i ues explorer
Helping students learn about how the government manages Singapore’s financial resources
WhatistheNationalBudget?
TheNationalBudget,announced atthestartofeachyear, representsmorethanafinancial plan–itisastrategythatguides howournationmanagesits financesandresources.
Oneofthemainchallengesin Budgetplanningisallocating limitedresourcestomeetmany differentneeds.Thegovernment mustweighnationalpriorities carefullyasincreasedallocationin oneareanecessarilymeans reducedfundinginothers.This delicatebalancingactensures Singaporecanaddressimmediate needswhilepreparingforfuture challenges.
Thegovernmentfundsthe Budgetthroughseveral importantsources:taxrevenue fromindividualsand businesses,governmentfees andcharges,contributions fromgovernment organisationsandreturnsfrom nationalinvestments.
TheBudgetplaysavitalrolein ensuringthatpublicfundsare usedeffectivelyandreachtheir intendedbeneficiaries,while advancingSingapore’slongtermgoalsofstaying competitive,caringforits peopleandstrengthening nationalresilience.
HowtheBudgetisImplemented
Step1.
Pre-Budget engagement with the public to gather their feedback.
Step2. CabinetapprovestheBudget
Step3.
The Finance Minister delivers the Budget Statement and introducestheSupplyBillinFebruary.
Step4.
Parliament debates the Budget Statement, following which theFinanceMinisterrespondstoMPs'queries.
Step5.
TheCommitteeofSupplysitsinParliamentfortwoweeksfor MPstoexamineeachministry'sbudget.
Step6.
The Finance Minister delivers the second and third readings oftheSupplyBill.
Step7. ParliamentvotesontheSupplyBill.
Step8.
OncethePresidentagreestotheBill,itbecomesalawcalled the Supply Act, which controls the government’s spending fortheupcomingfinancialyear.
KeyInitiatives
The2025Budgetincludesseveralinitiatives thatmayaffectourstudents:
SG60
The SG60 package celebrates Singapore's 60th birthday, with benefits such as vouchers, a Culture Pass, and ActiveSG credit top-up to encourage participation in cultural and sportingactivities.
JC Admission
MOE will streamline JC admission criteria from 2028, shifting from L1R5 to L1R4, thus reducing the number of required subjects from six to five This change aims to give students more time to explore their interests beyond academics.
JC Rejuvenation Programme
Four Junior Colleges – ACJC, CJC, NJC, and VJC – are undergoing renovationunderPhase2oftheJC Rejuvenation Programme. The upgraded campuses will feature flexible learning spaces for different teaching styles and dedicatedareasforSTEMactivities andstudentprogrammes.
Sports- School Partnership CCA Programme
MOE has partnered with MCCY to expand the Sports School-Partnership CCA programme. In addition to the existing Athletics and Water Polo options, students can now participate in Canoeing and Hockey, enabling them to join CCAs across schools and buildfriendshipswithpeerswhoshare similarinterests
TheNationalBudgetoffersvaluableteachingmaterial forSocialStudies,particularlyfortheSecondary3ENA (Chapter2)andSecondary3N(T)(Chapter4)syllabi. When exploring the Budget, students learn about governance concepts like trade-offs, resource allocation, balancing societal needs and common good
Let us explore a lesson idea from the 2020 N(T) syllabusthatdemonstrateshowteacherscanusethe latest 2025 Budget initiatives to bring these concepts tolifeintheclassroom
Issue5B ManagingOurresources
InquiryFocus
Howcanwemanageourresources wisely?
GuidingQuestion
Howdoesthegovernmentmanage Singapore’sfinancialresources?
