The Growth Mindset

“Thinking Schools, Learning Nation (TSLN)” – it was first announced by former Singapore PM Goh Chok Tong in 1997 as the Ministry of Education’s (MOE) vision, to build “a nation of thinking and committed citizens capable of seizing future opportunities and an education system ready to ride the waves of change in the 21st century”.

To achieve growth, transformation and change must happen, and much has been invested in preparing Singapore’s future workforce – our students. We are always looking to equip the masses with the necessary knowledge and skills but who can really be sure as to what the “necessary” set of skills entails?

Just looking back 5 years ago, we would find that the nature of job searches and its demands are vastly different from what it is today. There’s a different set of expertise we are looking for, in-office working was still very much the norm, and now technology has revolutionized the way we live and work.

Technology is ever-evolving – it changes and adapts to the needs of the present, and morphs for the future. Yet we’ve come to embrace it as a part of our existence. Technology aids us to better understand and analyze information, and it assists us in rendering more efficient services that was not possible in the yesteryears.

Technology has also opened up new and greater possibilities. For example, doing business on digital platforms are growing, whether as a company or an individual. Electronic vehicles, non-fungible tokens, e-commerce – they are gaining popularity all over the world. It raises several questions – how do these implicate us in the corporate world? What would our future look like and what do we need to get there? Tech-inflation, is it real and will we sink if we do not keep up with such tech advancement?

What’s for sure is that change is inevitable – but how can we be proactive to change? As we evolve alongside this changing technology landscape, it’s important to consider how this will impact the lives of our future generation – the kids. How can schools help garner the positive aspects of technology and help kids utilize it to its maximum capabilities to achieve positive change?

Singapore has prided itself on being forward thinking and constantly trying to keep ahead of the curve. We can see our schools anticipate the advancements and demands of technology by ramping up the programs it offers to ensure that the future generation remains relevant and competent. Some schools are now offering computer programming as an elective for national exams. Youths as young as 7 years of age are assigned emails and other application accounts to facilitate engagement, learning and submission of assignments. The conventional forms of written assessments have also evolved towards a more student-centric format of self-grading using rubrics for students to chart out their challenges and match it with a strategy they would like to use.

And while we are creating a future that is power packed for the kids – what about us, the working adults? How do we make sure we’re not left out?

It takes a shift in perspective, and a willingness to do things differently. As I ask myself, I realize that such new skills are never beyond reach, but we must be willing to learn, unlearn and relearn. Education did not end when I graduated from school. Instead, it was the beginning for me. I served in the ministry for about a decade and I’ve seen it myself – authentic learning is a never-ending journey that takes place beyond the classroom – and if we want to continue keeping ahead of the curve, this is the mindset we should teach our future generations.