Education links with Singapore strengthened

Education Minister Chris Hipkins and Singapore’s Education Minister (Schools) Ng Chee Meng signed an Education Cooperation Arrangement in Singapore today.

New Zealand and Singapore have a long-standing education relationship. It dates right back to the Colombo Plan introduced in the 1950s which saw many Singaporeans study in New Zealand. 

Today, there is a healthy exchange of New Zealanders and Singaporeans studying and teaching at each other’s institutions.

“This Arrangement solidifies our modern education relationship, and will pave the way for closer collaboration between our education ministries on shared policy priorities and interests,” Chris Hipkins says. 

“We look forward to working with Singaporean counterparts to promote greater exchanges of students and teachers, relationships between our schools and institutions, and to exchange ideas for best practice in areas such as digital learning.

Mr Hipkins says that education continues to be an important avenue to increase people-to-people connections between the two countries – a prime objective of the Enhanced Partnership currently under negotiation between Singapore and New Zealand.

Mr Hipkins’ programme in Singapore includes meetings with his two Ministerial counterparts, Schools Minister Ng Chee Meng and Higher Education Minister Ong Ye Kung, as well as Singapore’s National Institute of Education and SkillsFuture Singapore Agency.