The curriculum as an entire planned learning experience is underpinned by a broad set of common values and purposes. All students need appropriate knowledge and understanding and the acquisition of essential skills and values to participate and prosper in a changing world and in the new millennium. Knowledge and understanding covers the content-based subject disciplines to ensure students have a good foundation in content across different areas of studies. The essential skills have been identified as the skills for the 21st century that when combined with relevant knowledge and the inculcation of proper attitudes and values, will provide the basis for lifelong learning and employability in a progressive and challenging world. The essential skills include: communication (combining the four components of listening, speaking, reading, and writing); numeracy; ICTs; thinking and problem-solving skills; self management and competitive skills; study and work skills; social, physical, and aesthetic skills. The embedding of MIB philosophy and ethics within this framework is essential in contributing to the students’ sense of pride in themselves, their school, their environment and their country. To ensure a holistic development, the following values are to be embedded throughout the learning areas: self-confidence and self- esteem; empathy and appreciativeness; self-reliance and independence; tolerance and mutual respect; caring, concern and sensitivity; integrity; national patriotism; piety; competitiveness; and commitment. (MOE, 2008).
Learning outcomes are statements that specify what learners will know or are able to do as a result of a learning activity which helps to focus on the student’s behaviour that is to be changed. They also serve as guidelines for content, instruction, and evaluation to identify specifically what should be learned, unlearned or relearned. Learning outcomes convey to learners exactly what is to be accomplished. Students’ progress can be observed and measures in the acquisition of the required essential skills, knowledge and understanding together with the right attitudes and values. Lessons conducted will have specific objective to be achieved. These objectives are connected to the learning outcomes. The subject content that supports the attainment of these objectives is decided once the objectives have been clearly identified. It will be focusing more on skills to get to the objective.
The SPN21 curriculum has identified curriculum approaches which it considers appropriate for the primary and secondary levels of schooling. At the primary level, the curriculum will be integrated across subject areas using themes and topics that are based on understanding, experience and the surrounding environment. Students will experience connectivity across the learning areas, learning with understanding and are made aware that ideas do not exist in isolation but connected. At the secondary level, the school curriculum will be geared more towards specialisation. At both levels, the teaching and the learning process will be student- centred with students being actively engaged in learning both individually and in group. The teacher’s role will change from being transmitter of facts and information to that of facilitator of learning.