Singaporeans identify items deemed essential for a normal life in Singapore: Household Needs Study by SMU

Singapore residents say Air-Con, Smartphones, Short Holidays are essential: Study by Singapore Management University

Most Singapore residents prioritise self-reliance for essential needs: Institute of Policy Studies poll from May 2022 to February 2023

By Shermaine Ang, The Straits Times, 12 Jul 2024

More than nine in 10 Singapore residents polled in a new study said a smartphone with a data plan is essential, while 64 per cent think air-conditioning is a must.

A trip each year to a South-east Asian destination is also essential, said 56 per cent of those polled. And social connections are important too, with 90 per cent saying family bonding is essential.

These were among 40 items and activities that respondents deemed essential in the study on household needs conducted by Singapore Management University (SMU) and funded by the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF).

It polled a nationally representative sample of around 4,000 Singapore residents and comes amid growing public interest in the resources needed to achieve basic living standards.

Respondents were asked how essential they considered a total of 51 items and activities across categories such as household appliances, digital connectivity and social participation.

Essential items were those perceived to be so by at least half the respondents.

The study – which also included respondents taking part in focus group discussions between May 2022 and February 2023 – focused on affordability of essential items and attitudes on poverty.

For example, two-thirds of respondents said they were able to afford all the items deemed essential.

For the remaining one-third, the top essential items they cited being unable to access or afford included emergency savings of at least three months of expenses and an annual overseas vacation in a South-east Asian country.

A separate study done by the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) that garnered 2,000 responses collected in June 2024 looked at public perceptions of who should provide for essential needs, be it the Government, the community, the individuals themselves or other parties.

Key findings from both studies were presented on July 12 at the SMU-DBS Foundation Symposium on Essential Household Needs in Singapore.

Director of SMU Centre for Research on Successful Ageing Paulin Straughan, who led the first study, said the hope is to reveal the gaps that may aid efforts to help disadvantaged Singaporeans break out of deprivation, which is defined in the study as being unable to afford items considered essential.

Sharing other insights, she noted that perceptions towards higher expenditure activities and items like holidays and the need for adequate savings differed across income groups.

Households in the lowest income group earned up to $2,499 a month while the top band earned over $17,000 a month.

One in two among the lowest income band see dining at restaurants once a month as essential, compared with over 60 per cent in higher income bands.

And only 49 per cent in the lowest income band see air-con as essential, compared with 70 per cent in the highest income band.

Items deemed unnecessary by respondents included private tuition – considered essential by 49 per cent of respondents – private enrichment classes (30 per cent) and annual staycations (27 per cent).

Respondents thought students can get help from free tuition classes offered by self-help groups rather than more costly private options – such tuition classes were seen by nearly 60 per cent of respondents as essential.

On poverty, the study showed that most believed it is attributable to personal actions and circumstances. Some 80 per cent think people are poor because they face major problems in their lives, while less than a quarter agreed that poverty is due to external factors like bad luck or divine will.

Prof Straughan said: “There’s a lot more consensus on what we can do to help ourselves... it tells us that from an approach perspective, Singaporeans can be helped and they are willing to be helped.”

She said the next run of the study may be done in five years’ time, to see if new interventions introduced can plug the gaps found, such as the lack of emergency savings.

Speaking at the symposium on July 12, Minister for Social and Family Development Masagos Zulkifli said the studies by SMU and IPS will inform MSF’s ongoing review of its ComCare scheme for low-income families. He cited how ComCare assistance now covers mobile data plans as digital connectivity has become an essential need.

“We will continue to adjust our policies and programmes, recognising that needs evolve over time,” he said.

Mr Masagos said the research shows there are differing views on what needs are deemed essential, particularly for items that go beyond subsistence needs.

Implicit in these views is the public’s understanding that social assistance provided by taxpayers must be reasonable and sustainable, he added.

“The studies also show that there is much room for others besides the Government to provide support for low-income and vulnerable families.”

Why school exams exist and what we can do about them

Budget 2022 debate: Providing more pathways to support students' aspirations

Education system changes in line with push to encourage students to pursue strengths

By Amelia Teng, Education Correspondent, The Straits Times, 12 Mar 2022

Nearly every year, there are calls to scrap the PSLE.

