Balanced Lifestyle for School Children

Mr Lim Biow Chuan asked the Minister for Education (a) whether the Ministry will conduct a comprehensive review of the school curricula to ensure that students are not overladen with excessive school work and that they will be able to appreciate the joy of learning; and (b) whether the "Teach Less Learn More" policy has resulted in students having a more balanced lifestyle.

The Ministry adopts a six-year curriculum cycle. Every subject is reviewed every six years to ensure that it remains relevant, is appropriately sized, and meets the needs of our students. During these reviews, the feedback of teachers and students is sought and taken into consideration.

Since 1998, there have been two rounds of curriculum content reduction. The first saw content reduced by up to 30% in different subjects to provide room for the teaching of thinking skills and the use of Information & Communication Technology in the curriculum. The second reduction of up to 20% in the different subjects was undertaken in 2005. This was to give teachers more flexibility to customise their teaching to suit their students' learning needs.

The Ministry will continue to review the curriculum periodically to ensure that our students are able to engage meaningfully with both content and the learning process, so that they can develop the competencies they need for work and life, and experience the joy of learning.

The aim of the "Teach Less, Learn More" movement was to steer our educators towards adopting a range of effective teaching approaches to better engage students and enable them to develop enduring understanding and skills for life. More classroom time was given for student interaction and exploration, opportunities for expression and learning of lifelong skills. Based on the

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Ministry's internal studies, student engagement levels have risen since the implementation of "Teach Less, Learn More".

The Ministry and schools will continue to provide for the holistic development of our students. At the same time, we will continue to consider their well-being, including the need for them to have adequate time for family and recreational pursuits.