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In the international playing field, Singapore has long been famous, or some would say infamous, for being a country with individuals highly focused on obtaining higher academic qualifications. This culture has been attributed to the government’s influence, in a bid to raise the country’s standard of education since the Singapore’s independence. In a monthly Straits …
Fixation on academic qualifications will be hard to break Read More »
At the launch of the Singapore Bicentennial Experience on 30 May, President Halimah Yaacob gave the opening address to kickstart the multimedia art installation, a flagship event of the Bicentennial commemoration announced earlier this year. In her speech, Madam Halimah briefly recapped the better-known portion of Singapore’s history, beginning with Sang Nila Utama’s stake on …
Speech by President Halimah Yacob at the Launch of Singapore Bicentennial Experience Read More »
On 6th June 2019, the NUS Centre for Family and Population Research (CFPR) will be launching the book Family and Population in Asia, jointly edited by CFPR Director Professor Wei-Jun Jean Yeung (NUS Department of Sociology) and Associate Professor Thang Leng Leng (NUS Department of Japanese Studies). The bilingual book is a collection of 30 essays based …
We would like to congratulate Assistant Professor Lin Weiqiang (NUS Department of Geography) and Associate Professor Irene Ng (NUS Department of Social Work) on being awarded the inaugural Social Science and Humanities Research (SSHR) Fellowship and Social Science Research Thematic Grant (SSRTG) respectively. The SSHR fellowship was launched in August 2018 as the Social Science Research Council (SSRC)’s first …
It was only in 1960 that Singapore managed to call itself a sovereign nation and dedicate a day of celebration for independence from colonial rulers. From 1960 to 1963, Singapore celebrated its National Day on 3rd June to commemorate the day it gained self-governance in 1959. The first National Day Parade held on 9th August …
On 5 March 2019, Minister for Education Ong Ye Kung announced the new Ministry of Education (MOE) move to remove streaming of students by academic ability in secondary schools by 2024, in a bid to encourage greater social equality among secondary school students. Dr Kelvin Seah Kah Cheng (NUS Department of Economics) in his commentary …
In line with the Bicentennial, the National Library Board (NLB) and the Singapore Bicentennial Office jointly published Seven Hundred Years: A History of Singapore (Marshall Cavendish, 2019). The book is a revamped version of the 2009 edition, and is currently the only single volume that covers 700 years of Singapore’s history. Moreover, it represents 30 …
Is the Kampong Spirit still alive? The Housing Development Board (HDB) is responsible for the provision of public housing in Singapore, which serves over 80% of the population. In an effort to encourage bonding and friendliness among neighbours, HDB has organized initiatives such as HDB Community Week, which was held this year on 25 and …
The neighbourhood roots of social cohesion: Notes on an exceptional case of Singapore Read More »
What are the complexities in planning for Singapore’s National Education modules? On 17 May 1997, then Deputy Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong launched the National Education programme, which aimed to foster national cohesion and cultivate a sense of belonging, pride, and patriotism among students and younger Singaporeans. Subsequently, Singapore’s universities were instructed to include National …
Emeritus Professor Edwin Thumboo from the NUS Department of English Language and Literature was recently featured in The Straits Times for his latest poetry collection, A Gathering of Themes (Ethos Books, 2019). Prof Thumboo is one of Singapore’s foremost pioneer poets, and has achieved several accolades such as the first Cultural Medallion for literature and …