The government is also looking to expand research into adult pedagogies – how adults learn best.
While institutions like the National Institute of Education and National Institute of Early Childhood Development study how schoolchildren and young learners develop, Mr Chan hopes the Institute of Adult Learning, in collaboration with the Singapore University of Social Sciences, will take the lead in adult education research.
Technological advancements, such as artificial intelligence-driven programmes, are also reshaping the landscape. AI can now generate personalised training plans in just 45 minutes.
Despite the Ministry of Education’s efforts in offering more customisation for students in school, customising education for adults remains a greater challenge, Mr Chan said. He called on universities to play a more active role, noting that they have an “avalanche of information” that could be leveraged.
“I want them to know that you are the privileged group. You are the more able group, and it’s important for you to contribute,” said the Education Minister.
He has asked institutes of higher learning to track how many students return for further education after graduation.
This is the real “acid test” of whether the institute’s modules are relevant, he said.
“If adults in their working life say that I’m prepared to spend the financial resources, commit the time to come back to learn something from you, it must say something about the kind of courses that you are doing.”
