The education system in Singapore has been well lauded by people from other countries as being robust and comprehensive. This is apparent as there are many instances of overseas students coming to Singapore from a young age to seek education here.
Our students in Singapore have also exhibited their prowess for Physics over the years as they have achieved top scores in Cambridge exams and have attained gold medals consistently in the International Physics Olympiad, known for its highly intellectual questions.
How is it that our students are able to achieve such outstanding results in Physics?
Physics is one of those subjects that calls for a student’s in-depth understanding of the different topics, rather than regurgitation of concepts like History. Fortunately, Singapore’s Ministry of Education has conscientiously developed an inclusive Physics syllabus that breaks down heavy topics into bite-sized pieces to make it easy for students to understand and digest the relevant concepts. They have also successfully trained a fine pool of Physics teachers who are able to explain abstract theories in a simple but fitting way via the application of diagrams, drawings and examples. Nowadays, they have even started to introduce interactive learning using technology where videos depicting 3D imagery of Physics concepts are used. Such visualisation tools only serve to promote a student’s progress in the subject.
Furthermore, students are provided with regular homework assignments by their Physics school teachers as a means to applying the knowledge and put it into practice. The same assignments also serve as feedback to students on their current competency level so that they can look into where they are lacking.
How accessible is Physics tuition in Singapore?
It is also without a doubt that tuition has a well-established presence in Singapore, where you are able to find several tuition centres in the same neighbourhood. Parents can easily sign their children up for tuition to receive immediate help in their weak subjects. This is especially important as secondary and JC Physics consists of a build up of concepts that are related to one another as will be illustrated in later articles. Due to the progressive nature of the subject, it is key that students receive the appropriate help early on so that they do not fall behind. In addition, there are also available fast track and enrichment classes that teaches Physics at a deeper level. This has led to the high performance levels of our students in the subject of Physics.
To sum it up, it is due to the concerted efforts of our Education Ministry, its carefully selected pool of school teachers, the visual tools and aids and the availability of excellent Physics tutors to bridge the gap, that have led to Singapore students to achieve phenomenal results in the area of Physics.
