National Education

NATIONAL EDUCATION

National Education (NE) was launched in 1997. It aims to provide our students with the knowledge, skills, and values to understand Singapore’s history and unique geo-political context, appreciate our journey to nationhood, cultivate the instincts for survival as a nation, and have confidence in our nation’s future.

CITIZENSHIP DISPOSITIONS: NE provides opportunities for our students to explore and examine their identity as Singaporeans and arrive at a common set of ideals and values. The following key dispositions for citizenship in Singapore shape the purpose and approach to NE:

A Sense of Belonging to develop a deeper understanding of who we are as Singaporeans, and a shared understanding of the values that are important to us as a nation.

A Sense of Hope to have confidence and optimism in Singapore’s future and the resilience to face the challenges ahead.

A Sense of Reality to be aware of contemporary realities — including Singapore’s constraints and vulnerabilities — which affect us as a nation amidst the backdrop of a less predictable world.

A Will to Act to be active citizens who have a collective resolve and a sense of shared mission towards building a Singapore for all.

Programmes

The Journey of Bendemeer Primary NE Champs

Selected P4 to P6 students  begin their journey of being an ‘NE Champ’ of the school. These P4 to P6 students embody good citizenship of the school and of Singapore! As an NE Champ, they will be leaders at the forefront to spread the  messages of being a good, caring, concerned citizen in our modern world and society. To achieve this, NE Champs use their presentation skills to interact with others when they support the 4 NE Core Events. NE Champs are the key to the events’ success! In fact, they are champions in more ways than they can think of!

Some of the duties of the NE Champs are to assist new and foreign students to understand our National Anthem, Singapore state flag and Pledge. NE Champs also take pride to share the school values, good citizenry and even share the latest Singapore news with their classmates!

NE Champs Training Session and events

During these leadership sessions, NE Champs are informed on the roles and responsibilities of being an NE Champ. They also discuss and reflect on their purpose and how they can contribute to serve the school and community. The NE Champs also undergo specialized training in their areas to learn more about their roles in the student leadership of the school. The NE Champs are trained to engage the other students during recess time and duirng the NE Core Events. Therefore, they help anchor and spread the NE Messages and exhibit the school values to fellow students and staff. In 2023, some NE Champs had the opportunity to attend the Chingay 2023. This enhaced their roles as student leaders in inculcating NE experiences and knowledge to their peers.     

NE Champs reading the information about Singapore along the walls of the stairway.

NE Champs assisting the younger members using the iPads to look for clues during hands-on session.

NE Champs enriching themselves at another leadership session where they had to brainstorm for the upcoming NE events in school.

Proud NE Champs with their “Lion Head” badges as a reward for their participation in the leadership sessions.

NE Champ presenting her group’s discussions with confidence.

NE Champs reflected on what skills a good leader should possess.

Core Events

Annually schools observe 4 NE commemorative days which have been identified as defining moments in Singapore’s history.  The aim is to entrench these events and the images they evoke in the consciousness of each successive generation.

The 4 events are:
1.       Total Defence Day
2.      International Friendship Day
3.      Racial Harmony Day
4.     National Day

Total Defence Day Commemoration (TDD) 2023 @BPS

Bendemeer Primary School commemorated Total Defence Day (TDD) in February 2023. The theme this year was the same as 2022, ‘Together We Keep Singapore Strong.’ This involves every Singaporean playing a part, individually and collectively, to build a strong, secure, and cohesive nation. When we are strong, we can deal with any crisis like the recent pandemic, Covid-19. In line with CCE 2021, students are encouraged to play a greater role in TDD, and these activities and exposure would highlight the different ways that they can contribute towards TDD. Students would also be prepared for future threats and challenges and would learn to show resilience when crises strike. The citizenship dispositions, Sense of Belonging, Hope, Reality, and the Will to Act would be triggered in the students through this wide range of activities carried out.

The six pillars of TDD were taught during the classroom-based lessons, assembly programme and interesting recess activities. Each student was given a TDD passport to complete in line with these activities with reflections on what they can do for their Singapore.

The NE Champs taught the students on how to play the SG Unite! cards. The card highlight the 6 pillars of defence and what the students should do to fight various crisis.

International Friendship Day (IFD) @ BPS

The theme for International Friendship Day (IFD) this year was, “Singapore in Asia”. International cooperation remains key in our complex world. Asia is the world’s fastest-growing region, and Singapore continues to facilitate closer economic, political, social, and cultural cooperation within ASEAN and in Asia. By recognizing the importance of connectedness between our neighbouring countries, our youth can play an active role in fostering people-to-people ties, and thus celebrate the region’s diversity and vibrancy and promote the spirit of friendship and collaboration. In addition, our older students can deepen their understanding of Singapore’s realities as a small state and appreciate how we can safeguard our national interest and have much to contribute to efforts at international cooperation.

The students had a rich lesson on why Singapore needs to maintain friendship with her neighbours. The lessons were expanded to include the world issues like the war between Russia and Ukraine. The importance of having strong friendly bonds with the countries around was explored. As April is the month of Earth movements and initiatives, students embarked in, “Upcycling for Friendship” where they upcycled tetra packs and old cloth stripes to create bookmarks for their friends.

 

First presentation by students to the school cohort on International Friendship Day.

Teacher giving instructions on how to upcycle the tetra packs into bookmarks at the Innovation Lab.

Friends exchanging friendship bookmarks!

A proud student with her upcycled bookmark.

Racial Harmony Day (RHD) @ BPS

Since face-to-face commemoration resumed, the Racial Harmony Day was a new experience for some of the younger students. The Parent Support Group (PSG) members, NE Champs and the International Students assisted with the booths where the students had hands-on activities (games, lantern making and ketupat making and henna). The students also visited an exhibition on the different races in Singapore. It was, indeed, a Multicultural Mosiac (parts of multiple cultures) in line with the theme for 2022.

Students designed their own Ethnic Singa !

Staff were in ethnic wear too with our own Insta frame!

National Day @ BPS

Singapore’s 57th birthday was celebrated as a whole school (face to face) this year. Students and staff were attired in colours of red and white. Spirits were high as we sang the current and yesteryears’ songs, led by the Aesthetics teachers. The students also participated in the “Get Active” challenge and exercised as a school.

P5 NE Show @ Floating Platform

The P5 students were fortunate to experience NE Show this year after 2 years of haitus. The vibrant and elaborate 57th birthday celebration of the Nation hyped up our students very much. They were eager and enthusiastic to be part of the fabulous event. Through this experience, they exhibited the school values of passion for the Nation and self-discipline in managing themselves in such a major public event.

Students excitedly exploring their fun packs for the show.

Students having their early bento dinner at the Floating Platform before the show began. They ensure that they kept the place clean and cleared up the area before leaving for school. Once ambassadors of our school values!

Teachers were equally thrilled like the students to be part of this electrifying experience.

Useful Links

Total Defence Day
http://www.totaldefence.sg/

National Archives of Singapore
(http://corporate.nas.gov.sg)

National Heritage Board
http://www.nhb.gov.sg/