Singapore Education System Blog

Mr Lee Kuan Yew – or LKY – as he is fondly referred to by both admirers and critics, has been a controversial figure as easily discernible in the oxymoronic titles he is often given, such as “benevolent dictator” and “enlightened despot”. But to call him such names without heavy qualification is to utter a painful half-truth.

“The Singapore Story: Memoirs of Lee Kuan Yew” aptly displays the range of LKY’s sensitivity, insight, and wisdom harvested not only from his personal experience from WWII onwards but also from the experiences of others. As a young Singaporean who has lived in Singapore all her life I thought I was very familiar with this iconic figure who I had often read about from his speeches, newspapers and textbooks. However, his memoirs displayed another angle of his personal self which is rarely seen in the media.

I think it’s a waste that not many young Singaporeans have read this book. Perhaps they should. His writing is powerful but easy to read, and I found myself reading it into the small hours of the night. This book would also appeal to you if you’re interested in Singapore, its policies, and its history. Read…

Currently, international students seeking admission to public schools have to apply directly to the schools they are interested in. Most apply to more than one school to increase their chance of admission and are often required to sit for different admission tests by the schools they are applying to. Read here!

Education in Singapore is managed by Ministry of Education (MOE), which directs education policy. The ministry controls the development and administration of state schools which receive government funding but also has an advisory and supervisory role to private schools. For both private and state schools, there are variations in the extent of autonomy in their curriculum, scope of government aid and funding, tuition burden on the students, and admission policy.

Children with disabilities attend special education (SPED) schools run by Voluntary Welfare Organisations (VWOs), which are partially funded by the Ministry of Education. Education spending usually makes up about 20 per cent of the annual national budget, which subsidises state education and government-assisted private education for Singaporean citizens and furnishes the Edusave programme, but the costs are significantly higher for non-citizens. (more…)