Means of Instruction, Equipment and Infrastructure

The Master Plan for Information Technology (IT) in Education is a blueprint for the integration of IT in education as a strategy to meet the challenges of the twenty-first century. The Master Plan envisages that by 2002, pupils will spend up to 30% of curriculum time using IT. To achieve this, a pupil-computer ratio of 2.1:1 is targeted for every school by 2002.

To commence, all primary schools will initially establish a pupil-computer ratio of 6.6:1, so as to achieve IT-based learning for 10% of curriculum time. Secondary schools and junior colleges will be given the capacity for an initial pupil-computer ratio of 5:1, enabling IT to be used for 14% of curriculum time.

In addition to computer laboratories, pupils will be provided with access to IT in all learning areas of the school. Computers will be provided in classrooms and other learning areas, such as libraries and special rooms. This will allow more convenient and effective integration of IT throughout the curriculum, and allow for its use both during and after curriculum hours. The use of notebook computers in classrooms, with their advantages of size and portability, is an option that schools can employ. Notebooks would overcome constraints of space, give flexibility in the arrangement of pupils for group learning, and enable higher utilisation of computers through their deployment to different classes at different times.

The Master Plan provides for a teacher-notebook ratio of 2:1 in every school. Schools will deploy their notebooks flexibly, so as to ensure maximum utilization by teachers and appropriate use during and after school hours. The Ministry of Education will also provide grants for teachers to purchase their own computers, in order to promote the use of the computer as a personal tool for every teacher.

The Master Plan also provides for school-wide networking in every school. It would allow courseware, the Internet and digitized media resources to be accessed in every classroom and in all learning areas. Networking will also allow for sharing of teaching resources within and between schools. All schools will be linked through a Wide Area Network (WAN), which will eventually be connected to the high-speed backbone of Singapore ONE. All teachers and pupils from Grade IV and above will be provided with e-mail accounts. Additional physical infrastructure, with respect to power, space and furniture required for an IT-enriched school environment, will be incorporated into future school building specifications.

Every teacher will be trained to handle IT-based instruction and support new learning strategies among their pupils. The National Institute of Education (NIE) will align its teacher training programmes to ensure that all graduating students have core skills in teaching with IT resources. This will require the effective infusion of IT into the NIE’s own curricula; the training of all academic staff, so that they become role models in the use of IT for teaching; and providing ready access to IT tools and related resources for all trainee teachers. The first priority will be to equip graduates with the basic skills required to integrate IT into the teaching of school curricula subjects. NIE will also introduce a scheme to encourage trainee teachers to purchase their own computers.