This year was no different. Ms Denise Phua (Jalan Besar GRC) and Progress Singapore Party Non-Constituency MP Hazel Poa each suggested during the debate on the Ministry of Education's (MOE) budget on Monday (March 7) that the PSLE be replaced with through-train programmes.

Instead of the standard explanation that the PSLE remains a necessary checkpoint for students to gauge their learning after six years of schooling, Education Minister Chan Chun Sing went back to basics.

He raised several fundamental points that policymakers and educators have been thinking hard about in recent years, as MOE unveils changes to an education system that has for decades been known for its highly competitive nature and focus on academic results.

These include a PSLE scoring revamp and abolishing the Express and Normal stream labels, allowing students to take subjects according to their strengths.

In a lengthy response, Mr Chan made clear that the stress brought about by any major examination is unavoidable. Nor is it the aim of the MOE to remove all pressure for students.

What society can do is to change its perspective of exams and tests, and parents must first take a deep hard look at four basic questions raised by Mr Chan - why we test, how we test, when we test and what we do with the test results - to understand why exams cause so much anxiety.

Critics say that the changes by MOE do not go far enough to make any real impact, but based on previous polls, many parents hesitate to say that the PSLE should be postponed or scrapped.

In short, there is little consensus on what to do with the PSLE.

The same goes for mid-year exams, which schools had dropped for several levels in previous years, and will remove for all students by next year.

It was one of the plans announced by the MOE on Monday, to bring back the joy of learning and focus less on grades.

Most students will be relieved to have one less major exam to sit, and hopefully they will really be given more space to pursue other interests.

But the question is whether old habits die hard. The move would be in vain if parents and teachers feel it is too risky and end up replacing the mid-year paper with smaller but many more forms of assessments in school or at home.

Parents are also left wondering how exactly schools will implement the changes, and if it means a year-end exam that will carry more weight, which might just mean that the pressure builds up towards the end of the year.

A more porous system, for life

While the PSLE is here to stay, the message is clear - a pupil will not be labelled Normal or Express by his results, especially with the complete dismantling of the academic streaming system by 2024.

In its place will be full subject-based banding, in which students take subjects at varying levels of difficulty based on their aptitude for relevant subjects.

MOE is seeking to support students' aspirations through more bridges and ladders across the education system.

Stay at home as much as you can: Singapore announces strictest measures yet to fight COVID-19

Bars, cinemas and all other entertainment outlets to shut from 26 March, 2359 hours until 30 April 2020

Tuition centres, all religious services to be suspended

Gatherings outside of work, school limited to 10 persons

Singapore residents who continue to travel abroad from 27 March 2020 will pay full hospital charges if warded for coronavirus

All travellers arriving in Singapore must submit health declaration from 27 March 2020, 0900 hours


Sweeping new measures in Singapore to check virus spread
By Chang Ai-Lien, Science and Health Editor and Charmaine Ng, The Straits Times, 25 Mar 2020

Bars, cinemas and all other entertainment outlets will be closed from 11.59pm, 26 March until April 30 at least, as Singapore's fight against COVID-19 enters a new phase amid a wave of imported cases.

The multi-ministry task force set up to combat the outbreak announced sweeping changes to limit gatherings, protect the vulnerable and strongly discourage travel.

So, tuition and enrichment classes at centres as well as all religious services will be suspended.

People will have to limit gatherings outside of work and school to 10 persons or fewer, while malls, museums and restaurants must reduce crowd density to stay open.

In addition, with about 1,000 residents and long-term pass holders here still travelling abroad daily despite advice not to do so, those who leave the country from Friday will have to pay unsubsidised rates should they be hospitalised for COVID-19 treatment.



Singaporeans must take the measures very seriously, said task force co-chairman and National Development Minister Lawrence Wong. The measures are pre-emptive, but come at a time of real risks, he stressed.

"All over the world, millions of people are living in a different reality. Workplaces are closed, shops are empty, roads are empty, everyone is asked to stay home," he said.

Singapore had not reached this point, but the risk of local transmission will rise with more imported cases, he said. "So, we have to take seriously the measures to protect our family members and the people around us."



He called for everyone to stay at home as much as possible.

