Singapore's remarkable performance in Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) has placed it among the world's high-performing education systems (HPES). In the literature on HPES, its 'secret formula' for education success is explained in terms of teacher quality, school leadership, system characteristics and educational reform. This article offers an alternative explanation for the education success of Singapore and, in so doing, questions the basic assertions of the HPES literature and, in particularly, the use of PISA results as the prime indicator of the educational performance of a school system. The explanation is informed by a historical perspective on the development of the Singapore education system and based upon a body of empirical findings on the nature of pedagogical practice in classrooms, both of which are vital for understanding the educational performance of Singapore's education system. The article concludes by addressing the implications of this analysis for educational policy borrowing.

This chapter amplifies the essence of an East Asian Educational Model (EAEM) by investigating the appropriation of Confucian habitus and educational harmonisation in Singapore, Shanghai, and Hong Kong. Singapore manifests an EAEM primarily through the ideology of pragmatism. The chapter highlights the qualities of pragmatism in Singapore and elucidates its application using the example of teaching critical thinking in Singapore schools. The value of harmony in Singapore calls for and is reinforced by policy alignment that minimises social disruption. The chapter illustrates the two noteworthy qualities of pragmatism – the preservation of social harmony through policy alignment and strategic adaptation to produce tangible results – in the example of the teaching of critical thinking in schools. Consistent with the maintenance of social cohesion, a collegial and communal conception of critical thinking is propagated by the authority and supported by the educators in Singapore.

This paper examines new developments in the global and regional economy as we reach the end of almost two and a half decades of high economic growth in Singapore, amidst a situation of economic crisis and lack of confidence in East Asia. It assesses the nature of the changes now being introduced into the Singapore education system to anticipate the demand for creative and skilled labour in the next millennium.

Purpose: This article proposes a model of subjective rationalities to shed light on the global phenomenon of parental reliance on private tutoring for their children. The model is illustrated using the examples of the rational decision-making process and outcome of parents with regards to enrolling their children in private tutoring in South Korea and Singapore. Design/methodology/approach: This is a theoretical paper that relies on a critical review of official documents, academic publications and newspaper reports. Findings: This article proposes an original model to shed light on the global phenomenon of parental reliance on private tutoring for their children. The model highlights the following: the dynamic interactions between parents, education policy and private tutoring; the active role of private tutoring providers; and the socio-culturally embedded and complex nature of educational decisions. Research limitations/implications: This is a conceptual paper that proposes a theoretical model, so there is no empirical data. Originality/value: This article fills an existing research gap on the dynamic interactions between the parents, education policy and private tutoring. It offers an original model that illuminates the rational decision-making process and outcome of parents that pertains to private tutoring for their children. © 2020, Emerald Publishing Limited.