Meritocracy, elitism, and egalitarianism: A preliminary and provisional assessment of Singapore’s primary education review

Asia Pacific Journal of Education

Volumn 33, Issue 1, 2013, Pages 1-14

  Lim, Leonel ^a  

^a UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN MADISON   (United States)

Author keywords

Educational equity; Educational policy; Meritocracy; Primary education; Singapore

Indexed keywords

EID: 84894291389     PISSN: 02188791     EISSN: 17426855     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1080/02188791.2012.711294     Document Type: Review

References (67)

1. Apple, M.W. (2006). Educating the “right” way: Markets, standards, God, and inequality (2nd ed.). New York: Routledge.
2. Ball, S.J. (1993). Education markets, choice and social class: The market as a class strategy in the UK and US. British Journal of Sociology of Education, 14(1), 3-19.
3. Barr, M.D. (1999). Lee Kuan Yew: Race, culture and genes. Journal of Contemporary Asia, 29(2), 145-166.
4. Barr, M.D. (2006a). The charade of meritocracy. Far Eastern Economic Review, 169(8), 18-22.
5. Barr, M.D. (2006b). Racialised education in Singapore. Educational Research for Policy and Practice, 5, 15-31.
6. Barr, M.D., & Low, J. (2005). Assimilation as multiculturalism: The case of Singapore’s Malays. Asian Ethnicity, 6(3), 161-182.
7. Barr, M.D., & Skrbis, Z. (2008). Constructing Singapore: Elitism, ethnicity and the nation-building project. Copenhagen: Nordic Institute of Asian Studies Press.
8. Bernstein, B. (1977). Class, codes and control: Vol. 3. Towards a theory of educational transmission (2nd ed.). New York: Routledge.
9. Bernstein, B. (1990). Class, codes and control: Vol. 4. The structuring of pedagogical discourse (2nd ed.). New York: Routledge.
10. Bourdieu, P. (1984). Distinction: A social critique on the judgement of taste. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
11. Bourdieu, P., & Passeron, J.C. (1977). Reproduction in education, society and culture. London: Sage.
12. Carneiro, P., & Heckman, J.J. (2003). Human capital policy. In J.J. Heckman, A.B. Krueger, & B.M. Friedman (Eds.), Inequality in America: What role for human capital policies? (pp. 77-240). Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.
13. Cavanagh, M. (2002). Against equality of opportunity. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
14. Chang, R. (2011a, January 14). RI honours Minister Mentor with new award. The Straits Times, p. A4.
15. Chang, R. (2011b, January 25). Parents’ background the edge for students at top schools: MM. The Straits Times, p. A3.
16. Department of Statistics (2011). Singapore census of population 2010 statistical release 1: Demographic characteristics, education, language and religion. Singapore: Author.
17. Fraser, N. (1997). Justice interruptus: Critical reflections on the “postsocialist” condition. New York: Routledge.
18. Gewirtz, S., Ball, S.J., & Bowe, R. (1995). Markets, choice and equity in education. Buckingham: Open University Press.
19. Hack, K. (2011). Remaking Singapore, 1990-2004: From disciplinarian development to bureaucratic proxy democracy. In K. Hack & J. Margolin (Eds.), Singapore from Temasek to the 21st century: Reinventing the global city (pp. 345-383). Singapore: National University of Singapore Press.
20. Hoe, Y.N. (2011, January 29). MM Lee was describing “worst-case scenario”: Dr Yaacob. Channelnewsasia.com. Retrieved from http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1107702/1/.html
21. Hussain, Z. (2011, January 30). Muslims have helped strengthen integration: PM. The Straits Times. Retrieved from http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_630050.html
22. Jencks, C. (1988). Whom must we treat equally for educational opportunity to be equal? Ethics, 98, 518-533.
23. Kang, T. (2005). Creating educational dreams: The intersection of ethnicity, families and schools. Singapore: Marshall Cavendish Academic.
24. Kwek, K. (2007, May 18). Students of top schools worry more about elitism. The Straits Times, p. H18.
25. Lareau, A. (2003). Unequal childhoods: Class, race, and family life. Berkeley: University of California Press.
26. Lee, K.Y. (2000). From third world to first: The Singapore story 1965-2000. Singapore: Times Publishing.
27. Lee, K.Y. (2011). Hard truths to keep Singapore going. Singapore: Singapore Press Holdings.
28. Lee, V.E., & Burkam, D.T. (2002). Inequality at the starting gate: Social background differences in achievement as children begin school. Washington, DC: Economic Policy Institute.
29. Lim, L., & Kwek, K. (2006, June 20). Why the elite envy? The Straits Times, p. 10.
30. Mauzy, D.K., & Milne, R.S. (2002). Singapore politics under the People’s Action Party. New York: Routledge.
31. Mills, C. (2008). The racial contract. New York: Cornell University Press.
32. Ministry of Education (1997). Desired outcomes of education. Singapore: Author.
33. Ministry of Education (2004a). Refinements to primary school streaming. Retrieved from http://www.moe.gov.sg/media/press/2004/pr20040318.htm
34. Ministry of Education (2004b). Review of the Normal (Technical) course. Retrieved from http://www.moe.gov.sg/media/press/2004/pr20040929a.htm
