This brilliant book, written by policy expert Andrew Wear in 2020, inspires us to look for solutions by analysing how other nations have addressed global issues. It demonstrates the hope that a solution is available and how we may use the example of some countries' extraordinary triumphs to apply the lesson.
This book addresses ten of the world's most pressing issues, one of which is education. In 2000, New Zealand school students were achieving some of the best results in the world. In reading, the country was third globally, behind only Finland and Canada. Interestingly, in 2018, the statistic shows that the reading performance of New Zealand students has deteriorated. By contrast, Singapore has built an education system from scratch, now delivering world-best results within a government-run system that values and invests in teachers.
What Singapore Can Teach Us
1. Value Teachers and the Work They Do
Singapore recruits teachers from among its top-performing students and provides intensive support during training; the system also shows the importance of supporting the ongoing development of teachers. Singaporean primary and secondary teachers with ten to twenty years experience are paid about US$55,000. It is above the median Singaporean salary and above the OECD average for teachers.
2. Government Schools are Great
Singapore shows that a well-resourced and well-led public school system can achieve the best results. Around 98.5 percent of Singaporean students are enrolled in public schools. Education in Singapore is well funded, with US$109,060 spent on the instruction of each child between the ages of six and fifteen. With more funding for school education than almost any other country in the world, one of the most valuable lessons Singapore offers is that the education budget is not the place to look for savings.
3. Use Assessment Meaningfully
The assessment system drives learning and achievement improvements because its focus on exams ensures a strong alignment between government policy, school, and student outcomes.
4. Change Policy Sparingly
Singapore's educational performance is a central pillar of its national development agenda. Education policy takes time to have an effect, and frequent policy shifts can be harmful.
5. Culture Matters
Singaporean culture values education enormously, and parental involvement in learning is crucial for educational success. The policy can support this involvement to encourage children's socioemotional development, academic success, student engagement, and reading enjoyment.
6. Keep Improving
The changes are considered, evidence-based, and implemented thoughtfully, with a long-term perspective. Singapore does not do big bang reform. Besides, the system's senior managers and all the way down through the middle ranks of the bureaucracy have a clear view of what's important and what they need to do. The curriculum, the pedagogy, the teaching, and the staff development, are all well aligned.
However, reducing inequality is one of the best ways to improve overall educational outcomes. Today, Singapore's GDP per capita is among the highest in the world and has overtaken Australia and the United States. Across the OECD, income inequality is negatively associated with average educational attainment. Therefore, it is vital to promote equality of opportunity in access to and quality of education.
Note: I borrowed this book from Carlton Library.
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