20 December 2005

 

 

 

How did Singapore emerge first in mathematics?

By Dr. Abdulla Al-Madani*

 

 

Since the 1990s, Singaporean students have been scoring the highest results in international competition in both mathematics and science, outperforming their counterparts from other nations including the United States and the European countries.

 

Evidence can be derived from the first, second, and third rounds of the Trend in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) conducted in 1995, 1999, and 2003.

 

The TIMSS, a project run by the Boston-based International Association for Evaluation of Educational Achievement, is aimed at assessing the relative strength and weakness of various countries’ educational programmes. Released in December 2004, the results of the third and latest study affirmed the high quality of mathematics education in Singapore. Of 230,000 pupils from more than 40 countries, Singaporean students compiled the highest average achievement scores in the subject. South Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Japan were the next highest performers respectively, while the US ranked far behind them.

 

Among the Arab countries, Lebanon, followed by Jordan, scored the highest results, with which they ranked 31st and 32nd respectively. With such a poor performance by Arab countries, one would rather remain silent to avoid invoking embarrassment.  However, some Arab commentators, instead of focusing on the secret behind Singapore and other Asian nations’ magnificent results, have expressed their happiness, only because Asian countries outperformed the US.

 

Key elements contributing to Singapore’s excellent performance in the TIMSS and other similar tests include students’ educational aspiration and attitude towards mathematics and science, the educational resources available in schools and at home, and the school climate.

 

These, in turn, are attributed to two principal factors: the government’s continuous and heavy investment in education and the country’s educational system.

 

Since the 1990s, more than 6 percent of the country’s GDP has been devoted to education, making Singapore match the levels of Japan and the US. The goal has been to develop the talents of every individual so that each could contribute to the economy and to the ongoing struggle to make Singapore productive and competitive in the international marketplace. The result was an education system that stressed the assessment, tracking, and sorting of students into appropriate programmes.

 

The system is referred to as being one of the best in the world. It is flexible and caters to every child’s abilities, interest, and aptitude so as to help each develop to his fullest potential. Having studied the system and realized its outcome, some American scholars now wonder if the US should emulate it to achieve Singapore’s success in the TIMSS.

 

According to the Singaporean ministry of education’s policy, a variety of strategies for promoting mathematical thinking are emphasized. Pupils are called to concentrate on mathematics, given the fact that it represents the cornerstone of every discipline. They are encouraged to appreciate the beauty and power of mathematics, trained to communicate in mathematical language, and taught to use different problem-solving strategies. Both teachers and parents have been playing an important role in implementing this and other related policies. Teachers in Singapore are known for their passion for learning and applying new methods in mathematics teaching and for their strong perseverance and commitment. And parents are known for their heavy investment in their children’s education and collaboration with teachers.

 

Many educators believe that the curriculum Singapore uses is to be credited for its distinguished record in international mathematics competition. This is true. The curriculum is not only unique but also has been, changed, revised, and upgraded several times since the late 1980s to ensure the inclusion of the latest techniques, concepts, and technology in teaching and learning.

Commenting on the Singapore Primary Math book, an American educator wrote: “From the moment I opened the book, I knew I found something unique and exciting. The presentation of concept was clear and logically tiered as lessons moved from concrete, pictorial to abstract. Each lesson progressed quickly from familiar material into more difficult and unfamiliar territory and challenged the student to think about math in a different way”.

 

This, of course, differs from educational systems and curriculums used in the Arab world, where ministries of education’s policies are highly influenced by outdated traditions and concepts, curriculums are inflexible, pupils are prevented to think independently, and emphasis is on quantity rather than quality.

 

According to findings from an educational study recently conducted in Kuwait, 35 percent of teachers were unqualified despite holding university degrees. More shocking, however, was that more than 50 percent of pupils disliked mathematics, science and English, owing to the rigid curriculum, preferring instead subjects such as Islamic education. This alone explains the poor performance of Kuwaiti and other Arab students in the TIMSS tests.

 

*Academic researcher and lecturer on Asian affairs

elmadani@batelco.com.bh

 

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