Functions of Education

1
Functions of Education

• To allow individuals to better themselves
  financially and in status (means of social
  mobility)
• To perpetuate existing social structure
• To transmit culture and values of society
• To raise economic competitiveness of society
• To inculcate morals and promote ethical behaviour

2
Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Article 26

• Everyone has the right to education. Education
  shall be free, at least in the elementary and
  fundamental stages. Elementary education shall be
  compulsory. Technical and professional education
  shall be made generally available and higher
  education shall be equally accessible to all on
  the basis of merit.

3
Education- Issues and Controversies

• Who do we teach?
• Everyone, according to the Universal Declaration
  of Rights
• But.is this the case?
• Gender inequality
• Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC,
  1989),
• Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of
  Discrimination against Women (CEDAW, 1979)
• By mid-2003, 173 countries had ratified the CEDAW
  convention. Exceptions Bahrain, Botswana, Brunei
  Darussalam, Indonesia, The Islamic Republic of
  Iran, Somalia, the Sudan, the Syrian Arab
  Republic and the United States
• A large minority of countries will not achieve
  gender parity at primary and secondary levels by
  2005
• Social forces which propagate gender inequality-
  All-round dependence and son preference (North
  Africa, the Middle East, South Asia- Pakistan,
  much of India and Bangladesh and East Asia-
  China, Korea and Taiwan)
• Wider and more fundamental social changes need to
  be made

4
Education- Issues and Controversies

• Social class and racial inequality
• Upper- and middle-income parents vs. low-income
  parents
• Untouchables of India
• Burakumin of Japan
• Roma minority
• African Americans
• What do we teach?
• Aims and objectives
• Economic development and wealth creation?
• Enhancement of social cohesiveness?
• Inculcation of ethics and morals?
• Nourishment of the soul?
• Specialised vs. Broad-based education

5
Education- Issues and Controversies

• How do we teach?
• Structure vs. Freedom
• Conformity vs. Individuality
• American system vs. Asian system

6
Education- The Singapore Context

• Education is about opening doors for our
  children, and giving them hope and opportunities.
  It is more than filling a vessel with knowledge -
  it is to light a fire in our young people.Prime
  Minister Lee Hsien Loong12 August 2004
• Desired Outcomes of Education
• The Singaporean - an Individual, a Citizen
  Education does two things it develops the
  individual and educates the citizen.
• " An educated person is one who is responsible
  to himself, his family, and his friends."
• " An educated person is also someone who is
  responsible to his community and country."

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Compulsory Education

• Implemented in Singapore from the new school year
  commencing 1st January 2003
• Concern that students are not being equipped with
  the necessary skills and knowledge to be
  productive citizens in a knowledge-based economy
  (KBE)
• Should be up to Primary 6 as this is considered
  the minimum period of education for all Singapore
  children
• Certain categories of children, e.g. those with
  special needs will be exempted from compulsory
  education.
• Penalty- a fine not exceeding 5,000 or to
  imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months
  or to both.

8
The education system at a glance
9
Alternative Routes

• Private Schools
• the state is the principal provider of education
  at primary, secondary and tertiary levels 
• the private sector has the role of providing for
  continuing/supplementary non-formal education 
• private schools need to be registered with the
  MOE

10
Alternative Routes
Islamic Religious Schools
Academic Schools
Private Schools
Commercial Schools
Foreign System Schools
11
Special Education (SPED)

• SPED schools run different programmes catering to
  distinct disability groups of children who are
  unable to benefit from mainstream schooling
• 20 SPED schools
• pre-school and primary education
• run by Voluntary Welfare Organisations (VWOs)
• funding from the Ministry of Education (MOE) and
  the National Council of Social Service (NCSS)
• the Genesis School for Special Education
• the Dover Court Preparatory School

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Special Education (SPED)

• Hearing Impaired (HI)
• 2 designated secondary schools
• Boon Lay Secondary School  
• Balestier Hill Secondary School          
• Visually Handicapped (VH)
• Singapore School for the Visually Handicapped
  (SSVH)
• 4 designated secondary schools
• Ahmad Ibrahim Secondary School
• Bedok South Secondary School
• Dunearn Secondary School
• Ghim Moh Secondary School

13
Singapore Education SystemIssues and
Controversies

• Streaming- Developing specific talents or
  stigmatising weaker groups?
• Bilingual policy- Does every student have the
  mental capacity to be proficient in two
  languages?
• Passive and examination-oriented learners The
  Graduate Factory?

14
Streaming- Boon or Bane?

• Arguments for streaming
• All students have equal chances regardless of
  race or social status
• Students are allowed to study at a suitable pace
  as they are grouped according to learning needs
  and abilities
• Develops different potentials and talents in
  students
• Future leaders of the nation will be groomed for
  their roles through appropriate enrichment
  programmes

15
Streaming- Boon or Bane?

• Arguments against streaming
• Students from lower-end streams suffer social
  stigmatisation and labeling eg. Normal Technical
  students
• Self-fulfilling prophecy they are not expected
  to do well and so they do not
• Students lose self-esteem and confidence
• Disadvantages many children whose talents and
  strengths develop and show up later
• Does not take into account different abilities,
  intelligences and learning styles
• Gives rise to elitism where the more academically
  able and well-educated students are better
  rewarded

16
Bilingual Policy

• Bilingualism and learning the Mother Tongue will
  remain the cornerstone of our education policy
• English Language- Development and economic
  survival
• Mother Tongue- Access to ones cultural roots and
  heritage
• Main argument Not everybody has the innate
  capacity to become effectively bilingual
• Mother Tongue admission criterion to local
  universities has been relaxed
• Weaker secondary school students are allowed to
  read simplified Chinese Language B syllabus

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Generation of Passive and Examination-oriented
Learners

• Education system criticised as rigid and lacking
  in intellect-exercising stimuli
• Development of powers of memory recall and
  information-absorption faculties seen as
  important to students
• Students lack thinking skills and creativity to
  compete economically on a global scale
• Is the system too focused on academic excellence?

18
Initiatives and Programmes
Psychological Guidance Services
Gifted Education Programme
Trim Fit (TAF) Programme
Elective Progrmmes
Co-curricular Activities
Initiatives Programmes
Innovation Enterprise
Integrated Programme
Project Work
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Essay Titles

• Is a sound knowledge of science and technology
  essential for a well-educated person in todays
  world? (GCE 1999)
• Do you think there is any need for change in the
  educational system in your country? (GCE 1990)
• Education does not develop individuality but
  conformity. Is such a statement always valid?
  (GCE 1998)
• Consider the importance of the study of arts in
  modern society. (TPJC JC2 CT 1995)

20
Thats all folks!

• Resources
• UNESCO website http//www.unesco.org/
• Human Rights Watch website http//www.hrw.org/
• United Nations website http//www.un.org/
• http//www.educationguide-usa.com/isg/edusystem.ht
  m
• http//www.ed.gov/updates/uniforms.html
• http//www.moe.edu.sg
• Calhoun, Light and Keller 1997 Sociology Seventh
  Edition The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.