The Singapore Ministry of Education has announced several program initiatives geared towards enhancing social mobility by reaching out to weaker students and decreasing economic disparities in access to education.
Educators and parents have expressed concerns that the education system ultimately favors children whose parents can afford tuition. Others worry that the over-emphasis on exams and grades contribute to a high stress environment that inhibits creativity and undermines non-academic needs and talents.
The MoE addresses these issues, proposing to help every student succeed by:
- Building up a foundation in literacy and numeracy, from kindergarten to secondary levels. The Learning Support Programme for Primary 1 -2 students will extend to include all six years of primary education.
- Providing professional development opportunities for teachers to learn research-based methods and various learning platforms for working with “low-progress learners.”
- Piloting 15 kindergartens in working class areas over the next three years to help raise support and improve oversight of the pre-school sector.
- Enhancing support for students with special needs by arranging post-diagnosis services for parents, simplifying the application and enrollment processes for special education schools, and increasing funding for low-income students.
At times, it’s necessary to get back to basics in order to make long-term improvements. We applaud Singapore for taking the time to ensure that every student has the opportunity to succeed, regardless of their economic background or pace of development.
Education Minister Heng Swee Keat notes, “If a good life is simply about getting ahead of others, and achieving the 5Cs … Then no amount of changes in the education system can alter the reality of each of us chasing after material and positional goods … In many respects, the education system reflects societal norms and expectations.”
Creative Commons Love: Tamara Craiu on Flickr.com
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