Slide 1:A REPORT IN EDAD 311 COMPARATIVE EDUCATIONAL ADMINISTRATION PRESENTED BY: MARY CLARE A. DELOS SANTOS


Slide 2:Singapore FLAG


Slide 4:Republic of Singapore, independent republic in Southeast Asia, comprising 1 main island and about 50 small adjacent islands off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula. The main island, Singapore Island, is separated from Malaysia on the north by the narrow Johore Strait and is linked by road and rail to the Malaysian city of Johor Baharu. On the south, Singapore Island is separated from Indonesia’s Riau Archipelago by the Singapore Strait, an important shipping channel linking the Indian Ocean to the west with the South China Sea on the east. The Republic of Singapore is considered a city-state because most of the territory of the main island is part of the metropolis of Singapore. The main island is densely populated, especially in its south central portion where the central business district and main port are located.


Slide 5:LAND & RESOURCES The total area of Singapore, including the main island and all the islets, is 685.4 sq km 264.6 sq mi). The larger islets, which all have small fishing villages, include Tekong, Ubin, and Sentosa. Singapore Island is low-lying with no prominent relief features. A central area of hills rises to a maximum elevation of 176 m (577 ft) at Bukit Timah. Numerous short streams, including the Singapore River, drain the island. Soils are relatively infertile, and clays and sand are the only mineral resources.


Slide 6:PEOPLE OF SINGAPORE The 2007 population estimate was 4,553,009. Immigration is highly restricted Singapore’s natural population increase is 0.5 percent annually, and this rate is expected to fall as much of the population ages beyond the childbearing years. The government is concerned about the slow growth rate because increasingly fewer working people must support a growing elderly population, straining available resources for health care and other social services. The government provides tax incentives to families that have several children, but the growth rate is still expected to fall because most Singaporeans prefer small families.


Slide 7:ETHNIC GROUPS, LANGUAGES, RELIGION Singapore’s population is ethnically diverse. Chinese constitute about three-fourths of the population. Malays form the next largest group, and Indians the third. The country’s four official languages are Chinese, English, Malay, and Tamil. Chinese is the primary language spoken in the majority of homes. English is the language of administration and business and it is widely spoken as a second language. Singapore’s principal religions are Buddhism, Islam, Hinduism, and Christianity. The majority of Chinese Singaporeans follow Buddhism, although Daoism (Taoism), and more recently Christianity, are also popular. Malay Singaporeans are predominantly Muslim, while more than half the Indian Singaporeans profess Hinduism.


Slide 8:The Ministry of Education aims to help students to discover their own talents, to make the best of these talents and realize their full potential, and to develop a passionn for learning that lasts through life. To achieve this aim, the task of schools and tertiary institution is to: AIMS OF THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM Give students the chance to develop the skills, character and values that will enable them to continue to do well and to take Singapore toward the future To provide an education system that is more flexible and diverse with greater choice to meet their varied interest and ways of learning and being able to choose what and how they learn will encourage them to take greater ownership of their learning To provide a more broad-based education to ensure all-round or holistic development, in and out of the classroom


Slide 9:To be committed to improving society To be proactive in surmounting our constraints To have compassion towards others To be able to inspire, motivate and draw out the best from others To be able to chart our destiny and lead To be able to forge breakthroughs in a knowledge-based economy To be creative and imaginative To have the tenacity to fight against the odds and not quit What we expect of our young who aim to be national, community, business or professional leaders:


Slide 10:The mission of the Education Service is to mold the future of the nation, by molding the people who will determine the future of the nation. The Education Service will provide students with a balanced and well-rounded education, develop them to their full potential and nurture them into good citizens, conscious of their responsibilities to family, society and country MISSION


Slide 11:Teach Less, Learn More We will encourage our students to learn more actively and independently. We want to nurture a curiosity that goes beyond the formal curriculum, and a love for learning that stays with the student through life. Syllabuses will be trimmed without diluting students’ preparedness for higher education. This will free up time for our students to focus on core knowledge and skills, and to provide greater space for flexibility in carrying out school-based activities in the curriculum. Schools are providing more opportunities for the character development of their students and for students to develop skills in innovation. Teaching will be focused on developing understanding, critical thinking and the ability to ask questions and seek answers and solutions. Broad-based, holistic education Our schools are striving to provide students with a holistic education, focused on both academic and non-academic areas. We want to give our students a broad range of experiences and help them make the most of their years together in school where they will interact with one another and form strong friendships for life. As they grow up, we want to provide them with the full opportunity to develop the skills and values that they will need for life. Besides judging our students’ performance through examinations, we are also looking at other and broader measures of how well they do in education.