"Stay at home as much as you can, and go out if you need to work, go to school, go out for essential tasks - but otherwise stay at home, reduce your social gatherings and all other activities for the next one month," he said.

The measures come as 49 new COVID-19 cases were reported yesterday, 24 March, including 32 imported cases, bringing the total of people found to have the virus here to 558.



From 11.59pm, 25 March, all Singapore residents returning from Britain and the United States - two at-risk places from where people are flooding back, will have to stay in hotels to serve their 14-day stay-home notice.

Those who breach the rules face fines of up to $10,000 or jail for up to six months, or both.

Health Minister and task force co-chairman Gan Kim Yong stressed that cases all over the world are still rising and have not peaked yet, so the number of cases here may grow.

"We really want Singaporeans to understand that we are serious about implementing and enforcing these measures. We encourage them to work with us, and we hope we do not have to resort to enforcement actions."

However, if required, the sweeping measures may be escalated to include suspension of schools and workplaces.



Mr Wong warned: "Closure of schools, closure of workplaces, other than essential activities - that is the most drastic step. That is what I suppose people call a 'lockdown'. And that set of drastic measures may well be necessary."

Noting that schools have already stopped co-curricular and enrichment activities, the Health Ministry's director of medical services Kenneth Mak noted that these are calibrated moves.

"But as the risk changes over time, and if we assess that the risk to students changes, then there may be a need for adjustment of that particular posture."



Tomorrow, Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat will present a further set of measures aimed at preserving jobs and livelihoods, helping viable companies stay afloat and supporting households amid the battering Singapore and the world are facing. More support will be given to the most severely impacted sectors, he said in a Facebook post last night.

Fewer exams for students from 2019 as Ministry of Education announces sweeping changes to reduce emphasis on grades

Schools to cut mid-year exams for several levels; Primary 1 and 2 pupils will not be graded

By Sandra Davie, Senior Education Correspondent, The Straits Times, 29 Sep 2018

Mid-year examinations for Primary 3 and 5 pupils, as well as for Secondary 1 and 3 students, will be scrapped over the next three years.

As part of the Ministry of Education's (MOE) latest set of efforts to move away from a narrow focus on grades and help children discover the joy of learning, the first two years of primary school will also be test-free from next year.

And to stress the message that learning is not a competition, report books will no longer include the class and level rankings at both primary and secondary levels.

Even aggregate scores, used for post O-level postings, will not be reflected at the lower secondary level to avoid preoccupation with grades.

These changes were described by Education Minister Ong Ye Kung as another step towards improving the balance between the joy of learning and education standards.

"We are at a strong position of rigour and can afford to unwind a bit without undermining the performance outcomes," he said at a press conference yesterday, pointing to how Singapore students already rate highly in international rankings.

The latest changes will also give teachers more space to explore new ways of making learning enjoyable and lasting. He said: "On the ground, teachers are on a high-speed train... rushing, assessments and preparing the students for exams... I think it is time to take a pause."

MOE said cutting the mid-year examinations will provide students with more time to adjust during "key transition" years, when they have to study new subjects and deal with higher content rigour. It will also free up about three weeks of curriculum time every two years.

In a speech to school heads earlier this week when he briefed them on the changes, Mr Ong urged educators to use the time well.

For instance, a pupil can be spoon-fed the formula on how to calculate area. "It can be done in a short time," he said. "But in an inquiry approach, we will ask children, how do you find out the area of the field, and have them discuss and brainstorm."

This may take more time, but pupils are "more likely to remember and enjoy the lesson", he said.

Mr Ong said that moves over the last few years, from not naming the top Primary School Leaving Examination scorers to the reform of the PSLE scoring system which kicks in in 2021, are all part of a new phase in Singapore's education system, which he termed "Learn for Life".

"Learn for Life is a value, an attitude and a skill that our students need to possess, and it is fundamental in ensuring that education remains an uplifting force in society."

Some parents were concerned over the changes, especially how it will be harder to gauge their children's performance against their peers' as report books will no longer show rankings and mean scores.

"It is important we know where our children stand," said Madam Grace Chua, 37. The business development manager has a son in Primary 3 and a daughter turning two.



For the shift to succeed, Mr Ong said, MOE needs to "bring the most important stakeholder - parents - on board" and convince them that the changes do not compromise on academic standards.

