The country's education success has helped Singapore become a thriving economy, and the way Singapore has built its education system could hold valuable lessons for the rest of the world.
Mr. Marc Tucker, the President of USA National Center on education and the economy, said: “Singapore is a special circumstance. It was a big Britain’s port before World War II. When Britain got out and closed its base Singapore was in terrible shape.” But until now, they are one of the best performing economies in the entire world. They did it largely with education and training.
If Singapore’s remarkable improvement was built on education, its secret of the education system is teacher’s quality. "They source their teachers from among the best kids coming out of their high schools", explained Tucker.
'Creative use of knowledge'
In the post-war years, Singapore had a low-cost, low-skill labor market, which was enough for the new education system in the illiteracy elimination.
But starting in the 1970s, the need for Singapore’s economy starts changing. It rapidly moving toward high technology, which white-collar jobs and the education system need to keep up with. After that, the government’s target is to achieve a world-standard education system for all students and it means that teaching could change from rote learning to encouraging creativity.
Andreas Schleicher, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development’s education director, said:
"They had a drilling system when that was the only option they had to expand education quickly. But as they had achieved this, they were the first to think about, what is it that our children need to be successful tomorrow's economy?"
The concentration on application, using creative knowledge is strength in Singapore and other Asian countries. Singapore’s children are educated well at a young age, even before studying at primary school.
Future investment
Diana Ong, Principal at Pat's Schoolhouse Sembawang Country Club, a preschool in the north of Singapore, said: "I think for us as preschool educators, we are the foundation years, We form the basic foundation."
"I think the first years of a child's life are very important. So when you have a very confident child, that child's confidence will carry him or her through primary school as well. Not only do you want a child that is smart, you want a child who is resilient."
Mr. Schleicher says that education is considered a top priority by parents which is a part of Asian culture.
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