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The Confucian Ethics Curriculum in Singapore 111

group at this time. Moreover, many of the founders of this school of thought and
their direct disciples were still in their prime. Hence, Singapore, which then wished
for such a curriculum, had the help willingly forthcoming from these scholars.
When Professor Yu Ying-shih and Professor Tu Wei-ming were invited to Singapore
in August 1982, they were then in their early 50s and 40s respectively. Both were
energetic and dedicated, and had contributed tremendously to the project.
Although the political leadership in Singapore were only meant to borrow
Confucianism from a pragmatic standpoint, they nevertheless allowed the text-
book writers, who were profoundly influenced by their mentors from overseas—
Professors Yu and Tu, to have a free hand to incorporate the teachings of the school
of Confucianism which they had embraced into the textbooks. This may show that,
after all, the Singapore leaders were enlightened enough to give due respect to the
independent opinions of the scholars.

References

Anonymous. (1987, September 3). 课程发展署刘蕙霞指出: 儒家伦理编为课程我 国是第一个国家
[According to Dr Lau Wai Har from Curriculum Development of Institute: Singapore is the first
country to set Confucian ethics as a curriculum]. Lianhe Zaobao,p.2.
Anonymous. (1984, March 17). 儒家伦理课程试教成绩令人满意 [Trial Confucian ethics courses
seeing satisfactory results]. Lianhe Zaobao,p.4.
Anonymous. (1985a, January 9). 儒家伦理道德课程 选修学生数近六千 [Nearly 6, 000 students
selected Confucian ethics courses]. Lianhe Wanbao,p. 4.
Anonymous. (1985b, July 13). 儒学研究会下月举行成立仪式 [The inaugural ceremony of the
Association for Confucian Studies to start next month]. Lianhe Zaobao,p. 9.
Anonymous. (1985c, August 5). 刘蕙霞博士对儒家课程教学评语 教材师资及教学法与理想效
果有距离 [Dr Lau Wai Har’s comments on the teaching of Confucian ethics courses:
The teaching materials, teachers, and teaching methods are far from ideal]. Lianhe
Zaobao,p.5.
CDIS (Curriculum Development Institute of Singapore). (1984). Confucian Ethics: Textbook
secondary three. Educational Publications Bureau Pte Ltd.
CDIS (Curriculum Development Institute of Singapore). (1985). Confucian Ethics: Textbook
Secondary Four. Educational Publications Bureau Pte Ltd.
CDIS (Curriculum Development Institute of Singapore). (1987). The road they took: Confucian
ethics supplementary reading book for secondary three. Educational Publications Bureau Pte
Ltd.
Chen, T., & Tan, S. J. (1983, June 15). 15 间中学下月开始试教儒家伦理课程 [Trial courses of
Confucian ethics to start in 15 middle schools next month]. Lianhe Zaobao,p.1.
Lim, H. L. (1982, December 31). Let’s stand Confucius on his head where necessary. The Straits
Times,1.
Liu, S-H. (1995). An analysis of contemporary Neo-Confucianism. Chinese Culture,(2),33–59.