Schools also need to engage parents differently, he added.

Instead of telling parents that their children have to get their homework done or comparing results with those of their classmates, the question that matters, said Mr Ong, is: "What makes your child's eyes light up?"

Singapore Student Learning Space: New online platform will let students learn at own pace

Move helps level playing field as it gives all students same access to quality resources
By Calvin Yang, The Straits Times, 17 Aug 2017

Schools are taking e-learning to the next level with the launch of a resource-rich online platform on which students can learn at their own pace anywhere, any time.

The Singapore Student Learning Space (SLS), first announced by then Education Minister Heng Swee Keat in 2013, will be progressively rolled out to primary and secondary schools as well as junior colleges and Millennia Institute from next year.

The portal will also let teachers share best practices and work together on materials with their colleagues across schools.



Education Minister (Schools) Ng Chee Meng said the "rewards for students will be tremendous", adding that the SLS "will open up many opportunities for their learning". Speaking during a visit yesterday to Admiralty Secondary, one of 62 schools piloting the platform, he described how students who want to review a lesson will be able to do it on their own time, even at home.

The Ministry of Education (MOE) stressed that the platform will help level the playing field as it gives all students, regardless of school, the same access to quality learning resources. The move builds on ongoing efforts by the ministry to leverage IT to aid learning.

"By spurring our students to take greater ownership of their learning and work collaboratively with their peers, the SLS aims to support them towards being responsible future-ready learners," MOE said.

The platform, which will feature videos, simulations, games, animations and quizzes, will reinforce learning of subjects, including English and the mother tongue languages, mathematics, history and even physical education.

Interactive timelines on World War II, for instance, can help students visualise how history unfolded through the years.

Many of the resources have been developed with industry and external partners to offer real-world context to concepts taught in class, said the ministry.

Parents' Perceptions of the Singapore Primary School System: Institute of Policy Studies Survey

Parents happy with their children's schooling: IPS poll
Survey of 1,500 shows over 90% are satisfied with quality of schools, education system
By Amelia Teng, The Straits Times, 17 Jul 2017

Some people may doubt the slogan "Every school, a good school", but most parents in a recent poll do believe it.

More than 90 per cent of them felt that Singapore's education system is among the best worldwide and were satisfied with their children's primary schools, according to an Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) survey. But the results also show that about a quarter of parents had trouble enrolling their children into a school of their choice.

They also felt fairly stressed about helping their children with school examinations and syllabuses, and large amounts of homework.

IPS senior research fellow Mathew Mathews, who led the survey - the first of its kind here - said the findings dispelled the myth that many parents are very unhappy with the education system.

In his research on marriage, parenthood and singles, he had observed that people sometimes said they hesitate to have children partly because of the stress of the education system. He wanted to hear from parents if the school system is really as "daunting" as it is made out to be. The survey of 1,500 Singaporean and permanent resident parents conducted last year, however, found that most were contented with their children's primary schools, he said.

The sample of parents, whose median age was 42, had a proportionate number of children in almost all the 180 or so primary schools here.

Dr Mathews said: "Most people do feel that the school their kid goes to is a good school. Even if they didn't think so, they are satisfied with the (school) quality.

"(The results) also busted the myth that most parents are in a mad rush to get (their children) into a good school by volunteering and moving house to get a place in that school," he said. "Sometimes, we play up the notion that most of our parents are 'kiasu' (Hokkien for competitive). That may not be the case for many, at least now."

Close to three-quarters (73.6 per cent) of parents said they could enrol their child in a school of their choice. More than three in four respondents did not undertake activities such as volunteering to secure a school for their child.

However, about 28 per cent of parents said they had experienced challenges in enrolling their child in a school of their choice. Of this group, more than half said there were too many applications to the school. More than 30 per cent also felt places for children with no alumni links were limited and there were few "good" schools nearby.

Dr Mathews said the overall findings are a reflection of the gradual shift in parents' mindsets. "Many of us as parents grew up in a system that placed a lot of emphasis on examinations and grades, so that pattern is still prominent in our mind."

