Ministry of Education

The Minister for Education (Mr Heng Swee Keat): Our goal is to develop lifelong learners and active contributors, confident in meeting the challenges in life and committed to making a positive difference to Singapore. We have significantly increased our investments in education over the past decade, across levels and institutions. We will continue to invest more to better cater to the strengths and interests of each child, and to allow every child to find his or her own path to success.

We are implementing a more holistic curriculum, aimed at inculcating strong values, a good knowledge and skills base, and 21st century competencies. To support this, we are investing in better infrastructure like single-session primary schools, and the development of indoor sports halls and other facilities

At the primary level, we are enhancing teaching in the classrooms, and implementing meaningful enrichment and co-curricular activities (CCAs). These will help our children develop crucial competencies like expression, confidence and teamwork. At the secondary level, we will help our teenagers further develop their character and citizenship, by increasing learning opportunities through CCAs, sports programmes, community involvement programmes, and learning journeys.

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Twinning and exchange programmes will prepare our students for an increasingly globalised world. As our students access global opportunities, rootedness to Singapore becomes even more important. We want all Singaporeans to carry the Singapore Spirit in our hearts, no matter where we may be. Our children must feel a deep sense of belonging and commitment to Singapore. Our schools share the responsibility of nurturing our children with parents and the community, who in turn support and reinforce the efforts of educators. We need a strong consensus on how we bring up the next generation.

Through our investment in education, we ensure that every child, regardless of family circumstances and background, has access to opportunities. Singaporeans enjoy highly subsidised education. We have topped up Edusave accounts and extended more Edusave grants to schools to support enrichment programmes. Bursaries at the various levels have also been enhanced. We will continue to make every school a good school. Schools have different student profiles and needs. But all will help their students grow in confidence through exposure to new ideas, experiences and possibilities; equip them with the competencies to work purposefully towards their goals; and nurture a community of friends for life.

Schools will do so in their different ways. We will help them develop their areas of strength, be it in aesthetics, character and citizenship education, leadership development, sports and physical education, or teaching and learning, to bring out the best in their students. By giving every Singaporean child a positive school experience, we can nurture a multiplicity of talents, each different from the other and everyone quietly confident about himself. More customised programmes and teaching methods will help students with different starting points and abilities learn their mother tongue languages effectively, and connect to our rich cultural heritage and other communities in Asia. We will also stretch those with the ability and interest to acquire a deeper grasp of the language and culture.

We are committed to improving the quality of provisions for special needs children in mainstream schools and special education schools. We have rebuilt or refurbished almost all the VWO-run special education schools over the past five years and will expand capacity in areas of need.

Over the past five years, our outreach efforts have improved preschool enrolment to 99% of the cohort. MOE will continue to work with MCYS to improve the quality, affordability and accessibility of preschool. We will accredit good quality preschools, and invest more in building preschool teacher capacity.

We aim to create more pathways to match the interests and aptitudes of every student. For students with special talents in Sports, Arts, Mathematics and Science and Applied Learning, we have set up specialised schools to help them scale greater heights. Two new Specialised Schools for Normal (Technical) students will cater to experiential learners. Normal (Academic) students will have the option of joining the polytechnics via the Polytechnic Foundation Programme. In addition, Express students can choose from a greater variety of Integrated Programmes.

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We will complete the consolidation of ITE into three regional colleges to enable more multi-disciplinary training, provide state-of-the-art teaching facilities and modern amenities to enhance campus life. The polytechnics will expand to admit up to 45% of each Primary One cohort. They will have better facilities and offer industry-relevant courses in new growth areas.

Over the next few years, students will have more options to earn publicly-funded degrees, with the expansion of existing institutions and the establishment of new institutions and programmes. By 2015, there will be 14,000 publicly-funded university places for Singapore students. Beyond 2015, we will expand university intakes further to create even more opportunities for Singaporeans to benefit from university education. A committee has been set up to study how to do this, so that we can continue to meet the aspirations of Singaporeans and long-term needs of our economy.

Under the Research, Innovation and Enterprise 2015 plan, our universities will continue to strengthen their research capabilities in collaboration with the private sector and research institutes. Learning opportunities for Singaporeans will continue throughout life. We will enhance Continuing Education and Training (CET) through subsidised part-time programmes, advanced and specialist diplomas and short courses and certificates at our post-secondary educational institutions.

We will expand the size of our teaching force from 31,000 today, to 33,000 within five years. We will support our teachers with more allied educators, and a stronger administrative team in schools. We will also retain our best educators, through attractive career options and developmental opportunities. The teaching fraternity, working through the Academy of Singapore Teachers, will set high standards for all its members in their sense of mission, personal conduct and quest for professional excellence. All our teachers must aspire to lead, care and inspire.

Working in partnership with stakeholders, we will provide our children with the best education, and nurture them into confident persons, self-directed learners, concerned citizens and active contributors. United, they will live out the Singapore Spirit and create a brighter future for all.