Singapore students regularly place near the top of international Maths assessments.
In the 2023 TIMSS assessment, students scored 615 points in Primary 4 Mathematics and 605 points in Secondary 2 Mathematics, ranking first among participating education systems at both levels. Students also performed strongly in PISA 2022, with 15-year-olds scoring 575 points compared with an OECD average of 472.
But that does not mean children here are simply “naturally good at Maths”.
A lot comes down to what students are taught to do with Maths. Singapore’s curriculum puts mathematical problem-solving at its centre, supported by concepts, skills, reasoning, metacognition and attitudes towards learning. Students still need to know their facts and procedures, but they are also expected to understand why a method works and use that knowledge when a question changes.
Singapore Maths Focuses on Understanding Over Memorisation
Learning Maths in Singapore is not just about remembering a set of steps and repeating them on the next worksheet.
MOE’s current Primary Mathematics syllabus places strong emphasis on conceptual understanding, so students are expected to understand why a method works as well as how to use it. At the same time, students still develop fluency in calculations and mathematical procedures.
So when a child learns fractions, for example, the goal is not simply to remember which numbers to multiply or divide. They need to understand what the fraction represents, how it relates to other quantities and when a particular operation should be used.
That becomes especially important later, when several concepts appear in the same problem and there is no obvious formula to reach for.
Is Singapore Maths Advanced or Taught in Greater Depth?
Singapore’s maths content is not completely different in scope from what is taught elsewhere at the same level. Instead, the curriculum prioritises depth over breadth, giving students more time to master key concepts through connected learning, repeated practice and application before progressing to more advanced levels.
Andreas Schleicher, who heads the OECD’s international education assessments, has described curricula like England’s and the US’s as “mile-wide and inch-deep” by comparison, arguing that Singapore teaches fewer things but pushes students to understand them rather than just recognise them. This depth helps students build stronger foundations and tackle increasingly difficult problems.
Visual Models Make Difficult Maths Easier to Understand
One feature many parents will recognise from Primary Maths is the use of objects, pictures and models before students move fully into symbols and equations.
The Concrete-Pictorial-Abstract (C-P-A) approach is an instructional strategy used in primary maths classrooms in Singapore. Students move from physical objects to visual representations and then to mathematical symbols as they develop an understanding of a concept.
It dates back to the 1980s, when a Ministry of Education-appointed team developed Singapore’s maths textbooks around research into how children learn. The approach is partly based on American psychologist Jerome Bruner’s theory that understanding develops in three stages:
- Concrete: Students handle physical objects, such as blocks or counters, to work through a new idea
- Pictorial: The same idea is shown as a diagram, such as a bar model
- Abstract: Students move on to numbers, symbols and equations once they understand the concept
For example, bar models can represent the information in a word problem visually before students work out the calculation. This helps them understand what the question is asking before deciding which mathematical operation to use.
How Problem-Solving is Taught in Singapore Maths?
Singapore’s mathematics curriculum emphasises problem-solving, including heuristics that help students tackle questions they have not encountered before. Students learn to analyse the problem and choose an approach rather than simply looking for a familiar formula or procedure.
Students may use different strategies depending on the question, including:
- Drawing a Model or Diagram: Representing the information visually can help students see the relationships between different quantities.
- Making a Systematic List: Listing possible combinations or outcomes in an organised way can help students work through a problem without overlooking possibilities.
- Looking for Patterns: Identifying a pattern can help students find a shorter or more systematic way to solve a problem.
- Working Backwards: Starting with the information given in the question and reversing the steps can help when the final result is known but the starting value is not.
Can Tuition Help Your Child Improve How They Approach Maths?
Tuition works best when it complements what students learn in school. When comparing maths tuition centres in Singapore, look for a centre that offers:
- Small Class Sizes: Smaller classes give tutors more opportunity to identify individual gaps and provide targeted feedback.
- Teaching That Explains the “Why”: Lessons should explain why a method works, rather than only showing students how to apply it.
- Problem-Solving Strategies: Students should learn how to approach questions presented in unfamiliar ways, rather than relying only on exam drilling.
- Diagnostic Assessment: Assessments should be used to identify a student’s specific gaps and determine which areas need more attention.
- MOE Syllabus Alignment: Lessons should follow the current MOE syllabus so that students receive support that complements their school learning.
