SINGAPORE: Singapore's Ministry of Education (MOE) has announced a new six-year masterplan to bring Information Communication Technology (ICT) into classrooms.

Among its plans is a network of labs to develop new learning tools, as well as better broadband infrastructure so that students can learn on the go.

Students can also expect lessons to take on a more interesting approach. Specially designed computer games integrate fun and action with lesson plans such as "set squares and perpendicular lines".

Mainstream schools in Singapore have already started using computers in classrooms since 1997, and each school has been developing their own learning tools.

However, Education Minister Ng Eng Hen said on Tuesday it is time for his ministry to play a bigger role.

"A gap continues to exist between familiarity with ICT and translating this into effective teaching," said the minister.

"We must not diminish the motivation for individual schools to find better teaching methods using ICT, but at the same time we should address the unevenness in the quality of execution across schools."

Educational labs will be set up so that teachers and curriculum specialists can create and test Information Technology (IT) tools. These labs will also allow schools to share their innovations.

MOE said that for a start, these labs could be located within the five schools under the FutureSchools project.

Schools under the FutureSchools project are Beacon Primary, Canberra Primary, Crescent Girls' School, Jurong Secondary and Hwa Chong Institution, as these schools employ IT for all subjects.

Currently, only students in Crescent Girls' School are provided with a computer each.

Dr Ng said that as the national broadband network picks up speed, mobile learning could become a reality for all students.

More details are expected in early 2009.

- CNA/yb