SCHOOL LIFE IN SINGAPORE

GIIS Singapore, East Coast Campus Classroom

The school year beings in January. Schooling is available in all four of Singapore’s languages but is mostly conducted in English. Children begin their formal education when they are 7. Many children take after school classes and have lots of homework. Cheating is reportedly not uncommon and there is an underground trade in old national exams. During the recession in the early 2000s, some parents kept their children out of school because they said they could not afford the school fees. But that kind of thins is rare.

The schools in Singapore have operated a modified British-style system in which the main qualifications were the Cambridge University-administered General Common Entrance (GCE) Ordinary level (O level) and Advanced level (A level) examinations. Singapore secondary students took the same examinations as their counterparts in Britain or in British system schools throughout the world. All instruction was in English, with supplementary teaching of the students' appropriate "mother tongue" — Malay, Tamil, or Mandarin. The basic structure was a six-year primary school, a four-year secondary school, and a two-year junior college for those preparing to enter higher education. [Source: Library of Congress, 1989 *]

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): total: 17 years (2022 estimate): male: 17 years (2022 estimate): female: 17 years (2022 estimate). In Singapore, education is compulsory for 9 years for all citizen children. The Compulsory Education Act requires children above 6 years old to attend a national primary school until they reach the age of 15 [Source: CIA World Factbook, Ministry of Education, Singapore]

Characteristics of the Singaporean School System

As part of the effort to reduce the dropout rate, some students progressed through the system more slowly than others, spending more time in primary and secondary school but achieving similar standards. The goal was that every student achieve some success and leave school with some certification. Both primary and secondary schools operated on double sessions. Plans for the 1990s called for converting secondary schools to single-session, all-day schools, a measure that would require construction of fifty new schools. [Source: Library of Congress, 1989 *]

Obedience has traditionally been an important part of Singaporean education. The school day begins (or at least it used) with students lining up like soldiers for morning assemblies, and reciting the country's pledge and singing of the national anthem. Students have traditionally been told what to think and not question it.

In accordance with a national dress code students are required to attend school in a school uniform, in most cases standard-issue pinafores, and wear their hair to conform to strict codes. One principal who sent home students who colored their hair said, "We want them to be proud of the hair color they were born with. We also want to stress discipline and conformity."

School Atmosphere in Singapore

Schools in Singapore generally maintain a stable learning environment with relatively small differences in academic performance linked to attendance issues and disciplinary problems. According to the 2022 PISA study, the gap in mathematics performance between students who arrived late for school at least once in the two weeks before the assessment and those who did not was relatively small compared with most participating countries. This suggests that occasional lateness has less impact on achievement in Singapore than elsewhere. [Source: OECD]

Singapore also recorded relatively small performance differences between students who had missed school for more than three consecutive months at some point in their education and those who had not. Even after accounting for socio-economic background, the decline in mathematics performance associated with extended absences was smaller than in many other education systems. Analysts suggest that strong school support systems and structured curricula may help students recover academically after interruptions to their schooling.

Bullying appeared to have a comparatively limited effect on academic outcomes in Singapore. The relationship between exposure to bullying and mathematics performance was weaker than in most OECD and partner countries. Although bullying remains a concern, Singapore’s schools have introduced anti-bullying policies, counseling programs and character education initiatives aimed at maintaining orderly and supportive school environments.

Singapore’s schools are also generally well equipped. Principals reported that shortages in physical infrastructure had relatively little impact on schools’ ability to provide instruction compared with many other countries. Between 2012 and 2022, Singapore experienced one of the largest increases in the number of computers available per student, reflecting the government’s strong emphasis on digital learning and educational technology.

Teachers in Singapore are widely seen as highly supportive of students. Nearly 86 percent of students reported that their mathematics teacher provided extra help when needed during most or every lesson, one of the highest levels recorded internationally. This emphasis on teacher support is considered an important factor behind Singapore’s consistently strong academic performance.

Important Tests in Singapore Schools and Their Impact on Students

Singapore students are required to sit for major two exams — during primary school (Primary School Leaving Examinations, PSLE) and after secondary school.

