Lessons+from+Singapore

=//Lessons from Singapore //= PISA 2009 Report refers to Singapore as "rapid improver and continuing high performer". Even if we consider the issue of legitimacy of comparing Singapore to other countries, it seems that reasonable lessons can be learn from its relatively high 2009 PISA ranking and its "high-quality system in terms of educational retention, quality and efficiency". According to the report, the lessons learned from Singapore can be grouped in following categories.
 * Vision and leadership
 * "Leaders with bold long-term vision of the role of education in a society and economy are essential for creating educational excellence"
 * Alignment to economic development goals
 * "Educational policies [are] highly pragmatic, led to high-quality mathematics and science and also to world-class vocational/technical education"
 * Coherence of the educational system
 * There is "enormous attention to the details of implementation" and no gap between policies and their implementations.
 * Clear goals and rigorous standards
 * "All students have a strong early foundation in the core subjects of mathematics, science and literacy in two languages"
 * Curriculum, instruction and assessment matching the standards
 * "Serious attention to curriculum development"
 * High-quality teachers and principals
 * "Comprehensive and intensive human resource system"
 * Strong central capacity and authority to act
 * Constantly "assessing what is and isn't working using data and practitioner experience"
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">Accountability
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">"Individual appraisals take place in the context of schools excellence plans"
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">Meritocratic values
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">Strong belief that "education is the route to advancement and that hard work and effort pay off."
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">Adaptation of proven practices from abroad
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">"System [that] recognizes the rapidity of change around the world and has the capacity and has the capacity and inclination to learn and adopt"

//**<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%; line-height: 23px;">References **// <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">PISA 2009: Executive Summary, OECD PUBLISHING