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EDUCATION

EDUCARE: Training Teachers for the Future

Educare International Consultancy Pte Ltd’s Mike Thiruman shares his enthusiasm with Editor- in-Chief Ms Nomita
Dhar, about the progress of Educare’s inroads into Russia’s educational system and bringing it up to speed on the new
normal for graduates of 2030

Mike Thiruman representing Educare - visiting delegation to Russia with Singapore’s Deputy PM and Coordinating Minister for Economic and Social Policies,

Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam (1st photo above extreme left) and in a meeting with President of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov (2nd photo above 2nd fro m

Tleft) and (below) with Mrs Nomita Dhar with numerous awards in the background recognising Educare’s contributions student interactions. This would
his year is very special for be pretty evident to anyone
Singapore-Russia relations. walking into the classroom where
Educare has been playing its we have trained a teacher. When
part enhancing educational
ties between the two countries. Tell the teacher is implementing our

us about Educare in this context. methodology, one can clearly

Educare’s journey with Russia started see the difference. We have gone

in 2010, when the Education Minister even further with facilitating

of the Republic of Tatarstan (which accreditation process of the

falls within ambit of the Russian teachers; developing school

Federation) visited Singapore and leaders and schools of excellence.

through IE Singapore (now known

as Enterprise Singapore) came to You must have left an indelible

Educare to talk about Singapore’s mark on the minds of the young

education system which has a very and the teaching faculty there…

solid reputation, maintaining high We hope so. The bottom-line is it’s

international benchmarks. They a globalized world. Singapore’s

wanted to know more about how we “During this period Educare kids are going to compete and
achieve this. We shared how one of has trained over 38,000 Russian even collaborate with their
the key areas for Singapore’s Ministry kids someday. Together we can
of Education (MOE) is the professional teachers, school leaders, do more. Being there is also
development of teachers. They were quite an eye opener as there
quite keen for us start a pilot project are things about the Russians,

back in Tatarstan in its capital, Kazan, pedagogical college lecturers, whom we think of as being
which we did in 2011. We trained 240 part of the West, but there is a
district education and Ministry of
teachers. There was quite a buzz - the Education and Science officials” significant part of them that is
novelty of being trained in Singapore- also eastern. This is reflected in
style education by Singaporeans in the ways they think and in some
Kazan. of their traditions that are quite

This expanded steadily and by 2012 the the teachers, with special focus on 21st Eastern in many ways. They are
President of Tatarstan said he wanted such very much in sync with us. Even if you go to
training to be extended to all their teachers century education skills such as creativity, a Russian Orthodox Church and close your
and educators and gave us the necessary eyes when you listen to the chant you get the
funding. We set up a small office there which communication, collaboration and critical impression you are in a Buddhist Monastery
has been operating for about four years now. or even a Hindu temple. Russians share this
During this period Educare has trained over thinking. These are important skills and it Eurasian concept. Don’t forget 75% or so
38,000 Russian teachers, school leaders, of their land is in Asia, so their thinking and
pedagogical college lecturers, district takes time to do this with so much content traditions are pretty close to ours. They are
education and Ministry of Education and hugely patriotic (as we are here in Singapore)
Science officials. to be covered. Russia is very good in content they are fairly family-centric as we are, they
value education and teaching as we do. There
What are the subjects taught? teaching but the area of concern is how to is definitely a common thread in their thinking
General pedagogical training was given to and ours. This helped greatly when discussing
get the teachers to teach critical thinking, education issues. As you might guess, to bring

creativity, collaboration and communication

skills in the classrooms. This is where

Singapore’s know-how came into play. We

started on strategies that essentially focused

on student engagement to encourage

student-to-content as well as student-to-

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