J.H. Williams (Ed.), (Re)Constructing Memory: School Textbooks and the Imagination of the Nation, 61–77. © 2014 Sense Publishers. All rights reserved. YEOW TONG CHIA 4. STATE FORMATION AND NATION BUILDING THROUGH EDUCATION The Origins and Introduction of the “National Education” Program in Singapore i Forging a sense of national identity has been a preoccupation of Singapore’s government for the past four decades. As part of this process, the national education system has been assigned a central role in socializing students into their roles as future citizens. Since Singapore became independent in 1965, various civic and citizenship education programs have been put in place, only to be dismantled later and replaced with yet other programs. These range from the Education for Living program of the 1970s and the Religious Knowledge of the 1980s to the Shared Values and the introduction of Civics and Moral Education in the early 1990s. Citizenship education in Singapore received a major boost in 1997 with the launch of the “National Education” (NE) program by Deputy Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on May 17. This chapter examines the cause and course of this NE program. The stated aim of NE was “to develop national cohesion, the instinct for survival and confidence in the future” (H. L. Lee, 1997). This was to be achieved by fostering a sense of Singaporean identity, promoting an understanding of Singapore’s recent history, promoting an understanding of Singapore’s major challenges and vulnerabilities, and instilling core national values that would ensure Singapore’s continued success and well-being. NE was clearly a “citizenship education initiative [by the state] aimed at socialising the young into a set of desired attitudes and values” (Tan, 1998, p. 29). These values include patriotism, loyalty, and the willingness to defend the nation. A day prior to the official launch of NE by the deputy prime minister, the Ministry of Education (MOE) (1997b) released an official press release (with a lengthy annex) outlining the objectives and implementation strategies of NE. The press release traced the NE initiative to a speech made by then Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong at a Teacher’s Day Rally in September 1996, where he stated: National Education must be a vital component of our education process. … It is an exercise to develop instincts that become part of the psyche of every child. It must engender a shared sense of nationhood, an understanding of how our past is relevant to our present and future. It must appeal to both heart and mind. (Goh, 1996b) This e-book was made available by Sense Publishers to the authors and editors of this book, the series editor and the members of the editorial board. Unauthorized distribution will be prosecuted.