Topic
Describehowresourcescanbe managedandallocatedwisely
KeyUnderstanding
Carefuluseofourcountry’sresources helpsSingaporetoprogress
Resources
Thissectiondrawsuponthefollowing resources:
1.SuggestedlessonideaforIssue5Chapter4 P18-19,hostedonOPAL20
2.Social Studies Normal (Technical) Secondary 3 Coursebook, Maximising OpportunitiesinaChangingWorld,P68-74
3.IDT Lesson Book 3- Activity 1 (National BudgetAllocation)
4 SingaporeTeachingPractice(STP) TeachingAction:Clarify-SensitiseInfluence(CSI)
5.IRASwebsiteonOurRevenueCollection
Sparking Curiosity
Step1
Inform students that in the subsequent two lessons, they will learn how the government manages Singapore’s financialresources.
Step2
Pose the following questions to start a discussion on how Singapore’s financialresourcesaremanaged:
What do you think are some things thatthegovernmentspendson?
Where do you think the government getsitsincomefrom?
How do you think a government managesitsfinancialresources?
Record the points of discussion on the board so that you can refer to these pointsduringthelesson.
Step3
Link the discussion to how, like individuals, the Singapore government also has to manage the nation’s financial resources so that it can meet the needs of the people. Tell students that they will learn about the National Budgetanditsimportance.
Start with the familiar conceptoffamiliesmanaging their finances. This helps students grasp how the Government, like families, must manage income from various sources (taxes, fees, investments) but on a nationalscale.
Gathering data
Step1
Refer to the text on page 67 of the coursebook to introduce the definition of a National Budget. Explain that a National Budget is similar to a personal budget,butonalargerscale
Get students to study the images on pages 68 to understandoneofthegovernment’smain sources of revenue. Ask them to guess which form of taxisthegovernment’sbiggestsourceof revenue. For the answer, refer them to the IRAS websiteonrevenuecollection.
Refer to the IRAS website on revenue collection to help students learn more about the government’s biggest source of revenue.
Step2
Inform students that the government receives other sources of revenue such as fees, charges and investment income (page 69)
Explain that all these sources of revenue make up one component oftheNationalBudget.
The other component of the National Budget is the government’s expenditure (page 70) Consider using a mind map to illustrate howthesecomponentsmakeuptheNationalBudget.
Step3
With reference to page 71, explain the process of how the Nation Budget is first presented to Parliament and the public, and how it eventuallyisusedtomeettheneedsofthecountry
Engagestudentsinadiscussionbased onthefollowingquestion:
Do you think the National Budget is able to meet all the needs of the peopleandthecountry?
Consolidate the discussion by highlightingthefollowing:
In allocating funds to meet the needs of the people, the government needs to consider all thedifferentinterestsandweighthe prosandconsofeachdecision. Not all needs can be met equally because the government has limitedresources.
Help students understand Singapore's diverse population needs through relatableexamples:
Students who need an education, elderly who require healthcare services, and working adults who seek housing options. Similarly, the Government must balance resources across these various groups. When allocating the country’s finite resources, meeting one group ' s needs means having less available for others. Thus, the government must carefully consider the trade-offs of each decision to ensure fair distribution acrosssociety.
Help students understand the concept of trade-offs through relatable examples: if they have$10,spending$7onlunch means having only $3 left for transportorsnacks.
Similarly, the Government mustbalancespendingacross defence, education, healthcare, and other sectors. When more is spent in one area, less is available for others.
Exercising reasoning
Step1
.
Clarify–Identifythecontextfordiscussion
Get students to access the SLS lesson Book 3 – Activity 1 via page 72 and tell them that they will take on the role of the Minister for Finance to decide how the National Budget should be allocated.
Invite students to tell you how they would feel if theywereintheshoesoftheMinisterforFinance.
Usethefollowingclarifyingquestion:
▪ Why is the government only able to spend on oneofthefourareas?
Step2
Clarify-Sensitise-Influence (CSI):
This STP Teaching Action is a useful frame for asking questions that will help students develop selfawareness, reflection and empathy.Thegoalistoprovide a platform for them to practise andinternalisesoundvaluesin self-management and decision-making, which will guide them to take greater ownership of their decisions andopinions.
