Promoting Better Appreciation of Singapore History in Schools

Prof Tan Tai Yong asked the Minister for Education in approaching our 50th year of nationhood (a) what strategies are schools adopting to help students develop a better appreciation of Singapore history; and (b) how do the new history textbooks for lower Secondary students address this.

The Senior Minister of State for Education (Ms Indranee Rajah) (for the Minister for Education): Madam, the study of Singapore history is a staple in the History and Social Studies curriculum. All Primary school students learn about Singapore's past through Social Studies. Lower Secondary students study Singapore history in a two-year syllabus. As Singapore celebrates our 50 years of nationhood, the Ministry agrees with the need to deepen students' appreciation of Singapore's past.

The new lower Secondary history curriculum focuses on Singapore's history, starting from its early beginnings in the 14th century and moving on to the pre-colonial period. Students go on to learn that pre-colonial Singapore was a part of a global network and developed as a port city as these connections deepened through the colonial period. Students will learn how the aspirations of people following the Second World War shaped Singapore's journey towards Independence. Lastly, students will learn how Singapore transformed through the collective effort, will and resolve of our people in the first decade of Independence.

Students are taught through an inquiry-based approach, where they are encouraged to reason and draw meaningful inferences using historical sources. There is an emphasis on people and their experiences. This allows our students to draw personal relevance to the history and develop empathy and an understanding of history.

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For example, the Secondary 1 textbook features the struggles of the early immigrants, told vividly through extracts of oral interviews. Photographs and illustrations of people, places, objects and events enable the students to picture what Singapore was like, while learning about why they are significant to Singapore.

A history source kit complements the textbooks. The kit provides a multi-sensory experience, enabling students to "touch and feel" artefacts from Singapore's past, including authentic shards dated to pre-colonial Singapore, Japanese Occupation "banana" notes, ration cards and a document proclaiming Singapore's Independence.

Beyond the formal History curriculum, the four NE Commemorative Days – these are Total Defence Day, International Friendship Day, Racial Harmony Day and National Day – are an important part of students' learning experiences in school. Through these, students learn important lessons from significant moments in Singapore's history and reflect on how they can apply their learning to contribute as active citizens.

Schools are also gearing up to celebrate the nation's 50th birthday in 2015. One project will see students reflecting on Singapore's past, present and future and sharing these through more than 60 trails and exhibitions. Students will be researching people, places and events in Singapore – probing into archival materials, collecting memories from people and curating information. They will be telling these stories that reveal the shared memories, life experiences and hopes of Singaporeans. Through all these educational activities, students will develop a keener appreciation of Singapore's history.

I thank the Senior Minister of State for her very comprehensive answer. I have two supplementary questions.

First, teachers will play a critical part in this process of enhancing historical consciousness among our students. How will teachers be primed and equipped for these functions so that they are not mere purveyors of historical content but, more importantly, facilitators of critical inquiry?

Second, while the textbooks are going to be crucial tools in the education of history, will the schools be making fuller use of the external environment – heritage spaces and museums, for instance – to enhance our students' understanding and connections with our past?

I thank the Member for his question. Yes, indeed, he is very correct that teachers play a critical part in any subject, actually, not just history alone, but in history, it is also critically important to make the subject come alive. The Ministry is very aware of this and the teachers will be encouraged to adopt this inquiry-based approach and really,

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where you let the students go out, experience, see and draw relevance from that.

This connects to the second question, which whether or not we would make full use of the external environment and the answer is yes, because, really, it goes beyond text books; it is actually seeing what is around you and understanding its relationship to where we are today. That was the thinking, indeed, behind the SG50 trails where the students actually have to go out, ask questions, learn, curate that information and, through that process, hopefully, our 50-year journey will come alive for them.