00403

4 Jan 2003

ENHANCING ARTS EDUCATION IN SCHOOLS

1.                    The Ministry of Education is pleased to report that the recommendations first announced on 11 September 2001 to enhance arts education in our schools have been progressively implemented.   These measures, which aim to develop and harness our students’ artistic talents and contribute to their overall development through curricular and co-curricular programmes and activities, are: 

a)                   AEP/MEP Scholarships: Five Art Elective Programme (AEP) and Music Elective Programme (MEP) scholarships at each junior college (JC) level, beginning with JC1, from 2003.   The scholarships are worth $1,000 each.

b)                   AEP/MEP Grade for Admission to JC: Students who wish to continue with the AEP and MEP at JC level can use the ‘O’ level AEP and MEP grade in lieu of the Humanities subject grade, for admission to the Programmes at JC from 2003.    

c)                   Music Curriculum: Schools have greater flexibility in the implementation of the revised Upper Secondary General Music Syllabus from 2003 which may comprise a mix of formal lessons and enrichment courses and activities to meet the needs and interests of their students.   Music as a subject in schools was also extended to the Lower Secondary Normal (Technical) curriculum in all secondary schools in 2002.   

d)                   Arts Education (AE) Award: The annual NAC ‘Best Practices in Arts Education (AE) Award’ for secondary schools and JCs, worth $10,000 cash, will be given in July 2003.   It recognises schools for their efforts in providing a meaningful learning experience through a holistic arts programme. Applications will open in January 2003 and results will be announced in July 2003.   

e)                 Cluster Arts Centres: School Clusters have set up centres in art/music to develop art/music as niche areas.   Such centres have enabled schools to pool resources together and generate a critical mass to provide a greater variety of arts activities for their students.  Presently, 12 arts centres serving 119 schools and one centre for Chinese orchestral music serving the schools in the east zone have been set up.  Another 10 centres are being planned.  Depending on the interests and needs of their students, cluster centres have mounted programmes ranging from arts enrichment activities and cultural exchanges for students to professional development opportunities for teachers.   

f)                    Partnership with the Arts Community: Schools are encouraged to enrich their curricular and co-curricular arts programme through partnership with artists and arts organisations as master teachers, mentors or artists-in-residence, especially in art forms where there is a lack of expertise.  Students in the AEP and MEP have also benefited from on-going partnerships with the Singapore Symphony Orchestra (SSO) and the Singapore Art Museum (SAM) respectively.   

g)                   Training: The first National Arts Education Conference (NAEC), co-organised with the National Arts Council (NAC), was held in March 2002 for school leaders, teachers and invited practising artists.    

h)                   Online Resources: An online publication, ‘Guide to Arts Education in Schools’, and an Arts Education Website were launched in 2002 to help schools plan, implement and evaluate their arts programmes. 

Art and Music Teacher Training Scheme  

2.           The Ministry recognises that teacher involvement in enhancing our arts education is imperative.   The Ministry, in collaboration with the National Institute of Education (NIE) and the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA), will launch the Art and Music Teacher Training Scheme in 2003.  The Scheme will ensure a steady supply of Art and Music teachers for our schools.   

3.             Structure of Scheme.   Under the Art and Music Teacher Training Scheme, ‘O’ level school leavers talented in Art/Music will pursue a four-year programme in NAFA and NIE, leading up to the award of two diplomas - one to be awarded by NAFA and the other by NIE.  In the first three years, students will study Art or Music and pursue either a Diploma in Art (Teaching) or a Diploma in Music (Teaching) in NAFA.  In the 4^th year, students will learn pedagogy skills in NIE and pursue either a Diploma in Art Education or Diploma in Music Education.  After completing the four years of training, students will be deployed to our schools as trained teachers to teach Art or Music.  

4.             Sponsorship.   MOE will sponsor successful applicants during the four years of training.  All course fees will be fully paid for by MOE. In addition, students will receive a bursary of $800 per month in the first three years, while studying at NAFA.  Thereafter, they will be appointed to the Education Service and receive a monthly salary in their fourth year in NIE.  Teachers graduating from this teacher training scheme will serve a five-year bond teaching either Art or Music in our schools.  

5.             Minimum Requirements.   Applicants will be selected based on the following criteria:   

a)              At least 5 GCE ‘O’ level passes, including English Language;  

b)            Applicants for the Art programme need good grades in Art at GCE ‘O’ level, or to submit a portfolio of works for assessment.  Applicants also need to pass a drawing test.

c)             Applicants for the Music programme need good grades from acceptable music examination boards or good grades in GCE ‘O’ level Music.  Applicants also need to pass a music audition.

d)      All shortlisted applicants will be interviewed by an interview panel comprising senior educationists to assess their suitability to be teachers.

6.         Application.      Application will open immediately after the release of this year’s GCE ‘O’ level results in February 2003.  Application forms can be downloaded from MOE’s Internet website at http//www1.moe.edu.sg/teach or obtained from MOE’s Customer Service Centre in MOE HQ (1 North Buona Vista Drive) or the Student Affairs Department in NAFA (Middle Campus, 111 Middle Road).  Completed application forms should be sent to MOE HQ.  Applications will close on 11 Mar 03. The first intake will be admitted into NAFA in Jul 03.

7.         MOE will continue to monitor the progress and support the schools in their implementation of the recommendations to enhance arts education.  MOE will also continue to work in partnership with MITA and other related agencies to help realize the national vision of Singapore as a Renaissance City.