Sensitise–Reflectonexperiencesandrespondtothegivencontext
Arrange students in groups of four Get each student in every group to consider the perspectivesofoneofthefourindividuals.
Use the following questions to guide them in thinking about how the perspectives of thefourindividualswouldinfluencethegroup’sdecision:
▪Whatwouldhappeniffundswereallocatedtoanotherareaasidefromyours?
▪Howwouldyoufeeliffundswerenotallocatedtoyourareaofneed?
▪Whatwouldhappenifeveryonethoughtorbehavedlikeyou
Influence–Discussopinionsingroups
Intheirgroups,getstudentstodiscussanddecideonwhichareashouldgetmore funds. Facilitate the discussion by asking questions to help them reflect on the impactofthegovernment’sdecision.
Then, get students to complete Questions 1 to 3 in the ITT segment on SLS Using theTeacher’sDashboardontheSLS,identifysomegoodresponsesandgetafew studentstosharetheirresponseswiththeclass.
Pose the question “How has Singapore developed through the National Budget?” and invite students to share examples of how the government has continually developed Singapore through the National Budget Refer to the images on page 74 to show how government expenditure resulted in the improvementsanddevelopmentsinthe surrounding areas of the Singapore River
Ask students to talk about a place or area in Singapore that hasseenimprovementsand developments because of government expenditure, e.g. lifts in HDB flats, parks and communityfacilities.
Tohelpstudentscometoanagreement,providethemwithsomebackgroundinformationofthe countrythattheyareinchargeof.Thefollowingaresomeexamples:
Populationsize
Demographicsofthepopulation
Currentproblemsfacedbythecountry(e.g.ageingpopulation,risinghousingprices)
Briefeconomicsummary
Youcanalsoprovideeachgroupwithadifferentsetofbackgroundinformation. Engage students in discussions about real-world decisions. This helps them appreciate the complexityofbudgetallocationandunderstandwhycarefulplanningisessential.
Emphasisetheimportanceofresponsiblespending-justasstudentsshouldnotspendmorethan theirallowance,thenationmustavoidspendingbeyonditsmeanstopreventdebt.
Reflective thinking
To consolidate the lesson, ask students to reflect on whattheyhavelearntbyrespondingtothefollowing promptsontheirexitpass:
List two sources of revenue that the government receives
List two areas of need that the government spendson. Basedonwhatyouhavelearnt,whatwillyousay to a friend or family member who is upset that his or her needs are not met by the National Budget?
Conclude the lesson by explaining that when the National Budget is managed and allocated wisely, the government is able to continually develop Singapore.
Discussion Questions forENA
Use discussions and practical examples to enhance students’ understanding of how the Budget works to secure Singapore's future while meeting the current needs of thepopulation.
TeachersinENAclassesmayalsoconsiderusingthese discussionquestionsduringclassdiscussionsaboutthe Budget.
UnderstandingOurBudget
1.Whatstepsmustbetakenbeforeconfirmingthe Budget?
2.Whatkeyfactorsmustthegovernmentconsiderwhen allocatingBudgetfunds?
3WhatisthefocusofBudget2025?
4.WhichBudgetinitiativesinterestyoumostandwhy?
Broadrick Secondary School Broadrick Secondary School
Mr Seow Yongzhi & Ms Chrystal Ngerng
overview overview
In the Social Studies classrooms, teachers impart content, concepts and source-handling skills, while inculcating critical thinking, cultivating global awareness and citizenship dispositions At Broadrick Secondary School, we created the Social Studies Holiday Reading Challenge as a scaffolded environment for students to explore these elements independently. We implemented this initiative in June, focusing on Issue 1 (Citizenship and Governance), and in November, focusing on Issue 3 (Globalisation).
Through this Challenge, our students actively engaged with current affairs by analysing news articles through the lens of Social Studies (SS) concepts.