School’s all drill? That won’t explain how Singapore topped PISA

The Republic is at an inflexion point where content mastery is making way for more deep learning. But there's still value in drilling - deliberate practice - as we move towards future-oriented learning.
By David Hung, Published The Straits Times, 4 Mar 2017

Singapore's first Olympic gold medallist Joseph Schooling is known to wake up as early as 5am to begin his daily practice routines.

It is not uncommon to hear of the national swimmer training for five to six hours daily in the pool and the gym. Like top sportsmen, expert musicians, chess players, scientists and mathematicians all practise their skills regularly - and often repetitively - to be able to perform at optimal levels when needed.

If one observes Schooling practising, lap after lap, over and over again, it would appear to be less than enjoyable and clearly tonnes of hard work. If one were to remove a portion of his hours of repetitive practice in the pool and gym, however, would we still have our very first Olympic champion in our midst?

There have been recent commentaries in the news media wondering if our school pedagogies are overly focused on drilling or repetitive practice to succeed in exams, which, in turn, could lead to an overdependence on private tuition.

As parents watch their children undergo what appear to be mind-numbing experiences of problem after problem, exercise after exercise, workbook after workbook, it is understandable for them to be concerned about whether these perceived repetitive academic exercises are hindering our students from more holistic and future-oriented learning.

From the perspective of education researchers who work closely with school teachers in enhancing pedagogical practice, there is much to ponder over two key questions - first, is some drilling really that bad and, second, is our school system today really still too focused on drilling for results?

PISA 2015: Singapore students top global ranking in reading, maths and science

Singapore students bag education 'World Cup'
They come out tops among 72 economies for their showing in maths, science and reading
By Sandra Davie, Senior Education Correspondent, The Straits Times, 7 Dec 2016

One week after scoring top marks in a mathematics and science study, Singapore students aced an even more prestigious international benchmarking test, which is dubbed the "World Cup for Education".

The Republic's 15-year-olds were ranked No. 1 for mathematics, science and reading in the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), a triennial study run by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) to measure how well students use their knowledge and skills to solve real-world problems.

In the last PISA test in 2012, Singapore's students were ranked second in mathematics and third in science and reading.

PISA 2015 conducted last year saw teens from 72 countries and economies participating. In Singapore, 5,825 students, from all 168 public schools sat for the computer-based test, alongside 290 students from nine private schools, including a madrasah. The students were randomly selected and also had to fill in a questionnaire on their learning habits.



The Ministry of Education (MOE) said yesterday that the results show Singapore students are not just competent in applying knowledge and skills, but also in analysing and communicating as they solve novel problems.

It added that the deliberate curricular shifts made by MOE over the years to trim syllabuses and give more time to higher-order thinking skills have borne fruit.

Minister for Education (Schools) Ng Chee Meng, in a Facebook post, yesterday congratulated Singapore students on their top placing in PISA as well as the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study released last week. They are equipped with some of the skills needed for the future, he said.

"Heartened too that our teachers' dedication to plan engaging lessons has built a strong foundation for our students," he added.

PSLE revamp: Going beyond grades

Evolving the Singapore education system
The PSLE revamp is part of a larger shift away from academics towards broadening opportunities for students to discover their interests and talents, and develop life skills, a sense of curiosity and a love for learning. Experts say that while this is a necessary change, it will take time for the country to embrace it and move away from its preoccupation with marks.
By Amelia Teng and Calvin Yang, The Sunday Times, 17 Apr 2016

Pupils in Primary 1 this year will be the first cohort to take the Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) and receive a new set of results.

In 2021, the national examination will do away with the aggregate score - often criticised for being the cause of excessive stress among pupils and parents. With the change, children will no longer be graded relative to one another.

In its place will be wider scoring bands such as A, B, C and D - similar to the scoring system used in the O- and A-level examinations.

But this is only the most obvious change to what has been a steady overhaul of a pressure-cooker system which has had a strong focus on marks instead of a child's holistic development.

Already, in the early stages of primary education, exams have become a thing of the past. Pupils are increasingly being encouraged to express themselves. Applied learning is in, along with the development of character and life skills.

At Primary Four or Five, pupils take part in a three-day cohort camp and learn to prepare simple meals, adapt to the outdoors, and build resilience and camaraderie.

