The Education System in Singapore: The Key to its Success

The Education System in Singapore: The Key to its Success

Madrid, Spain November 2011

Prof S Gopinathan Curriculum, Teaching & Learning

Academic Group

How did Singapore

transit from Third

World to First World

in four decades, and

what role did

education

and

training play in this?

Singapore: Key Indicators

Became independent in 1965

Small island:

710 sq km

Population:

5.183 million

A multi-ethnic society:

Chinese (74.1%), Malay (13.4%)

Indian (9.2%), other races (3.3%)

No natural resources, very dependent on trade

GDP per capita:

US$516 (1965); US$43,867 (2010)

GDP growth in 2010:

14.7%

[Expectations for rest of the decade is 5%]

Manufacturing (of GDP):

28%

Savings rate (to GDP):

50% (estimated)

Expenditure in R&D:

S$6.04 billion (2.2% of GDP in 2009)

No. of schools / students: 328 / 481,110

Expenditure of education: S$9.91billion (21.4%) of budget (2010)

S$10.91 billion (23.2%) of budget (2011)

(estimated)

3.3% of GDP (2010)

Key State-Building Imperatives

Build social cohesion out of ethnic diversity, division and political instability

Give citizens a stake via job creation, access to quality public goods - housing, health, education etc.

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