Character-building in Students in Tertiary Institutions' Curriculum

29 Mr Lim Biow Chuan asked the Minister for Education whether tertiary institutions in Singapore will focus on building character values in their students as part of their curriculum.

Mr Chan Chun Sing: The nurturing of character and values is an essential aspect of every student’s educational journey. This starts with a holistic school experience that includes Character and Citizenship lessons. The Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs) build on this foundation to equip our youths with the values, soft skills and competencies needed for work and adulthood.

Beyond the academic curriculum, character is shaped through experiential learning opportunities, including student life on campus, service learning projects, internships, co-curricular activities and overseas immersion programmes. These experiences allow students to build resilience and self-confidence, interact with people from diverse backgrounds, and broaden their perspectives of Singapore and the world.

From AY2022, our Polytechnics and the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) will be implementing a revised LifeSkills curriculum to strengthen focus on key competencies and attributes, including self-awareness and mental resilience, personal effectiveness, interpersonal and collaboration skills, and sense of national and global perspectives. The Autonomous Universities (AUs) will also continue to strengthen LifeSkills among their students, through a rich range of learning and student experiences.