03 May 2023
SAP is an abbreviation for Special Assistance Plan, which is a programme catered to students who are strong in their mother tongue. Schools that offer SAP are known as SAP schools.
But they are better known as Chinese Schools. This is because all SAP schools are Chinese only schools (they don’t offer Malay or Tamil). That means SAP is created for students who are good in both English and Chinese.
The Singapore government provides more funding to promote the learning of (Chinese) mother tongue and (Chinese) culture. With more funding, SAP schools can purchase more resources and provide activities such as caligraphy classes.
In short, SAP schools have more resources. Unsurprisingly, they are the top, elite schools in Singapore.
Some subjects are taught in Mandarin, thus further developing their bilingual ability. There is also opportunity to participate in exchange programs with China.
There are 15 SAP Primary Schools.
| School | Area | Gender | Affiliations |
|---|---|---|---|
| CHIJ St. Nicholas Girls’ School | Ang Mo Kio | Girls only | CHIJ St. Nicholas Girls’ School |
| Red Swastika School | Bedok | Mixed | |
| Ai Tong School | Bishan | Mixed | |
| Catholic High School | Bishan | Boys only | Catholic High School |
| Nanyang Primary School | Bukit Timah | Mixed | Nanyang Girls’ High School |
| Pei Hwa Presbyterian Primary School | Bukit Timah | Mixed | |
| Nan Hua Primary School | Clementi | Mixed | |
| Kong Hwa School | Geylang | Mixed | |
| Maha Bodhi School | Geylang | Mixed | Manjusri Secondary School |
| Holy Innocents’ Primary School | Hougang | Mixed | Holy Innocent’s High School |
| Hong Wen School | Kallang | Mixed | |
| Tao Nan School | Marine Parade | Mixed | |
| Poi Ching School | Tampines | Mixed | |
| Maris Stella High School | Toa Payoh | Boys only | Maris Stella High School |
| Pei Chun Public School | Toa Payoh | Mixed |
There are 11 SAP Secondary Schools:
| School | Area | Gender |
|---|---|---|
| Anglican High | Tanah Merah | Mixed |
| Catholic High | Bishan | Boys only |
| CHIJ Saint Nicholas Girls’ | Ang Mo Kio | Girls only |
| Chung Cheng High | Marine Parade | Mixed |
| Dunman High | Tanjong Rhu | Mixed |
| Hwa Chong Institution | Bukit Timah | Boys only |
| Maris Stella High | Toa Payoh | Boys only |
| Nan Chiau High | Sengkang | Mixed |
| Nan Hua High | Clementi | Mixed |
| Nanyang Girls’ High | Bukit Timah | Girls only |
| River Valley High | Boon Lay | Mixed |
There are other (smaller) programmes for Malay and Tamil, but as their population is smaller, there is no Malay or Tamil equivalents.
Furthermore, students in Chinese schools are all ethnically Chinese, thus they lack interactions with other races.
Such concerns are frequently raised, and there was a response from Minister of Education in 2021.