Top 10 Education Development Programs in Singapore

Other than the latest technology, rational curricula and high-quality teachers in schools, one of the major reasons behind Singapore’s success as a global educational hub is its education development programs and their implementation without fail. Read on to know which major education development projects the nation is currently working on! 

With numerous schools in Singapore topping the list of best-performing education systems across the world, the country has become a global hub of technology, finance, trade and above all, education!

Inspiringly, Singapore has successfully achieved the heights of performance in almost all areas and aspects of education, including mathematics, science, qualitative teaching and learning and overall literacy rate. The credit goes to regularly launched and precisely implemented education development programs!

Here is an account to some major education development programs in Singapore:

1. Applied Learning Program and Learning for Life Program

The ministry of Education, Singapore is all set to aid every secondary school in designing applied Learning and Learning for Life programs by the year 2017. These programs will go together with existing educational and student development programs of the schools.

2.  Creating a Workforce of Quality Teachers

The educational think-tank of Singapore is ready to invest more in human resources in order to provide children with quality education. And since this is possible only when good teachers are available, the emphasis is on creating a quality teacher workforce.

The process includes the following steps:

• Recruitment of qualified academics that can serve varied student bodies by the Ministry of Education. When under-training, teachers get just 60% of standard salary of a teacher
• Training is provided on the curriculum that is taught in the schools and all teachers take a degree or diploma course
• Compensation of low salary for teachers in order to make teaching as attractive a profession as any other. This compensation is done by providing teachers with growth opportunities such as professional development, performance appraisal and career development

3. Gifted Education Program (GEP)  

Introduced in the year 1984, GEP aims to ensure provision of high quality and relevant education to students in Singapore. The program is run by the Ministry of Education (MOE, Singapore). Today, the program is executed in a large number of schools in Singapore.

4. Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) Program

A program that focuses on two key aspects of social and emotional learning – character & citizenship – SEL is run by the MOE. The program aims to build students’ competencies in 5 key areas including self awareness, social awareness, self management, relationship management and responsible decision making.

5. Support for Children with Special Needs

Initiated in the year 2004 by the MOE, this program ensures deployment of allied educators and provision of required funding for Educational Institutions having allied educators. Teachers’ training programs are also conducted on a regular basis so as to equip them with necessary skills for teaching children with special needs.

6.  Outdoor Education (OE) Project

The project execution began in December 2012 and it will continue till June 2014. The program aims to promote values infused & holistic learning in Singapore. On ground, the program would be implemented by PE (Physical Education) teachers.

7. Holistic Health Framework (HHF)

Aimed at the development of students’ overall physical and emotional well being, HHF (Holistic Health Framework) program is based on 3 basic principles including quality delivery, inclusion and total well-being.

8. Teach Less, Learn More

Launched in the year 2004, ‘Teach Less, Learn More’ program experienced a phenomenal success. This program aimed to motivate students to focus on conceptual & problem based learning instead of rote formula and information memorization.