SINGAPORE – Educators from Singapore are sharing their pedagogical knowledge with their counterparts in Kazakhstan, under a partnership programme rolled out earlier this month.
The focus of the collaboration between Temasek Foundation, Nanyang Polytechnic (NYP) International and Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Education and Science (MOES) is on science, technology, engineering and mathematics (Stem).
The three-part capability and development programme, conducted by specialist and adjunct lecturers from NYP, began last Monday (Dec 7).
After the programme, the participants from Kazakhstan will share their experience and what they have learnt with their colleagues back home.
Costs for the non-profit venture will be covered by a $283,825 grant from Temasek Foundation and about $231,000 from Kazakhstan’s MOES.
NYP International chief executive Henry Heng said such programmes can help NYP establish links with overseas educational institutions.
He added: “Through these links, we can begin to create a whole spectrum of learning opportunities for our students, such as overseas internships, attachments, project work and immersion programmes.”
The programme began with a 10-day online training course for 50 Kazakhstan school heads of department such as physics and chemistry. They will be exposed to concepts like design thinking, a problem-solving approach that seeks to understand people’s needs and come up with solutions.
The second part of the programme, which will also be online, brings together 40 specialist teachers of Stem in Kazakhstan.
This three-week course is slated to take place next March, and will go deeper into actual teaching delivery, said Mr Heng.
For example, participants will learn how NYP lecturers make the learning of Stem engaging for young minds, and how knowledge can be applied to real-world problems and projects.
The third segment will be a five-day trip to Singapore, tentatively around the middle of next year, for 25 government officials and senior principals from Kazakhstan.
Mr Heng said he hopes international travel will be allowed by then.
He added: “It will be more valuable for them to be here in person – this will give them the opportunity to meet and engage thought leaders and educators here, and when they return to Kazakhstan, they can make meaningful policy changes that are relevant to their context.”
During the visit, they will tour places such as Science Centre Singapore, as well as local schools to see Stem learning taking place.