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The deadline for submission of
proposals to set up privately-funded schools closed on 31 Dec 03. The Ministry
of Education has received five proposals in total. The proposals were
submitted by:
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a. AIT Unicampus
b. Anglo-Chinese School Board of Governors
c. Indian Trust (Singapore) Ltd
d. Philip James School of Learning
e. The Chinese High School Board of Directors
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Successful applicants will be
notified by end Mar 2004.
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In addition, the Ministry also
received an application by the Raffles Institution Board of Governors to set
up a private school for foreign students in Singapore.
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Background:
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On 13 Aug 03, Acting Minister for
Education, Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam, announced that MOE was inviting
interested applicants to send in their proposals to set up privately-funded
schools.
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This was part of the
recommendations by the JC/Upper Secondary Education Review Committee to allow
greater diversity in the education landscape in the form of alternative
curricula and qualifications, different mix of schools, and different
programmes.
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Setting up 2-3 privately-funded
schools was one of the key recommendations of the committee. This was endorsed
by Parliament in Nov 2002. It is hoped that the privately-funded schools will
provide more choice and variety for Singapore students and be an added source
of ideas and innovative practices in education.
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Requirements for Setting Up
Privately-Funded Schools
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In line with Compulsory Primary
Education in national schools introduced last year, privately-funded schools
may not offer primary school curriculum. Only privately-funded secondary
schools or junior colleges will be allowed.
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To ensure that all Singaporean
students continue to learn and interact with one another in an environment
that nurtures a Singaporean spirit and character, privately-funded schools
will be required to adhere to MOE’s bilingual policy and incorporate
National Education (NE) into their curriculum, as well as other national
practices such as daily flag-raising and the singing of the national anthem.
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It is also envisaged that
Singaporeans / Permanent Residents will comprise at least 50% of
privately-funded school enrolment in order to provide a Singaporean
environment.
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Source: Ministry of Education
Press Release 6 Jan 2004
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Proposals received for privately funded schools
