Page 3 - Education Change and Economic Development: The Case of Singapore Dr. Goh Chor Boon National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University

Education Change and Economic

Development: The Case of Singapore

Dr. Goh Chor Boon

National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University

Introduction

On 9 August 1965 Singapore was added to the world’s list of sovereign
and independent nations. Singapore’s then nominal GDP per capita was around
US$500. It had no natural resources, no hinterland, no industry and depended

on the outside world not just for trade, food and energy, but even for water. At
that point of time, the question in the minds of many international observers

was “Can Singapore survive?” Fifty years later, in 2016, Singapore’s GDP
per capita was about US$56,000, close with that of Germany and the United
States. This time, the question in the minds of many international observers is
“How did the small island state do it?” One can attribute it to the government

leaders and bureaucrats, particularly the economic planners and strategists, who
brainstormed to produce the growth developmental blueprints, and that quality

human resources are needed to translate these plans effectively. But quality
human resources are developed through quality education. Hence, the critical
role of education in the economic transformation of Singapore.
This short paper adopts a chorological approach towards narrating how

Singapore’s school education system is being transformed as the nation goes
through its phases of economic development. In this way, readers will be able