Efforts in Place to Cultivate Students' Interest in History

We are heartened by Youth Forum writer Muhammad Ryan Shah Mohd Jumat's interest in history, and appreciate his views on how we can cultivate interest in the subject (Make history more interesting for students, Aug 19).

History is an integral part of our school curriculum. Through the subject, students learn about key historical events, figures and communities that shaped Singapore, our region and the world. They also develop valuable skills such as critical thinking, and civic and cross-cultural literacy.

Our teachers are equipped with a repertoire of pedagogies and resources, including inquiry-based learning, interactive games, role plays, and multimodal resources, to nurture our students' interest in history. Classroom lessons are brought to life when students embark on learning journeys to heritage sites and museums, and make connections to what they have learnt in class. Pre-university students who are passionate about the subject can apply for the Ministry of Education's Humanities Scholarship, which develops students' ability to apply knowledge, skills and values from the humanities and their perspectives on current and potential issues facing Singapore.

MOE and schools will continue to nurture understanding and appreciation of history, to enable students to appreciate the past, understand the present, and contribute to the future.

Mr Tay Hsien Chuan Kelvin
Director, Humanities Branch
Ministry of Education