AFP reported: “High scores in the Primary School Leaving Examinations (PSLE) — arguably the most dreaded acronym among Singaporean parents — can clear the path all the way to university. Those who don't get into university settle for polytechnics and vocational schools, which will likely lead to lower-paying jobs, or cost their families a small fortune in overseas education. Following a review, the education ministry decided in July that children who enter the first year of primary school from 2013 will not have to sit for regular exams during the school year. But the dreaded PSLE stays in place. [Source: Agence France Presse, August 8, 2010]

Seah Chiang Nee wrote in The Star, “In general, Singapore students are hard-working, probably among the most diligent in the world. It is partly caused by a system that rewards high grades - and these come mostly from rote learning and plenty of homework. Over the years, many teachers from the top schools have mastered the art of identifying exam questions and hard-working (not necessarily intelligent) students benefit from it. And, of course, pressure from parents and grade-conscious teachers contribute to it. The result is enormous pressure on the children. More and more pupils, as young as kindergarten and primary classes, are seeking help from psychiatrists for study or exam blues. [Source: Seah Chiang Nee, The Star, December 2, 2001 ]

“The competitive workload and exam system has resulted in Singapore students producing the highest scores in the world in Science and Mathematics. Parents play a major role pressuring - or trying to bribe - their kids to perform. The richer ones buy condos close to premium schools to meet residential qualification. Others contribute to school funds hoping to get in. Thousands of dollars are spent on private tuition, grooming classes, music lessons and holiday study camps. Some parents promise their children monetary incentives to get good grades in school or, at the lower level, a toy or a meal at the child's favourite restaurant. Some find this reward scheme a good way to motivate a student to work harder. Others condemn it as inculcating materialistic values on their young. "These kids may or may not be engineers or doctors one day, but they certainly will grow up to become materialistic citizens who won't do things without being paid," said one counsellor. Someone posted this online warning: "Parents, beware, you are in danger of raising a generation of disgruntled, unappreciative and potentially arrogant snobs."

School Lunches in Singapore

According to Associated Press: “Most schools in tropical Singapore have open-air lunchrooms catered by up to a dozen different private vendors selling a variety of foods from their stalls. This allows kids from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds with varied dietary restrictions to choose between Chinese, Muslim, Indian or Western-style meals. About three-quarters of Singapore’s 4 million people are ethnic Chinese. About 15 percent are Malay Muslims, with the rest mostly of Indian descent. [Source: AP, October 5, 2004 ]

A vice principal at one school “Ng Sock Hua says no more than two of 10 dishes served to the children are preserved, or canned. “No deep frying, only grilled food allowed,” she declares. “And I’ve asked them to hold back on selling caffeinated and soft drinks.” But reality isn’t exactly as Ng describes it. As she gives a tour of the canteen, she notices with some surprise that students are lining up for plates of french fries and chicken nuggets, and snapping up cans of Coca-Cola at the drinks stall. She has a stern word with the stall-owners about the rules then walks away. “We try to monitor the vendors but it’s not easy to ensure that they’re selling the right things,” she says, shaking her head. “They tend to provide the food that kids like to eat.”

“Unlike the tight controls it places on many aspects of everyday Singapore life, the government issues recommendations rather than regulations about the food sold in school cafeterias. In turn, the school passes down the instructions to canteen operators but checking on them is sometimes sparse.

Students’ Engagement, Motivation and Achievement in Singapore

Students in Singapore generally demonstrate high levels of academic engagement, confidence and motivation, particularly in mathematics. According to the 2022 PISA study, Singapore had one of the strongest links between time spent on mathematics homework and academic performance. After accounting for socio-economic background, each additional hour of homework was associated with a relatively large increase in mathematics scores compared with most participating countries. [Source: OECD]

Singaporean students also displayed strong beliefs in the value of effort and persistence in learning mathematics. More than 57 percent of students disagreed with the statement that some people are simply not good at mathematics regardless of how hard they study. This was one of the highest rates internationally and reflected a widespread belief that mathematical ability can be improved through practice and hard work.

The PSLE (Primary School Leaving Examination) is a mandatory national examination taken by all students in Singapore at the end of their sixth year of primary school (typically at 12 years old). Administered by the Ministry of Education (MOE), it assesses students' proficiency in English, Mother Tongue, Mathematics, and Science to determine their secondary school placement.

Learning time in Singapore is among the longest in the world. Students spend about 29 hours per week in regular language-of-instruction lessons, placing Singapore near the top internationally for classroom learning time. The country’s education system places strong emphasis on structured instruction, intensive academic preparation and mastery of core subjects.

Singaporean students also reported strong habits of critical thinking and perspective-taking. More than 72 percent said they try to consider everybody’s perspective before taking a position on an issue, one of the highest proportions among countries surveyed in PISA. Educators in Singapore have increasingly encouraged collaborative learning, discussion and reflective thinking alongside traditional academic achievement. These attitudes are often linked to Singapore’s broader educational philosophy, which emphasizes resilience, discipline and continuous improvement. Schools encourage students to take responsibility for their learning while also preparing them for a highly competitive academic and professional environment.

