An educational phase is a stage in a child's education which is normally defined by legislation or regulation and is characterised by the age of students, school type and curriculum and assessment arrangements. The curriculum and assessment framework in this Archive is related to these phases.
There is pre-school education in Singapore. Nursery and kindergarten classes are provided by a range of private or community-based bodies.11 In addition, there are also childcare centres (see below).
Schools in Singapore comprise primary schools, secondary schools, full schools (primary and secondary), junior colleges and centralised institutes.25
Pre-school education caters for children from the ages of 3 to 6/7 years in 'kindergartens' or from 2 months to 6/7 years of age in 'childcare centres'. Although pre-school education is not compulsory, as parents in Singapore place a premium on education in general, almost 99 per cent of children experience between one and three years of pre-school education.38
Kindergartens (for 3- to 6/7-year-olds)
Kindergartens are run by various groups, including community foundations, social groups, religious bodies and private businesses. Fees are payable, and those run by foundations, religious bodies and social groups may receive financial subsidies or grants from their parent organisations.21
Kindergartens are generally organised into three classes for 3- to 4, 4- to 5, and 5- to 6/7-year-olds respectively, known as, Nursery, Kindergarten 1 (K1), and Kindergarten 2 (K2) respectively.50
Childcare centres (for babies to 6/7-year-olds)
Childcare centres offer full-day or half-day programmes for children who are not yet in schooling. They accept babies from the age of 2 months and also offer pre-school education activities to the children placed under their care. 11 More information on childcare centres, which come under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS), can be found via the MCYS website at http://app.mcys.gov.sg/web/home_main.asp.
Although pre-school education is private, strict guidelines and supervision are provided by the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS) for the running of childcare centres and by the Ministry of Education (MOE) with regard to kindergartens. In the case of childcare centres, this involves regular monitoring of educational programmes, physical facilities, child health, welfare and management, staff:child ratios and centre administration. Together with the Ministry of Education, the MCYS is also responsible for the accreditation of staff qualifications and training courses. 11
Working mothers are provided with a government subsidy per child for children attending childcare centres.11
Almost 99 per cent of children experience one to three years of pre-school education prior to primary sector education, which commences in the January of the year they become 7.38
Parents also usually enrol their children in childcare centres or kindergartens which will meet the language needs of their children. Malay, Chinese [Mandarin], Tamil and English are the official languages.38
Kindergartens conduct their own enrolment/registration exercises from February for admission to programmes in the following year. All kindergartens charge a once-only and non-refundable fee at the time of registration for admission.21
Kindergartens function every day, five days a week (Monday to Friday), for between two-and-a-half and four hours a day. Most offer at least two sessions per day.21
Kindergartens follow the school year observed by schools in the formal education system. The school year consists of four 10-week terms beginning on 2nd January each year. There is a one-week vacation after the first and third term, a four-week vacation mid-year and six weeks at year end.21
Childcare centres offer provision for up to 12 hours per day for five days a week (Monday to Friday) and Saturday morning.52
Primary sector education caters for children aged 6/7 to 12, in primary schools or in full schools, which take students aged 6/7 to 16. Schools are generally coeducational, but there are some single-sex primary schools and a very few single-sex full schools. There are no separate schools for different groups of students based on ability, denomination or curriculum.11
Children aged 6 on 1 January of the year of admission are admitted to Primary 1; that is, they start school in the January of the year they become 7. For example, a child whose date of birth falls between 2nd January 1996 and 1st January 1997 would have begun primary education at Primary 1 on 1st January 2003. There are two categories:
Where a school is oversubscribed a ballot is held, prioritising students who live closest to the school.14
The school year comprises 40 teaching weeks. Examinations and other school activities may account for about four weeks of instructional time. Most schools run double sessions, with different groups of students attending school either from 7:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. or from 1:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. from Monday to Friday.22
However, based on recommendations of the Primary Education Review and Implementation Committee in April 2009, the Ministry of Education is planning to implement changes by 2016, which aim to provide a more holistic learning experience for children. The changes include moving all primary schools to a single-session structure to free up facilities in the afternoon for enrichment programmes and co-curricular activities (CCAs).95
The school year consists of four 10-week terms beginning on 2nd January each year. There is a one-week vacation after the first and third term, a four-week vacation mid-year and six weeks at year end.21
Lower secondary education, known as 'secondary education' in Singapore, caters for students aged 12-16/17 (depending on type of course)35 in secondary schools or in full schools (ages 6/7-16). Schools are generally co-educational although there are some single-sex secondary schools and a very few single-sex full schools. There are no separate schools for different groups of students selected according to ability, denomination or curriculum.11 Differentiated courses are provided, however. See below.
At the end of Primary 6, students take the national Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE). Their results in this examination determine their placement on differentiated courses of lower secondary education (special, express, normal technical, or normal academic), according to their learning pace, ability and inclinations. Differentiated courses are generally provided within the same school.35
Since the 2003 academic year, all primary students taking the PSLE have selected their secondary school after the results of the PSLE have been announced. Once results are announced, parents and students are given four days to make their school choices. Previously students chose their secondary school in the August immediately prior to taking the examination. 62
The school year comprises 40 teaching weeks. Examinations and other school activities may account for about four weeks of instructional time.25 Most schools run double sessions, with different groups of students attending school either from 7:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. or from 1:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. from Monday to Friday.22
The school year consists of four 10-week terms beginning on 2nd January each year. There is a one-week vacation after the first and third term, a four-week vacation mid-year and six weeks at year end.21
See section 5.3.2 also (timetable details for the secondary sector).
Upper-secondary education, known as post-secondary (or pre-university) education in Singapore, caters for students aged 16/17 to 18/19/20, in three different types of school:
Schools are generally co-educational.
Performance in the lower secondary (secondary school) phase, student choice and school recommendation form the basis on which students are admitted to post-secondary courses.22
Admission to pre-university courses is based on points computed from the students' Singapore Cambridge (international) General Certificate of Education Ordinary Level (GCE 'O' Level) examination results.22 (Points are received dependent on students' grades in particular GCE 'O' Level subjects. They may be weighted in favour of particular GCE subjects for entry to specific pre-university level courses.) 37
Until 2009, junior colleges started the school term with two intakes of first-year students; one in January (the start of the school year), based on school preliminary examination results and another in March based on actual 'O' Level results. This resulted in a high turnover of students many of whom, after receiving their 'O' Level results, switched courses or colleges, or dropped out. Junior colleges now start the school term with a single intake of first-year students in early February. 'O' Level results are being released a few weeks earlier in January to help facilitate this. 94
The school year comprises 40 teaching weeks. Examinations and other school activities may account for about four weeks of instructional time. Students doing a three-year course at a centralised institute are required to attend lectures/tutorials amounting to a minimum of about 25 curriculum hours per week.11
The school year consists of four 10-week terms beginning on 2nd January each year. There is a one-week vacation after the first and third term, a four-week vacation mid-year and six weeks at year end.21