EduA

Define education

•       Education = the process by which an individual acquires or imparts knowledge, skills, values and judgment, and learns to distinguish right from wrong.

•       Two broad categories of skills developed:

◦       Functional skills — literacy, numeracy, knowledge of science/current affairs

◦       Process skills — observing, classifying, inferring, predicting, communicating

•       Increasingly includes: vocational skills, critical thinking, character/values education, socio-emotional development (holistic development).

Human rights education

UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 26: education is a right — free & compulsory at elementary level; higher education accessible on the basis of merit; parents have the right to choose the kind of education given to their children.

Education statistics

Out-of-school rate: 36% in low-income countries vs only 3% in high-income countries.

UNESCO GEM Report, 2026

Since 2000, completion rates have risen: primary 77%→88%; lower secondary 60%→78%; upper secondary 37%→61%.

UNESCO GEM Report, 2026

Nearly 60 million people could escape poverty if all adults received just two more years of schooling.

UNESCO, cited in World Vision

Roles of education

Individual Development	Building functional/process skills, critical thinking, character and socio-emotional capacity so a person can flourish and self-actualise.	Aims & Objectives (3); Technology/AI personalisation (7); undermined by Wellbeing pressures (10)
Social Mobility & Equaliser	Acting as a vehicle that lets talent and effort — not birth — determine a person's life outcomes.	Meritocracy (4); Social Leveller (5); challenged by Global Inequality (8)
Economic Preparation	Equipping individuals with the skills a changing economy needs, and building a nation's human capital/competitiveness.	World of Work (6); Technology/AI (7); SkillsFuture
Social Placement / Gatekeeping	Sorting individuals into different occupations and social positions based on qualifications and results.	Meritocracy (4); streaming/Full SBB; credentialism (9)
Cultural Transmission & Social Integration	Passing down a society's values and building a shared national identity and social cohesion.	Culture & National Identity (9); hidden curriculum
Civic & Moral Formation	Developing ethical judgment, democratic citizenship, and a sense of responsibility to community and nation.	Aims & Objectives (3); Wellbeing (10); Arts (11); Environment (12)
Agent of Global/Environmental Citizenship	Preparing individuals to understand and act on transnational challenges — climate change, AI governance, global interdependence.	Environment/Sustainability (12); Technology/AI (7)

State Singapore's Desired Outcomes of Education (MOE)

•       Confident Person — strong sense of right/wrong, resilient, discerning, communicates effectively.

•       Self-Directed Learner — takes responsibility for own learning, curious, reflective.

•       Active Contributor — collaborates effectively, takes initiative, innovative.

•       Concerned Citizen — rooted to Singapore, strong civic consciousness, contributes to community.

21st Century Competencies (21CC) framework: built around Core Values → Social-Emotional Competencies (self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship management, responsible decision-making) → Emerging Competencies (critical/adaptive/inventive thinking; communication & collaboration; civic, global & cross-cultural literacy).

Employers edu example

Employers — Google & LinkedIn leaders

Have publicly stated that firms increasingly prioritise demonstrated skills over academic qualifications when hiring, reflecting a shift in what 'aims of education' should serve.

IPS survey 2017 example

Parents — IPS survey (2017)

Institute of Policy Studies surveyed 1,500 Singaporean/PR parents (published July 2017): over 90% felt Singapore's education system is among the world's best and were satisfied with their child's primary school. However, ~25% had trouble enrolling in their first-choice school, and most reported feeling stressed helping children with homework/exams. Notably, 94% ranked teacher quality and character-building above raw PSLE scores (73%) when judging a 'good school'.