face. The best students are streamed into the best and normal classes, while the others are streamed into the foundation class, where teachers usually allow them to get worse, since they are part of the "ungifted" class.
Supporters of the system assert that the provision of differentiated curricula according to streams since the late 1970s has allowed students with different abilities and learning styles to develop and sustain an interest in their studies. This ability-driven education has since been a key feature behind Singapore's success in education, and was responsible for bringing drop-out rates down sharply.
In recent years, while streaming still exists, various refinements to the policy have been made. There is now greater flexibility for students to cross over different streams or take subjects in other streams, which alleviates somewhat the stigma attached to being in any single stream. Furthermore, the government is now starting to experiment with ability-banding in other ways - such as subject-based banding in Primary Schools instead of banding by overall academic performance.
By contrast,
standards-based education reformEducation reform in the United States since the 1980s has been largely driven by the setting of academic standards for what students should know and be able to do. These standards can then be used to guide all other system components. The SBE reform movement calls for clear, measurable standards...
in the United States seeks to eliminate tracking by setting one high standard and expectation for all. The principle of continuous improvement is thought to enable success for all students, although in most states, all groups still achieve at different levels in the current and foreseeable future. Mathematics reform in North America was driven by the NCTM standards in a direction away from mastery of basic skills.
Special education
Singapore is one of only two countries in ASEAN that is not a signatory to the
Convention on the Rights of Persons with DisabilitiesThe Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities is an international human rights instrument of the United Nations intended to protect the rights and dignity of persons with disabilities...
, which mandates that persons with disabilities should be guaranteed the right to inclusive education. Instead, in Singapore, "any child who is unable to attend any national primary school due to any physical or intellectual disability" is exempted from compulsory education, and there are no public schools for such children. Instead, they may attend
special educationSpecial education is the education of students with special needs in a way that addresses the students' individual differences and needs. Ideally, this process involves the individually planned and systematically monitored arrangement of teaching procedures, adapted equipment and materials,...
schools built largely by the Ministry of Education and run by
voluntary welfare organisations. These schools receive more than 80% of their funding from the Ministry of Education, but have long waiting lists. The Singapore government has asserted that only "a very small number of children do not attend school each year", giving a figure of 8 students as compared to a primary school intake of roughly 43000, and that requiring all special needs children to attend school would "impose unduly harsh requirements on their parents." This practice has been described as a "form of discrimination" by the opposition Workers' Party.
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