Students were provided with curated news articles from The Economist magazine, and tasked to respond to three prompts:
Extract three key points from the article
Identify two relevant examples from the article that can be applied in SS
Draw one lesson from the article that relates to SS concepts
The design The design
When designing the Challenge, we anticipated potential difficulties our students might face and developed corresponding strategies to support them
Students might struggle to identify articles that are relevant to SS. anticipated challenge 1 anticipated challenge 1
corresponding corresponding strategy strategy
We curated a list of articles that were 3-5 pages long and aligned with each term’s SS topics (Fig 1) This approach ensured that students could focus on analysis rather than article selection
Fig 1
Students might find the vocabulary used in the articles difficult to understand. anticipated challenge 2 anticipated challenge 2
corresponding corresponding strategy strategy
Students used a scaffolded template to build their own vocabulary banks (Fig 2), where they recorded new words and their definitions
Fig. 2
anticipated challenge 3 anticipated challenge 3
Students might not know how to explain concepts
corresponding corresponding strategy strategy
The June Holiday Reading Challenge (Fig 3) was based on the SS Issue 1 concepts for Citizenship and Governance, whilst the November Holiday Reading Challenge was focused on the SS Issue 3 concepts for Globalisation.
To build student confidence, we provided a detailed demonstration of article analysis, showing students how to connect SS concepts to real-world examples, making our thinking process transparent and replicable (Fig 4)
3
anticipated challenge 4 anticipated challenge 4
Students might be reluctant to participate in the Holiday Challenge if faced with technical barriers or unfamiliar digital platforms
corresponding strategy corresponding strategy
We utilised Google Slides through our existing Google Classroom to provide teacher models, embed instructions and links, and enable student presentations in one familiar platform
Fig. 4
Fig.
the process the process
June 2024 Challenge June 2024 Challenge
The June 2024 Challenge focused on Issue 1: Exploring Citizenship and Governance Students chose two out of seven provided news articles to analyse. Fig. 5 captures some samples of student work based on the article: “Why South Korean pop culture rocks and North Korea’s does not” Feedback was given for each student submission based on the quality and accuracy of the article summary, linkage to SS concepts, and usage of vocabulary banks Exemplars were also circulated to the students for shared learning.
Fig 5 Samples of student work for June 2024 Challenge
Our observations showed that students would benefit from additional support in understanding and explaining concepts from their readings This suggests an opportunity to further develop their literacy skills and critical thinking abilities
Sample 1: Basic Response
Sample 2: Intermediate Response
Sample 3: Exemplary Response
Sample 4: Vocab Bank
the process the process
November 2024 challenge November 2024 challenge
The November 2024 Challenge centred on Issue 3: Living in a Globalised World Similarly, students were tasked to analyse two articles
Students’ responses showed varying levels of understanding, but most demonstrated an improved ability to explain concepts found in the article. The samples provided below are based on the article, “The global smartphone supply chain needs an upgrade” (Fig 6):
Fig 6 Samples of student work for the November 2024 Challenge
Sample 1: Basic Response
Sample 2: Intermediate Response
Sample 3: Exemplary Response
Sample 4: Vocab Bank
students' reflections students' reflections
Students’ reflections, as captured in Fig 7, revealed that the Holiday Reading Challenge had changed the way they read news articles and sparked a greater interest in current affairs
The SS reading challenge made me more aware of the hidden factors behind everyday products Now, when I read news articles, I think more about how different industries are connected and how big companies can absorb economic shocks while smaller suppliers' struggle.
I used to dislike reading but after doing the reading challenge, I have become more interested to read and learn new things
One article that was interesting was one regarding the AUKUS treaty between Australia, United Kingdom and the United States. It is very interesting how the three nations intend to work with one another to gain a secure foothold in the Asia-Pacific region Something I would like to learn more about is how they intend to keep that influence, especially with the substantial increase in China’s economy and military might, which has made many surrounding nations extremely dependent on them
Fig. 7 Student reflections on the Holiday Reading Challenge
teachers' reflections teachers' reflections
Building a Culture of Self-Directed Learning
We witnessed the emergence of a culture of self-directed learning through the implementation of the Challenge. Students independently built rich vocabulary banks as they tackled challenging articles, demonstrating resilience in strengthening their language capabilities Their growing confidence was evident in how they explored and interpreted Social Studies concepts, and applied them to real-world situations This selfdirected approach to learning enhanced their Emerging 21st Century Competencies, particularly in developing global perspectives and collaborative skills.
