‘In the Nation’s good’

Abstract

Since independence in 1965, education and sport have been instrumental in Singapore’s nation building, with a rapid rise in education and economic status. This article examines the roles of physical education and school sport in the local context and makes comparison with global themes ( instrumentality and marginality). It is argued that current roles in fitness development and social unification were established in early survival- and development-driven national policies. Syllabus revisions (1999, 2005) have mandated and reinforced a philosophical shift from technocratic efficiency to ability-driven learning process. Although the pedagogical practice of physical education has arguably been reoriented, its status in education remains low. A recent inquiry into primary school education recommended increasing core and co-curricular time for activity programmes, especially school-based sports talent development programmes, which are generally outsourced. Thus, the analysis presented in this article suggests that while school sport has gained a significant national and political profile in Singapore, physical education has not. Current improvements in physical education infrastructure are yet to impact on the quality of physical education pedagogy.