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Apart from enjoying a status of famous shopping and tourism destination, Singapore is also emerging as a place for pursuing higher education.
The pro-high technology policy of the government has invited billion of dollars of foreign investment in the fields of biotechnology, IT and research. The Ministry of Education (MOE) is responsible for controlling the development and administration of the schools and various government-funded educational institutions. In case of private schools, the MOE plays a crucial supervisory and advisory role. Education mainly revolves around the interests of the students. The teaching and pedagogical system follows a flexible approach that helps the students in developing their potentials and aptitudes.
The Ministry Of Education (MOE)
The ministry of education is the premier authoritative institute that is responsible for ensuring that students in Singapore receive world-class education. The government on an average allots 20% of its annual budget towards development of educational institutes in the state, which is managed and appropriated by the ministry. Both the state and private educational institutes are allowed certain amount of autonomy in designing their curriculum, tuition fees and admission policies to remain qualified to government’s aids and assistance. The state has made it a criminal offense for parents who fail to enroll their children to schools at the right age. The main medium of education has been English although Malay, Mandarin Chinese and Tamil are also taught.
Singapore has also established itself as a favorite destination for higher studies for foreign students. Foreign students, especially from Asian states like India, gather in Singapore to get admission to its various technical, medial and business schools. These institutes offer industry oriented courses that help students to launch an international career.
Singapore enjoys one of the highest literacy rates in the world. The education system of Singapore has evolved over the years to match the international demand for skilled workers for economic development. It has ensured that every child receive proper education that will help him/her to explore his/her proper potential. It focuses on identifying the unique aptitude in the child and design schools curriculum according to that.
Singapore has best educational institutions with internationally recognized faculty. The Ministry of Education is the responsible body for monitoring, controlling and administering the education system in Singapore.
The Singapore education system comprises schools, colleges and universities. Education in Singapore is imparted through the following educational institutes:
Kindergartens
The pre-school stage for the children aged between 3 and 6 years usually spans three years when the kids learn to interact and are prepared for the formal education at higher level.
Young children are enrolled to kindergarten childcare centers where they receive basic education. It is normally a three years program and children as young as three years old are enrolled to pre-primary schools. Most of the kindergarten schools run for five days a week and 2 ½ to 4 hours a day.
The main activities of Kindergartens include development of interaction skills, games, learning language, numbers and music. Basically, private sector runs the kindergartens.
Primary education
The primary education generally includes the four-year foundation stage and two-year orientation stage. This is described as the first and basic stage of formal education. At the end, the primary school leaving examination is held to determine the ability of the student whether s/he is eligible for attending the secondary schools. The first four years of education includes health education, arts and crafts, social studies, physical education, music and more.
Children in Singapore receive a total of six years of primary education which is divided into two categories: four years of foundation course from class 1 to 4 and two years orientation classes from 5 to 6. After completing the primary education students are required to qualify in Primary School Leaving Examination or PSLE to pusue higher education.
Secondary education
The education streams or tracks of the secondary education system depend on the student's performance in the primary school-leaving examination. It includes 'Special', 'Express', 'Academic' and 'Technical'.
Secondary education in the country is imparted through government funded, government aided and independent schools. Students are enrolled in these schools for four to five years of secondary education which will prepare them for Singapore-Cambridge General Certificate of Education 'Normal' (GCE 'N') examination.
Apart from English, the other languages include mother tongue, foreign languages and other third languages. Subjects at the secondary level include humanities, mathematics and science, as well as others such as general art, elements of business skills, design and technology and more.
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integrated programs of the secondary level education allows the students to engage in enrichment activities.
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Scoring system of education
The achievement level of the students in different subjects is marked by the following grades:
- A1- A2: Distinction
- B3 – B4: Merit
- C5 – C6: Credit or Pass
- D7: Passing with lower grades or fail
- E8 – F9: Fail
Junior colleges at the pre-university level
There are almost 18 Junior colleges that are designed to provide the students with an alternative to the three-year programmes. Junior colleges offer two-year programmes for the upper-stream students who are willing to pursue a university degree. The elective programmes offered at the Junior colleges includes humanities, arts, music and language.
The students may enroll for two years pre-university courses in junior schools or 3 years course in centralized institutes that will help them prepare for tertiary education. Foreign students are also accepted in junior colleges based on availability of seats.
Universities in Singapore
The universities basically provide undergraduate and post-graduate courses as well as research programmes. In Singapore, there are two full-fledged public universities, namely, National University of Singapore and Nanyang Technological University, and two private universities, namely, Singapore Management University and SIM University. Many overseas students are looking forward to Singapore as a destination for pursuing higher studies.
The universities of Singapore offer international standard market oriented courses to students. These also offer research and scholarship programs to students interested in higher education. The four local universities of Singapore are:
1. National University of Singapore (NUS)
2. Nanyang Technological University (NTU)
3. Singapore Management University (SMU)
4. Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD)
These universities offer courses on sciences, engineering, law, arts, humanities, social sciences, medicine, technology and the like.
International schools in Singapore
Singapore plays host for many International schools. These schools generally do not give admissions to Singapore students as they are meant for overseas students. If you wish to study in Singapore, do explore the opportunities through these schools.
Last but not the least, the education system in Singapore also indulges in and encourages heavily co-curricular activities, performing arts, youth clubs and societies for overall development of personality of the students.
Polytechnics: The polytechnics in Singapore are designed to offer students with practical training based courses. The five polytechnics in Singapore are:
1. Nanyang Polytechnic
2. Ngee Ann Polytechnic
3. Republic Polytechnic
4. Singapore Polytechnic
5. Temasek Polytechnic
Institute of Technical Education (ITE):
The ITEs are designed to offer industry oriented technological courses to students. They offer training and traineeship programs to secondary-level students. Along with, continuing education programs are also available with these institutes.
International schools:
The international schools are also administered by the ministry of education. These schools let students pursue educational courses similar to their native country. The schools follow course guidelines of that country. International schools give preferences to foreign students and may impose minimum qualifying criteria, like proficiency of language, for admission.
Private schools in Singapore
The students in Singapore are also catered by the private schools. Currently, there are over 300 such private schools offering a variety of courses such as commerce, management, information technology, fine arts, and language to students.
The Private Education Institutions (PEI) offer courses that are of international standard. Some of these colleges are offering courses in collaboration with foreign schools of US, UK, Australia etc. Anglo-Chinese School (ACS), Hwa Chong Institution and St Joseph's Institution are three top international schools established under the private education system of Singapore. These schools offer secondary and post-secondary courses under the purview of ACS International. Private schools interested in enrolling foreign students are required to enlist themselves with EduTrust certification.
The Council for Private Education (CPE) under the Ministry of Education is the responsible body for administering and monitoring private education system in the country. The body would ensure that the private educational institutes are meeting the interests of students studying in them.
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