Refining Future Challenges
We intend to enhance future Challenges by integrating them more deeply with the curriculum through student presentations. This would develop a culture of inquiry and collaboration, tighten the assessment process and allow students to grow and improve based on our feedback
Concluding Remarks
In a volatile and complex world, Social Studies equips our students with the competencies to navigate and evaluate information critically. The Holiday Reading Challenges gave our students a scaffolded opportunity to explore current affairs on their own, and we are proud that our students are making sense of the world in their own way (Fig. 8)!
Fig 8: Students armed with copies of The Economist for further reading and learning
Social Studies SLS Lessons Social Studies SLS Lessons with Learning Assistant (LEA with Learning Assistant (LEA)
Learning Assistant (LEA), launched in SLS's March 2025 update, looks to engage students in interactive dialogue. Teachers can control when they wish to enable LEA within a module as a Discussion component
Curious on how to use LEA in your Social Studies lessons?
The learning assistant comprises six predefined roles designed to enhance teaching and learning needs.For Social Studies, we have modified the instructions for these roles by adapting and customising the prompts to better address subject-specific needs
In this edition, we showcase the Learning Facilitator and Idea Generator roles to illustrate how these customised prompts can be used in the classroom We encourage you to experiment with the use of LEA with the following prompts. Teachers can determine the content of responses by uploading appropriate knowledge bases
This tool is great for supporting your teaching but it’s not perfect! It is recommended to double-check the responses generated by LEA
We showcase the Learning Facilitator and Idea Generator roles to illustrate how these tailored prompts support more effective Social Studies instruction We encourage you to experiment with the use of LEA in your classroom with the following prompts.
Steering social studies education with you
Learning Facilitator
Simply copy and paste these prompts in!
Use the Learning Facilitator to guide students through meaningful dialogues with SALiS, helping them Exercise Reasoning and develop informed perspectives on inquiry questions
Prompt
Role & Objective
You are a supportive and empathetic Social Studies teacher having a one-to-one consultation session with your student.
Your goal is to help your student understand why <insert issue> so as to <insert reasons as to why the issues matter> (e g appreciate diversity and the importance of harmony) Your student will develop an understanding of who he/she is as an individual and accept, respect and celebrate diversity as well as common practices and values in a diverse society. This will heighten your student’s awareness of the need to develop personal and collective responsibility in promoting and maintaining harmony in a diverse society.
Response Complexity
Please craft your responses using [simple words/concise sentences/explanations] as if the student is a [15-17] year old
Customise the words in blue to fit class profile
Steering social studies education with you
Starting the Conversation
Your first message should only ask the student on his/her thoughts on the discussion question or topic on the inquiry focus, “<insert inquiry question e.g. Living in a Diverse Society: Is harmony achievable?>” Do not ask or answer the question in the discussion body on your student’s behalf.
Guiding Principles for Responses
Topic, “Living in a Diverse Society: Is harmony achievable?” (Subject to customisation)
You should follow these principles when responding to the student:
1 Ask Open-Ended Questions: Use open-ended questions to encourage the student to think critically and express his/her thoughts more fully.
2 Be Adaptable: Adjust your approach based on the student's responses and learning style Provide hints when the student does not seem to be making progress Try to differentiate your responses by varying questions and adjusting the questions in order to differentiate instruction
3 Keep It Simple: Break down complex ideas into clear, relatable parts.
4 Stay Goal-Oriented: Focus on helping the student achieve specific learning objectives stated in the discussion body
5. Encourage Reflection: Prompt the student to reflect on his/her learning for better retention
6 Encourage the student to use the 4 stages of the Social Studies Inquiry Process.
Sparking Curiosity: Develop questions about societal issues, question preexisting beliefs and assumptions
Gathering Data: Identify multiple sources, locate useful and relevant information
Social Studies Inquiry Process added in to help guide the responses.
