The Ministry of Education in Singapore is responsible for all the origination and application of policies leading to the education in the country. These policies are looked after the minister for education from the basic primary level to the upper tertiary ones. About one fifth of the annual GDP is spent on education and is the main focus of the all the country. They want to equip their citizens with top quality education so that they are able to progress and compete in the international marketplace.
In 2014, MOE launched its first primary school and now has over 18 schools in the nation. Since the initiative is being taken from the MOE itself, people are naturally attentive. But the question remains, should private institutions be given more importance than the MOE schools? This article will discuss the comparison of these Singapore kindergarten schools.
Registration
MOE kindergarten schools provide its students with the opportunity of getting themselves enrolled into schools that their parents were in before them, or one of the parents is part of the staff there. Instead of giving preference as was the case before to the registration based on the location from school. Private schools lack this particular ease.
Annual Calendar
MOE schools have a general 3-hour long session one in the morning and the other in the afternoon hours. The parents can choose which one suits them and their child the most. Along with this there are around 3 months of holidays annually with public holidays on Sundays. Compared to this, private schools do not have off days throughout the year and their sessions last full days (7am-7pm) or half days (7am-1pm).
Child Enrollment in Class
The schools that are MOE registered have a higher teacher to student ratio with around 1:20 for students studying in kindergarten 1 and 1:25 for students that are in kindergarten 2. While on the other hand in private schools the teacher to student ratio is very less from 1:11 in kindergarten 1 to 1:12 in kindergarten 2. Research has shown that with a lesser ratio there is more individual attention given to students by the teacher which enhances learning in a classroom. In addition to this the classes also being more manageable by the sole teacher.
Education Criteria for Teachers
The criteria for the teachers in MOE schools is their training by the MOE officials for 8 months and then providing them with on job training facility. While teachers in private schools are supposed to have background diplomas or degrees in early childhood education. Some private schools even provide their staff with teaching training programs within the institution before they practically take a class.
Curriculum
MOE schools have a fixed two core program system. The HI-Light Program looks after the holistic development skills in children. The second, Starlight Literacy program looks after the bilingualism of younger children with special emphasis towards English.
Private institutions have their own curriculum that they have developed with research over time.
Choosing the right curriculum is very important, for it equips young children with the fundamental knowledge regarding reasoning, emotions and logical behavior that they would require for the rest of their lives.
It is up to parents to analyses basic difference between both the kindergarten systems and then decide which system works best for their kids keeping in view their expertise level.