Singapore Maths - A Look at the Current Content and Reform by Winston Hodge

Basic Education Curriculum Revisited:

A Look at the Current Content and Reform

Mr Winston Hodge

Director, Training and Development Division,

Ministry of Education

Singapore

1.    INTRODUCTION

The vision of the Ministry of Education (MOE) is “Thinking Schools, Learning Nation”. To prepare a generation of thinking and committed citizens who are capable of contributing towards Singapore’s continued growth and prosperity, the Ministry is constantly revisiting its curriculum to ensure that the skills and knowledge taught in schools meet the challenges of the 21^st century.

2. THE SINGAPORE EDUCATION SYSTEM

The Singapore education system aims to provide students with a holistic and broad-based education. Given the multi-cultural and multi-racial characteristics of Singapore, the bilingual policy is a key feature of the Singapore education system. Under the bilingual policy, every student learns English which is the common working language. Students also learn their mother tongue language (Chinese, Malay or Tamil), to help them retain their ethnic identity, culture, heritage and values.

2.1       Holistic Development of Students

The Desired Outcomes of Education (DOE) articulates the importance of holistically nurturing students to become well-rounded persons - morally, intellectually, physically, socially and aesthetically through a set of eight core skills and values.

The eight core skills and values are:

1.    Character Development

2.    Self Management Skills

3.    Social and Cooperative Skills

4.    Literacy and Numeracy

5.    Communication Skills

6.    Information Skills

7.    Thinking Skills and Creativity

8.    Knowledge Application Skills

It is envisioned that students at the end of primary education, secondary education and pre-university would have acquired these eight core skills and values. (Annex A).

2.2       Broad-based Curriculum

Singapore’s national curriculum aims to nurture each child to his full potential, to discover his talents and to develop in him a passion for life-long learning. Students go through a broad range of experiences to develop the skills and values that they will need for life. The broad-based curriculum imparts literacy, numeracy, bilingualism, the sciences, humanities, aesthetics, physical education, civics and moral education and National Education. 

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