Exercising Reasoning: Evaluate usefulness and reliability of sources, consider multiple perspectives, reach informed conclusions supported by evidence
Reflective Thinking: Reflect on both the process and the knowledge gained
Steering social studies education with you
Simply copy and paste these prompts in!
IDEA GENERATOR Prompt
Use the Idea Generator to Spark Curiosity and get students excited and ready to have discussions
Role & Objective
You are a supportive and empathetic Social Studies teacher having a one-to-one consultation session with your student
Your goal is to help your student to understand <insert topic / chapter> so that he/she can generate ideas to respond to <insert focus e.g. discussion /inquiry> questions. Students will develop an understanding of <insert knowledge outcomes/detailed knowledge outcomes from TLG> and generate ideas relevant to the discussion <insert topic/question>.
Response Complexity
Please craft your responses using [simple words/concise sentences/explanations] as if the student is a [15-17] year old
Customise the words in blue to fit your class profile
Steering social studies education with you
Starting the Conversation
Your first message should ask the student on his/her thoughts to the discussion question or topic on the inquiry focus <insert discussion question/topic/chapter> Do not ask or answer the question in the discussion body on the student's behalf Do not share possible ideas to the students until one draft or proposed idea has been shared to you from the students.
Guiding Principles for Responses
You should follow these principles when responding to the student:
1 Ask Open-Ended Questions: Use open-ended questions to encourage the student to think critically and express his/her thoughts more fully
2 Be Adaptable: Adjust your approach based on the student's responses and learning style. Provide hints when the student does not seem to be making progress Try to differentiate your responses by varying questions and adjusting the questions in order to differentiate instruction
3 Keep It Simple: Break down complex ideas into clear, relatable parts
4 Stay Goal-Oriented: Focus on helping the student achieve specific learning objectives stated in the discussion body.
5 Encourage Reflection: Prompt the student to reflect on his/her learning for better retention
6. Encourage students to use the 4 stages of the Social Studies Inquiry Process
Sparking Curiosity: Develop questions about societal issues, question preexisting beliefs and assumptions
Gathering Data: Identify multiple sources, locate useful and relevant information
Social Studies Inquiry Process added in to help guide the responses.
Exercising Reasoning: Evaluate usefulness and reliability of sources, consider multiple perspectives, reach informed conclusions supported by evidence
Reflective Thinking: Reflect on both the process and the knowledge gained
Social Studies Curriculum Leaders Meeting 2025
Social Studies Curriculum Leaders Meeting 2025
Leading Social Studies Education into the Future
Leading Social Studies Education into the Future
On 8 April 2025, the Social Studies (SSS) Unit held the inaugural Social Studies Curriculum Leaders Meeting This year’s theme, “Leading Social Studies Education into the Future,” brought together Social Studies curriculum leaders from secondary schools across Singapore to share insights and provide feedback on curriculum matters The event welcomed over 300 curriculum leaders from all secondary schools, alongside our valued partners from NIE, SEAB, AST, and ETD.
The session covered the following key topics:
1 Updates on the revised G1 Humanities (Social Studies) syllabus
2 Mid-Term Review of the 2023 Express/Normal (Academic) Social Studies
Curriculum – key findings, feedback and future directions
3 Updates from the Academy of Singapore Teachers (AST)
4.Presentations by SEAB and ETD on the transition to e-Examinations for Normal (Academic) students and the implementation of School-Based e-Assessments (eSBA)
We hope the meaningful exchanges and opportunity to reconnect have inspired our curriculum leaders as we collectively shape the future of Social Studies education