Ng Chee Meng
Singapore
“I note the intent of the OJT and agree with the objectives behind the proposal, and it will be studied, considered in our NTUC's work, even as we chart possibilities in career counselling for the youths, and do possible pathways to innovate with the IHLs in career guidance and matches into internship and other possibilities.”
“I began this speech with the questions on many workers' minds: how can I take part in the AI growth and benefit from it? How can I translate into fair opportunities for me? Singapore has invested much in education and the skills of our workforce.”
“Mr Speaker, I thank the Government for responding to NTUC's and our Platform Work Association's calls to support sectors most affected by the recent fuel price increases. The measures announced for platform drivers and riders will go some way in easing the pressures on their livelihoods. I have two clarifications.”
“Family members who have mental health conditions or degenerative diseases, such as dementia, which is becoming more common, who may require high supervision but may not necessarily qualify for the three ADL criteria today. Preventive Healthcare in the Community”
“However, there is one group that I am particularly concerned about – the 13,000 or so who are out of the workforce to care for their elderly. I note from MOM's data that this group is largely female, single, 50 and above, non-tertiary educated and do not have any or any recent work experience. We think that there is scope to do more.”
“Chairman, our young graduates are entering the workforce at a time in a disrupted age. AI is becoming more advanced, even at entry-level tasks. And throughout their careers, they will need to adapt and pivot several times, as the pace of change and skills obsolescence increases.”
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“Mr Speaker, students' parents, depending on the cases, if severe enough, would be called in by the schools, so that they will do the post-incident counselling together with the students. In severe cases, parents and child will be with the school to look at how the incident can be dealt with and how follow-up actions can be taken together − by the school, the student and the parents. Beyond that, we are also in touch with stakeholders in the community. Organisations, like the Children's Society, are also in touch with our schools to extend further help and general education to students and parents.”
“Mr Speaker, bullying is defined as persistent behaviour intended to cause hurt, distress or humiliation. It can be physical, verbal or psychological in nature. Cyberbullying is defined as any behaviour performed through electronic or digital media by individuals or groups that communicate hostile or aggressive messages intended to inflict harm or discomfort over time against a victim. Because a post can be seen by many people and be easily reposted by others online causing hurt to victims, we understand that this is a growing area of concern and the schools are dealing with this. In terms of support, the schools have put in place bullying prevention and intervention measures, such as providing accessible channels for safe reporting of bullying cases, investigating and following up promptly on reported cases, and, as I was saying in reply to Assoc Prof Daniel Goh earlier, adopting an educational approach to help all students, including bystanders, to learn from the incidents and prevent further bullying. These are the different support measures.”
“Mr Speaker, the use of handphone in the classroom is actually prohibited. So, while the act is prohibited, the upstream measures that I have described actually are more important − teaching students how to cope with bullying behaviours, taking positive action to deal with those negative behaviours. And then, overall, in the classroom, how do you teach positive social behaviours like empathy for others, learning to care for others, beforehand? So, proactive measures are what we are doing in schools, and this would be the emphasis. Generally, our students are well-behaved. Incidents in our schools in terms of bullying are very few and have been relatively stable.”
“Mr Speaker, based on a student perception survey conducted by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in 2015, about 10% and 20% of our 15-year-old students reported that they had experienced some form of social and verbal bullying respectively. Physical bullying was less prevalent at about 5%. This is quite similar to the Ministry of Education's (MOE's) findings and other local studies. MOE does not tolerate bullying in any form and every child has a right to feel safe and secure in our schools. When students misbehave or make mistakes, schools will discipline and educate them so that there is learning and it will not be repeated. School staff will also counsel students who are involved in bullying as well as those affected by it. Our school personnel have been trained to give attention to and address hurtful behaviours. Teachers are provided with training in classroom management strategies and positive classroom culture. There are resources which provide information, strategies and good practices to instill good discipline. Through Character and Citizenship Education, students learn social skills, empathy, respect and awareness of the effects of mean actions on others. They also learn coping strategies, relationship management and help-seeking skills. Schools also actively create a positive and supportive environment for all our students. They have strengthened peer support by equipping students with relevant skills, such as befriending and active listening. The peer supporters will alert and seek help from their teachers when they observe situations that affect the safety of their classmates.”
“"High-functioning intellectually disabled" children would be referring to those with mild intellectual disability. Students with intellectual disability usually show significant limitations in cognitive and daily living skills, as expressed in conceptual, social and practical adaptive functions. They may also have emotional and motivational problems arising from persistent difficulties in learning. Typically, the needs of students with intellectual disability are best served in the Special Education (SPED) schools as they have customised programmes where these students are taught by specially trained teachers who can cater to their specific learning needs and supported by allied professionals, such as allied health, paramedical, social and psychological support and post-school transition support. These schools also offer a customised curriculum with a vocational education programme to equip students with independent living and workplace readiness skills. Some of these students eventually attain vocational certification and/or progress to the Institute of Technical Education (ITE). There are two SPED schools offering vocational certification programmes for students with mild intellectual disability – APSN Delta Senior School and Metta School which offer the Workforce Skills Qualifications and the ITE Skills Certificate, respectively. Generally, the students are able to be gainfully employed upon obtaining their vocational certification.”
