Singapore—Education System
Singapore's strong education system, especially its vocational and tertiary education, contributed to the country's so-called economic miracle—its rapid economic growth from the 1970s through the 1990s. The British had established a modern education system in Singapore during the colonial era, and Singapore's strong government developed it further between the 1970s and 1990s.
During the colonial era, the British established a comprehensive primary and secondary education system in Singapore, focusing on preparing a workforce for service in colonial administration and commerce. The education was conducted in four major languages—English, Chinese, Malay, and Tamil. After gaining independence in 1965, the government of Singapore emphasized the development of bilingual education, encouraging education in English and in one of the local languages. By 1968, all primary school-age Singaporean children were enrolled in public or private schools, and the literacy rate rose rapidly. By the late 1990s, the adult literacy rate reached 89.1 percent: 95 percent among males and 83 percent among females.
The Ministry of Education of Singapore is responsible for the registration of all schools in the country and for establishing national standards. According to official statistics, the government spends around 3 percent of the gross domestic product on education.
Presently, children begin a three-year preschool education program at the age of three. Kindergartens in Singapore are usually run by the private sector, communities, or religious bodies, but they must register with the Ministry of Education. At the age of six, children begin a four-year foundation program with a common government-approved curriculum, which includes English, their mother tongue, mathematics, and other subjects. At the age of ten, children enroll in a two-year orientation-education program, which includes English, their mother tongue, mathematics, science, and other subjects. On completion of the orientation program, pupils must sit for the Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE).
At the age of twelve, children enter four- or fiveyear secondary-education programs. On completion of secondary school, pupils sit for an exam for a Singapore-Cambridge General Certificate of Education (GCE). There are several compulsory subjects, including English, their mother tongue, mathematics, humanities, history, and geography.
According to official figures, in 2000 there were 197 primary schools with 12,287 teachers providing education for 306,000 pupils, and 159 secondary schools with 9,462 teachers providing education for approximately 176,100 students. The official statistics show that Singapore achieved nearly 95 percent enrolment of relevant age-group children at primary schools.
After completing secondary school, students may join a two-year pre-university program at a junior college or a three-year pre-university program at a centralized institute. After completing this program, students must sit for the Singapore-Cambridge General Certificate of Education "Advanced" (GCE "A") Level Examinations. Most education programs at the tertiary level are conducted in English, but some are in Chinese. Students may choose to study in Singapore, but a considerable number choose to study overseas, especially in Australia, Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Japan.
After receiving a bachelor's degree, students may continue their education at a postgraduate level. A master's degree takes between two and four years of study. Upon completion of a master's degree, students may enter a three- or four-year doctorate program
Official figures for 2000 listed fifteen junior colleges with 1,781 teachers providing education for 23,900 pupils, and seven higher-education institutions attended by approximately 84,000 students. Traditionally, the prestige of tertiary education is high, and competition among students is keen.
Further Reading
Gopinathan, Saravanan, Anee Pakir, Wah Kam Ho, and Vanithamani Saravan, eds. (1998) Language, Society, and Education in Singapore: Issues and Trends. Singapore: Federal Publications.
Mortimore, Peter, ed. (1999) The Culture of Change: Case Studies of Improving Schools in Singapore and London. London: University of London, Institute of Education.
Soh, C. (2002) The Use of Information Technology for the Management of Education in Singapore. Singapore: Commonwealth Publications.
Wong, Ting-Hong. (2002) State Formation and Hegemony: Chinese School Politics in Postwar Singapore and Hong Kong. Reference Books in International Education. Singapore: Routledge Falmer.
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