Education and School Curiculum: Equipping to Succeed

Introduction

Education has always been around us and whatever we do, we have to learn it first. Talking, running, reading or writing are examples of activities that required learning before it can be executed. As claimed by Hall-quest (n.d) “The main purpose or objective is to prepare the young for future responsibilities and for success in life, by means of acquisition of the organized bodies of information and prepared forms of skill, which comprehend the material of instruction.” As such, what will be taught in schools have to be in line with the needs of the future.

In this world we are living in, knowledge and skills may become absolute one day. New skills will be developed, new knowledge will be unearthed. How are we to maintain ourselves to be relevant at all times? In the past, where typewriters are the “IN” thing, now the same clerks have to be retrained to learn about new technology of computers. No doubt, these clerks are proficient and almost made no mistakes, but their skills are still absolute. Students will have to understand that knowledge and skills they procure today will lost its essence in time to come. This is where learning is still on going and it does not stop at the traditional school education system.

In Singapore context, as we are progressing into a knowledge-based economy, a shift in educational pattern is required towards a more practical approach. As declared by DPM Lee Hsien Long in 1997, the nation’s Ministry of Education (MOE) is looking into ways to expand “creative thinking skills and learning skills” that is essential for the future and bring it into the education system (Lee, 2007). Singapore has thus inculcated a vision of “Thinking School, Learning Nation” (TSLN) where it hopes not to onl...

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...n, as important as education is to a society, the world’s current affairs are as important. Education’s mission is not only to get a good job but also to prepare them to succeed in life. This is where student are needed to be educated holistically. Teachers are not the only people who will impact students’ learning. Everyone in the society from the parents to peers to government will more or less affect the students’ learning.

As the world moves towards globalization, it is even more important to prepare the students not only to face the working world, but to teach them how to integrate into society well being. Students’ knowledge, skills, thinking ability and their own experience in life will shape each individual to be prepared for life. It will also be up to each individual to carry on with lifelong learning as they progress through the different stage of life.