“Since the review of the National Physical Fitness Award (NAPFA) scheme in 2014, the NAPFA test has been reframed as an educational tool to teach students the various components of fitness, and how these contribute to active and healthy living. The frequency of the NAPFA test for students has correspondingly been revised from an annual test to alternate year testing from Primary 4 onwards. Fitness training is, therefore, integrated into all physical activities within the Physical Education (PE) curriculum. Specific knowledge and skills on training for fitness are imparted as part of the Physical Health and Fitness component. Aligned with this, schools teach students how they could train for fitness, including for the 2.4-kilometre Run-Walk by building from low intensity training and progressing gradually towards the actual NAPFA test. Students are also taught to set personal targets appropriate to their individual ability, with the focus on self-improvement rather than passing the NAPFA test. The reduced emphasis on the NAPFA test and test frequency allows students to use the freed-up time for more diverse physical activities. It also encourages them to enjoy physical activities and sports during PE lessons and develop lifelong habits for sustaining health and fitness. As the NAPFA test is meant as an educational tool, and not as a national fitness index for students, there is no basis for comparing NAPFA test passing rates nationally over time.”
“For example, depending on the profile of the school, more manpower may be provided for counselling and student support and levelling-up programmes, such as the Learning Support Programmes and the School-based Dyslexia Remediation Programme. Financial assistance has also been enhanced to ensure that needy students can continue to access education. MOE also partners the community, including Self-Help Groups (SHGs), to reach out to families or students who need additional assistance beyond MOE. Through these efforts, our schools have shown results in enabling their students, regardless of their background, to excel and perform beyond expectation. According to the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), a series of international studies conducted by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Singapore consistently has one of the highest percentages of resilient students (that is, students from disadvantaged background but achieve good performance in school) among the participating countries. MOE will continue to ensure that an education in our schools remain accessible to all Singaporeans and that no one will be left behind.”
“While all our primary and secondary schools deliver the national curriculum, they may vary in terms of the distinctive programmes they offer, their culture and other characteristics. Together, these factors influence parent and student choice and contribute to variations in the ethnic and socio-economic profile of students in each school. Today, about one in 10 schools differ noticeably from the national norm in terms of racial distribution, excluding the Special Assistance Plan (SAP) schools, which would naturally have a much higher proportion of Chinese than the national norm. The numbers have remained stable over the last few years. The Ministry of Education (MOE) currently does not collect information on students’ household income across the system. Worldwide, socio-economic status, or SES, is known to correlate positively with students’ academic performance. As for ethnicity, while we see differences in the performance of students from the different ethnic groups, the performance of Malay students at the national examinations has improved over time, closing the gap with the students from other ethnic groups. However, SES and ethnicity are not the key determinants of student performance. Many other factors contribute to student achievement, including student motivation, as well as support at home and from the broader community, and the quality of school experience. What is more important is that MOE is committed to providing a quality education for our students, regardless of their background. All school leaders and teachers undergo quality and continuous professional development, and good practices are disseminated across schools, and high-quality curriculum resources are centrally provided. MOE also resources schools based on their needs and student profiles.”
“The Ministry of Education (MOE) does not actively monitor the demand for bicycle parking in schools. From schools' observations, the demand is generally low. While schools do not prohibit students' use of e-bikes, students are generally advised not to bring expensive items to school. In addition, for all riders and pillion riders of e-bikes, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) stipulates a minimum age of 16 years. LTA's Safe Riding Programme will be launched at the end of this year. MOE will work with LTA to offer the programme to students in secondary schools who are able to ride a bicycle.”
“Most secondary schools already take in a full spectrum of Express, Normal (Academic) and Normal (Technical) students. This approach is appropriate and serves the students’ learning needs. We do not believe that schools need to be identical in student profiles to be inclusive. A diverse school landscape allows for variety in school types and educational provisions, to match different student needs. For instance, some Normal (Technical) students benefit from a more customised curriculum and pedagogy, as well as additional socio-emotional learning support through whole-school activities. This is why we set up the specialised schools Crest and Spectra, which also have facilities customised for their unique curriculum and pedagogy. We also have Specialised Independent Schools, which cater to students with talents and strong interests in specific fields, such as the arts and sports. Integrated Programme schools provide six-year programmes to cater to academically strong students who can benefit from more flexibility in pursuing broader learning experiences. What is common for all students, regardless which school they attend, is our strong emphasis on values and Character and Citizenship Education. All schools provide their students with ample opportunities to interact and make friends with peers from diverse backgrounds, for example, through co-curricular activities and Values In Action learning experiences. This remains core to our education mission, as we aim to nurture our students to be good citizens who respect others, and build an inclusive community and nation.”