Slide 12:Ministry of Education’s vision of “Thinking Schools, Learning Nationa” (TLSN was frist announced by Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong in 1997. This vision describes a nation of thinking and committed citizens capable of meeting the challenges of the future. Thinking schools will be learning organizations in every sense, constantly challenging assumptions, and seeking better ways of doing things through participation, creativity and innovation. Thinking schools will be the cradle of thinking students as well as thinking adults and this spirit of learning should accompany our students even after they leave school VISION


Slide 13:SINGAPORE’s EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM


Slide 14:SINGAPORE’s EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM 1. Pre-Primary Education Kindergartens are ‘schools’ that provide a structured 3-year pre-school education programs for children aged 3 to 6. The 3-year program consists of Nursery, Kindergarten 1 and Kindergarten 2.. Kindergartens in Singapore are run by the private sector, including community foundations, religious bodies, social organisations and business organisations. Under the Education Act (1985 Edition), kindergartens are defined as private schools that have to be registered with the Ministry of Education (MOE). Child care centres also offer kindergarten programs to children aged 3 to 6. Kindergartens are registered with the Ministry of Education (MOE) while child care centres are licensed by the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS).


Slide 15:SINGAPORE’s EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM 2. Primary Education


Slide 16:SINGAPORE’s EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM 2. Primary Education FAST FACTS 6 years of compulsory education National examination required to take: Primary Leaving School Examination (PLSE) No school fees; misc. $5.50


Slide 17:Fast Facts 4-5 years of education National examination: GCE ‘O’ Levels (for Special/Express courses) or GCE ‘N’ Levels (for Normal course) All students take part in at least one CCA; CCA performance is considered for admission to JCs, CI, polytechnics and ITE SINGAPORE’s EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM 3. Secondary Education


Slide 18:Special, Express, Normal (Academic) or Normal (Technical) course according to how they perform at the PSLE. The different curricular emphases are designed to match their learning abilities and interests. SINGAPORE’s EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM 3. Secondary Education Secondary Education places students in the following:


Slide 19:Special And Express Courses: 4-year courses leading to the GCE ‘O’ Level examination. Special course students offer Mother Tongue at a higher level (Higher Chinese/Higher Malay/Higher Tamil). Normal Course: Students in the Normal course follow either the Normal (Academic) [N(A)] or Normal (Technical) [N(T)] curriculum. 4-year programme leading to the GCE ‘N’ Level examination. A 5th year leading to the GCE ‘0’ Level examination is available to N(A) students who perform well in their GCE ‘N’ Levels. Students can move from one course to another based on their performance and the assessment of their Principal and teachers. Secondary Courses


Slide 20:The inner cirle centering on life skills ensures that students acquire sound values and skills to take them through life as responsible adults and active citizens. It comprises the non-academic curriculum. The middle circle on knowledge skills seeks to develop students’ thinking, process and communication skills. This will enable students to analyse and use information and be able to express their thoughts and ideas clearly and effectively. It comprises skills-based subjects. The outermost circle covers the content-based subject disciplines i.e. Languages, Humanities & the Arts, and Mathematics & Sciences. It ensures that students have a good grounding in content across different areas of study.


Slide 21:In the Normal (Technical) course, students offer 5-7 subjects in the GCE ‘N’ Level examination. This curriculum prepares them for a technical-vocational education at the Institute of Technical Education. The curriculum is geared towards strengthening students’ proficiency in English and Mathematics. Students take English Language, Mathematics, Basic Mother Tongue and Computer Applications as compulsory subjects.


