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History Education in Singapore: Development and Transformation

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Education in Singapore

Part of the book series: Education in the Asia-Pacific Region: Issues, Concerns and Prospects ((EDAP,volume 66))

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Abstract

This chapter examines how the teaching and learning of history in Singapore have evolved since colonial times and throughout Singapore’s transformation into a modern, internationally connected, and cosmopolitan city-state. In the decades following the achievement of political independence in 1965, Singapore’s approach to history education has been carefully managed to meet the challenges and the shifting needs of a newly independent nation-state. National survival, economic imperatives, and social cohesiveness were overriding priorities. These foundational notions continue to wield significant influence in subsequent formulations of the history curriculum. Over the years, the dynamics of global change, concerns over economic functionality, and challenges to national cohesion have guided further iterations of the national history curriculum. These have subsequently led to changes in the way history education is conceived and how the subject is taught in the classroom. Since 2001, the introduction of disciplinary-focused aspects of historical study such as source-work methodology, inquiry-based learning, and concept-based teaching has transformed pedagogical and professional practice in many history classrooms in Singapore. By drawing on relevant scholarship and research in history education, the paper traces the evolution of history education in Singapore and highlights significant developments that have contributed to the way the subject is currently taught and learnt in schools.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    It should be noted here that history was introduced as a subject into Singapore schools as early as 1856. It was taught and examined in primary schools from 1856 to 1972 when it was removed as an examinable subject at the Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) which had been instituted in 1960. Hence, the discussion on the development and evolution of the history curriculum in Singapore prior to 1972 would include the primary history curriculum as well.

  2. 2.

    Ahmad Mattar’s assurance was made on the grounds that history was no longer a stand-alone subject in the primary curriculum but had been incorporated into the Education for Living (EFL) syllabus which was implemented in primary schools from 1975 onwards. The argument was that by incorporating history into EFL, it was made “more alive and meaningful” and relevant to pupils’ individual lived experiences and in so doing, avoid the “traditional way of teaching history which consists of mere memorization … for no other reason than passing an examination.” See “History not scrapped: Mattar”, New Nation, 19 March 1975, 2.

  3. 3.

    The “Teach Less, Learn More” (TLLM) movement started in 2005 to help teachers and schools focus on the fundamentals of effective and quality teaching. The aim was to make learning engaging for students and to get them to learn with understanding, while moving learning beyond mere preparation for tests and examinations.

  4. 4.

    The change to an inquiry-based and discipline-focused curriculum in the teaching of humanities subjects (namely, history, geography, and social studies) in Singapore had been in place since 2012. For history, new syllabus changes were initiated at the launches of the Upper Secondary History Syllabus in 2013, the Lower Secondary History Syllabus in 2014, and the A-Level History Syllabus in 2015.

  5. 5.

    The Student Learning Space (SLS) is a key MOE initiative that seeks to transform students’ educational experiences through the purposeful use of technology and giving them the opportunity to engage in different learning modes, such as self-directed and collaborative learning.

  6. 6.

    The Humanities and Social Studies Education Academic Group at the National Institute of Education, for example, organized the Singapore History Day 2019, a nation-wide history competition for schools in conjunction with Singapore’s bicentennial year. Students were encouraged to submit their history projects across four competition categories: historical documentary, mini-museum exhibit, interactive website, and academic paper. Representatives from educational bodies, media groups, and heritage institutions highlighted a common desire to support greater student interest and awareness of local history.

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  1. National Institute of Education, Singapore, Singapore

    Suhaimi Afandi & Ivy Maria Lim

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  1. Suhaimi Afandi
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Correspondence to Suhaimi Afandi .

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  1. National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore

    Yew-Jin Lee

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Afandi, S., Lim, I.M. (2022). History Education in Singapore: Development and Transformation. In: Lee, YJ. (eds) Education in Singapore. Education in the Asia-Pacific Region: Issues, Concerns and Prospects, vol 66. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-9982-5_21

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