“A student who has built a stronger academic foundation at a lower level will be better prepared to access and acquire new knowledge at a higher level. Hence, students' academic performance in secondary school is positively correlated with that in primary school, including their Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) performance. However, the academic performance of students is simultaneously also affected by many other complex factors. These include student motivation, peer influence and the support from home, schools and the broader community. All together, these other factors contribute more to a student's secondary school academic performance than what he or she scored in PSLE four or five years before.”
“Since 2014, the Ministry of Education and the Health Promotion Board (HPB) have worked closely with schools to serve healthy meals as part of the Healthy Meals in Schools Programme. Under the programme, school canteens serve set meals which are lower in fat, sugar and salt, and incorporate food from the four main food groups – whole grains, meat, vegetables and fruits – and lower sugar beverages which contain no more than six grammes of added sugar per 100 millilitre. Since January 2017, all mainstream schools have come on board to implement this programme. All canteen stallholders in schools attend the training commissioned by HPB on the use of healthier ingredients and healthier food preparation methods. The training involves nutrition education, where the food service guidelines are explained by a nutritionist, on food preparation, where a chef demonstrates and provides tips on how popular dishes can be prepared more healthily, and a hands-on segment for canteen vendors to put into practice the knowledge learnt. With this training, our school canteen stallholders are well-placed to deliver healthy food to the students. Enhancements to the training are being made to include elements of taste, appearance and cost management to further improve the skills of the canteen stallholders. HPB also conducts assessments for all schools annually to ensure that the food and beverages served at school canteens and vending machines meet the guidelines. A report is provided to the school after each assessment to help canteen stallholders better meet the guidelines.”
“Most students are well-behaved and are able to interact well with one another. However, some may, from time to time, make mistakes in the process of growing up. Some students may act inappropriately to express their unhappiness or resolve conflicts in an aggressive way. Our schools do not tolerate physical aggression. When such incidents occur, school staff will step in to defuse and manage the situation. Schools also check on the physical and emotional well-being of the victims, discipline and counsel the aggressors, and educate the bystanders. Our schools impart social and emotional skills, such as emotional regulation and conflict management through Character and Citizenship Education (CCE). Positive values, such as respect and harmony, are also emphasised. Teachers use teachable moments, including the recent incident, to educate our students and reinforce the relevant skills and values. Schools also actively create a positive and supportive environment for all our students. All schools have been equipped with closed-circuit television (CCTV) systems to enhance safety and security within their premises. The cameras are installed to cover critical areas in schools, like gates, access routes and blind areas. This is mainly to deter crime and detect willful intrusions. Shaping the character and behaviour of our students is an ongoing process. It requires the collective effort of the school, the family and the community to educate and support our students as they learn from their mistakes and strive to become better persons.”
“Mr Speaker, since its inception in 2004, the Singapore Sports School has produced eight Olympians, 10 World Champions and 65 Asian Games competitors. To date, about 400 Sports School students and alumni have represented Singapore at various international competitions. For students who are admitted to mainstream schools via Direct School Admission, the Ministry of Education does not track whether they go on to represent Singapore in their chosen sporting field after they have graduated.”
“Mr Speaker, as usual, I thank Er Dr Lee Bee Wah for the question. I regret to inform the hon Member that the LRT is not in the works for Yishun Town. But for the North-South Line, there have been a lot of engineering works done on two fronts. One, on the maintenance front, we have upped the reliability to almost 400,000 kilometres before failure. This is for the maintenance regime upgrade on the North-South Line. In parallel, we have been doing a signalling upgrading on the North-South Line. Things have gone on relatively well, short of a couple of major breakdowns in June and July. But we are fixing the software issues and, by year-end, we hope to have the new signalling system operating on the North-South Line. That will bring better service and conveniences to the hon Member's residents.”
“Mr Speaker, there were good engineering lessons learnt from BPLRT over the years and we are intending to up the engineering hours to provide LTA and SMRT to have more time on the tracks. Though this will cause short-term disruptions, we will be providing bus services to bridge any of the inconveniences for the commuters. In the upgrading process, there will be requirements to secure different parts of the BPLRT. Likewise, where we can, SMRT will provide the bus services to alleviate commuters' inconveniences. But because Bukit Panjang is a relatively mature estate, there are limits to how many buses we can put on the roads without causing further congestion. So, we ask for commuters' understanding while we do the short-term and the longer-term upgrades.”
