I refer to the article “Private school closures in Singapore hit record high last year” (Straits Times, Feb 9).
Record no. of private schools closed
It states that “A record number of private schools shut down last year, continuing the shakedown in a sector that once headlined Singapore’s ambition to be an education hub.
Even more are expected to exit the scene this year, as the authorities prepare to enforce new and stricter rules.
Last year, 25 private schools deregistered with the Committee for Private Education (CPE), including big names such as Nanyang Education Institute and M2 Academy, which opened with a bang in Orchard Road just three years ago. In 2015, 17 schools shut down.
Could not meet the standards?
There are 293 registered private schools currently – the first time that the number has dropped below 300 since 2012, when tough new rules weeded out hundreds that could not meet the standards required of them.
Global Schoolhouse in Singapore?
The latest bloodletting in the sector means that the plan of building a Global Schoolhouse in Singapore, which aimed to enrol 150,000 foreign students by 2015, has effectively been shelved.
Students dropped from 135,000 to less than 100,000?
The current student enrolment figures at private schools are not available, but figures reported in 2015 – 77,000 locals and 29,000 foreigners – already showed a drop in numbers.
Media reports five years ago said there were about 100,000 locals and about 35,000 foreigners enrolled in privately run schools.”
World renowned schools also closed?
Whilst I can understand the explanation that many low quality schools had to close because “could not meet the standards required of them” – why is it arguably, that so many world renowned schools have also closed in Singapore?
For example:

Subscribe
Notify of
0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
You May Also Like

Sinovac CEO caught for bribing Chinese regulator remains unscathed and continues to oversee COVID-19 vaccine development

The Washington Post published a news article last month highlighting that Sinovac…

多日披麻戴孝讨债,讨债公司老板被捕

近日,一名讨债公司负责人多次以披麻戴孝的方式上前讨债,警方以公共滋扰法令逮捕该名追债公司老板白丰伟。不过据了解目前他已保释在外,警方仍在调查有关案件。 根据本社日前的报道,讨债公司屡出新招,以披麻戴孝的方式连日进行讨债,使被讨债的建筑公司老板深受其扰。他以方言大声哭孝,不停喊道“还钱,还钱”向老板讨债,同时以哼唱丧歌来威胁老板出面处理。最终,不堪其扰的建筑公司报警处理。 事发经过 讨债公司老板白丰伟于上周一(27日)亲身到该公司讨债,但却被建筑公司老板拒绝门外,甚至报警赶人。 翌日,他又出现在该公司门口,披麻戴孝跪地10-15分钟,威胁老板出面商谈,但老板仍拒绝出面,但他并未放弃。 5月29日当天,再次“完整着装”出现在该公司门口,公司职员一再澄清并无欠债,已交由律师处理。 5月31日下午,白丰伟仍不听劝阻,带着口罩、哨子、担幡,并将各大媒体的报道制成布条写着“血汗钱还给我们”,在公司面前叫嚣。后来,因数度澄清不果,公司决定报警处理。 建筑公司:忧生意遭受波及,不排除提控 根据建筑公司老板黄先生描述,“整个过程差不多持续了10分钟左右,我抵达后,对方已不见踪影,警方事后也到场了解情况。” 黄先生表示自新闻出街以来,已收到不少顾客的来电,担心公司名誉受损。他坦言,如今收到陌生电话时仍心有余悸,不敢接听,待搞清楚对方身份才能接听。 “我这几天都忙著接电话,都是顾客询问。虽然目前生意未受波及,但仍担心顾客会因此失去信心。” 他再次澄清并无欠债,两年前合作的承包商在工程完毕后并未提供12个月的保修服务,并陆续发出17万2960元的的额外费用,而经核对后发现有关项目并不在合约范围内,故无支付费用的义务。…

Unemployment – important statistics missing from media reports

Local media’s selective reporting of data leaves much to be desired. Leong Sze Hian.

Latest data: Number of foreign PMETs continues to increase in Singapore

Last week, the Manpower Ministry (MOM) finally released its foreign workforce numbers.…