Lessons from Singapore Education ..

[Yipsy1]

What is this talk about our school system being sub standards mentioned by many parents here. Even the UK teachers sings praises about our education system. No such thing as a perfect system.

 

 

http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2009/f...hools-singapore

 

Lessons from Singapore Education is the Singapore government's top priority, says Mike Baker

How do you achieve a school system consistently in the top three in the world for maths and science, fourth for literacy, and described by experts as leading the world in teaching quality? Moreover, how do you manage to get 80% of pupils to pass five or more O-levels when they are taught in their second language in classes of 35? The answers are found in Singapore.

 

 

I have just accompanied winners of the Teaching Awards on a study visit to Singapore. It was organised by the charity CfBT Education Trust, which has sent British teachers to several countries to see what they can learn from other school systems.

 

So what did they expect to find? One assistant headteacher from the Midlands expected to see "a very traditional curriculum, rows of pupils, teacher in front, students there to learn". And indeed she did. But she also saw a whole lot more: traditional methods blended with more progressive thinking, and a focus on teaching the whole child, not just on exam results. It gave the British teachers plenty to ponder.

 

International comparisons are fraught with difficulties; it is easy to forget that what works in one country will not flourish in another. But Singapore has many similarities to the UK. The official language of school instruction is English, there is a national curriculum, and the national examinations are O- and A-levels, administered by Cambridge Assessment.

 

It was soon clear to the British teachers that there are similar challenges. Singapore is a multi-ethnic, multilingual society. Pupils are obsessed with mobile phones and computer games, and are, as one Singapore school principal put it, the "strawberry generation: easily bruised and damaged".

 

So why does it work? First, education is the government's top priority. That is not just rhetoric: a country with no natural resources (it even has to import water) knows it lives and dies by its collective brainpower. The ministry of education is very close to schools; as all teachers and principals are civil servants, they regularly rotate through postings to the ministry.

 

Teachers speak approvingly of the way the ministry supports initiatives with targeted funding. Or, as one former headteacher put it, the system runs on "top-down support for bottom-up initiatives".

 

For example, there is a drive to boost learning outside the classroom. The government provides funds for school visits, clubs and extra-curricular activities, enabling them to make such activities compulsory. Pupils are regularly graded on these activities, and the grades count towards entry to further education.

 

In another reform, the ministry announced recently that all primary schools would move to single-session teaching, with the juniors taught in the morning and the infants in the afternoon. This will bring smaller classes, better pupil-teacher ratios, and allow a programme of compulsory extra-curricular activities for the juniors in the afternoon.

 

Like England, Singapore is undergoing a big school building programme. But there is no disruption while the builders are in, as the whole school decamps to a vacant school nearby. The government maintains spare capacity for this very purpose.

 

In a reform called the Integrated Programme, schools with more able pupils are encouraged to bypass exams at 16, allowing greater curriculum flexibility right through to A-levels.

 

One visiting headteacher from Essex was struck by the real stretch offered to more able pupils, the "clear articulation of ideas between government and schools", and the way the whole system not only "talked the talk, but also walked the walk".

 

Perhaps the real key to Singapore's success, though, is the rare combination of traditional teaching and discipline, and a holistic, child-based approach. In the UK, we tend to see these as mutually exclusive opposites.

 

mikebakereducation.co.uk

 

[Yuan]

They are referring to the system but not the kiddos.

 

Poor kiddos are the ones who are stressed over the hill.......

[Espire]

Ironically, the top students produced by our system are no where near the standard of theirs.

[Gendut]

The best education there is but one which cannot produce world beaters or Nobel winners.

 

A good education system where all the answer are already known. In the real world, no one really knows the answer.

[Davidklt]

No..its the parents..

 

For example, remember the suggestion to possibly scrap P1 and P2 exams?

 

Parents were dead against that.

 

They are referring to the system but not the kiddos.

 

Poor kiddos are the ones who are stressed over the hill.......

 

[Drive_carcar]

Our top students are still too exams oriented, too academic. While they excel in academic pursuits, they are lacking in lateral thinking, at least that's my impression.

 

But i think the true test of the education system, is not in compariing our top talents, but comparing our average to others. Our average pupils can't speak well, can't write well. Even those who made it to universities are not fantiastic.

 

Frequently I had chance to meet colleagues from other countries, and I realise the key area we lack is the ability to communicate confidently and effectively. WHile some of our engineers may be really good, they lack the ability to "blow smoke", especially on areas that are outside their scope of abilities. While our foreign counterparts know how to blow smoke, and then on further research, their "smoke" turned out to be technically sound.

[Twofouronenite]

Being good in maths dun mean one will b good in EQ. Buay Haio Cho Lan! Too calculative in everything.

[Drive_carcar]

It's been proven time and again, a person's success has more to do with one's EQ (Emotional Quotient) and AQ (Adversity Quotient). IQ actually has very little impact if at all.

[D3badge]

Ironically, the top students produced by our system are no where near the standard of theirs.

 

I think it is nothing to do with system or the kids more on the parents themselves. however bad the system, the fact is result wise it does produce 96%-99% 5 O level passes.

 

more like the older generation or parents who always think the grass is greener the other side thus overseas system better!! and dun believe in thier own kids thus kill thier dream even if they have talent.

 

 

[D3badge]

It's been proven time and again, a person's success has more to do with one's EQ (Emotional Quotient) and AQ (Adversity Quotient). IQ actually has very little impact if at all.

 

I agree with you on EQ....... IQ or knowledge can train or drill into someone, but EQ is more of a culture capitalism or expose in life, through background mainly families........ thus if our kids sucks in EQ 75% is the parents fault!!

 

example a businessman's generally or normally should be witty and communicated well with people, or a lawyer background family's kids normally will be use to socialite event if been expose to many since young unlike I know people whom fear to go socialite function.

 

of course this is generaling thus I put 75% but the fact is good background give more opportunity in life "thus normally elite people children 90% all can make it in life

 

[Shull]

Sillypore schools only capable of producing skolars who know how to study and study..but no brains for most commonsense things..

[Silver_blade]

They are referring to the system but not the kiddos.

 

Poor kiddos are the ones who are stressed over the hill.......

You could be right. Our education system is rather good and the relationship between school and the education ministry is seamless. A dream for most school administrators and people in the authority.

 

Our school is good in producing academically good students...but few can think beyond the book. I feel some of our students have very little awareness of current affair, etc...

 

Be it S'pore or UK education system...each have their pros and cons.