Is Our Education System Able to Meet the Challenges of Globalisation?

Globalisation and the emergence of the knowledge-based economy (KBE) have rendered Singapore’s strategy for economic growth over the past four decades unworkable. While our education system is indeed highly acclaimed internationally, especially in the areas of mathematics and pure science, it needs to adapt to empower Singaporean workers, especially with regard to soft skills and creative thinking ability. With an overemphasis on examinations and a rather rigid upper secondary and pre-university education landscape, Singapore is ill equipped to cope with the knowledge-based economy. However, the recent education reforms recommended by the Junior College/Upper Secondary Education Review Committee headed by Mr Shanmugaratnam is aimed at building on our current strengths and eliminating the inadequacies in our education system. The changes include the Integrated Programme (IP) for bright secondary school students, the setting up of private schools and the creation of a new subject, Knowledge and Inquiry, to promote critical thinking. It is hoped that taken together, the reformed education system will be able to mould our future citizens into inspired thinkers, at ease living in a more cosmopolitan Singapore, well prepared to face a rapidly changing world and the stiff competition that it entails. Furthermore, more proposals were suggested in order to further refine the education system, over and above what was proposed by the Education Review Committee. They include catering to individual needs better, through ability based lesson customisation, a choice of examination dates instead of a standardised date, and the use of extra Edusave contributions to subsidise a larger proportion of overseas cultural immersion trips than what is done presently. These proposed changes are aimed at further refining the education system, allowing each student to understand other societies from a young age, in addition to realising his or her full potential in a supportive learning environment. (297 words