“Mr Speaker, the primary issue with the Bukit Panjang LRT is that the LRT design was adapted from an airport system, primarily, to a housing estate. As I have stated in my reply, this straight-line design of the LRT was adapted to undulating terrain and sharp turns, and this caused the power collector shoes to dislodge from the power rail. We have taken a look at the design considerations and this will be addressed in the upcoming tender to improve the reliability of the whole system. So, in the initial implementation of the LRT, we adapted a system that is usually for straight-line travel into a housing estate. This had caused some of these power dislodge problems.”
“The Ministry of Education has awarded the new cleaning contracts for schools which will commence on 1 October 2017. The existing contracts were earlier extended for a few months as more time was required to evaluate the tenders received.”
“In planning the enrolment of schools, the Ministry of Education (MOE) regularly reviews the demand and supply trends at the national and regional levesl, to ensure that there are sufficient vacancies for all eligible Primary 1 students. Our school planning takes into account the current and projected population and planned housing development programmes. It would not be meaningful to collate indications of interest from parents before the Primary 1 Registration Exercise. This is because parents’ choices can change over time, and we should allow for this to happen. It would also not be tenable for intakes of schools to be planned based on parents' choices, as schools should be appropriately sized to enable them to mount a range of activities for the benefit of all students, and to be run efficiently. What is most important to MOE is that every student receives a good quality, holistic education. Therefore, we have been resourcing all our schools with well-trained teachers, high-quality education facilities and rigorous school programmes and will continue to do so.”
“In 2016, around five out of every 1,000 students were given counselling support in school to manage anxiety arising from academic stress. The Ministry of Education does not have the data to compare psychiatric conditions. There were 22 cases of suicide among those aged 19 and below in 2016, 27 cases in 2015, 13 cases in 2014 and 17 cases in 2013. These numbers include students in our schools and post-secondary institutions as well as those who are not in our education system. In general, our youth suicide rate is lower than other developed countries.”
“We adopt a holistic approach to education. Students are given a wider range of programmes that cater to their interests and build strong foundations for their lives. This is done through the Applied Learning Programmes and Learning for Life Programmes offered by schools, as well as the many opportunities and platforms for authentic student experiences in outdoor education and Co-Curricular Activities. We discourage excessive competition among students and help them find purpose in their learning instead of just focusing solely on results and achievement. We have stopped naming the top scorers for national examinations. From the 2021 Primary School Leaving Examination, students will be graded in broad bands and their achievement will not be dependent on the performance of the rest of the cohort. Schools have a range of programmes to equip students with social and emotional competencies, stress-coping skills and realistic target-setting to better manage their emotions, stress and expectations. We have been carefully monitoring the level of stress and anxiety among our students. The majority of students can manage their stress and anxiety. In 2016, around five out of every 1,000 students were given counselling support in school to manage anxiety arising from academic stress. We will continue to monitor and take proactive steps to ensure our students' well-being.”
“Vendors of e-learning portals are required to meet the service level and performance requirements stipulated by the Ministry of Education (MOE) for schools. Load tests were conducted with these e-learning portals to ensure that they meet the performance requirements. During the recent incident involving MC Online portal, the system was still operational but users had experienced intermittent slowdown in access speed and login issues. The root cause was found to be due to a limitation in the network equipment that had caused the bandwidth to be capped instead of being scalable when network traffic became heavier. As a result, additional network traffic beyond a certain threshold was dropped and would not reach the MC Online system. To better support future home-based learning for the students, MOE has taken measures to upgrade existing network equipment. MOE will continue to work with vendors of e-learning portals to ensure that the bandwidth is scalable to meet the service requirements and that bandwidth testing is conducted prior to major activities with anticipated peak loads.”
“I encourage all operators to make use of the schemes available to invest in uplifting the quality of their centres and teachers, in tandem with the overall improvements in the preschool sector. This will help to contribute to a strong foundation for our children.”
“The Government's foremost objective is to ensure that parents have access to quality and affordable preschools for their children. This will provide a good start for every child and better support families with young children. To this end, the Government will be increasing the number of Government-supported preschool places, which are subjected to fee caps and other quality requirements. This increase will be primarily in estates with new housing developments to meet the anticipated demand of young families. Besides the Anchor Operators and Ministry of Education (MOE) Kindergartens, Government-supported operators also include small- and medium-sized private childcare operators that have joined the Partner Operator Scheme. We currently have 23 Partner Operators operating a total of about 200 centres, and we expect to support more centres under this scheme. We intend for the Anchor and Partner Operators, as well as MOE Kindergartens, to play a catalytic role to spur investments in quality in the sector, while providing affordable options for parents. We will also continue to provide broad-based support for the sector as a whole to benefit all operators and early childhood educators. These include various grants, such as funding for smart solutions to raise productivity, and stronger support for professional development via the Skills Framework for Early Childhood Care and Education and the National Institute for Early Childhood Development. Overall, the market will remain open and parents will continue to have choice in selecting a suitable preschool for their children. Smaller operators, some of which offer niche programmes, can continue to cater to the different needs and preferences of parents.”
