Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan advocates stronger education ties with Singapore

During his recent visit to Singapore, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan emphasized the value of strengthening ties with the country in an "all-around" approach, spanning from elementary to vocational and higher education.

Referring to Singapore as India's reliable knowledge partner, he discussed strategies for growing the relationship based on three important pillars: market, talent, and resources.

Pradhan met with Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and Singapore Education Minister Chan Chun Sing on Oct 22.

They discussed opportunities for overseas internship programs that would enable Indian students to gain practical experience with Singaporean companies.

Additionally, they explored the possibility of twinning schools and universities in India and Singapore, joint research collaborations in areas of mutual interest like tech, medicine, and advanced materials, as well as enhancing academic and research partnerships.

Collaboration on curriculum development, pedagogy, and teacher capacity building with Singapore's National Institute of Education and NCERT was also discussed in the meeting.

Pradhan and Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Singapore's Minister for Foreign Affairs, reaffirmed their commitment to advancing the India-Singapore Knowledge Partnership.

In order to promote deeper collaboration across all academic and research fronts, they decided to work closely together to push bilateral cooperation in education to new heights.

Pradhan also had a meeting with Mr. Gan Kim Yong, Deputy Prime Minister, and the Minister of Trade and Industry.

Their discussions centered on cooperation in skills-based education and training, with both leaders emphasizing the importance of cultivating future-ready competencies.

They agreed to strengthen knowledge exchange as a fundamental aspect of the India-Singapore Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, positioning knowledge as a vital pillar of their bilateral relationship.