35. Ministry of Education (2004c). Greater flexibility in the school admission system. Retrieved from http://www.moe.gov.sg/media/press/2004/pr20040317b.htm
36. Ministry of Education (2007a). Special and Express courses at secondary schools to merge. Retrieved from http://www.moe.gov.sg/media/press/2007/pr20070803.htm
37. Ministry of Education (2007b). Greater integration for pupils in the Gifted Education Programme. Retrieved from http://www.moe.gov.sg/media/press/2007/pr20071102.htm
38. Ministry of Education (2007c). Levelling up opportunities: Raising the quality of education for children with special educational needs. Retrieved from http://www.moe.gov.sg/media/press/2007/pr20070307b.htm
39. Ministry of Education (2007d). Enhancing learning experiences for students in the Normal course. Retrieved from http://www.moe.gov.sg/media/press/2007/pr20071002.htm
40. Ministry of Education (2008a). Enhanced programmes by Special Assistance Plan schools to enrich students’ learning of Chinese language and values. Retrieved from http://www.moe.gov.sg/media/press/2008/02/enhanced-programmes-by-special.php
41. Ministry of Education (2008b). Developing a new generation school team. Retrieved from http://www.moe.gov.sg/media/press/2008/09/developing-a-new-generation-sc.php
42. Ministry of Education (2009a). Strong fundamentals for future learning. Retrieved from http://www.moe.gov.sg/media/press/2009/01/strong-fundamentals-for-future.php
43. Ministry of Education (2009b). Government accepts recommendations on primary education. Retrieved from http://www.moe.gov.sg/media/press/2009/04/government-accepts-recommendat.php
44. Ministry of Education (2010a). Performance by ethnic group 2000-2009. Retrieved from http://www.moe.gov.sg/media/press/2010/12/performance-by-ethnic-group-2000-2009.php
45. Ministry of Education (2010b). FY 2010 Committee of Supply debate: 2nd reply by Senior Minister of State Ms Grace Fu. Retrieved from http://www.moe.gov.sg/media/speeches/2010/03/10/fy-2010-committee-of-supply-de-1.php
46. Ministry of Education (2010c). Education Statistics Digest 2010. Singapore: Author.
47. Ministry of Education (2011a). Gifted Education Programme: Rationale and goals. Retrieved from http://www.moe.gov.sg/education/programmes/gifted-education-programme/rationale-andgoals
48. Ministry of Education (2011b). Integrated Programmes (IP). Retrieved from http://www.moe.gov.sg/education/secondary/other/integrated-programme
49. Moore, R.Q. (2000). Multiracialism and meritocracy: Singapore’s approach to race and inequality. Review of Social Economy, 58(3), 339-360.
50. Neuman, S.B. (2009). Changing the odds for children at risk. New York: Teachers College Press.
51. Ng, P. T. (2008). Teach less, learn more: Seeking curricular and pedagogical innovation. In J. Tan & P. T. Ng (Eds.), Thinking schools, learning nation: Contemporary issues and challenges (pp. 61-71). Singapore: Prentice Hall.
52. Pateman, C. (1988). The sexual contract. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press.
53. Rahim, L.Z. (1998). The Singapore dilemma: The political and educational marginality of the Malay community. Kuala Lumpur: Oxford University Press.
54. Raver, C.C. (2004). Placing emotional self-regulation in sociocultural and socioeconomic contexts. Child Development, 75, 346-353.
55. Rawls, J. (1971). A theory of justice. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
56. Rothstein, R. (2004). Class and schools: Using social, economic, and educational reform to close the black-white achievement gap. New York: Teachers College Press.
57. Satz, D. (2007). Equality, adequacy, and education for citizenship. Ethics, 117(July), 623-648.
58. Swift, A. (2003). How not to be a hypocrite: School choice for the morally perplexed parent. London: Routledge.
59. Tan, C. (2008). Tensions in an ability-driven education. In J. Tan & P.T. Ng (Eds.), Thinking schools, learning nation (pp. 7-18). Singapore: Prentice Hall.
60. Tan, J. (1998). The marketisation of education in Singapore: Policies and implications. International Review of Education, 44(1), 47-63.
61. Tan, J. (2006). Key educational policy initiatives and trends in Singapore, 1956-2006. In C. Tan, B. Wong, J. Chua, & T. Kang (Eds.), Critical perspectives on education (pp. 192-211). Singapore: Pearson Prentice Hall.
62. Tan, J. (2008a). Whither National Education? In J. Tan & P.T. Ng (Eds.), Thinking schools, learning nation (pp. 72-86). Singapore: Prentice Hall.
63. Tan, J. (2008b). The marketisation of education in Singapore. In J. Tan & P.T. Ng (Eds.), Thinking schools, learning nation (pp. 19-38). Singapore: Prentice Hall.
64. Tan, J., & Ng, P.T. (2008). Thinking schools, learning nation. Singapore: Prentice Hall.
65. Tan, K.P. (2008). Meritocracy and elitism in a global city: Ideological shifts in Singapore. International Political Science Review, 29(1), 7-27.
66. Thernstrom, A., & Thernstrom, S. (2003). No excuses: Closing the racial gap in learning. New York: Simon & Schuster Paperbacks.
67. Wong, A. (2000, November 24). Keynote address by the Senior Minister of State for Education at the International Baccalaureate Asia Pacific 16th Annual Regional Conference. Retrieved from http://www.moe.gov.sg/media/speeches/2000/sp24112000.htm