1. Building A Responsive Vocational Technical Education System
Seminar on “Secondary Education in Sub-Saharan Africa”, Oslo, Norway
Building A Responsive Vocational Technical Education System
- The Singapore Experience
Dr Law Song Seng
Director & Chief Executive Officer
Institute of Technical Education, Singapore
Sep 2006

2. PRESENTATION OUTLINE
Part I - Development of Vocational and Technical Education (VTE) in Singapore Before Formation of ITE (1964 – 1992)
Part II - ITE Today: Strategic Responses to Transform VTE in a Global Economy (1992 – 2006) 2

3. LOCATION OF SINGAPORE South-east Asia China Singapore 3
Myanmar
Hong Kong
Laos
South
China
Sea
Thailand
Vietnam
Cambodia
Brunei
Malaysia
Island city state
Total land area – 700 square kilometres
Total population – 4.35 million
2005 Per Capita Gross National Income – US$26,700
Singapore
Indonesia
South-east Asia 3
Building A Responsive Vocational Technical Education System
- The Singapore Experience

4. Development of VTE Before Formation of ITE
Part I -
Development of VTE Before Formation of ITE
(1964 – 1992)
Introduction
When Singapore attained self-governance in 1959 and subsequently independence in 1965, it became apparent that the traditional trading, commerce and service sectors alone could not provide sufficient jobs for the growing number of school leavers. The plan for Singapore was to diversify and accelerate its economic growth through industrialisation. The need to formalise a national system of training to support the manpower needs of industrialisation became critical.
To support its economic strategy during the early industrialisation phase from 1960s to 1970s, the Government concentrated on the provision of primary and secondary education, including technical education and training, to lay the foundation for skills upgrading. From the 1980s onwards, it sought to improve the quality of primary and secondary education to strengthen this foundation. Attention to tertiary education only picked up from the 1980s.

5. PHASES OF SINGAPORE’S DEVELOPMENT
1960s-70s
1980s-90s
2000s
Independence &
Early Industrialisation
Economic Restructuring (1980s)
Newly-Industrialised Economy (1990s)
Globalised and
Diversified Economy
Factor-Driven
Economy
Investment-Driven
Economy
Innovation-Driven
Economy
Labour Intensive
Development of Vocational and Technical Education (VTE) in Singapore’s Economic Development
The VTE system in Singapore has evolved through several significant phases of development, in line with economic changes and the manpower development strategies of Singapore.
Singapore has gone through the following three key phases of economic development (SPRING Singapore):
1960s -1970s : Factor-Driven Economy (Labour Intensive)
1980s s : Investment-Driven Economy (Capital Intensive)
2000s : Innovation-Driven Economy (Knowledge Intensive)
Capital Intensive
Knowledge Intensive 5
Building A Responsive Vocational Technical Education System
- The Singapore Experience

6. LABOUR-INTENSIVE ECONOMY (1960s - 1970s)
Independence & Early Industrialisation
Singapore’s Economic and Manpower Strategies
Create employment through industrialisation
Attract foreign investment for export-oriented and labour-intensive manufacturing
Ensure workforce has basic skills to support labour-intensive manufacturing activities (eg. ship repairing, turning and fitting, sheet metal work, radio & TV maintenance and repair) 6

7. LABOUR-INTENSIVE ECONOMY (1960s)
VTE STRATEGIES FOR
LABOUR-INTENSIVE ECONOMY (1960s)
Basic Skills Training for Early Industrialisation
1964 : Setting up of First Vocational Institute within the School System (Balestier Trade School was reorganised into Singapore Vocational Institute)
1968 : Formation of Technical Education Department (TED) under Ministry of Education (MOE)
1969 : Transfer of Apprenticeship Schemes from Ministry of Labour to TED
Balestier
Trade School
Singapore
Vocational Institute
Visit to Industry by
TED’s Director
Metal Fabrication and Metal Machining at
Singapore Vocational Institute (SVI)
Precision Engineering course
open to girls at Pasir Panjang VI 7

8. LABOUR-INTENSIVE ECONOMY (1970s)
VTE STRATEGIES FOR
LABOUR-INTENSIVE ECONOMY (1970s)
Structured Pre-Employment Skills Training for Rapid Industrialisation
1973 : Formation of Industrial Training Board (ITB) under MOE
1973 : Implementation of National Trade Certificate (NTC) at 3 levels: semi-skilled (NTC-3), skilled (NTC-2) and master craftsman (NTC-1) [Wide range of courses to support emerging industries (eg. Electrical and Electronics, Metal and Mechanical Engineering, Heavy-duty Diesel and Motor Vehicle Mechanics)]
: Setting up of Joint Government Training Centres (GTC) by Economic Development Board (EDB) (eg. Tata-GTC, Rollei-GTC and Philips-GTC)
Fashion Arts & Tailoring
at Baharuddin VI
Mechanical Servicing
at Geylang Serai VI
Motor Vehicle Mechanics
at Singapore VI
Heavy-duty Diesel Mechanics
at Bukit Merah VI
Tata-Government Training Centre 8

