Education in Singapore

Focus Point: Streaming

Outline

• Education in Singapore• Streaming in Education• Criticism• Supporters• Refinements

Pre-Primary Education

• Provide a Structured 3-Year Pre School education programs

• Consists of Nursery , Kindergarten 1 and Kindergarten 2

• These are privately operated

Primary Education

• It is a structured 6 years education• Four year Foundation Stage• Two year Orientation Stage• In orientation stage , streamed into Higher ,

Standard and Foundation levels.• Primary education is compulsory and free

Primary School Leaving Examination

• End of Primary 6 , PSLE is held• The education is to check whether the student

has passed Primary level• The Exam is used to stream students into

“Special", "Express", "Normal (Academic)", or "Normal (Technical)"

Special and Express Stream

• Four-year course leading up to the Singapore-Cambridge GCE ‘O‘( Ordinary) Level examination

• Special Stream students take ‘Higher Mother tongue ‘

• Express students take ‘ Normal Mother tongue’

Normal (Technical and Academic)

• Normal(Academic) : Prepare to take O-Level• Normal(Technical) : Take Subjects of a more

Technical nature

Post-Secondary

• Sit for Singaporean GCE ‘O’ Level • Result determines which Pre-University or

Post Secondary

Criticism

• Widespread criticism from parents• Creative aspect absent• Excessive educational streaming at a young

age

I Not Stupid

Supporters

• Students Trained according to their capabilities

• Such a small nation needs highly trained citizens

• Produced Top achievers• Brought Down Drop out rates

Refinements

• Greater focus on Creative and Critical Thinking• Ability for students to switch between streams