Dr SongSeng Law

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A Journey of Transformation in Vocational and
Technical Education The Singapore Story
Dr Song-Seng Law Former Director Chief
Executive Officer Institute of Technical
Education Big Skills Conference 2009, Australia
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OUTLINE

• Dynamics of VTE Systems
• ITEs Unique Mission and Challenges
• Journey of Transformation Towards Organisational
  Excellence
• Best Practices
• Key Outcomes Success Factors

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DYNAMICS AND CHALLENGES OF VOCATIONAL TECHNICAL
EDUCATION (VTE)
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ITES UNIQUE CHALLENGES

• Focusing on career-based vocational and technical
  education
• Catering to lower 25 of secondary school cohort
• Responding to dynamic changes and challenges
  impacting VTE

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ITE AS A POST-SECONDARY INSTITUTION
Universities
Degree National University of Singapore Nanyang
Technological University Singapore Management
University
University
Junior Colleges
Polytechnics
Institute of Technical Education

• Diploma
• Nanyang
• Ngee Ann
• Republic
• Singapore
• Temasek

Master Nitec
Diploma
OtherTrainingProviders/Labour Market
GCE A Level
Higher Nitec
MINISTRY OF EDUCATION
Post-Secondary
Nitec
(25)
(40)
(25)
(10)
GCE O Level
GCE O / N Level
GCE N Level
Secondary
Secondary Normal Academic ( 4 / 5 Years )
Secondary Normal Technical ( 4 Years )
Secondary Express( 4 Years )
Primary
Primary ( 6 Years )
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UNIQUELY ITE HEARTBEAT
Mission To create opportunities for school
leavers and adult learners to acquire skills,
knowledge and values for lifelong learning in a
global economy
Vision A Global Leader in Technical Education

• Values
• Integrity
• Teamwork
• Excellence
• Care

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Journey of Transformation
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KEY MILESTONES IN EXCELLENCE
2007 Harvard- IBM Award
2005 - Singapore Quality Award - Distinguished
Public Service Award for OE
2003 - Public Service Award for OE - SQC
Annual Development Exercise (ADE) - PDA Renewal
2002 - ISO 90012000
2001 - SQC Renewal
2000 - People Developer Award (PDA)
1999 - Singapore Quality Class
(SQC)
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TOTAL ORGANISATIONAL EXCELLENCE FRAMEWORK
Leadership
Benchmark SQA
Impetus PS21
Development Plan ITE Advantage
Leadership
Mission, Vision, Values
Key Govt Agencies
School Partners
People
Planning
An Enhanced Capability for Organisational
Excellence
Information
Staff
An ITE Education for a Global Economy
PARTNERS
Training Industry Partners
Systems
STAKEHOLDERS
Lifelong Employability for ITE Graduates
Staff Unions
Processes
Customers
An Increased Global Presence for ITE
Inter- national Partners
CitizensandCustomers
General Public
Results
Expected Outcomes
Stakeholders/Partners
People
Systems
Customers
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Best Practices in Organisational Excellence
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LEADERSHIP VISIBLE CONSULTATIVE
Annual Hi-5 Show for Innovation Service
Excellence
gt
Teambuilding Sharing at Annual Corporate Work
Plan Seminar
CEO Outreach Programme (Staff)
gt
gt
Who Moved My Cheese? Change Management
Programme
CEO A Day In College Programme
lt
Annual Management-Union Games
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SQA A Journey Towards Organisational Excellence
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PLANNING THREE WAVES OF TRANSFORMATION
FIRST WAVE (1995 - 1999)
PLAN ITE 2000 VISION To Build ITE into an
Established Post-Secondary Technical Education
Institution
SECOND WAVE (2000 - 2004)
PLAN ITE Breakthrough VISION A World-Class
Technical Education Institution for a
Knowledge-Based Economy
THIRD WAVE (2005 - 2009)
PLAN ITE Advantage VISION A Global Leader in
Technical Education
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INFORMATION INTEGRATED ACADEMIC FUNCTIONAL
INFORMATION SYSTEMS
eTutor
eStudent
Knowledge Management System
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PEOPLE STRONG CULTURE OF ITE CARE AND STAFF
DEVELOPMENT
Strong Culture of ITE Care
Awards to Recognise ITE Care Values
e-Staff Suggestion Scheme
e-Staff Suggestion Scheme
gt
Centres of Technology to Build Staff Capability
Corporate Work Plan Seminar
Innovation Learning Circles (ILCs)
Corporate Work Plan Seminar
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SQA A Journey Towards Organisational Excellence
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PROCESSES - PRACTICE-ORIENTED CURRICULUM
Total No. of Full-Time Courses 67 (1 Diploma 22
Higher Nitec 44 Nitec)
Core 8 Modules
Electives 2 Modules (General, Course Specific,
Inter-disciplinary, Cross-level)
Life Skills Modules Life Skills for Personal
Development Life Skills at the Workplace
Sports Wellness (Focusing on communication
skills, personal interpersonal effectiveness,
thinking problem solving skills, team building
skills and service excellence)
Typical course comprises 70 practical training
and 30 theory
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PROCESSES PROCESS-ORIENTED PEDAGOGIC MODEL
LEARNER
Technical, Methodological Social Competencies
EXPLORE
PLAN
PEPP MODEL
PRACTISE
PERFORM
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CUSTOMERS INTEGRATED COMMUNICATIONS AND
MARKETING OF VTE
Ministers Endorsements
WorldSkills Singapore (with President)
Prime Ministers Visit
Experience ITE Programme
Roadshows
Marketing to Schools
Media Strategy
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CUSTOMERS - CREATIVE REBRANDING OF ITE
First Campaign (1998 - 2000) Make Things
Happen
Second Campaign (2001 - 2003) ITE - A Force
Behind The Knowledge-Based Economy
Third Campaign (2004 - 2006) Thinking Hands
Create Success
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Key Outcomes Success Factors
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ITEs HANDS-ON, MINDS-ON, HEARTS-ON EDUCATION
MODEL
HANDS-ON
Nursing
Bio-Chemical Technology
HEARTS-ON
MINDS-ON
HOLISTIC LEARNING ENVIRONMENT
Community Service
ITE SAFE Home Project
Robotics
Digital Media Design
Education Outcomes

• Market-relevant, Enterprising and Adaptable
  Graduates for a Global Economy
• Lifelong Learners for Lifelong Employability

Successful Graduates
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INTERNATIONAL ENDORSEMENTS
ITE has effectively rebuilt and transformed
its former vocational institutes into top-line
educational colleges.
Consultant The South Asia Region The World Bank
Report, 2005
Singapores ITE, not only has improved the
lives of its students, it has created a highly
sustainable model for transforming
poorly-performing educational institutions
worldwide.
Dr Stephen Goldsmith
Director of
Innovations in American Government Program

Harvards Kennedy School of Government

Harvard University,
2007






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KEY SUCCESS FACTORS

• Constancy of purpose in pursuing Mission and
  Vision
• Built a dedicated team of leaders and staff
  committed to Vocational and Technical Education
• Relentless pursuit towards continual improvement,
  benchmarking and innovation
• Created a unique brand of an ITE College
  Education for a quarter of our school cohort
• Strong ITE Care culture, especially care and
  concern for students

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REFLECTION ON JOURNEY OF TRANSFORMATION

• Why is journey of transformation important to an
  educational institution?
• What does winning the SQA (2005) and Harvard-IBM
  Innovations Award (2007) mean to ITE?
• What are the challenges beyond these awards?

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Thank You
ITE , A JOURNEY THAT NEVER ENDS...