Meritocracy, elitism, and egalitarianism: a preliminary and provisional assessment of Singapore's primary education review

Abstract

Meritocracy functions in Singapore as the key principle of governance and educational distribution. However, the concept of meritocracy itself contains a number of inherent contradictions, most evidently witnessed in the tension between its egalitarian and elitist strands. This tension is documented in the recommendations of Singapore's recent primary education review, already accepted by the Ministry of Education and to be implemented in the coming years. This article considers these recommendations against the backdrop of a tentative movement towards egalitarianism in educational distribution. Specifically, it provides a preliminary and provisional assessment of how far they would go towards providing for greater educational equity and, therefore, in recovering the ideology of meritocracy in the nation-state.

Keywords:

• educational equity
• educational policy
• meritocracy
• primary education
• Singapore

Acknowledgements

Thanks are due to Michael Apple and Jason Tan for their very insightful comments on an earlier draft. The article has also benefited from the careful reading of the journal's three reviewers.

Notes

 1. Members of Lee's cabinet have since distanced themselves from these remarks, urging the public to put them – as well as Lee's other remarks on the integration of Muslims into Singapore society – “in perspective” (Ibrahim, quoted in Hoe, 2011; see also Hussain, 2011).

 2. Although a separate gifted track was still in place at the Primary level. See the MOE's Gifted Education Programme website at http://www.moe.gov.sg/education/programmes/gifted-education-programme/.

 3. These messages are contained in the MOE's Desired Outcomes of Education, a document that establishes the goals and purposes of formal education for Singaporeans. An updated version of the document is now available at http://www.moe.gov.sg/education/desired-outcomes/.

 4. For the list of schools, see http://www.moe.gov.sg/education/programmes/gifted-education-programme/integrated-programmes/.

 5. See Hack (2011) who makes the case that the mentioned reforms amounted to very substantial and positive changes. A more in depth discussion of the impacts of these earlier reforms deserves separate attention elsewhere.

 6. The committee, chaired by a Senior Minister of State, comprises representatives from the public and private sector, including educators, academia, parents, and industry leaders. The list of members may be found at http://www.moe.gov.sg/media/press/2008/10/ms-grace-fu-forms-primary-educ.php.

 7. These include school counsellors, special needs educators, and co-teachers who work closely with teachers at the school and classroom level. As of 2008, there are about 600 Allied Educators in schools. The MOE plans to increase the number to 2,800 by 2016 (Ministry of Education, 2008b).

 8. As of 2009, 102 out of 178 primary schools in Singapore operate on a double-session basis (Ministry of Education, 2010b).

 9. See also, for example, studies on Head Start and the Perry Preschool in the US.

10. Although opportunities will remain for non-graduates who have specialized skills in select areas such as art, music, and mother tongue languages to join the teaching profession.