As a beginning teacher, discuss the challenges that issues of Essay

As a beginning teacher, discuss the challenges that issues of inequality may pose to the implementation of Singapore National Ed - Essay Example Despite the meritocratic educational system adopted to diminish the rather diverse students’ backgrounds, teaching might still be experienced differently due to their ethnic, racial, gender or social class orientations (Kang, 2005). Stemming from these limitations, teachers in the hope of encouraging competition among students might unconsciously promote inequality of learning across groups of students, and further attempt to justify their actions without taking into consideration the possible implications. Generally, The MOE policy initiative was targeted at developing a sense of national identity, that consider Singapore’s developmental challenges and constraints, as well as a confidence in the country’s future (Chang, 1995). According to Poon (2008), the Singapore government on its part has promoted equality of opportunity across the student divide irrespective of the racial, social or religious backgrounds. First, Singapore has established integrated schools in place of the colonial era separate language medium schools that hampered interaction between students from diverse racial backgrounds. Secondly, education has been made accessible to all citizens through the government-subsidized education and educated well-trained teachers. In addition to the centralized resource distribution for all schools, the curriculum and examinations have been standardized as a measure for all students irrespective of their social backgrounds. Therefore, the comparatively exhaustive education opportunities available for the Singaporean population mean that a level competition field has been created for students despite their social or ethnic backgrounds (Tan, 2008). Research has however established that despite the equal opportunities, inequalities are evidenced in the educational outcomes. For instance, certain groups such as the Chinese seem relatively highly educated than their Malay and Indian counterparts. Further, it is not determinable as to whethe r education yields equal returns in the economy with respect to the segments of the population. But with equal education opportunities, inequality of outcomes exists because of biological destiny and cultural deprivation (Sim & Print, 2009). According to Rosenthal and Jacobson (1968), theorists of the biological destiny believe that difference in intelligence exist across the racial/ethnic, male/female or rich/poor segments is derived from the notion that some groups are naturally dominating and therefore would be â€Å"natural† for some groups to perform better than others. Disagreements have arisen as to whether IQ tests measure that which is learnt or innate to a student. From a sample of questions in an IQ test, it is clear that specific pieces of knowledge are measured (Lai, 2004). Additionally, cultural deprivation as a source of inequality in outcomes postulates that certain individuals or groups of people (especially from the lower social class or ethnic group) are vi ewed as inferior in throughout the culture. Such groups are considered to experience failures in life due to the cultural values that they hold (such as laziness, disobedience and rashness in decision making). For instance in Japan, while a specific section of Korean origin is deemed lowest in social order due to their violence and dumbness, immigrants