Singaporean students demonstrated exceptionally high confidence in applying mathematics to practical and analytical tasks. More than half reported that they frequently extract mathematical information from diagrams, graphs and simulations, the highest share among countries participating in PISA 2022. This suggests that students are comfortable using mathematics in visual and data-driven contexts. Students also expressed strong confidence in their ability to interpret mathematical information presented visually. More than 75 percent said they felt confident working with graphs, charts and simulations, placing Singapore among the world’s leading education systems in this area. These skills are increasingly viewed as important for careers in science, engineering, technology and finance.

Learning Strategies and Parental Support in Singapore

Singaporean students generally demonstrate consistent learning strategies regardless of differences in parental involvement. The gap between students whose parents frequently discuss school matters with them and those whose parents do so less often was relatively small in several measures of learning behavior. This suggests that schools themselves play a major role in shaping study habits and academic attitudes. [Source: OECD]

One example involved students connecting new mathematics material to previous lessons. The difference between students receiving frequent parental engagement and those with less parental interaction was among the smallest internationally. Many students appeared to apply structured learning strategies consistently regardless of family background.

Similarly, Singapore recorded one of the narrowest differences in students’ willingness to consider multiple perspectives before forming opinions, regardless of how often parents spoke with them about school matters. This may reflect the influence of classroom practices and school culture rather than differences in home support alone.

Singapore’s mathematics curriculum places heavy emphasis on problem-solving, logical reasoning and real-world applications. Students are trained to analyze information systematically and apply mathematical concepts in unfamiliar situations rather than relying solely on memorization. This approach has become internationally known through the “Singapore Math” model. The country’s strong focus on STEM education has also contributed to students’ confidence in quantitative reasoning. Schools incorporate digital tools, data analysis and applied learning into lessons, helping students develop skills relevant to a technology-driven economy. National policies strongly encourage interest in innovation, artificial intelligence and advanced industries.

Singapore’s education system places strong emphasis on independent learning, self-discipline and metacognitive skills. Students are encouraged to review previous concepts regularly, identify connections between topics and monitor their own progress. Schools also provide structured support systems such as consultations, enrichment programs and guided study sessions.

Parental involvement nevertheless remains important in Singapore’s education culture. Many families place strong emphasis on academic success and invest heavily in tutoring, enrichment classes and educational resources. However, the PISA findings suggest that Singapore’s schools are comparatively successful at ensuring that many effective learning behaviors are widely shared among students across different family backgrounds.

Singapore Has One of Highest Rate of Bullying in World

A study by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) found that 15-year-old students in Singapore reported relatively high levels of bullying compared with students in many other countries and economies. According to the findings, only students in Latvia and New Zealand reported experiencing bullying more frequently. The results were published in the third volume of data from the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), an international study conducted every three years by the OECD. [Source: Yuen Sin, Straits Times, August 20, 2017]

The 2015 study examined several forms of bullying, including physical, verbal and social bullying. Students were asked how often they experienced six different types of bullying: being left out of activities, being made fun of, being threatened, having possessions taken away, being physically pushed or hit, and having rumors spread about them. Responses were measured on a four-point scale ranging from “never or almost never” to “once a week or more.” The OECD used these responses to create an index ranking countries according to reported bullying levels.

In Singapore, more than 5,800 students from 168 public schools and nearly 300 students from nine private schools participated in the computer-based assessment. The most common form of bullying reported was being mocked or made fun of by other students. About 18.3 percent of Singaporean students said this happened to them at least a few times each month, compared with the OECD average of 10.9 percent.

Social exclusion was another commonly reported experience. Around 11.9 percent of students said they were deliberately left out of activities several times a month, compared with an OECD average of 7.2 percent. Nearly 9 percent reported that harmful rumors were spread about them regularly. Smaller percentages said they had been physically pushed, hit or had belongings damaged or stolen, while others reported being threatened by classmates.

Overall, about 14.5 percent of Singaporean students described themselves as being frequently bullied, significantly above the OECD average of 8.9 percent. The study suggested that bullying in Singapore was more likely to occur in schools where students viewed teachers as unfair or where disciplinary conditions were weak. Researchers noted that poor school climates and perceptions of unequal treatment could contribute to aggressive or high-risk behavior among students.

