Conclusion
‘In the second phase of the development of the Singaporean economic system, the government was seeking to shift its competitive advantage in the global labor market from being the low cost of its labor to the quality of its labor, so that it could compete for businesses that would not just locate in Singapore, but locate work in Singapore that would pay well. So the focus of education policy shifted from basic literacy to quality and to the retention of students in school. The focus of policy became how to get all students to global education standards.”
The Curriculum Development of Institute of Singapore (CDIS) was also established in 1980 to, among others, produce supporting teaching materials or guides for their teachers. Those primary and secondary schools operating on “double sessions” (we call this two shifts) were converted to “single-session schools” in the 1990s.
It may be said that our Bro. Armin A. Luistro, FSC, with the help of our Department of Education (DepEd) Assistant Secretaries Rey Laguda and Jesus Mateo, is now implementing our own student-tracking system with the development of the DepEd’s Learner Information System.
The equivalent of Singapore’s “streaming and a standardized curriculum” for their students to acquire “industry-related skills” will now happen in our education system with the full implementation of our Senior High School (SHS) in school years 2016-2018.
Our DepEd Undersecretary Dina Ocampo spearheaded the development of our learners’ modules and teacher guides under the present K to 12 Basic Education Curriculum, while Undersecretary Rizalino Rivera and Assistant Secretary Elvin Uy are some of the officials in charge of preparing our Schools Divisions for the implementation of SHS nationwide. We are now also working on our schools still with double shifts by looking for lots where we may construct more classrooms.
Our DepEd Undersecretaries Francisco Varela and Mario Derequito are also working double time to make this happen. Assistant Secretary Mandy Ruiz is making sure that funds required for all the aforementioned are included in our department’s yearly budget. Ability-driven education refers to the period after 1997 where the system of testing and student tracking was further emphasized. The late 1990s saw Singapore transiting to a knowledge-based economy. This period also is marked by the establishment or development of independent schools and autonomous schools.
As schools made vast improvement, the CDIS was closed. Focus was shifted to developing broader range of skills, such as critical thinking and creativity, and to develop more autonomy in schools to encourage innovation and cater to a wider variety of interest and aptitude to Singaporean students. New types of schools to encourage students with special talents to go as far as they can are also established.
In 2004 the government developed the “Teach Less, Learn More” initiative, which encourage students to learn more actively and independently. It aims to nurture in students curiosity that goes beyond the formal curriculum, and “a love for learning that stays with the students for life.” The initiative also focuses on developing understanding, critical thinking and the ability to ask questions and seek answers and solutions. Examination and assessment methods are reviewed to reduce reliance on “rote learning” and encourage independent learning and experimentation
(As to the “present phase of making Singaporean education as learner-centered,” this is also the policy of our DepEd. Protecting our children, among others, is also a priority with the issuance of the Child Protection Policy in 2012 courtesy of our Undersecretary for Legal Alberto T. Muyot).
I would like to say that where we are now is where Singapore was in the past. Singapore’s experiences, the issues and concerns it faced in education and the solutions it adopted are very relevant to our Philippine Basic Education System. Surely, what we have learned in this leadership program may help (though should be contextualized) if applied to our education system.
This column should not be taken as a legal advice applicable to any case, as each case is unique and should be construed in light of the attending circumstances surrounding such particular case.
Lawyer Toni Umali is the current assistant secretary for Legal and Legislative Affairs of the Department of Education (DepEd). He is licensed to practice law not only in the Philippines, but also in the state of California and some federal courts in the US after passing the California State Bar Examinations in 2004. He has served as a legal consultant to several legislators and local chief executives. As education assistant secretary, he was instrumental in the passage of the K to 12 law and the issuance of its implementing rules and regulations. He is also the alternate spokesman of the DepEd.
1 comment
I believe our education system has been improving with the leadership of Bro. Armin Luistro, Sec. Laguda, Sec. Mateo and of course Asec. Umali. I hope we could continue to learn from Singapore’s excellent system too.