9. CAPITAL-INTENSIVE ECONOMY (1980s-1990s)
Economic Restructuring (1980s)
Singapore’s Economic and Manpower Strategies (1980s)
Restructure economy into higher value-added, high technology and more capital-intensive industries
(Eg. Petrochemicals, electronics, aerospace, information technology, as well as manufacturing services like testing, financing, warehousing and purchasing)
Ensure the workforce has the skills to support the move towards more capital-intensive industries 9

10. CAPITAL-INTENSIVE ECONOMY (1980s)
VTE STRATEGIES FOR
CAPITAL-INTENSIVE ECONOMY (1980s)
Mass Skills Training and Workforce Development
1979 : Amalgamation of ITB with Adult Education Board to form Vocational & Industrial Training Board (VITB) under MOE
[Expanded range of higher-level NTC-2 Courses (eg. Mechatronics, Mechanical Engineering, Precision Engineering)]
1981 : Introduction of Business Courses [Certificate in Business Studies (CBS)]
1981 : Setting up of Centre of Vocational Training within VITB to build expertise in curriculum development, training of trainers and instructional media development
Vocational & Industrial
Training Board (VITB)
Electrical Engineering (ITC)
Electronics Instrumentation (NTC)
Mechanical Engineering (ITC)
Mechanical Drafting (NTC)
CBS (Secretarial Practice) 10

11. CAPITAL-INTENSIVE ECONOMY (1980s)
VTE STRATEGIES FOR
CAPITAL-INTENSIVE ECONOMY (1980s)
Mass Skills Training and Workforce Development
: Introduction of new national training programmes aimed at mature workers with little education or training
1990 : Introduction of New Apprenticeship System to strengthen institutional training component
1983 Basic Education for Skills Training (BEST)
1986 Modular Skills Training Scheme (MOST)
1987 Worker Improvement through Secondary Education (WISE)
Apprenticeship off-the-job training at
Precision Optics Centre
BEST Class in Mathematics
MOST Course in
Electrical Engineering 11

12. CAPITAL-INTENSIVE ECONOMY (1980s-1990s)
Newly-Industrialised Economy (1990s)
Singapore’s Economic & Manpower Strategies (1990s)
Emphasis on both the manufacturing and service sectors; encouragement of local enterprises to diversify, upgrade and develop into strong export-oriented companies; and promotion of regional investments
Develop manpower needed for the push to high-technology and knowledge-intensive products and services 12

13. CAPITAL-INTENSIVE ECONOMY (1990s)
VTE STRATEGIES FOR
CAPITAL-INTENSIVE ECONOMY (1990s)
Upgrading Vocational Education and Training for Capital-Intensive Economy
1992 : New education policy of minimum 10 years’ general education
1992 : Upgrading of VTE to post-secondary level through the formation of Institute of Technical Education (ITE) (A network of 10 ITE Training Institutes) under MOE
1990s : Expansion of Polytechnic education (Increase from 2 Polytechnics to 5 by 2002)
Inauguration Ceremony
of the ITE ( 31 Mar 1992)
New ITE Headquarters
(1995)
New ITE Bishan Institute
(1994)
Temasek Polytechnic
(1990)
Nanyang Polytechnic
(1992)
Republic Polytechnic
(2002) 13

14. KNOWLEDGE-INTENSIVE ECONOMY (2000s)
Globalised and Diversified Economy
Singapore’s Economic & Manpower Strategies (2000s)
Vision to be a globalised, entrepreneurial and diversified economy
Shift towards higher-value manufacturing and growing importance of the services sector
[New growth sectors: eg. biomedical sciences, infocomm, creative media, (including film production, publishing, digital media, animation and games), integrated resorts and high-value engineering]
Promotion of Innovation and Enterprise at all levels
Positioning Singapore as a global education hub and developing a first-class education 14

