GRADUATE SCHOOL AND OPEN LEARNING COLLEGE
Name: Ramos, Fermo G. Course: Ph.D. Educational Management
Subject: Professor :
EMGT 350 Comparative Education Dr. Evelyn M. Del Mundo
PHILIPPINES VS SINGAPORE Singapore has a superior education system. It has earned the title of being the best education system in the world because of its success in international academic competitions in science and mathematics. Currently, Singapore ranks first in the world. It is the Department of Education which oversees the basic education in the Philippines while it’s the Ministry of Education for Singapore. As compared to the Philippine’s 15 % budget allocation, Singapore allots 17 % of the national budget to its education spending. In of educational structure Singapore has a very different but very effective system. In the Philippines graduates of the primary education undergo the national achievement test, the result of which is but used to see whether the student has learned the needed competencies. In Singapore, graduates of primary level have to sit for the Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) the result of which is used to determine which type of secondary school the student will have to pursue his education. The result will tell whether the student will be accommodated in the Integrated program which leads directly to University, or the Secondary express course, the Secondary normal academic course, secondary normal technical, or in the Technical and Vocational courses. There are two levels of qualification for ission in the University, the GCE “O” level which is taken at around age 17 or 18, and the GCE “A” Level which is taken after taking Junior Colleges or Polytechnics. This system is not present in the Philippine education or in any other educational system in the world. The teacher-student ratio in Singapore is 1:22, another reason why the country has an excellent education structure. In the Philippines, the typical ratio is 1:50, the worst scenario is 1:55 or even 1:60.
Teachers in Singapore are hired and employed based on meritocracy. This entails hiring the teacher based on her capability and intellect. The same process is being followed here in the Philippines. The Philippine education system’s priority programs are Multi-grade program, alternative delivery modes, Conditional Cash Transfer, GASTPE, Child Protection Policy, Mother-Tongue Education. Singapore on the other hand focuses on Meritocracy, bilingualism, compulsory education act, focus on Science, English, and Mathematics, “Teach Less, Learn More”, ICT Integration, and Internationalization of Education. The “Teach Less, Learn More” program is utilizing technology in the teaching-learning scenario. If the Philippines has AACUP, PAASCU, and PACUCUA as accrediting agencies Singapore has Standards, Productivity, and Innovation Board (SPRING), Higher Education Division, Council for Private Education, Singapore Quality Class for Private Education Organization, and Singapore Pre-School Accreditation Framework. It’s worthy to note that Singapore is the only Asian country which has an accreditation framework for pre-school. On critical issues and concerns the “superior” Singapore is not an exception to have them. If the Philippines has concerns on Education budget, Mismatch, fly-by-night education, monolithic education the Singaporean education has issues like Over-focus on examination and grades, social inclusion, disregard on special education, parentocracy, and according to critics the primary school leaving examination is too early. Unlike the Philippines which have already established a system for the education of the children with special needs, Singapore has only started focusing their concern on the issue. Nevertheless, there is no objection that Singapore has the best educational system in the world. It has the best practices that make them number one like the Compulsory education act, gifted education program, primary school leaving examination, special, express, and normal secondary schools, two years of pre-college education , and GCE “O” and “A” Levels exam as qualifications for ission in universities.