“This recognises the role that the polytechnics and ITE continue to play in the NIEC PET students’ educational experience, for example, in the common, non-EC modules that they will take alongside their ITE and polytechnic peers. We expect the NIEC-awarded EC qualifications to be well-recognised in the EC sector. EC alumni of the four institutions can be assured that their certificates will still be recognised in the sector. The formation of NIEC has been welcomed by many as a significant, positive development for the EC sector and profession. We are heartened that the institutions involved see value in coming together to support the establishment of NIEC for the greater benefit of the sector.”
“The National Institute of Early Childhood Development (NIEC) will bring together and build on the Early Childhood (EC) training capabilities and expertise of Ngee Ann Polytechnic, Temasek Polytechnic, the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) and SEED Institute. These four institutions will transfer their EC programmes, faculty and students to the new NIEC once it is set up in 2019. The Ministry of Education (MOE) is working with the four institutions on the transition of their EC faculty and staff to NIEC. About 60 to 70 full-time faculty with core expertise in EC are expected to transfer their employment to NIEC. There are about another 100 adjunct EC faculty currently employed by the four institutions on a contract basis. There will continue to be a role for the adjunct faculty to teach in the EC courses at NIEC. MOE and the four institutions will continue to engage the affected faculty and staff closely and see to the change management process for all. For students, all EC students enrolled in the courses to be transferred from the four institutions to NIEC will be considered NIEC students from 2019. There will be limited impact on the overall student enrolment at the polytechnics and ITEs, as they continue to run many other courses. In addition, pre-Employment Training (PET) students will concurrently be identified as students of the polytechnic or ITE where their course is sited. We expect NIEC's intake to comprise more than 2,000 students in its first year and continue to grow thereafter. NIEC will award the qualifications for students graduating in 2019 or later. For PET students, they will receive diploma and Higher Nitec certifications awarded by NIEC in collaboration with the polytechnics and ITE respectively.”
“The well-being of our teachers is important and we have put in place a set of measures to guide schools in the allocation and management of teachers’ workload, which includes teaching and administrative responsibilities. As an integral part of their teaching responsibilities, teachers set assignments and assessments to find out whether students have learnt the knowledge and skills set out in the national curriculum. This is an important professional role of teachers, as it is by analysing students’ performance that teachers are able to identify students’ learning needs, tailor their teaching to meet those needs and give feedback to each student. To support teachers in setting and marking assignments, the subject syllabi are accompanied by MOE-designed teaching and learning guides that include guidelines for the setting of assignment tasks. In most schools, teachers work in teams to design assessments and there is careful deployment to manage the marking workload of teachers. Teachers will deploy technology in assessment work when it is educationally purposeful to support teaching and learning. For instance, when multiple choice items are meaningful, it will be set and automatically marked by machines. Similarly, the use of digital quizzes in learning portals have enabled some basic assessment tasks to be set and automatically marked. We will also continue to incorporate greater use of technology in their administrative tasks and simplify work processes to help our teachers better manage their workload.”
“In 2016, the average form class sizes in primary and secondary schools are 33 and 34 respectively. The median form class sizes in primary and secondary schools are 32 and 36 respectively. MOE does not track the size of remedial classes in primary and secondary schools. MOE provides schools with resources based on student and programme needs. Schools have the flexibility to deploy teachers in a targeted manner so that learning is more effective. Hence, even though form class sizes have generally remained above 30 across the levels, schools group students into smaller teaching class sizes based on learning needs or programme considerations. For instance, levelling up programmes, such as the Learning Support Programme for lower primary students, are conducted in pull-out classes of eight to 10, while the School-based Dyslexia Remediation programme is conducted in classes of four to six students. At secondary level, coursework subjects requiring closer teacher supervision like Design and Technology are conducted in classes of 20. Due to subject-based banding and the desire to offer a range of elective subjects to students, it is common to have teaching class sizes below 40.”
“The tools enable them to detect concerns over a child's welfare or signs of abuse and, depending on the seriousness, either connect the families with community-based help or escalate the case to MSF for intervention. All current School Counsellors and Student Welfare Officers have already been trained. The training for teachers has started and is expected to be completed by end 2018.”
