Inclusion of Emerging and Contemporary Policy Issues, Constitution and Workings of Parliamentary Democracy in National Education Syllabus

Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim asked the Minister for Education what efforts are currently in place to ensure that, as part of the National Education syllabus, students are apprised of (i) emerging and contemporary policy issues and (ii) Singapore's Constitution and the workings of Singapore's parliamentary democracy.

Students discuss contemporary issues in subjects like Social Studies, General Paper and Character and Citizenship Education (CCE). Through these subjects, they learn about Singapore's Constitution and the workings of Singapore's parliamentary democracy.

In Social Studies, students inquire into contemporary issues by examining policies, the tradeoffs involved and their impact on society. For example, students explore Singapore's approach in managing sociocultural diversity and consider the role of citizens. In General Paper, teachers engage pre-University students in discussions on a broad range of societal issues, guiding them to consider different perspectives and to understand Singapore's context and position amidst global developments. As part of the refreshed CCE curriculum, secondary and pre-university teachers raise contemporary issues for their students' understanding and discussion. Examples include topics like the Russia-Ukraine conflict and racism.

In Social Studies, students learn about Singapore's Constitution, the various organs of state and the decision-making process in a representative democracy. They explore the principles that shape governance in Singapore and consider the role of citizens. Through History at the pre-university level, students deepen their understanding of the establishment of Parliamentary democracy in Singapore and constitutional processes since Independence.