In the coming years, primary school leavers will have more choice to go to secondary schools offering niche programmes in robotics, environmental issues, the arts and music, for instance, where they can develop their interests beyond the three "R"s - reading, writing and arithmetic.

As Acting Education Minister (Schools) Ng Chee Meng explained in Parliament earlier this month when he announced the changes: "Let's help our children make good use of their time to branch out to explore other interests and passions and to pursue what they want to do in life.

"Let's help them make good choices about their educational and career pathways based on their aptitudes and aspirations.

"Let's help them to be ready for the future."

Learning to code: Cracking the code to groom tech talent

Under IDA scheme, 34,000 students - some as young as seven years old - are learning coding as Govt seeks to plug tech manpower gap
By Irene Tham, Tech Editor, The Straits Times, 9 Mar 2016

Once a week, Nurul Insyirah Jamaludin, nine, tinkers with an assemblage of Lego bricks, motors and sensors with her classmates to design a robotic toy.

After building, say, a race car, they would combine blocks of pre-written computer codes using a laptop to instruct the toy to react to specified stimuli. For instance, the car can be programmed to move at a certain speed or stop when it approaches an obstacle.

The Primary 3 pupil at North View Primary School enjoys the Code for Fun lessons, which have been incorporated into the school's curriculum time for Primary 3 and 4 pupils since January.

"We build a toy and it comes alive," said Nurul, beaming with excitement.

The Code for Fun programme was introduced in June last year by the Infocomm Development Authority (IDA) as an enrichment for Ministry of Education schools. Since then, 117 primary and secondary schools have rolled out the scheme, and 34,000 students - some as young as seven years old - have signed up.

Students spend 20 hours within a year to complete the programme, which has different tasks and challenges, depending on the level.

The programme is a result of a larger, multi-pronged strategy by the Government to plug the technology manpower gap here.

Data from IDA, which tracks and trains technology manpower in Singapore, shows that about 15,000 technology job vacancies could not be filled in 2014. About half of these were for software developers.

More tellingly, Singapore is expected to find itself short of a total of 30,000 technology specialists - including some 11,000 software developers - by next year.

Code for Fun aims to infuse computational and logical thinking in children. Another similar, recent move involved secondary schools. Last month, 19 schools, out of over 160 here, said they will offer computing as a new O-level subject to Secondary 3 students from next year.

"We aim to develop students into critical thinkers and innovators who can help drive the country's vision of becoming a smart nation," said IDA assistant chief executive Khoong Hock Yun.

"At the same time, this will ensure that we have a ready pool of tech talent, equipped with skills of the 21st century to take on jobs, such as in software development, cybersecurity and data analytics, that will be in demand," he said.

Subsidised tuition programmes: Ensuring less well-off kids are not left behind

4 ethnic self-help groups have a wealth of tutoring classes for primary and secondary students to get help from
By Calvin Yang, The Straits Times, 7 Dec 2015

With parents willing to fork out thousands of dollars for private coaching to give their children an edge over others, it is no wonder tuition is a billion-dollar industry.

But tuition is not just for the rich. Through the four ethnic self-help groups in Singapore, financially less well-off children have been able to receive extra academic help.

More primary and secondary school students are attending these subsidised tuition programmes by three of the four groups - Chinese Development Assistance Council (CDAC), Singapore Indian Development Association (SINDA) and Yayasan Mendaki.

The number of students in such programmes has grown by up to 67 per cent over the past five years.

The fourth group - Eurasian Association (EA) - sees a steady number of students for tuition each year.

The self-help groups told The Straits Times the spike in student numbers may be due to more low-income families recognising education as a tool in achieving social mobility, the setting up of more centres to reach out to students, and more schools helping to identify needy students who may require such tuition services.

Among the four groups, Mendaki, a self-help group for the Malay and Muslim community, noted the biggest surge in student numbers in recent years. Its tuition programme, started in 1982, has some 10,000 students this year, up from about 6,000 five years ago.

Mendaki chief executive officer Tuminah Sapawi said the increase may be due to outreach efforts, such as educational seminars, to share such programmes with the community. "More Malay and Muslim families are recognising the importance of education," she added.

