Education System in Singapore

Find details from Study Abroad Consultants - YoungBuzz

Education System In Singapore

Singapore's education system has been described as "world-leading" and in 2010 was among those picked out for commendation by the British education minister Michael Gove.

Overview - The education system in Singapore evolves around the premise that every student has unique aptitudes and interests.

In 2005, Singapore hosted over 70,000 international students. The Singaporean Government is committed to see international education grow, and by 2015 plans to attract 150,000 students.

The education system in Singapore follows a four tiered model. Primary
Education in Singapore follows the four-tier model which includes
              1.Primary schools
              2.Secondary schools
              3.Pre-tertiary level at Junior Colleges or Polytechnics
              4.Tertiary education at a university.

• Primary Education

Primary education starts at age seven and consists of 2 stages
        1.A four year foundation stage (Primary 1 to 4)
        2.A two year orientation stage (Primary 5 to 6)
Then students have to take the national Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) and are placed in the secondary schools according to performance in the PSLE.

• Secondary Education

Students are placed in different secondary education tracks or streams:

• Special
• Express
• Normal (Academic)
• Normal (Technical)

• Pre-Tertiary

Upon completion of this tier, the results determine which pre-universities or post-secondary institutions students apply to.
Students who wish to pursue for a professional-centred diploma education go on to post-secondary institutions such as the polytechnics and the Institute of Technical Education (ITE).

• Tertiary

After completion of two-year or three-year courses in Junior Colleges or Millennia Institute, students may go ahead to earn degrees awarded in the Universities.

• Polytechnics

Polytechnics in Singapore provide 3-year diploma courses and, they accept students based on their GCE "O" level, GCE "A" level or Institute of Technical Education (ITE) results.

Polytechnics offer a wide range of courses in various fields, including engineering, business studies, accountancy, tourism and hospitality management, mass communications, digital media and biotechnology.

There are also specialized courses such as marine engineering, nautical studies, nursing, and optometry. They provide a more industry-oriented education as an alternative to junior colleges for post-secondary studies.

Graduates of polytechnics with good grades can continue to pursue further tertiary education at the universities, and many overseas universities, notably those in Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom.