ABSTRACT
This chapter looks at how education policy is used in Singapore to create the kind of citizens deemed necessary to the country’s continued survival and prosperity, and analyses this vis-a-vis the challenges facing the country in an age of globalisation and change. Events leading to independence had included ethnic and religious tensions and disturbances, and the political leaders saw the need to imbue Singaporeans with a sense of identity and unity, as well as the values and attitudes that would not only enable them to live in harmony, but also ensure the continued survival of the country. The fact that Singapore lacks natural resources gives impetus to the need to develop its human resource, and the country’s commitment to this economic imperative can be seen in how closely education policy is tied to the needs of the economy. In the final analysis, the model of the ideal citizen that is promoted is one with strong elements of moral virtue.
