Routledge Learning from Singapore: The Power of Paradoxes (Routledge Leading Change Series)

Learning from Singapore tells the inside story of the country’s journey in transforming its education system from a struggling one to one that is hailed internationally as effective and successful. It is a story not of the glory of international test results, but of the hard work and tenacity of a few generations of policy makers, practitioners and teacher trainers. Despite its success, Singapore continues to reform its education system, and is willing to deal with difficult issues and challenges of change. Citing Singapore's transformation, author Pak Tee Ng highlights how context and culture affect education policy formulation and implementation. Showing how difficult education reform can be when a system needs to negotiate between competing philosophies, significant trade-offs, or paradoxical positions, this book explores the successes and struggles of the Singapore system and examines its future direction and areas of tension. The book also explores how national education systems can be strengthened by embracing the creative tensions generated by paradoxes such as the co-existence of timely change and timeless constants, centralisation and decentralisation, meritocracy and compassion, and teaching less and learning more. Learning from Singapore brings to the world the learning from Singapore―what Singapore has learned from half a century of educational change―and encourages every education system to bring hope to and secure a future for the next generation. Review "This informed, authentic and easy-to-read book analyses the paradoxes in the incredible story of education in Singapore. It is by far the best account on the subject that I have ever come across. Even those who come from very different education systems will find it fascinating." – Steve Munby, CEO, Education Development Trust. "Singapore is young and small but the story of its education system is told worldwide. This book tells that fascinating story through paradoxes and dreams that make the features of Singapore’s educational success easily understandable. Whether you are researcher, policy-maker, educator or student my message to you this: Read this book!" – Pasi Sahlberg, author of Finnish Lessons: What Can the World Learn from Educational Change in Finland As Pak Tee writes, "In Singapore, educational change is not just about what to do, but how to be." If only that wisdom could guide the relentless pursuit for education improvement in the US and around the globe. – Jeannie Oakes, Presidential Professor in Education Equity, Emeritus, University of California, Los Angeles  "Anyone curious about how Singapore, a country that is barely over 50 years old, has managed to rank consistently high in international tests since the 1980s, while moving strategically to offer a humane, caring focus on educating every child, would do well to read this book. There may well be a few principles and lessons for other jurisdictions." – Asia Pacific Journal of Education Pak Tee Ng’s book Learning from Singapore charts essential future directions for schooling worldwide: easy-to-read, outstanding insights. – Clive Beck, Professor Emeritus, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto About the Author Pak Tee Ng is Associate Dean, Leadership Learning at the National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University in Singapore.