The OECD report also suggested that students who feel humiliated or unsupported by teachers may attempt to regain confidence by asserting power over more vulnerable classmates. Education officials in Singapore have stated that bullying is monitored closely in schools and that measures such as counseling, character education and stricter discipline policies are used to address the problem. The findings nevertheless highlighted concerns about student well-being in one of the world’s highest-performing education systems.

“School Refusal”, Caning and the “Monday Morning Blues” in Singapore

In 2001, AFP reported: More and more are stricken at the start of each week with an illness identifed simply as "school refusal." Pupils are increasingly complaining of stomach aches, headaches, nausea, fever and dizziness, according to KK Women's and Children's Hospital research published in the Straits Times September 26. [Source: Agence France Presse, September 26, 2001 ==]

“Even though the children are not physically sick, they are so desperate to avoid school that the symptoms of these ailments appear on Mondays. Five percent of all pupils in Singapore are now said to suffer from "school refusal," and the health ministry has brought in an Australian expert to study how Singapore's school system impacts on the health of children. ==

“Doctor Jill Sewell, a child health specialist at the Royal Children's Hospital in Melbourne will spend a week visiting hospitals and talking to children before making recommendations to the ministry. "These (school refusal) pains can be very real. But underlying these physical symptoms is deep anxiety," Sewell said. She told the Straits Times that pediatricians in Singapore have identified stress and competition as the real problems among school children. ==

In August 2001, a Singapore high school caned 41 boys for skipping tests, fueling the debate over corporal punishment in schools. AFP reported: “An enraged parent whose son was reluctant to go to school after being caned told the Straits Times: "I believe the school's counselling programme is a complete failure if the principal has to resort to caning." But the principal, Saminathan Gopal, stood by his decision and described the punished students as recalcitrants, adding, "they were irresponsible and did not come for an important test." The education ministry said its guidelines do not specify what offences warrant caning as schools understand the students better and can decide on the most suitable form of punishment. Caning for serious offences is also part of the criminal justice system in Singapore.[Source: Agence France Presse, September 24, 2001]

“Each boy received two strokes of a cane on the buttocks and was sent for counselling later. Another 17 girls were sent for community work for skipping the tests as well. While the education ministry gives principals the discretion and authority to cane students, it allows only a maximum of six light strokes on the palm or buttocks, and does not allow girls to be caned. One parent, Mazlan Mohammad, whose 16-year-old son Del Rasullee overslept and missed five tests, said he backed the school policy. "Missing tests is ridiculous. He should be caned and, if he misbehaves again, he should be caned again," he said. His son now vows to behave. [Ibid]

In 2004 AFP reported: “Seven in 10 Singaporeans support caning wayward students to instil discipline with most also of the view that parents are over-protective of their children, a newspaper poll showed Sunday, May 2. The Sunday Times poll of 358 Singaporeans was carried out following the public furore over a high school principal who slapped a female student with a book last month. The principal who hit his 14-year-old female student with a book has resigned over the accident but 83 percent of those polled by the newspaper felt he should not have stepped down. [Source: Agence France Presse, May 2, 2004]

“Students and parents who credited the former principal for the school's recently improved standards have called for his reinstatement but the education ministry says his act cannot be condoned and has accepted his resignation. Tightly-governed Singapore puts a premium on discipline and schools used to apply corporal punishment on a routine basis, but this is now allowed only in serious cases such as assault.

Cram Schools and and Tutoring in Singapore

According to AFP in 2010: “Five-year-old Singaporean Timothy Lee has yet to enter primary school, but even before his formal schooling begins he is already attending classes six days a week. From Monday to Friday he goes to a normal kindergarten, but on Saturdays he takes special classes on phonics and abacus with four other children at an "enrichment centre" to gain a foundation in reading and mathematics. "Learning abacus is good for brain development and helps him in addition and subtraction so that he can get the answer faster," said his mother Lynn, who works as an office administrator. Timothy doesn't mind because everyone else does it. "I don't feel tired. I get to meet my friends and we sometimes play games in class," he said. [Source: Agence France Presse, August 8, 2010 ]

An education web portal Called KiasuParents.com — the word kiasu means overly competitive — allows parents to compare notes on private learning centres, with 21,000 members registered since September 2007. It claims to get nearly two million page views every month from parents seeking the best tutors. The number of such centres reached 679 in 2008, when combined revenues hit close to S$250 million (US$180 million), according to the most recent data from the Singapore Department of Statistics. The figure excludes cash paid to part-time home tutors, another thriving industry in itself.