Raffles Institution now a ‘middle-class’ school, says principal

Principal says school now largely caters to the affluent, and pride in its achievements risks making it insular
By Amelia Teng, The Straits Times, 4 Aug 2015

Raffles Institution (RI) is a "middle-class" school that now largely caters to the affluent segment of the population. It also risks becoming insular, cocooned by the glowing list of academic and sporting achievements its students have racked up year after year.

These harsh words came from the school's own principal, Mr Chan Poh Meng, in a speech delivered in front of hundreds of current and former RI staff and students.

Speaking at the school's 192nd Founder's Day ceremony about a week ago, Mr Chan, who took over as RI principal at the end of 2013, said the school has been accused of being elitist, a charge he did not deny. He is himself an old boy of RI.

Singapore, on the eve of its 50th birthday, has been successful, building up a system that is admired the world over. But fissures have erupted in the process, one of which is the faltering meritocracy that the country has been lauded for in the past.

"Our system of meritocracy is working less well than it used to, two generations in," he said.

Wealthier families have been able to give their children an edge through tuition and enrichment, leading to exams such as the Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) no longer being "the level playing field that they once were", he added.

For RI, the school is no longer what many alumni remember it to be in the past, with many students coming from diverse family and socio-economic backgrounds. Today, it "can no longer afford the comfortable illusion that RI is truly representative of Singapore", Mr Chan told the audience of 1,400 students, alumni, teachers and parents.

RI, widely considered the most prestigious school in Singapore, has long prided itself on its students' academic prowess.

"For a long time, we have measured our success by how high our PSLE cut-off and how low our L1R5 were. By how many Olympiads and competitions and tournaments we won... By the number of 'top' scholarships and places in the Oxbridge and Ivy League universities (students) secure," said Mr Chan.

But he questioned if pride in such achievements may have had negative side effects, making RI "insular - a school unto ourselves".

"A long period of conditioning means that we often fail to see elitism even when it is staring at us in the face," he said. "RI has become a middle-class school - that is the current reality. What matters more now is what we do with this reality and this knowledge."

Learning for life? Policies, parents need to change too

The Government must review gifted education, direct school admissions and the PSLE; parents, too, must learn to look beyond grades.
By Sandra Davie, Senior Education Correspondent, The Straits Times, 19 Mar 2015

EDUCATION Minister Heng Swee Keat's recent call for a transformation in Singaporeans' attitude towards learning has resonated with many.

Mr Heng, who was speaking at the Ministry of Education's (MOE) Budget debate in Parliament earlier this month, urged students, parents and employers to move their focus away from exams and grades towards acquiring deep skills.

He said this was necessary as jobs will keep changing in the future, and people will need to keep learning, mastering skills and learning for life.

He warned that not doing so could lead to a dystopian future where stress levels climb, and "the system churns out students who excel in exams, but are ill-equipped to take on jobs of the future, nor find fulfilment in what they do".

Several parents who responded to his speech agreed with his predictions, and said there was an urgent need to transform the system.

However, more than a dozen parents who e-mailed and wrote in to The Straits Times Forum Page also pointed the finger at MOE, commenting that several of its policies - such as the continuation of the Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) - are partly the cause of students' and parents' "obsession with grades", as Mr Heng termed it.

A typical comment came from Madam Carrie Tan, who said: "It is one thing asking parents, students and employers to change their mindsets. But what is the ministry doing to encourage this change? It should lead the way in relooking some of its policies."

To give the ministry some credit, over the past decade it has changed - and even done away with - some policies that skewed priorities in education.

Parliament Highlights - 6 Mar 2015

Committee of Supply Debate: Ministry of Education





Learn for skills and life, not just grades: Heng Swee Keat
He urges change in the way parents, employers and teachers view education
By Sandra Davie, Senior Education Correspondent, The Straits Times, 7 Mar 2015

EDUCATION should be about more than just chasing marks and aceing exams, Education Minister Heng Swee Keat said yesterday when he called for a transformation in Singaporeans' attitude towards learning.

This is necessary as jobs will keep changing in future and people will need to keep learning, master skills and learn for life, he said.

Parents would have to give up their obsession with grades; employers would have to hire based on skills, not degrees; and teachers should strive for an all-round development of their students.

The new road map for the future was set out by Mr Heng in an hour-long speech in Parliament that spelt out the rationale for the radical move.

