In a far away land there is a tiny country which seems to have come to our time from the future. This place is called Singapore. Today it is included to the list of the 20 smallest countries on our planet. Singapore is truly an impressive place. Only 50 years ago it was just a backward, retarded island. Now, however, it is the most modern and top class place on earth. Since English is today’s international language acquired by millions of people, it feels really good to study and live in Singapore. Singapore's four languages are English, Mandarin, Malay, and Tamil. English is the basic language of education. This beautiful, clean, and modern place creates a great environment for all foreigners who would like to get an excellent education. Yet, everyone who is thinking about moving to this place should know that the cost of living is very expensive. Besides, visitors should remember that fines even for minor (not for Singapore) violations like littering are very high. But you will love that Singapore offers good quality, healthy food. Thus, there are many reasons to choose this place if you plan to study abroad.
System of Education in Singapore
The Singapore's school system was established in the beginning of the 20th century. For years it has been thoroughly developed by the most brilliant minds of the country. They aimed to create a system that would develop young people intellectually, physically, aesthetically, and socially. Harmony in a person’s development was and is the main purpose of this country’s education. For teachers, students' ability to think logically and critically, analyze things, and be creative is the final goal. You can find more detailed information about this system at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Education_in_Singapore.
Pre-School in Singapore
All the kindergartens in the country are private institutions. Children younger than 6 years old usually attend kindergartens. When they are 6, they start to attend classes in school. Kindergartens aim to teach children how to read and write. They offer classes in calculus, singing, dancing, and painting. In other words, kindergartens are designed to prepare children for studying in school. Children learn how to communicate with their peers and with teachers, which makes their transition to a school faster and less stressful.
Singapore School System
Every child that lives in this country has to study is school for ten years. Children begin to attend school when they are six and finish the compulsory education at the age of 16. Primary school consists of two stages – foundation stage and orientations stage. During the foundation stage students learn music, languages, arts, and social studies. Physical education is also an important part of the program. Later on courses in the sciences are added to their program. At the orientation stage students are streamed according to their abilities. Depending on their grades in different disciplines, students take subjects at different levels. This stage ends with an examination. Based on their scores they can choose a secondary school to continue education.
Higher Education
Students in Singapore focus not only on getting high grades, but also on constant personal growth. Professors’ goal is to motivate students to always be curious and learn as many things as possible. Today Singapore is home to several greatest universities in the world. Students with all kinds of interests can find an appropriate institution to improve their skills and become successful. There are different types of higher education institutions in this country.
Institute of Technical Education
Here students get education in various technical disciplines such as applied science, information technology, business, hospitality and management, etc. This place is the national authority which sets standard for the certification of skills in the country (read more).
Polytechnic Institutions
There are several polytechnic schools in Singapore. Here students gain the skills that they require for a specific kind of work. After completing one of these practical programs students either earn a degree or get a diploma.
Other Schools
There is also a variety of higher education schools which offer programs in different disciplines, for instance, the arts. Yet, these schools are not subsidized or regulated by the Ministry of Education of the country. These institutions are completely independent, and students should take that into consideration.
Universities
Students who study in Singapore can earn a degree in various public and private universities that operate here. There are four large public schools which are funded by the government of the country. They are:
- The University of Singapore
- Singapore Management University
- Nanyang technological University
- Singapore University of Technology and Design
