Art classes were traditionally considered lesser in importance to Math and Science in Singapore’s school’s curriculum. By any standards, my peers would have thought it wise to do away with Art as a subject totally – what point does it serve and how would I guarantee an A for something I can’t mug for?

Simultaneously, art lessons served as distraction for students who needed a creative outlet to express themselves. Do you remember art classes during your school days? It probably involved messing with oil pastels, bright splashes of poster colour paint, and dirty fingertips (with credits to charcoal drawings). From mastering the art of still life drawing to mosaic making, the art curriculum here is maintained on the basis of positive learning and development.

Art education is often seen as an opportunity for young minds to reflect on their culture and identity, as well as understand their surroundings. The Ministry of Education’s (MOE) Art Syllabus states “Making art also encourages the development of creativity while engendering a sense of self-worth…this equips the students to better understand and engage with the world they live in. “

According to MOE, the structured art syllabus will enable students in primary and lower secondary schools to:

• Develop sensory awareness and imagination
• Develop visual inquiry skills to discover and explore their surroundings
• Acquire skills that enable them to describe and interpret artworks
• Create artworks to share their ideas, thoughts and feelings
• Cultivate a spirit of innovation and experimentation
• Understand and value art from a variety of cultures and context
• Develop self-confidence and sense of achievement

From discussing the elements of art – dots, lines, shapes, forms and colours, to principles of design – scale, variety, balance, contrast and proportion, students are encouraged to discover how art captures the imagination and communicates ideas. Besides learning techniques of cultural art forms such as Chinese calligraphy and Batik.

Now with the School of the Arts (SOTA) admitting pre-tertiary students who show potential in the arts and developing programmes suited for these individuals, Art has shifted focus. From a subject that was merely seen as an avenue of to articulate thoughts, art now prompts discussion and calls for a deeper analysis of ideas and perceptions. Students can now enter SOTA after their Primary School Leaving Examinations (PSLE) and graduate with an International Baccalaureate qualification – a straight route to university.