“Schools have systems that facilitate the early identification of students suffering from domestic violence or abuse. Teachers are equipped to look out for signs of distress in students and refer them to the school counsellor or other professional support where necessary. Students learn how to recognise sexual abuse and harassment, acquire skills to protect themselves and understand the laws that protect them during the Form Teacher Guidance Period lessons in primary schools and Sexuality Education lessons. Students also learn that everyone has the right to safety and protection and to seek help from trusted adults, such as teachers and school counsellors. To further build trust and strengthen positive teacher-student relationships, some schools have deployed the same Form or Co-Form Teachers to a class for at least two consecutive years to help provide stability and a constant adult figure to students. Providing teacher-student interaction time also helps to ensure personalised attention on individual students. Some students may still escape the school’s attention if they are unwilling to share their problems or are able to mask their problems well. Older students can help to keep a lookout for their friends as young people invariably turn to their peers for support and understanding. Training and resources are provided to help students cultivate good values and positive mindsets; advocate for student well-being, learn coping skills, encourage help-seeking behaviour and watch out for one another in school. MOE works closely with MSF which has introduced better screening tools and training for professionals, such as teachers and school counsellors.”
“There are also a number of secondary schools (33 schools in 2016) with infocomm clubs which tap on the support of IMDA to provide learning in areas involving coding, such as app development and robotics.”
“The number of secondary schools offering GCE "O" level Computing (formerly known as Computer Studies) has increased from 12 schools in 2016 to 19 schools this year, with another four more schools joining in 2018. This has provided more opportunities for interested students to take on Computing as a formal subject at upper secondary levels. To support the offering of GCE "O" level Computing in more secondary schools, the Ministry of Education (MOE) has been training more computing teachers since 2015. MOE is monitoring the take-up rate of the subject to ascertain the demand from students and determine if the subject should be introduced in more schools. It should be noted that admission to Computing-related courses in polytechnics and universities does not require GCE "O" level Computing. Hence, students without GCE "O" level Computing background are not disadvantaged when applying to such courses after secondary school. At lower secondary levels, there is limited curriculum time to offer a new subject. Our main approach is to enthuse a broad base of students in computing and expose them to possibilities of technology through enrichment programmes and co-curricular activities. Learning to program is part of the Applied Learning Programme (ALP) in 41 secondary schools. In addition, MOE also partners the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) to provide enrichment programmes like the "Code for Fun" and "Lab on Wheels", which have been well-received by schools. As of March 2016, 117 primary and secondary schools have embarked on the Code for Fun programme, benefiting 34,000 students.”
“Learning to code is part of the Applied Learning Programme (ALP) in 41 secondary schools. In addition, the Ministry of Education also partners the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) to provide enrichment programmes like the "Code for Fun" and "Lab on Wheels", which have been well-received by schools. As of March 2016, 117 primary and secondary schools have embarked on the Code for Fun programme, benefiting 34,000 students. There are also a number of secondary schools (33 schools in 2016) with info-comm clubs which tap on the support of IMDA to provide learning in areas involving coding, such as app development and robotics.”
“In our secondary school curriculum, students have the opportunities to offer technology-related subjects, such as Design and Technology, Computer Applications, Computing and Electronics. Design and Technology is a compulsory subject in the lower secondary curriculum whereas Computer Applications is compulsory for all Normal (Technical) students from Secondary 1 to Secondary 4. Over the past few years, we have introduced more technology-related subjects, such as Electronics, Computing, Smart Electrical Technology and Mobile Robotics, which are offered as elective subjects in selected schools. In these subjects, students learn a range of application software, hardware, programming languages and electronics systems to create prototypes and practical solutions with real-world uses. These emphasise experimentation, encourage innovation and require students to apply their knowledge and skills and select an optimal solution under certain constraints. Students are given opportunities to tinker and investigate the systems to gain better conceptual understanding of the workings of the components in electronics systems. The syllabus of these subjects is reviewed on a regular basis to ensure that it keeps in tandem with technological developments. However, our secondary school curriculum is still about fundamental concepts and skills, such as problem solving, design thinking, computational thinking and troubleshooting skills. At lower secondary, there is limited curriculum time to offer a new subject, such as Computing. Hence, our main approach is to enthuse a broad base of students in computing and expose them to possibilities of technology through enrichment programmes and co-curricular activities.”
“Lawsuits initiated against our educators in relation to their official duties are few and far between. In the past three years, there have only been two such lawsuits, with only one having been initiated by a parent against an educator. That case involved the parent suing the principal of his child’s school for the return of a mobile phone that was confiscated in accordance with the school’s rules. An educator who faces such a lawsuit may be provided with legal representation in a number of ways. This can take the form of representation by the Attorney-General's Chambers, the grant of legal aid by the Government so that he or she may engage lawyers, or through lawyers engaged by his or her school.”
