Sociology and Social Science Essay: MOE Initiative Social Analysis

This essay provides a comprehensive sociological analysis of the Ministry of Education (MOE) initiative to increase the number of MOE-run kindergartens in Singapore. The primary goal of the initiative is to bridge the gap between children who have access to early childhood education and those who do not, thereby promoting equality across different economic classes. The essay examines the initiative through the lenses of social symbolic interactionism, conflict theory, and functionalism. It argues that the curriculum of MOE-run kindergartens will improve the quality of education by recognizing children as active learners. The analysis explores how structural functionalism views the initiative as a means to promote social stability, symbolic interactionism as a way to shape children's behavior through interaction, and conflict theory as a response to inequality. The essay concludes that while the initiative may face challenges, it will contribute to a better outcome in education by addressing social inequality and promoting a fair society with equal opportunities.

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Sociology and Social Science
The Ministry of Education (MOE) initiative to increase the number of MOE-run
kindergartens is mainly aimed to close the gap between the people who can send their children to
early childhood education and those who are not able to take their children these institutions.
The MOE-run kindergartens are meant to facilitate the smooth transition from kindergarten to
primary school by promoting early childhood development as well as a preparation for primary
school education. The initiative is however subjective to analysis and criticism in terms of social
perspectives. This essay is a precise analysis of the initiative from the social symbolic
interactionism, conflict theory and functionalism point of view.
I think this new initiative will successfully contribute to a better overall outcome in the
education sector. The main aim of the initiative is to make early childhood development
affordable to those who cannot access it and this greatly promotes equality among the various
economic classes in the country. The curriculum of the MOE-run kindergartens will also
improve the overall quality of education. The curriculum recognizes the fact that children are
active, competent and curious learners who learn very fast through exploration and participation.
This will boost the early childhood development of the children as well as give them a good
foundation in social skills, literacy and numerical development. The curriculum incorporates
children learning through quality and purposeful interactive play as well as learning of the
distinctive Singapore flavor including traditions, culture and food. This will boost the
development of children since they will be conscious of their immediate environment hence
promoting the overall education.

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Structural functionalism is a theory portrays the society as a multifaceted system that has
various parts working together to promote stability and solidarity. Social structure, latent
functions, manifest functions and social functions are the main concepts of this theory. Social
structures in the society such as families, religions, community and nations significantly shape
our lives (Burell, 2017). The initiative to establish and promote the MOE- run kindergartens the
government as a social structure is shaping the life of the children and consequently the life of
the society at large. Every social structure has several social functions and education is among
the many social functions in the society (Ritzer, 2017). Education has so many significant
functions including social placement, learning and socialization. In the attempt of promoting
solidarity and social stability, MOE- runs kindergarten is trying to bridge the gap between the
various social classes by providing an education system that is affordable to all and offers quality
education as well.
The symbolic interactionism is a theory that is developed from the alludes and
considerations to the people utilizing dialect to make images for inference and communication
with other people (Healey, 2018). The theory is like a reference frame to better understand the
interaction of individuals to create symbolic worlds and how these symbolic creations shape the
behavior of people (Vannini, 2016. The theory portrays that the significance of any theory is its
ability to solve the complex social problems the society faces. The MEO-run kindergarten can
be explained through symbolic interaction perspectives. The communication process is an
avenue where individuals construct meaning and therefore the curriculum of this initiative that
promotes constructive interaction helps the children to have a good communication background
(Woods, 2017). This will develop their self-concept and consequently shape their behavior. How
people will react to various things is determined by the meaning they attach to these things and

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these meanings are usually developed by interaction among people. The curriculum promotes
interaction among the students and the environment including culture and this plays a bigger role
in shaping the behavior of these children. Therefore how the children are interacting with this
education strategy is greatly going to influence their behavior and therefore affect how they view
and react to various social issues in future.
The conflict theory perspective recognizes the fact the inequality in the society produces
conflict rather than producing consensus and order. The inequality based conflict can only be
overcome by the vital makeover of the existing social relations producing new social relations.
The government as a social structure realized that there are some people who cannot afford pre-
primary education of their children and this is an avenue for inequality (Craib, 2015). In order to
eliminate this inequality between the social classes the government initiated this unique
kindergarten program to initiate a new and better social relation among the people. Social class
among the people shapes the behaviors of individuals as well as the opportunities they have. This
is a threat to solidarity and stability of the society since it intensifies the conflict of interest
between different groups of people. The structural interests of the less disadvantaged in the
society run against the status quo and when these interests are assumed then they lead to social
change (Downes, 2016). The less disadvantaged people in the society are actually agents of
change through their interests.
The conflict theory also recognizes that humans have the potential to transform the
society and not only maintain the power structure. The government initiative goes an extra mile
to change the existing education structure with the aim of improving the social aspect of the
society at large. It is the role of every human to be an agent of a positive change that helps solve
social problems. Initiating and implementing the MOE-run kindergarten is a way of solving the

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social inequality freedom between social classes. It is hard for a consensus to be reached in the
society but inequality should be discouraged by all means.
This initiative by Singapore aims at promoting social stability and solidarity. Apart from
solving a conflict raising from inequality the initiative also tries to transform the society into a
more vibrant one (Thomson, 2016). The education program is improving on what used to be
done to produce better results. The system is aiming at establishing a fair society where
individuals have equal rights and opportunities to essential resources such as education.
In conclusion, the MOE- run kindergarten initiative in Singapore can be analyzed from
social perspectives. The initiative may face some challenges but it will definitely contribute to a
better outcome in education. The system is mostly based on eliminating the inequality between
the social classes.

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Reference
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