Mr Masagos Zulkifli BMM: The Education Landscape - Catering to Excellence

This is the Keynote Speech by Mr Masagos Zulkifli BMM, Senior Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Education, at the Association of Muslim Professionals' (AMP) Community In Review Seminar in January 2008. He speaks about how as a nation, we have moved from a survival-driven phase of education, to an efficiency-driven model and since 1997, towards an ability-driven and aspirations-based model. It is in this phase that the government hopes to cater to and build on the strengths of our students, so that all Singaporeans are set on a path towards excellence from young. He goes on to highlight 3 principles on which we will do so.

1. Every Singaporean has Access to a Foundation for Excellence
2. We Cater to All Strengths
3. There are Multiple Pathways to Success

Below are excerpts from the speech.

"... In many other education systems around the world, there is often a disparity between public and private schools, in terms of facilities, quality, programmes and outcomes. These disparities in the education system often set the stage for widening gaps between those from privileged and those from disadvantaged backgrounds. In Singapore, we want education to be the levelling ground to bring children of all backgrounds to a high average. Not surprisingly then, Singaporean students - all Singaporean students - emerge among the best in the world when their learning outcomes are measured. ..."

"... We cater for the development of a wide range of talents, and in so doing, have extended far beyond the development of academic talents. We have established new specialised schools in the Arts, Sports, and Maths and Science, so as to bring students’ talents in these areas as far ahead as possible. ..."

"... We created NorthLight School to provide another pathway to success for students who are not well-suited for a conventional academic education, and who found difficulty in assessing the PSLE curriculum. The school uses creative and unconventional teaching methods to stimulate its students, and focuses its efforts on building their confidence. ..."

Read the rest of the speech here or download the pdf.

Ernest Madu: Bringing world-class health care to the poorest

Ernest Madu founded the Heart Institute of the Caribbean, a revolutionary clinic for cardiovascular diseases in Kingston, Jamaica -- revolutionary for offering first-class health care in a developing nation. He proves that -- with careful design, smart technical choices, and a true desire to serve -- it's possible to offer world-class healthcare in the developing world.

Alex Steffen: Inspired ideas for a sustainable future

Alex Steffen is co-founder and executive editor of WorldChanging.com, an online clearinghouse of information and inspiration on the environment. He argues that reducing humanity’s ecological footprint is incredibly vital now, as the western consumer lifestyle spreads to developing countries.

Al Gore: 15 ways to avert a climate crisis

Once the US Vice President, then star of An Inconvenient Truth, now Nobel Peace Prize winner, Al Gore found a way to focus the world's attention on climate change. In this video, he spells out 15 ways that individuals can address climate change immediately, from buying a hybrid to inventing a new, hotter "brand name" for global warming.

Alan Kay: A powerful idea about teaching ideas

With all the intensity and brilliance for which he is known, Alan Kay envisions better techniques for teaching kids by using computers to illustrate experience in ways -– mathematically and scientifically -- that only computers can.

Dave Eggers: Once Upon a School

Dave Eggers won the 2008 TED Prize Wish with this personal project. An accomplished novelist in his own right, Dave came up with an idea to partner local schools to help improve the literacy level of students. With spellbinding eagerness, he talks about how his 826 Valencia tutoring center inspired others around the world to open their own centres and reach out to others in their own communities. Dave's passion to create positive change is deeply moving. His idea is a simple one, but extremely portable to our local context in Singapore. Perhaps the way to a better education for Sinagporeans lie not just in our public education system but also on how non-governmental groups can come in to integrate, providing a more wholistic solution to our challenges especially with regards to the less academically inclined.

Sir Ken Robinson: Do schools kill creativity?

Sir Ken Robinson makes an entertaining and profoundly moving case for creating an education system that nurtures (rather than undermines) creativity. In doing so, I feel he raises some important questions on how and why we are in the business of education. I thought this is especially relevant for us in Singapore where the Ministry of Education has tried ways to include creative thinking in our local syllabus. While the intention was brilliant and indeed timely, its execution was not always beneficial. Sir Ken Robinson provides some interesting ideas in this video.