“The preliminary findings from the Duke-National University of Singapore (NUS) Medical School researchers showed that there was a marginal increase of only about 20 minutes of sleep despite a 45-minute delay in school start time. Surveys show that many Singapore students spend time on social media and other online activities before going to bed. Therefore, the Ministry of Education (MOE) has incorporated the knowledge of sleep hygiene and self-management skills into the Primary School Physical Education curriculum since 2014. Education on the importance of sleep and good sleep habits will also be incorporated into the Secondary School Physical Education curriculum. Parents play a key role in inculcating good sleeping habits and routines in their children from a young age. MOE will also continue to work with schools to monitor the curriculum and homework load.”
“The Ministry of Education (MOE) works closely with the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to strengthen and safeguard Singapore’s social fabric against the serious threats of radicalisation and extremism. In schools, teachers and counsellors look out for students who show signs of possible influence of extremist propaganda. If there are concerns, we would take a precautionary approach and work closely with MHA to provide counselling support and ensure close monitoring of such students. MOE seeks to educate students to be sensitive and socially responsible on racial and religious matters through the school curriculum in Social Studies and Character and Citizenship Education lessons. In schools, cyber wellness education helps students to be more discerning and aware of the negative influences of online information, and to make more informed and responsible decisions. Students are equipped with information literacy to verify the credibility of online content and information sources. Parents also play a crucial role in guiding and monitoring their children’s online activities to ensure that their children adopt the right values and attitudes. All of us have a part to play in keeping radicalisation at bay. Schools and teachers work in partnership with parents and the wider community to instill the right values in students and to ensure that those vulnerable to the influence of extremist propaganda are detected early and given proper guidance and help.”
“Our schools and Post-Secondary Education Institutions (PSEIs) will step up efforts to educate students on the side effects of "performance-enhancement" substances and remind them of possible consequences and the need to make responsible decisions. Our teachers also work with their students to manage their expectations with respect to their performance in schools. They help students with their goal-setting process, where they set appropriate targets and determine actions to achieve them based on sound values. At PSEIs, counsellors are also trained to explore positive strategies with students to manage their school performance. With our current emphasis on peer support, groups of students are equipped to watch out for their classmates and friends and help those they notice have unhealthy behaviours to think through their decisions responsibly and to seek help or alert a trusted adult. Schools also work closely with parents to identify students who may be misusing such substances and refer them for counselling or other additional support.”
“Schools are also regularly provided with CW resources to engage parents as our partners to educate their child to be discerning users of digital space.”
“"Communication, Collaboration and Information Skills" is one set of the 21st century competencies that the Ministry of Education (MOE) develops in our students. It includes the development of information literacy, which refers to the ability to create digital products, connect with others to learn and work with digital information, and curate digital resources and critically discern its authenticity. In schools, information literacy is infused into a variety of subjects like English, History and Social Studies where there are lessons that teach students to critically evaluate different sources of information, both online and offline, during information search. Teachers guide students in distinguishing fact from opinion, applying logic and verifying the authority of sources. Students are taught to cross-check the information and views presented with other sources to determine their trustworthiness and usefulness for drawing substantiated conclusions. Information literacy is also taught in the Cyber Wellness (CW) syllabus for primary and secondary schools as part of the Character and Citizenship Education curriculum. Students are nurtured to be safe and responsible users of digital space by learning how to verify the credibility and authenticity of online information sources and refraining from sharing unverified posts. To further reinforce the learning from the Cyber Wellness lessons, schools are provided with timely teaching and learning resources on the latest cyber trends and issues which include real-life case studies and tips to raise awareness on online misinformation. Teachers, for instance, are given tips on how to nurture students to be discerning of the things they read online to avoid falling prey to scams and fake news.”
“The number of first-year junior college students from 2013 to 2017 is as follows: The decrease over this period is due to falling birth rates, with the exception of 2017, which corresponds to the 2000 dragon year cohort. The projected enrolment for first-year junior college students for 2019 is about 12,800.”
“Out of the total enrolment in our national schools, that is, primary schools, secondary schools and junior colleges, around 5% are international students. International students make up around 1% of full-time students in the Institute of Technical Education and less than 10% of full-time students in the polytechnics.”
“As the priority of our education system is to provide a quality education for students who are Singapore Citizens (SCs), fees are differentiated by nationality across our publicly-funded education system to reflect the privileges of citizenship, from primary schools to university. International students (ISes) pay the highest fees, followed by Singapore Permanent Residents (SPRs) and SCs. The fees for ISes are much higher than those for SCs and SPRs. However, in determining the various fees to be charged, we may not charge the total costs incurred in running these programmes. We would also take into consideration other factors, such as the benefits that ISes can bring to our schools, institutions and students. ISes add to the diversity and vibrancy in our schools and institutions and provide opportunities for our SC and SPR students to interact and develop the cross-cultural skills and versatility needed for the global workplace in the future.”
