Debated in Parliament on 4 Apr 2022.
Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim asked the Minister for Education (a) what are the strategies applied in schools to ensure that our children become discerning readers to spot signs of disinformation and online falsehoods; and (b) what is the age of the children for schools to start imparting this skill to them.
In schools, information and media literacy skills are taught through different subjects from Primary to pre-University levels, to nurture our students to be discerning users and producers of information.
From upper Primary levels, teachers use reading and thinking strategies that are age-appropriate to guide students in distinguishing fact from opinion, understanding context, establishing purpose, and verifying the credibility of information. During this process, students cross-check the information and views presented with other sources to determine their reliability and to spot signs of incomplete information and falsehoods. At the pre-University level, teachers build on these skills to guide students to be discerning readers of information as they explore a range of key issues of local, regional and global significance in General Paper.
Students are also taught how to discern online information as part of Cyber Wellness (CW) education within the refreshed Character and Citizenship Education (CCE) Curriculum implemented progressively from 2021. Starting from Primary level, students are taught to verify the credibility of online information sources to safeguard themselves in cyberspace. At the Secondary and pre-University levels, students deepen their understanding of the factors contributing to the spread of online falsehoods as well as its consequences.
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