Upgrading
Education
1.
Our aim is to give every
child a top-rate education
Schools
2.
Hence emphasis on quality
of all neighbourhood schools
a.
A high base in all schools
b.
But each developing its own
special area of excellence
c.
MOE has worked hard at
this
i.
More freedom for principals
and teachers to experiment
ii.
More resources for schools
with good ideas
iii.
More Opportunity Funds for
needy students
iv.
Teach Less Learn
More
d.
At first, sceptics asked:
how to teach less and still learn more?
i.
But can see it happening
now
ii.
Tremendous energies and
enthusiasm in many schools
3.
Visited schools to see for
myself
a.
Jurong
Secondary
School in Taman
Jurong
i.
Students do DVD – Digit,, ,
al Video and Drama
ii.
Make use of digital video
in language classes
(1)
e.g. Chinese Language
teacher assigned students read to a novel during their holidays – “The Little
Prince”
(2)
Students wrote a script
based on the novel
(3)
Acted it out with a “blue
screen” background
(4)
Recorded it on
video
(5)
Class watched performance,
then interviewed the actors in their roles and discussed what they had
learnt
iii.
I spent two hours in the
school
(1)
They interviewed me on
camera too!
iv.
Before I left, presented me
a DVD of my visit
b.
Mayflower
Primary
School in
Ang
Mo
Kio
i.
Focussed not just on
grades, but also character, moral values, and social skills
(1)
Students work in
groups
(2)
Desks in classrooms
arranged in clusters, not rows
(3)
Involving parent volunteers
actively
ii.
Teachers are full of spirit
and passion
(1)
Committed to teaching every
child
(2)
Have conviction and pride
in what they are doing
(3)
Several with school-age
children have their own kids in Mayflower
iii.
Could see the difference in
the children
(1)
Asked teachers whether they
could get pupils to speak up in class
(2)
Greatly cheered by reply:
“the problem is how to stop them speaking!” (Solution: appoint “Noise
Managers”)
iv.
Put up a full scale musical
– Our Time to Shine
(1)
I saw them
rehearsing
(2)
Seng Han Thong attended
musical, and emailed me
(3)
I had said in the National
Day Message that we will have a new Singapore, with its own
unique identity and can-do and never-say-die spirit
(4)
This reminded him of the
musical
(5)
Quote him:
“It was by our
very own Ang Mo Kio heartland neighbourhood school,
Mayflower
Primary
School, that has the same spirit
of "can-do and never say die." I
felt very proud to see many of our Ang Mo Kio little boys and girls performing
confidently on the stage. … They acted professionally, they sang happily and
they danced gracefully.
“I turned my
head back and encountered many familiar faces. These are the parents and
grandparents who might not believe that one day their children and grandchildren
could perform so well on the big stage.
I saw smiling and proud faces all around.
“It was indeed
an occasion that made one realise that
Singapore is a City of
Possibilities.”
c.
Many more exciting things
happening in schools all across Singapore
4.
This is our fundamental
approach to uplift all Singaporeans
a.
Whichever school you go to,
whatever home background you come from, we will help you develop your talents to
the fullest
b.
Provide many ladders to
success, and help you climb up as high as you can
5.
All this depends on a
high-quality teaching force
a.
Good teachers, principals,
MOE staff, dedicated and passionate about teaching
b.
This is what we have, and
what our future depends on
c.
Invited a few here tonight
to represent all 28,000 teachers in Singapore
d.
Please
stand
e.
We salute you
Malay
Language
6.
Cover one aspect of our
school education – language skills
a.
Many older
Singaporeans can understand and speak Malay and Bahasa Indonesia, including
non-Malays
b.
But too few in the younger
generation
c.
Need more people to be
familiar with the language – may not be totally fluent, but can chit-chat and
understand the gist without translation
i.
Then we can interact with
our neighbours in their language
ii.
Work together on
opportunities, and deal with issues which arise from time to
time
7.
Emphasise
a.
No change in mother tongue
policy
b.
But must encourage more
non-Malays to learn Malay in addition to their mother tongue
8.
Two initiatives in
secondary schools
a.
The Malay Special Programme
(MSP) – to study Malay as 3rd language – but not very
popular
i.
Introduce incentives to
encourage more students to take up MSP, including bonus points for JC
admission
ii.
Similarly, extend
incentives to non-Chinese students who take Chinese as 3rd language
b.
Introduce a Regional
Studies Programme in a few secondary schools
i.
Offer scholarships for this
Programme – 100 per year
ii.
Students will do Malay as
3rd language, and learn about our Southeast Asian
neighbours
iii.
Good if one school can
offer Bahasa Indonesia
Universities
9.
Beyond schools, aim to get
every student into post-secondary education, and as many as possible into
tertiary institutions
a.
We have invested heavily in
ITE, polytechnics and universities
i.
Increased intakes over the
years
ii.
More students progressing
from ITE to poly, and from poly to university
b.
With good
schools
i.
More students want to go to
university
ii.
This year, many fretted
over university admissions
iii.
Not really because of
dragon babies
iv.
Universities increased the
number of places more than proportionately
v.
But more students are
applying, and anxieties persist
c.
Also many polytechnic
graduates hope to go on to get a degree
i.
15% now proceed to
NUS/NTU/SMU
ii.
More getting degrees by
other routes, including many who go abroad
10.
Should expand university
places, but make sure students get a good education and are equipped with
valuable skills
a.
Some countries have
produced large numbers of graduates without regard for quality or employment
opportunities
b.
They face big problems –
graduates are unemployed, or underemployed
11.
Today, 23% of every cohort receive
subsidised education in the three universities (NTU, NUS and SMU)
a.
Aim for 30% of Singaporean
cohort in publicly-funded universities by 2015
b.
This means 2,400 more
places each year
12.
This also means a
4th publicly-funded university
a.
Existing universities are
already rather large; should not expand them further
b.
Develop a new institution
with its own character and unique strengths, different from NUS, NTU and
SMU
c.
May not limit ourselves to
just one new institution
i.
Could open more than one
route
13.
Lui Tuck Yew will chair a
committee to study how we will expand the university sector
a.
Dr Tony Tan will be advisor
to the Committee
b.
Will decide within a year
on the best way to proceed
14.
With these changes in our
schools and in higher education, Singaporeans can look forward to:
a.
More opportunities to
receive a first-class education
b.
More pathways to
success