“The centres also offer courses in English and Mandarin, key elements in the national student tests along with mathematics and science."We do get a hard time from parents sometimes," said Tony Tan, director of tuition centre SmartLab, which has nine branches and prepares students with a battery of mock exams. Mark Nowacki, a university professor who runs Logic Mills, a centre providing courses on analytical thinking skills for organisations and schools, said Singapore parents need to relax. "If you're finding that the tuition is killing their love of learning, stop because that's ultimately more deadly than any amount of facts you could cram in their heads," he said.

Seah Chiang Nee wrote in The Star, “Private tuition has become a booming industry, probably raking in hundreds of millions of dollars and providing jobs for thousands of people. These figures may be too conservative, if one takes into account what Singaporean parents spend on tuition to give their kids a head start. A reporter who did a random interview with 12 students found that their parents spent an average S$500 a month on their tuition fees. In another case, a Chinese-language newspaper reported a father spent almost half his monthly salary, or S$960, to pay for his son’s English lessons. In this small city of 700sq km, there are at least 500 tuition centres, each with a database of home tutors for parents to select from. The teachers charge hourly rates: S$15-S$20 for Primary 1-6, and S$20-S$28 for secondary 1-4. Some tuition even takes place online, where test papers can be downloaded more cheaply. Some top junior college graduates have taken it further by selling their study notes on the web. [Source: Seah Chiang Nee, The Star, July 10, 2010 /=]

“The exact size of the trade is not officially known because the thousands of people involved – especially freelance tutors or test paper vendors – work outside the tax system. With the weak employment market for graduates, this is useful. It has allowed many retrenched professionals and executives to survive the crisis of unemployment. More importantly, the role of the home tutor appears greater than the government is ready to admit. It touches the life of almost every Singaporean. /=\

“The Sunday Times conducted a poll in 2008 of 100 primary, secondary and junior college students and found that only three students did not have any tuition at all. Even some university students have sought special tuition, but the starting age is getting lower. Two in every 10 involve kindergarten kids. Contrary to belief, not all who seek help are students of average or poorer grades. They include straight-A students, too. /=\

“A few tutors “with flair have actually done well enough to make it a career. For example, a physics tutor to 80 students reportedly earns about S$20,000 a month. Even students – undergraduates and Junior College students – are earning good pocket money this way. A lot of this thriving revenue is going to individuals, rather than the Treasury – unreported and untaxed. It is part of the underground economy that no finance minister wants to have. /=\

“Does tuition help to improve grades? The answer cannot be “no” when 97 percent of students have done it. It provides a crucial help to children who are weak in certain subjects, be it English, Maths or Chinese. Singapore schools supply a general education that is quite modern and diverse.

Past Exam Papers Hot Items in Singapore

Cheating is reportedly not uncommon in Singapore and there is an underground trade in old national exams. Seah Chiang Nee wrote in The Star, “Amid shops selling things like designer bread and wristwatches is a little stall that hawks an unlikely item in most countries except Singapore – school test papers. These bound documents, covering English, Maths, Science and Chinese in the 2009 exam, are sold at between S$30 and $40 per set. There are scores of such vendors all over the city. In two nearby blocks of three-storey buildings in a suburban town centre, I counted no less than 15 tuition centres that offer almost every subject a child faces in the city’s stressful exams. Others teach Life Sciences, Creative Writing or “Preparation for Primary 1”. Two are music centres, one teaches art and another provides Japanese lessons – mostly supplementary subjects. [Source: Seah Chiang Nee, The Star, July 10, 2010]

“In other countries, old test papers are generally used to wrap fish, but here it provides a living. Why are they so marketable? Exam results that often decide how well people are to live. This is making test papers of top schools a hot commodity. Designed by individual primary and secondary schools to test their own pupils annually, they have long been packaged and sold. The higher ranked the school, the greater the demand.” [Ibid]

Image Sources: Wikimedia Commons

Text Sources: “Encyclopedia of World Cultures Volume 5: East/Southeast Asia:” edited by Paul Hockings; 1993; New York Times; Washington Post; Los Angeles Times; Smithsonian magazine; Encyclopedia.com; National Geographic; Live Science; Malaysia Tourism websites; Malaysia government websites; UNESCO; Metropolitan Museum of Art; Natural History magazine; Times of London; Library of Congress; The Conversation; The New Yorker; Time; BBC; CNN; Reuters; Associated Press; AFP; Lonely Planet Guides; Google AI; Wikipedia; The Guardian and various websites; books and other publications.

Last updated May 2026