“The number of students who sat for the Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) from 2012 to 2016 is as shown in the table below. The Integrated Programme (IP) is a six-year programme that culminates in the GCE A-levels, the International Baccalaureate (IB) or the NUS High School of Mathematics and Science Diploma. Students in IP do not sit for the GCE O-levels. The Ministry of Education has planned the IP intake to be able to cater to about 10% of the PSLE cohort each year, starting in the early years of the IP expansion with a smaller percentage and gradually expanding this to reach about 8% in the 2012 PSLE cohort and 10% in the 2016 PSLE cohort.”
“To date, there are 15 Ministry of Education (MOE) Kindergartens (MKs) and three more will open in 2018. Like other preschool operators, MOE employs experienced preschool educators from the sector, as well as fresh graduates from early childhood education courses, for example, the Diploma in Early Childhood Studies from Temasek Polytechnic. There is no need for conversion or bridging programmes for qualified preschool educators crossing over from the other preschools to MKs. To increase the recruitment pool of MK educators, MOE has partnered Ngee Ann Polytechnic to run the full-time Diploma (Conversion) in Early Childhood Teaching programme, targeted at mid-careerists who do not have the requisite qualifications in early childhood education to prepare them for their role as MK educators. MOE will continue its efforts in attracting and retaining good MK educators.”
“All schools have safety procedures in place to ensure the safety of students in using sports facilities and equipment and during the conduct of physical activities. Schools conduct risk assessments and inspections for school activities, including Physical Education (PE) programmes, co-curricular activities (CCAs) and outdoor adventure learning programmes to ensure that risks are identified and adequately mitigated. The risk assessment examines areas, such as facilities and equipment used, timing of activities, competence of personnel, participant readiness and the environment. Schools are also required to ensure that all sports facilities and equipment are properly maintained. This will be carried out based on either the manufacturer’s recommended maintenance schedule taking into account the corresponding level of usage, or, where no recommendations are provided, the regular inspections carried out by the schools. Students are also taught to exercise personal responsibility and care for the safety of themselves and for people around them through the PE curriculum, such as the proper and safe handling of sports equipment, playing safely according to game rules, and looking out for the safety of others around them. In particular, students are briefed on the safety precautions before the commencement of physical activities, such as PE lessons and CCAs.”
“The Government-funded Special Education (SPED) schools collectively serve students with a range of disability profiles and learning needs. While most of the schools offer a customised SPED curriculum, a few offer the national curriculum similar to that offered in mainstream schools, leading to national certifications like the Primary School Leaving Examination, GCE "N" and "O" level examinations. Such SPED schools offer the requisite academic subjects in line with requirements of these examinations. These schools offer a good range of subjects to meet different student interests and to enable them to acquire knowledge and skills to take on future learning. The availability of subjects in these SPED schools is a considered one, driven by students’ interests and needs. In doing so, the schools will ensure there are adequate subject teachers to deliver the curriculum.”
“Most Ministry of Education (MOE) schools are designed with two separate vehicular gates to allow the flow of vehicles into and out of the schools. These gates are used by emergency vehicles should the need arise. Some schools have only one vehicular gate for entry and exit because of localised site constraints, such as proximity to external road turnings, external bus bay or a narrow school frontage. Here, the gate is designed to be wider to allow for two-way vehicular access. Our schools are designed with fire engine access road that comply with the requirements of the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF). In the event of an emergency, SCDF has the necessary capabilities to gain access to the school premises. All schools have at least two other pedestrian side gates which are typically segregated from the vehicular access gates. Should the main vehicular access point be blocked in an emergency, people can exit using these pedestrian side gates. Schools are also provided with emergency exit gates along the fence of the school field for evacuation during emergencies. These pedestrian and emergency gates do serve as alternative routes for emergency vehicles to approach. Schools and MOE continually review our emergency Standard Operating Procedures, including infrastructure provisions. They also conduct regular exercises to ensure that our schools are prepared for any emergency.”
“Phase 2B of Primary 1 (P1) registration is open to children of active community leaders, parent volunteers and endorsed members of religious groups or clans that are directly connected with the school. For the past two years, the proportion of children admitted in Phase 2B has remained constant at around 6% of the P1 cohort. The active community leader scheme formed less than 1% of the P1 cohort. The vast majority of Phase 2B places went to children of parent volunteers and endorsed members of religious groups or clans that are directly connected to the school. In the 2015 P1 registration exercise, all schools had more than 20 places available at Phase 2C. In the 2016 P1 registration exercise, all schools except one, had more than 20 places for Phase 2C. For the lone school that had 20 places for Phase 2C, 1% of its P1 cohort was admitted based on the active community leader scheme.”
“MOE and schools will also continue to monitor the implementation of its homework policy, keeping in mind the need to ensure that the amount of homework given is appropriate, meeting the needs of students and enabling them to have adequate time for family bonding and rest, and to pursue personal interests and hobbies. We will work with schools to strengthen teaching and learning practices so that students continue to experience the joy of learning.”