Singapore Ministry of Education’s aim is to help us discover our own talents, to make the best of these talents and realise our full potential, and to develop a passion for learning that lasts through life The education system is flexible and diverse - The aim is to provide us with greater choice to meet our different interests and ways of learning. Being able to choose what and how we learn will encourage us to take greater ownership of our learning.

Primary School (6 years)

Secondary Express Course –

GCE ‘O ’ Level(4 years)

Secondary Normal Academic Course -

GCE ‘N ’ A Level(5 years)

Secondary Normal Technical Course -

GCE ‘N ’ T Level(4 years)

Pre-Vocational Course

(1-4 years)

Junior College (2-3 years)

Polytechnics - Diploma (3 years)

Universities (3-4 years for undergraduate)

Workplace

Institute of Technical Education(2 years)

Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE)

GCE ‘O ’ Level Examination

GCE ‘N ’ A Level Examination

GCE ‘N ’ T Level Examination

GCE ‘A ’ Level Examination

Edusave Scheme for all Singaporean students• Edusave Pupil Fund - Singapore Government contributes

$200 and $240 each year to all Singaporean children at primary and secondary level respectively.

• Edusave Grant – provides schools with funds to pay for enrichment programmes or to purchase additional resources.

• Edusave Scholarship and awards – rewards students who perform well or who make good progress in their academic and non-academic work.

Financial Assistance for needy Singaporean students• Provides subsidy for school fees, school textbooks,

school uniforms to Singapore Citizen pupils from lower income families.

In Singapore, there is no need for you to leave your houses to study. There are websites and portals, set up by the Ministry of Education to help students learn, even when they are at home. Most schools in Singapore uses this method to help the students with their studies. In Pioneer Secondary School, we use this method in the holidays and there will be a day, every year where we will not be going to school. We are suppose to do our work through these websites in the morning and in the afternoon, we will have to attend a sports event organised by the school.

Learning at home may be easy as we follow our own pace. You also do not need to follow the strict classroom rules. As much as the advantages, there are also disadvantages. One of them, for example is if there are questions that need to be asked, you cannot really ask your teachers, even if you ask them online, you may not really understand. In Singapore, to make education easier, we have such websites and portals to help us understand our lesson better and to train us to study independently.

There are 4 local universities in Singapore.

- National University of Singapore(NUS) Founded on 3rd July 1905, it has evolved into a comprehensive university offering courses in major disciplines such as the Sciences, Engineering, Technology, Law, Arts & Social Sciences and Medicine.

- Nanyang Technological University(NTU)Set up on 1981 to provide facilities for tertiary education and research in engineering and technology. It has since incorporated the National Institute of Education(NIE) "the teachers' college" and expanded to include Accountancy, Business and Communication Studies.

- Singapore Management University(SMU)Established on 12th January 2000 as the first publicly-funded private university with a focus on business and management programmes.

- Singapore University of Technology and Design(SUTD)SUTD was added to the university landscape in 2008 and will matriculate its first batch of students in April 2012. SUTD offers education in science, technology, arts, humanities, and social sciences.

Other than local universities, Singapore also have joint programmes with more than 16 other institutes around the world.

Upon completion of the secondary education, students are given choices to enter Junior College, Polytechnics or Institute of Technical Education. The difference between these three institutes is that

Junior College prepare students by equipping them with the skills and knowledge required for tertiary education. A combination of lively classes, a variety of interesting and thought-provoking subjects. At the end of studies, students will sit for the GCE ‘A’ level examination to obtain the GCE ‘A’ level certificate that will prepare them academically for universities or institutes

Polytechnic offer exciting opportunities for learning. A polytechnic education gives students hands-on experience in a dynamic and progressive learning environment. It offers the atmosphere, challenge and excitement of life in an institution of higher learning. The courses offered are market-driven and career-oriented, leading students to fulfilling and rewarding careers, as well as preparing them for further education

Institute of Technical Education (ITE)aims to equip its students with technical skills and knowledge to meet the workforce needs of various industry sectors. Students will be able to discover and develop your talents, learn new skills and have fun all at the same time.

Upon completion, students can either further their studies to universities or join the workforce straightaway.