Schools should use applied learning tactics and create time and space to nurture innovation in students, said Ng Chee Meng, Singapore’s minister of education (schools).
Speaking at the 20th appointment and appreciation ceremony for principals, Ng shared how nurturing innovative individuals is crucial to overcoming societal and economic changes caused by digital disruption and globalisation. He cited the advent of social media and the sharing economy as prime examples.
“We need to be intentional about the innovation process, because innovation requires certain skills and dispositions, hard work, perseverance, tenacity and dare,“ Ng said.
Ng suggested creating a conducive learning environment focused on three ‘I’s – imagination, inquisitiveness and interconnections – to foster innovation.
- Imagination: Create a stimulating environment that allows personal reflection and free-play through self-directed tasks
- Inquisitiveness: Rather than providing answer guides for students, educators should be facilitating them to form questions and come up with creative solutions
- Interconnections: Offer a curriculum that promotes inter-disciplinary learning
”I appreciate that creating such time and space for our students is not an easy task. There will be trade-offs and adaptations required,” he said. “In our schools, I think we can free up some space to embrace some messiness and uncertainty of outcomes, as perfect structure and instructions can impede innovation.”
At the ceremony on 28 December 2017, 63 principals were given appointment letters, while 16 retiring principals were lauded for their contributions to Singapore’s education sector.