IMPORTANCE OF EDUCATION

More than 600,000 students are enrolled in MOE-run or supported schools, junior colleges and institutions of higher learning. The FY2020 budgeted expenditure for Education is $13.3 billion - the 3rd highest after defence and health; no less. Education is a unique budget item. Education, done well, is an avenue of social mobility; a maximizer of human potential; a character builder; a wealth creator and a passport to countless life’s opportunities.

TRANSFORMATION OF EDUCATION

23 industries in Singapore have developed their Industry Transformation Maps or ITMs under the Future Economy Council.

Although these ITMs differ in scope, depth and quality, they share a common value-add. The mapping exercise ‘forces’ industry captains to study the current and future landscape, review their vision, and in the process help the rest of the industry and Singapore to understand, support and partake in their future directions, priorities, future jobs and skills.

Out of the 23 ITMs, the ones related to education are 2 – the Early Childhood Education Sector; and the Adult Training and Education Sector. The missing piece is for the years between early childhood and adult education.

There is merit for MOE to put together an overall Education Transformation Map.

Granted, there are news on developments and priorities when MOE chooses to announce either through ministerial statements or its annual workplans, but the overall Education Map needs to be developed and articulated.

We need to see a map that consolidates the overall vision, the future of education, current state of the union, risk assessment, the key pieces it needs to eyeball and move, the challenges and how it can better engage other stakeholders in its work.

We cannot ignore the larger elephants in the room such as the still growing and increasingly market-responsive tuition industry; and the continuing excessive focus on the academic rat race.

We cannot keep tweaking the system and hope that age-old mindsets and habits will disappear. Many of them cannot be solved by MOE’s think tank alone. We need to be bold enough to honestly ask what our education system should look like; and decide where we should re-design, re-skill and better resource. We need to bring on board more Singaporeans to help understand the aspirations, demands and challenges we face and will face.

I urge Government to put together a team to develop and articulate an Education Transformation Map for the future.

VISION OF EDUCATION

The fast pace of technology has led to an increasingly shorter shelf life of our knowledge and skills. Staying relevant through lifelong learning is an essential part of life and no longer a luxury.

Hence, the SkillsFuture movement is a brilliant strategy but it is now focused primarily on adults and at most, students in the IHLS.

However, the cultivation of curiosity in learning, self-driving one’s learning, digital literacy and learning agility must start young. There is a need to integrate and align SkillsFuture in the adult years with SkillsFuture in the junior years.

Let us be the first in the world to build the first LIFELONG LEARNING SCHOOLS.

Let us re-envision itself as a Ministry of Lifelong Learning and to seriously study what that vision truly means and entails.

BENCHMARK OF EDUCATION

For years, Singapore has prided ourselves in our outstanding performance in global education rankings such as the OECD’s PISA study (Programme for International Student Assessment). PISA ranks our 15-year-olds globally in subjects such as reading, math, science and problem solving – factors viewed as important for boosting economic competitiveness.

Although a good reference point, I believe Singapore can lead and establish a more comprehensive suite of education benchmarks. For one, we know we have to now learn for life beyond the age of 15. Two, surely, we too agree that the purpose of education is more than to prepare economic beings.

What about physical and mental health, citizenship, compassion, learning agility, curiosity, regional and world languages, geography and the courage to take risks?

What about the sense of duty to look after one’s family, respect others who are different, protecting our environment including cleaning up after ourselves?

What should be included and measured as we expand our own definition of education and success?

I wish to seek resources for the Ministry to conduct a uniquely Singapore study of the benchmarks against which to measure the success of our education system

ENGINE OF EDUCATION: EDUCATORS

Amongst others, one key engine of education has to be our Educators. I have and still serve with some of the most dedicated, competent and compassionate educators; and I feel for them. We need to nurture and maximize the potential of our staff too.

The days of old when teachers are the key dispensers of knowledge and principals are leaders who know all about education, are over.

In fact, the term “teacher” may need to be dropped soon as educators take on the roles of creators and/or curators of content; designers of learning experiences, facilitators and coaches of their students and staff. They need to be exposed not only to things of the school; but also to the world that their students are going to live and work in. They themselves too need to be mentally healthy and coached.

What are the ways by which MOE educators including school leaders are recruited and developed to fulfill the roles of future educators? How can we future-proof our educators through updating and innovating the ways by which they are recruited and developed?

INCLUSIVENESS OF EDUCATION

Any map of education is incomplete without including those who are at risk of being left out either due to their socio-economic background; or their learning styles and abilities.

DIGITAL LITERACY FOR ALL

Future of Education studies reflect everywhere that digital literacy is the new literacy.

As mobile devices become commonly used for learning, students without the financial means may be left out. In situations such as COVID-19 when students are expected to stay home with e-learning homework packages, those without access to ready IT devices may be deprived.

Besides devices, there are also students who may be left behind in digital literacy due to little access to digital content or sufficient digital learning exposure either at home or in school.

What are MOE’s plans to strengthen digital accessibility and literacy for all and to ensure every student has equal access to the hardware devices, software applications and supervision :

1. Especially Students in financially or socially challenged households; and

2. Especially Students who are not in mainstream school setting such as those in SPED schools or home-schooling?

STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL EDUCATION NEEDS (SEN)

Thanks to the political leaders and several key Ministries such as the MSF and MOE, the education of students with SEN specially for the young has grown from strength to strength. However, the outcomes of their schooling will need a deeper dive for improvement. To this end, I seek MOE’s favourable consideration for 3 groups of students with SEN.

For SPED school students who are unlikely to proceed to open employment or further studies, MOE should extend the current school years of SPED schools to age 21. This is to enhance the chances that some of them will be more prepared for life after school and for more of them to work in at least supported employment.

Many of them are not ready to exit to the adult world at the age of 18. The alternative is to put them in costly day activity centres for adults or for parents to give up their own livelihoods in order to care for them;

For students with SEN who are able to undertake mainstream subjects whether in primary, secondary or IHLs, MOE should articulate and implement a plan to provide more effective support.

For instance, the SEN funds in IHLs are only limited to those with sensory disabilities and not extended to those with ADHD, dyslexia or autism;

For everyone with SENs, learning with the appropriate support should not stop after the formal school years. There are insufficient efforts to include the special needs workforce in the SkillsFuture movement. Neither is there enough envisioning of a lifelong learning pathway for this special group of learners.

I call for a deeper dive by MOE and other key stakeholders such as the major disability SSAs to address this important need.

Failing to do so will incur not only further expenditure in future budgets; we as a society would be for the weaker when we leave them behind.

CONCLUSION

In summary, I seek MOE’s favourable consideration of my suggestions to:

1. Develop and articulate an Education Transformation Map for the future;

2. Re-envision and re-name the MOE to as a top-notch Ministry of Lifelong Learning ;

3. Review the benchmarks against which to measure the success of our education system;

4. Future-proof our educators through updating and innovating the ways by which they are recruited and developed;

5. Ensure digital accessibility and literacy for all especially those from lower-income households and/or with SEN; and

6. Provide stronger support to the life-long learning of students with SEN in all settings.

I thank everyone who choose to serve in the education sector – your influence stays even after you are long gone.

Watch the speech here.