Education

Part of the infrastructure behind Singapore's economic successes, as a leading in the world high-tech industries, has been its system of education – which costs the country 20% of its annual state budget each year. All lessons are held in English.

Singapore's first Prime Minister, Mr Lee Kuan Yew, proposed English as the language in schools because it was in widespread daily use, and would facilitate communication between pupils from different linguistic and ethnic backgrounds, as well as boosting Singapore's position in the world economy.

Despite this, schoolchildren must also learn one of Singapore's three official languages – Chinese, Malay, or Tamil – as compulsory subject at school. Passing an examination in one of these languages is obligatory. Singaporean education is characterised by a complex system of points and assessments, an early specialisation in a chosen sphere of education, the division of schools by ability and local region. The results of this system have made Singaporean education one of the most rigorous and effective in the world, and its people some of the highest-educated. School-age education is both accessible and compulsory for all. Parents are held responsible and punished if their children fail to attend school. Schools are divided into Primary and Secondary age-groups.