28 May 2002

SPEECH BY MR THARMAN SHANMUGARATNAM, SENIOR MINISTER OF STATE FOR EDUCATION AND TRADE AND INDUSTRY, AT THE OPENING CEREMONY OF THE 'NURTURE THE GENIUS IN YOUR PRE-SCHOOLER SEMINAR' IN SUNTEC CITY, ON TUESDAY 28 MAY 2002 AT 9.30 A.M.

1 I am very pleased to be here this morning at this gathering of pre-school educationists and teachers. Your presence here is an indication of your interest in learning and exchanging ideas about how young children learn, and ways of nurturing them to their fullest potential. I would like to congratulate PCF and Ednovation for jointly organising this seminar in support of the professional development of pre-school teachers.

2 We all know that early learning experiences - the first six years of life - have an important influence on a child's development through his school years, and in life. Whether children will be confident and self-motivated learners will depend to a good degree on their early experiences, and the stimulation and encouragement they receive in those years. Your role, as educators of our pre-schoolers, is therefore a critical one. You are the first of many guides and teachers, outside their homes, that they will encounter as they grow. Your interactions with them, and your perceptions of them, will play a key role in preparing them for a journey of life-long learning.

3 MOE has embarked on a broad-based effort to raise the quality of kindergarten education. Our approach is two-pronged. First, to raise the standard of teaching. MOE had announced that all kindergarten Principals will be required to attain the Diploma in Pre-School Education (Leadership) by 2006. By 2008, one in four teachers will be required to attain the Diploma in Pre-School Education (Teaching), and all other kindergarten teachers to have Certificates in Pre-School Teaching. We are not setting these standards for qualifications sake. We are doing so to help raise the knowledge, skills and innovative abilities of our pre-school teachers, so as to provide children with better quality and more creative learning experiences.

4 It is good to know that PCF takes teacher training very seriously. I understand that this year, the Early Childhood Institute (ECI) is running four intakes for the CPT (Certificate in Pre-school Teaching) in English, and has introduced two intakes for CPT in Mandarin. ECI has also co-ordinated with the Regional Training and Resource Centre (RTRC) to implement three intakes for the Diploma in teaching.

5 The second prong that MOE is working on is a framework to guide kindergartens in planning their curricula. Kindergarten education has been perceived by some as preparing children for the primary school curriculum, especially the primary academic curriculum, and indeed many kindergartens have run programmes focussing on doing just that. We want to change this perception. Kindergarten education is vitally important in itself, and has to reflect the distinct development needs of children at age 4-6. We should not try to accelerate learning by providing children with a simplified primary school curriculum.

6 The challenge for pre-school teaching is to promote in children a love for learning and ease of interaction among each other. Good teaching practices in pre-school tap on children's natural curiosity, and involve them in exploring and discovering the world around them. They should develop confidence in expressing themselves. Children hardly need encouragement to play with each other, but they should also be encouraged to interact with each other in a caring and respectful way. They should be comfortable making friends with those of other races.

7 MOE believes in nurturing the whole child - the child's social skills, values and self-confidence, his ability to communicate, his physical development, as well as his cognitive skills. This requires the use of both well-tested and innovative teaching approaches, and an array of learning activities - songs, dance, art, reading and writing, and outdoor exploration. We know that young children learn from everything that happens to them, and do not separate their learning into subjects. Integrated learning experiences, through activities and projects within and outside the classrooms, are helpful to their learning.

8 I am told that there are, broadly speaking, two different theories and philosophies of how young children learn, and the role that adults play in helping them learn. The first is the structured, teacher-led model. It is based on theories in which knowledge is assumed to be built up through a process of repetition and reinforcement. This approach usually involves teachers leading pupils in structured question and answer lessons and drills. Teachers also take effort to correct pupils' worksheets, so that they know where they have made mistakes.

9 The second approach reflects an exploratory, teacher-facilitated model of learning. It assumes that children construct their knowledge by confronting and solving problems through their direct experiences. In this approach, the teacher's role is to serve as a facilitator for the children, providing them with opportunities to engage in activities that lend themselves to exploration and creativity.

10 There have been many studies of these two approaches, looking at their impact on cognitive and social-emotional development. Some researchers believe that the teacher-led, structured approach is more effective in some situations, such as with children from disadvantaged backgrounds. Others find that the exploratory, child-centred programmes better develop social responsibility and language and communication skills.

11 However, both approaches have their value, and we should avoid a headlong rush in one direction or another. There is a broad consensus among pre-school educationists that rather than view the two as contesting approaches within the kindergarten, teachers should use them as complementary methods.

12 We should also keep reminding ourselves that every child is unique, and learns differently - that is almost a cliché, but true. I used to have a clear theory in my mind about how children should be raised and how they best learn. That was before I had children myself. Now I have four children, and have no theory. Most parents share this experience. There is no one way that is best for all their children, or even for each child.

13 MOE's curriculum framework will set out the key areas of learning that we expect to see in kindergartens, which should provide a guide to what is taught and to the teaching methodologies that might be best employed. However, the framework will not be prescriptive in details, and kindergartens will have the latitude to shape their own practices. To do otherwise would be to stifle innovation, and the principal and teachers' ability to respond to the needs of particular groups of students. MOE will seek to raise standards of teaching and curriculum delivery, and ensure that there is coherence in the curriculum adopted by a kindergarten, but not specify curriculum details for each kindergarten.

14 A child who has his curiousity ignited in his early years, and who develops an excitement about learning, has a headstart in the journey of life. Your mission is to give all our children this headstart. It is a noble profession, and I commend you for having chosen it.