The State of Environmental Education in Singapore: A Curriculum Analysis of the Lower Secondary Geography Syllabus

Abstract

Environmental Education (EE) is often mentioned as an important tool in Singapore’s public education system to promote environmental awareness and pro-environmental behaviour. However, ambiguity exists in the development, implementation and incorporation of EE into the formal curriculum, presenting an indefinability about the present state of EE in Singapore. This study aims to ascertain the state of EE in Singapore by establishing the places where EE is present in the curriculum, as well as understanding the government’s approach towards EE in Singapore. A curriculum analysis of the Lower Secondary Geography (LSG) syllabus was conducted to find places where EE, framed as environmental issues, is incorporated into the formal curriculum. This was complemented by a discourse analysis of governmental literature on EE and environmental policy. The analyses reveals that EE is present in the LSG syllabus as environmental issues, and has developed over the past four revisions to be responsive towards the government’s environmental agenda. The presence of fieldwork and interdisciplinarity further reflects the evolution of EE towards providing students with a holistic view on environmental issues. The government’s approach towards EE, however, is concerning due to the lack of a concrete EE developmental plan not just from the Ministry of Education (MOE), but from the government altogether. An EE development strategy is vital to solidifying EE’s place in all disciplines of Singapore’s formal education system, and will signal the government’s intent to better prepare the nation the environmental concerns that may come Singapore’s way.