15. KNOWLEDGE-INTENSIVE ECONOMY (2000s)
VTE STRATEGIES FOR
KNOWLEDGE-INTENSIVE ECONOMY (2000s)
Transforming VTE in a Global Economy
2002 : Launch of New National ITE Certificate (Nitec) System
2005 : Regrouping of ITE Institutes into Mega Regional Campuses under the “One ITE System, Three Colleges” Governance Model
2005 : Opening of First Regional Campus - ITE College East
: Positioning ITE as a Global Leader in VTE
Nitec Certifications
for the New Economy
Official Opening of ITE College East
by Prime Minister (Mar 06)
ITE College East
First International VTE Conference
held in Singapore (17-18 Aug 2006) 15

16. Part II -
ITE Today
(1992 – 2006)

17. ITE - UNIQUE CHALLENGES
Focusing on career-based vocational and technical education
Catering to lower 25% - 30% of secondary school cohort
Responding to dynamic changes and challenges impacting VTE 17

18. THE ITE HEARTBEAT Mission Vision Values
To create opportunities for school leavers and adult learners to acquire skills, knowledge and values for lifelong learning in a global economy
Vision
A Global Leader in Technical Education
Values
Integrity
Teamwork
Excellence
Care 18

19. ITE AS A POST-SECONDARY INSTITUTION
Universities
Degree
National University of Singapore
Nanyang Technological University
Singapore Management University
University
Junior Colleges
Polytechnics
Institute of Technical Education
Diploma
Nanyang
Ngee Ann
Republic
Singapore
Temasek
Master Nitec
Other Training Providers/Labour
Market
General
Certificate
of Education
(Advanced
Level)
Higher Nitec
Post-Secondary
MINISTRY OF EDUCATION
Nitec
(25%)
(40%)
(25%)
(10%)
Secondary
Secondary Special
( 4 Years )
Secondary Express
( 4 Years )
Secondary Normal
( 4 / 5 Years )
Primary
Primary ( 6 Years ) 19

20. UNIQUE FEATURES OF THE ITE-VTE SYSTEM
Responsive “One ITE System, Three Colleges” Governance Model
Unique “Hands-on, Minds-on, Hearts-on” College Education
Practice-Oriented Curriculum Model
Process-Oriented Pedagogic Model
Integrated Communications and Marketing of VTE
Creative Rebranding of ITE 20

21. RESPONSIVE “ONE ITE SYSTEM, THREE COLLEGES” GOVERNANCE MODEL
Yishun
New ITE College Central (2011)
New ITE College West (2009)
ITE College West (Main Campus)
Ang Mo Kio
Bukit Batok
Bishan
Tampines
ITE Headquarters
Clementi
ITE College West
(Balestier Main Campus)
ITE College East (2005)
Bedok
Dover
ITE College Central
(MacPherson Main Campus)
ITE Headquarters
Legend
College Development Plan
ITE Headquarters
ITE College East
ITE College West
ITE College Central
Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) Route
– Simei Ave (2005)
– Choa Chu Kang (2009)
– Ang Mo Kio Ave 5 (2011)
ITE College East
ITE College Central (Main Campus) 21

22. UNIQUE “HANDS-ON, MINDS-ON, HEARTS-ON” COLLEGE EDUCATION
Bio-Chemical Technology
Nursing
“MINDS-ON”
HOLISTIC LEARNING
ENVIRONMENT
“HEARTS-ON”
Robotics
Digital Media Design
Community Service
ITE SAFE Home Project
Education Outcomes
Market-relevant, Enterprising and Adaptable Graduates for a Global Economy
Lifelong Learners for Lifelong Employability
Successful Graduates 22

23. PRACTICE-ORIENTED CURRICULUM MODEL
Core
8 Modules
Core
80%
Electives 5%
Life Skills
15%
Electives
2 Modules (Specialisation or outside Specialisation)
Life Skills Modules
7 Modules
(Examples: Communication, Thinking & Problem-Solving, Sports and Wellness, Career Development & Planning, Customer Service)
The curriculum of a typical course comprises 70% practical training and 30% theoretical lessons 23

24. PROCESS-ORIENTED PEDAGOGIC MODEL
EXPLORE
PRACTISE
PERFORM
PLAN
LEARNER
Technical,
Methodological
& Social
Competencies
PEPP MODEL 24

25. INTEGRATED COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING OF VTE
Ministers’ Endorsements
Prime Minister’s Visit
WorldSkills Singapore (with President)
The New Paper (2 Feb 05)
>
Experience ITE Programme
Roadshows
Media Strategy
Marketing to Schools 25

26. CREATIVE REBRANDING OF ITE
First Campaign ( ):
“Make Things Happen’’
Second Campaign ( ):
“ITE - A Force Behind The Knowledge-Based Economy”
Third Campaign ( ):
“Thinking Hands Create Success” 26

27. Thank You