Spotlight on Art, Music and Physical Education

Coming your way: new indoor sports halls, synthetic turf fields, dance studios and band rooms. More schools will enjoy such facilities as MOE introduces a new educational framework that will enhance the learning of art, music and physical education (PE).

Learning takes place as well outside the classroom in the sporting arena.

Young people need to pick up diverse competencies to face the challenges of the future. Thus, schools seek to strike a balance between academic learning and nurturing students who are confident citizens with the ability to think creatively and critically. To support this holistic approach, schools will place a greater emphasis on art, music and PE, subjects that also help develop life skills and build identity.

Teachers will also receive professional development along these lines at the Physical Education and Sports Teacher Academy (PESTA) and Singapore Teachers' Academy for the Arts (STAR), with more teachers to be trained to specialise in a single subject such as Art or Music.

Strengthening language skills

Teachers such as Ms Karen Kang of Kent Ridge Secondary add life to English Language lessons through poetry and debates.

Also in the limelight are language skills, which schools are moving to strengthen in order to groom young people who can communicate effectively. Schools will be taking a "whole school approach" to create a culture of good English language usage, through more language-related activities such as online quizzes, public speaking courses and drama performances. More primary schools have also engaged Language Facilitators to conduct extracurricular enrichment programmes in areas such as oral presentation and storytelling.

In 2011, the English Language Institute of Singapore will also be ready to train teachers in English and English medium subjects. The centre aims to be the regional centre for teaching English in Asia and beyond.

More choices for secondary school students

By 2013, secondary school students will have more options in their education pathways. To cater to different learning needs and interests, MOE has lined up a range of new choices to help youths progress and achieve their potential.

Currently, most Normal (Academic) students go on to Institutes of Technical Education (ITE) after secondary school. From 2013, students will have the opportunity to enter polytechnics through two possible avenues. Students can sign up for a Foundation Programme at the polytechnics and apply for the relevant diploma course thereafter. Alternatively, they can take a two-year National ITE Certificate (Nitec) course before applying for a first or second year spot in a polytechnic.

Two new specialised schools for Normal (Technical) students will be opened in the near future.

Two new specialised schools for Normal (Technical) students will also be established from 2013. These schools will offer a four-year customised programme, with a focus on interactive, practice-oriented and ICT-enabled teaching methods to prepare students for technical employment or further studies in ITE.

Introduced to provide university-bound students with a broader educational experience and equip them for self-directed learning, MOE's Integrated Programme will be expanded in 2013 to seven more secondary schools. Meanwhile, the current four-year Integrated Programme at Temasek Junior College will be extended to six years. Pre-university choices will also broaden when a new junior college is opened by 2017.

More diversity in tertiary education

This August, the Singapore Institute of Technology introduced eight new degree programmes in specialised fields such as Real-Time Interactive Simulation and Game Design, Marine Technology and Hotel Administration. These courses are offered in partnership with various prestigious institutes around the world such as Technische Universität München in Germany and DigiPen Institute of Technology in the United States, and are open to polytechnic graduates with relevant work experience.

New degree programmes and a second medical school add to local choices in tertiary education

With a growing and aging population, healthcare demands in Singapore are expected to increase in the near future. The establishment of a new medical school by 2013 will thus go a long way in meeting these demands by producing doctors and medical researchers and introducing innovations to local medical education.

Located at the Nanyang Technological University, the new medical school is a joint effort with Imperial College London that combines the latter's renowned medical expertise and NTU's strengths in engineering and business. The National Healthcare Group, with its network of polyclinics, hospitals and national specialty centres, will serve as the primary clinical training partner for the new school.

Developing teachers professionally

To boost the professional development of teachers, MOE launched the Academy for Singapore Teachers this September. Guided by the Teachers' Vision to "Lead. Care. Inspire", the Academy aims to improve teaching standards and produce effective educators for the 21st century. It is also a place where teachers can gather and learn from one another.

Onwards to 2011

Having just debuted, the full impact of many of these new programmes will only be apparent after a few years. But with an eye on the longer term, parents and students alike can look forward to an educational landscape with more windows of opportunity that prepare young people for the challenges of a globalised economy.