In Singapore, English is not only the first language, but also the language of instruction. Former Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew relates the idea that English is the only language that connects Singaporeans of all ethnic and cultural backgrounds with a common bond, and has the dual purpose of linking Singapore to the rest of the business world. Students are also required to take up a second language, usually their mother tongue (of Chinese, Malay, Tamil, etc.) so there is no loss of cultural identity.

Kindergarten: 3 years of pre-school programmes for children aged 3 – 6 commonly referred to as Nursery, Kindergarten 1 (K1) and Kindergarten 2 (K2). Kindergartens provide an environment for children to learn how to communicate, play, and interact with others, and to prepare them for the start of formal education in primary schools.

The kindergartens are run by the private sector, including community foundations, religious bodies, social organisations and business organisations. There are more than 200 kindergartens registered with the Ministry of Education. Kindergarten programmes are also offered by child care centres as well as international schools.

Primary School: 6 years of formal elementary education. Since 2003, primary school education is compulsory for all children of schooling age in Singapore and it is a criminal offence if parents fail to enrol their children in a primary (elementary) school and ensure their regular attendance. At the end of Primary 6, the national Primary School Leaving Examinations (PSLE) are held. More than simply determining whether the student has received adequate elementary education, PSLE scores serve to allocate seats in Secondary (high) schools as well as stream them into Special, Express, Normal (Academic) and Normal (Technical) streams.

Secondary School: 4 to 5 years of formal high school education. Both Special and Express are 4-year courses leading up to a Singapore-Cambridge General Certificate of Education (GCE) "Ordinary"—"O" level examination. Normal is a 4-year course leading up to a Singapore-Cambridge GCE "Normal"—"N" Level examination, with the possibility of a fifth year followed by a Singapore-Cambridge GCE "Ordinary"—"O" Level examination.

It is compulsory for foreign students here to apply for an annual student pass from the Immigration Department. In addition to the various International Schools, expatriates’ children can apply for admission to government (public) or government-aided schools through the Ministry of Education (MOE). Some international/private schools listed below also provide pre-school education.

Children with disabilities are educated in special education schools run by Voluntary Welfare Organisations (VWO), and are partially funded by MOE. The National Council of Social Service, a government agency, provides information on government-sponsored schools for special needs children. Contact them for more information.

National Council of Social Service
170 Ghim Moh Road #01-02
Singapore 279621
Tel: 6210 2500
Email: ncss_webmaster@ncss.gov.sg
Web: www.ncss.org.sg/sped or www.disability.org.sg/home