The education system, which has served Singapore well for the past 50 years, is at a crossroads, with two options.

One is a path with a narrow focus on grades and examinations, which could descend into "a spiralling paper chase and expanding tuition industry".

It leads to a dystopian future where stress levels climb, and "the system churns out students who excel in exams, but are ill-equipped to take on jobs of the future, nor find fulfilment in what they do".

"Unemployment or under-employment becomes pervasive. Everyone is worse off," Mr Heng said. "This is a grim road, but sadly one which other societies have already trodden down."

The other is a road no country has travelled, he said.

It requires employers to look beyond paper qualifications when hiring or promoting, and educators to focus on building a strong foundation of values in students.

Parents will need to recognise their children's strengths and build their characters instead of being preoccupied with grades.

But the route is uncharted territory, said Mr Heng, adding that Singaporeans will have to be pioneers in plotting the way forward.

His ministry always draws attention, and the debate on its budget saw 22 MPs rising to ask what it plans to do to improve the education system.

Needy students get more private tuition help

Free services offered by some tuition centres and religious, college groups
By Amelia Teng, The Straits Times, 2 Feb 2015

STUDENTS in need of private tuition but who cannot afford to pay the fees are being given a growing number of options.

Along with community centres and self-help groups, they can now turn to several tuition centres and groups from universities and religious organisations that have started offering help in the last few years.

The Stag Match Tuition Centre, for example, has been giving free tuition since 2009. Four of its 14 branches cater to students from low-income families. More than 400 needy students were enrolled last year, up from 50 in 2009.

Students from households with a monthly income of below $3,500 qualify. They pay just $4 per month for materials to prevent individuals from taking advantage of the scheme.

Stag Match's director Alex Wong said: "Some come from broken families or have uneducated parents, but they are more hardworking than their peers who are better-off."

Bedok View Secondary School student Casper Chong, 13, who attends the centre said: "My parents wanted me to come here, otherwise I have nothing to do at home."

Another programme, Connect Tuition, was set up a year ago by a group of University Scholars Programme (USP) students from the National University of Singapore (NUS). It started with 23 students from interim rental housing flats in Dover, and is increasing its intake to 40 students this year.

A pool of about 40 undergraduate tutors teach a variety of subjects from English to principles of accounts.

"It's only once a week for two hours. It's not too much to ask of us," said sociology undergraduate and a tutor with the programme, Ms Poh Yu Ting.

"We're there for the tutees to speak to if they have problems, not just to help improve their grades."

A conversation with Indranee Rajah

$1 billion spent on tuition in one year

Figure is almost double the $650m spent by families 10 years ago: Survey
By Theresa Tan, The Sunday Times, 9 Nov 2014

Singapore's tuition industry is now worth more than a billion dollars.

The latest Household Expenditure Survey found that families spent $1.1 billion a year on tuition - almost double the $650 million spent a decade ago and a third more than the $820 million spent just five years ago.

The Department of Statistics, which polled more than 11,000 households between October 2012 and September last year, released the latest survey in September.

The average household spending on tuition rose from $54.70 a month 10 years ago, to $79.90 in the latest survey.

The department told The Sunday Times that along with spending more, there were also more households in the latest study - 1.2 million compared with 993,000 a decade ago.

Associate Professor Jason Tan of the National Institute of Education noted that tuition is no longer meant only to help weak or failing students pass their exams.

"Tuition has morphed into this huge industry to keep one's child ahead of the rest," said Prof Tan, who is doing a study on the perception of tuition. "Many tutors teach ahead of the school curriculum, so that the child has a competitive edge. Even students in the Gifted Education Programme have tuition."

He pointed to tuition programmes that have sprouted up to cater to students of varying abilities and for different purposes. These include classes to help pupils get into the Gifted Education Programme and courses to prepare students for entrance tests and interviews for the Direct School Admission scheme, which allows schools to accept students not just based on academic ability, but also on their talent in sports and the arts.

Given the growing size of the tuition industry and the numerous players ranging from fast-growing chains of tuition centres to one-man operations, the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore has begun auditing tuition centre bosses and private tutors. It has found under-declaration of income to be a "common problem".

A growing number of tuition agencies attest to Singapore's ever-expanding demand for tuition.