19 May 2017

Minister for Education (Schools) Ng Chee Meng told Parliament recently that Singapore’s students are being taught to cross-check information and viewpoints that they come across, and corroborate what they read online with other sources to determine their veracity.

He was responding to a parliamentary question submitted by MP Pritam Singh, who had asked if students were being taught to distinguish real versus fake news.

Mr Ng emphasized that school teachers have begun to guide students in distinguishing fact from opinion, as well as honing their skills in verifying the authority of sources.

Information literacy forms part of the new Cyber Wellness syllabus, and is a key component of the Ministry of Education’s Character and Citizenship Education curriculum.

Schools are regularly provided with teaching resources on the latest cyber trends and issues. These also includes getting parents involved in the digital education of their children.