The Desired Outcomes of Education are attributes that we aspire for every Singaporean to possess by the time they complete their formal education. These outcomes establish a common purpose for our educators, drive our policies and programmes, and allow us to consider how well our education system is doing.

A child schooled in the Singapore education system embodies the Desired Outcomes of Education. They should possess a good sense of self-awareness, a sound moral compass, and the knowledge, skills and dispositions to take on the opportunities and challenges of the future.

They should be:

• Confident persons who have a zest for life, have a strong sense of right and wrong, are adaptable and resilient, know themselves, are discerning in judgment, think independently and critically, and communicate effectively.
• Self-directed learners who take responsibility for their own learning, are curious, reflective, and persevering in the lifelong pursuit of learning, driven by their passion and purpose.
• Active contributors who are empathetic and open-minded to collaborate effectively in teams, exercise initiative, have courage to take risks responsibly, are innovative and strive for excellence.
• Concerned citizens who are rooted to Singapore, have a strong civic consciousness, are responsible to their family, community and nation and take active roles in improving the lives of others.

Key stage outcomes

The Desired Outcomes of Education are translated into a set of 8 developmental outcomes for each key stage of our education system: primary school, secondary school and post-secondary education.

The key stage outcomes spell out what we aspire to develop in our students through primary, secondary, and post-secondary education. Each education level builds upon the previous stages and lays the foundation for subsequent ones.

For example, primary school students start by knowing their strengths and areas for growth. In doing so, they will believe in their abilities and learn to adapt to changes by the time they are in secondary school. At the post-secondary level, they will grow to be resilient in the face of adversity.