Our Journey to Nationhood (1959 to 1996)

Our Journey to Nationhood

When Singapore became independent in 1965, the power of education to shape a nation was not lost on its leaders. Many challenges abounded: not only did Singapore have a multi-ethnic population which was used to being divided along racial lines under the colonial government, but there was also a lack of natural resources and a largely unskilled labour force. In order to leapfrog the region and to move from Third World to the First, education would be a key lever.