About Singapore

Singapore has had a long and colourful history, characterised by its strategic location to sea voyagers from various civilizations - namely the Chinese, Indians, Bugis, Javanese, Portuguese, Dutch and English. Its name is derived from the lion - legend has it that a prince from the Sri Vijaya empire mistakenly sighted an animal which he thought was a lion, and thus the name "Singa pura" or "Lion city" was established. In the 18th century, the British saw the importance of Singapore to bolster their power and influence in the region, and Sir Stamford Raffles thus established Singapore as a trading post under British control. Singapore enticed trade from all over the world, and with the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869, its role grew further to enhance trade between East and West.

Having gained self-rule from the British, it went into a union with Malaysia which proved short-lived. Singapore gained complete independence in 1965. Its economy grew an average of nine per cent per annum, and in the 1990s, Singapore became one of the world's richest nations and had the second highest per capita gross domestic product in Asia after Japan.

Singapore's success stems from the political will and commitment of its leaders to develop its human resource, the only resource it can depend on the tiny island. This national priority with education and training is reflected in its policies which are geared to nurture the minds and skills of the young. It has paid off by elevating the quality of education in Singapore to world-class standards, which in turn has become a magnet to attract students from around the region and beyond.

Among the attraction factors are