Slide 22:In the Normal (Academic) course, students offer 6-8 subjects in the GCE ‘N’ Level examination. They have, as compulsory subjects, English Language, Mother Tongue and Mathematics. For upper secondary, Combined Humanities and a Science subject are also compulsory.


Slide 23:Co-Curricular Activities (CCAs) CCAs are an integral part of our students’ holistic, well-rounded education. They help nurture in students qualities such as resilience, tenacity, confidence and perseverance, which prepare them to adapt and thrive in a rapidly changing world. Every secondary school student takes part in one CCA taken from the following options: Sports and Games Uniformed Groups Performing Arts Groups Clubs and Societies Students may also participate in a second activity. In particular, students who are not involved in competitive sports (e.g. students in CCAs such as performing arts and clubs) are encouraged to take up sports and games as their second CCA.


Slide 24:From Secondary to Post-Secondary Education


Slide 25:Post-Secondary Education Options Junior Colleges (JCs) and Centralised Institute (CI) For students who are academically inclined and have the necessary GCE ‘O’ Level qualifications. Offer a 2-year junior college/3-year centralised institute pre-university course leading to the GCE ‘A’ Level examination. Polytechnics For students who wish to pursue applied and practice-oriented training and have the necessary GCE ‘O’ Level qualifications. From 2006, the polytechnics may admit up to 5% of their respective intakes based on students’ special talents and aptitudes. 3-year courses are the norm. Polytechnic graduates with good grades have the opportunity to pursue tertiary education at the universities. SINGAPORE’s EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM 4. Post-Secondary Education


Slide 26:Post-Secondary Education Options Institute of Technical Education (ITE) For students with GCE ‘O’ or ‘N’ Level certificates. Offers 1- to 2-year technical or vocational courses. Students who do well will be able to proceed to the polytechnics for diploma programs. Qualified candidates may also subsequently progress to the universities.


Slide 27:Pre-University Education Pre-University Education prepares students for the GCE “A” Level examination at the end of the 2-year junior college or 3-year centralised institute course. Students who completed their pre-university education will receive a School Graduation Certificate. Fast Facts 2-3 years of education National examination: GCE ‘A’ Levels All students take part in at least one CCA; CCA performance is considered for university admission


Slide 28:The inner circle centring on life skills ensures that students acquire sound values and skills to take them through life as responsible adults and active citizens. It comprises the non-academic curriculum. The middle circle on knowledge skills seeks to develop students’ thinking, process and communication skills. This will enable students to analyse and use information and be able to express their thoughts and ideas clearly and effectively. It comprises skills-based subjects. The outermost circle covers the content-based subject disciplines i.e. Languages, Humanities & the Arts, and Mathematics & Sciences. It ensures that students have a good grounding in content across different areas of study.


Slide 29:From Pre-University to University Education The National University of Singapore (NUS) and the Nanyang Technological University (NTU) conduct separate admission exercises under the following broad university admission framework for: ‘A‘ Level ‘O’ Level for Polytechnic graduates


Administration & Supervision :Administration & Supervision Managed by the Ministry of Education (MOE) which directs education policy. It controls the development and administration of public schools which receive government funding but has also advisory and supervisory role to private schools. For both private and public, there are variations in the extent of autonomy in their curriculum, scope of government aid and funding, tuition burden on the students and admission policy The Ministry is headed by the Minister, assisted by the ministers of state and parliamentary secretary. Under the MOE are 3 deputy-general of education, deputy-secretary of policy and deputy secretary for services


Outstanding practices :Outstanding practices High standards of teaching with a distinctive record of topping among 49 countries in the TIMSS – third International Mathematics and Science Study Bilingual policy (english, tamil, mandarin, malay) Broad-based curriculum (more courses – special, express, normal, technical) High quality and rigorous education system Strong belief in investing in education, science laboratories and technology facilities Universities fall in good rankings in Asia’s best universities


Issues and problems :Issues and problems According to critics including parents, education system is very specialized, too rigid and elitist Excessive educational streaming at a young age


Addressing the Issues :Addressing the Issues While streaming still exists, various refinements have been made There is not greater flexibility for students to cross different streams Government now experimenting with ability-banding in other ways such as subject-based rather than overall academic performance Principle of continuous improvement is valued