Organisational legitimacy of the Singapore Ministry of Education

This paper analyses the perceived organisational legitimacy of the Singapore Ministry of Education (MOE) in preparing the population for work in the knowledge-based economy (KBE). It is argued that challenges to MOE’s legitimacy are emerging with ramifications that are difficult to ignore. These challenges relate to equipping the population with KBE attributes and developing diverse forms of talents in students. To maintain organisational legitimacy, education authorities need to work more closely with stakeholders to develop forward-looking learning eco-systems in schools where teaching is professionalised, assessments are responsibly leveraged, student talents are nurtured, and external stakeholders are involved.postprin

Theoretical discussion on forms of cultural capital in Singapore

This article is a theoretical discussion on five forms of cultural resources that constitute cultural capital for children in the meritocratic yet stratified society of Singapore. These five forms of cultural capital are namely ‘academic’ tastes and leisure preferences, use of Standard English, access to and dispositions toward information communication technology, acquisition of learning skills, and confidence/learning dispositions. They cover two important aspects of cultural capital—namely objectified and embodied components—that may vary in levels with social class and that mediate the influence of social class on children’s academic achievement. Equally importantly, the focus on one societal context—in this case, Singapore—recognizes the contextual specificities of cultural capital in form and consumption pattern among individuals.postprin

Do parental attitudes toward and expectations for their children’s education and future jobs matter for their children’s school achievement?

The traditional discourse in the scholarship on cultural capital theory has focused on how exclusive participation in elite status culture by students from higher socioeconomic status families benefits their learning in schools, the effects of which are most evident in linguistic subject areas such as reading achievement. However, some scholars have argued that cultural capital is not restricted to elite status culture but could include parental familiarity with school evaluation standards and job market requirements, and that the effects could transcend languages to include performance domains with more objective evaluation and that are susceptible to school influences (e.g., mathematics and science). The present study systematically examines this position using data involving 96,591 15-year-old students from 3,602 schools in eight countries who participated in the Programme for International Student Assessment 2012. Results of three-level hierarchical linear modelling showed positive relationships between seven cultural capital variables and student mathematics achievement. The cultural variables comprised home educational resources; parental educational attainment and occupational status; parental expectations of their children’s educational attainment, future career in mathematics, and school; and parental valuing of mathematics. In particular, the three parental expectations variables had substantively larger effect sizes on student achievement than the other cultural capital variables. The results demonstrated that parental familiarity with school evaluation standards and future job requirements, especially as measured by parental expectations, may constitute cultural capital that privilege student mathematics achievement in schools

Predictors of information technology integration in secondary schools: Evidence from a large-scale study of more than 30,000 students

published_or_final_versio

Explaining the success of the world’s leading education systems: The case of Singapore

International comparative data on student performance has led McKinsey&Company, among others, to suggest that education systems will inexorably converge in their developmental trajectories with principals and schools enjoying more autonomy. This article challenges these assumptions through referencing Singapore where schools and professionals are still tightly controlled in key resources, curricula and assessment, and where other key factors contribute to its success – thereby evidencing multiple pathways to success.postprin

Do increased professionalism and school autonomy explain the success of the world's leading education systems? Multiple pathways: the case of Singapore

Congress Theme: Education Systems for School Effectiveness and Improvement: Exploring the AlternativesPaper 4In recent years, the availability of international comparative data on student performance has led to a proliferation of analyses on the developmental trajectories of education systems around the world. In the barrage of published findings emanating from these studies, there is a discomforting articulation that all education systems, regardless of their socio-cultural and political contexts, will inexorably converge in their developmental trajectories. Two organisations in particular - OECD through its PISA 2012 report, and McKinsey & Co. through its reports on the progression of ...postprin

How a 'top-performing' Asian school system formulates and implements policy: The case of Singapore

This article analyses the paradox inherent in the ‘top-performing’ yet tightly controlled Singapore education system. As government controls have increased in complexity, existing policymaking conceptual heuristics in accounting for centre-periphery relationships appear inadequate. It argues that more direct government control is being replaced by ‘steering through paternalism from close proximity’, reflecting a more subtle centre-periphery relationship in an Asian context.postprin

Educational leadership in Singapore: Tight coupling, sustainability, scalability, and succession

Purpose: While Singapore's outstanding educational achievements are well known worldwide, there is a disproportionate paucity of literature on school leadership practices that contribute to and support pedagogical initiatives that - along with socio-cultural factors - are normally considered responsible for its educational success. The aim of this paper is to explicate system-wide school leadership factors that contribute to Singapore's educational success. Design/methodology/approach: The paper includes critical discussion, review of literature and conceptualization. Findings: It is argued that three unique features of Singapore school leadership, namely - logistics of a small tightly-coupled school system, human resource policies that reinforce alignment, and a distinctive "leader-teacher compact" reflecting the predominant Chinese culture - account for the extraordinary level of tight coupling and alignment of leadership across the school system. In turn, these unique features bring synergies of sustainability, scalability, succession, and high performance across the entire Singapore school system. Research limitations/implications: Unique features of Singapore school leadership must be examined in conjunction with pedagogical initiatives and socio-cultural factors for a more complete and nuanced understanding of educational success in Singapore. Practical implications: Tightly coupled mechanisms of leadership underlie the success of Singapore education. Government needs to consider whether such tightly- coupled leadership will continue to serve it well in future, given the demand for twenty-first century knowledge based skills. Social implications: The influence of socio-cultural factors (e.g. leader-teacher compact) on educational success merits inclusion in any explanation. Originality/value: This paper addresses an important gap in the literature by promulgating crucial features of school leadership that contribute to Singapore's educational success. © Emerald Group Publishing Limited.postprin

Placenta praevia: Preach and perception

Placenta praevia is a known obstetric condition that causes complications to mother and fetus. This study was done to evaluate the knowledge of placenta praevia amongst the obstetric patients. A cross sectional study was carried out in Hospital Ipoh, Perak among 323 antenatal and postnatal patients. Socio-demographic parameters (ie age, race, parity, occupation, educational level) and history of placenta praevia were studied in relation to level of knowledge and attitude towards placenta praevia. Twenty (6.2%) from 323 women had current or past history of placenta praevia. Three had history of placenta praevia while 17 had current placenta praevia with prevalence of 5.3%. The mean score of knowledge achieved by patients was 11.8 which indicated overall poor knowledge. Occupation, level of education and history of placenta praevia were found to have a relationship with level of knowledge regarding placenta praevia in all obstetric patients. There was a significant relationship between attitude of patients with current and history of placenta praevia to level of knowledge regarding placenta praevia. (p=0.037, <0.05). In conclusion, the knowledge and attitude towards placenta praevia among obstetric patients in Hospital Ipoh was better in those who had higher education status, white-collar occupation and currently pregnant with placenta praevi