Head, Heart, Hands Framework

The "Head, Heart and Hands" framework was recommended by the Committee on NE in March 2007, and guides the next phase of NE.

In engaging the “Head”, students should be actively involved in their own learning; beyond knowing, they should think through issues and arrive at a deeper understanding of the challenges facing Singapore and what it means to be Singaporean.  In engaging the “Heart”, students should connect emotionally with the Singapore story; their love for the nation should be the outcome of their appreciating Singapore and having a deeper sense of belonging.  In engaging the “Hands”, students should have opportunities to give back to society, and realise that everyone has a part to contribute to and create Singapore’s future, and, where possible, to lead in different fields of society.

“Head”, “Heart” and “Hands” will be the focus of engagement at all levels, but with varying emphases as appropriate to the age and maturity of the students .  The “Hands” concept also expands on the original “Lead Singapore” outcome for post-secondary students to emphasise the fact that all students have a role in contributing to and creating Singapore’s future.

The three principles in the second ring – Quality, Customisation and Ownership, are guiding principles that underline all of the Committee’s recommendations.  In particular, going forward, more emphasis should be given to a customised approach.  For example, as students progress from primary to secondary levels, they should gradually move from understanding basic facts about our nation’s past, to understanding how Singapore is evolving in the present.  As they move into post-secondary levels, the
engagement should deepen their grasp of the complex challenges facing Singapore, while they ponder the possible futures for our nation.

The outer-most ring represents three key groups of stakeholders that are involved in the delivery of NE – educators, students and the community. This reinforces the idea that NE is owned by everyone, and emphasizes the importance of community partners in the process of NE.