CHARACTER AND CITIZENSHIP EDUCATION
This is the page summary
CURRICULUM CONTENT
The future brings with it both challenges and opportunities, and it is all the more important that our Clementeens have a strong sense of self, anchored in sound values and good character. At CTSS, we aspire to mould the character of every Clementeen so that they become active citizens with the passion to learn, the confidence to lead and the humility to serve. Our CCE Curriculum takes reference from MOE's CCE 2021 Curriculum Frame and is anchored on the school's values, vision and mission.
Our approach is guided by two key strands: ConnecT and ContribuTe - that together form the ClemenTeen Way. Through ConnecT, we help Clementeens discover the connections that matter: to themselves, to others, and to the world around them. Through ContribuTe, we ignite the will to act - empowering Clementeens to positively influence their own lives and contribute to the collective good of our community.
CCE Lessons
CCE lessons involve the teaching and learning of core values and social-emotional competencies through six curriculum content areas: Education and Career Guidance, Cyber Wellness, National Education, Sexuality Education, Mental Health and Family Education. Contemporary issues are also discussed to develop active citizenry, critical thinking and global awareness. Through guided facilitation and class discussions, Clementeens learn the important skill of perspective-taking across themes relevant to their development and life experiences.
Central to our CCE approach is the 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens by Sean Covey, integrated across the Lifelong Learning Programme, CCE lessons, CCA sessions and Cohort Learning Experiences. The Habits form the bedrock of self-leadership at CTSS, serving as a common language referenced by teachers and school leaders across the full breadth of school life - from CCA reflection sessions and academic goal-setting to Self-Directed Learning days and student sharing platforms. Our hope is that Clementeens will live out these habits and develop the mindset and skill set to cope with adversity and thrive beyond the gates of CTSS.
National Education (NE)
National Education is an integral part of the CTSS’s Citizenship Education programme. The NE lessons aims to provide Clementeens with the knowledge, skills and values to understand Singapore's history, realities and challenges unique to our nation, and appreciate our journey to nationhood. Through meaningful learning experiences, such as the learning journey to National Musuem, activities during Racial Harmony Day and National Day, the school endeavours to inculcate a sense of rootedness and belonging to the school and Singapore. National Education also aims to nurture Clementeens to become environmental advocates and leaders who can make a positive impact in conserving the environment through initiatives and programmes such as earth hour, world water day and tree planting during biodiversity week.
Education and Career Guidance (ECG)
Our ECG curriculum follows a spiral approach that progressively builds students' self-awareness and career readiness across their secondary school journey — from Discovering Ourselves in Secondary 1, to Growing Our Strengths to Broaden Possibilities in Secondary 2, Harnessing Our Strengths to Contribute in Secondary 3, and Aspiring to Serve and Excel in Secondary 4/5. Key milestone programmes anchor each stage of this journey: the Secondary 2 Clementeen EXPLORE experience, the Secondary 3 Applied Learning Modules (ApLM), and the Secondary 4 Future-Ready Day — each providing meaningful opportunities for students to explore their interests, strengths and possible career paths through authentic and practical learning. Learning journeys to post-secondary institutions and sharing sessions by industry partners further support students in making informed decisions about their future. Our in-house ECG Counsellor, Ms Eileen Phua, is in CTSS twice a week to have ECG conversations with our students.
Useful links to General Information on ECG
● Singapore’s Education System (opens in new tab)
● ECG Website (opens in new tab)
● My SkillsFuture portal (opens in new tab)
Sexuality Education
The Sexuality Education curriculum emphasises the importance of respect for self and others, both online and offline, and respecting personal boundaries for healthy relationships and personal safety. Information on the curriculum can be found under this section.
Mental Health Mental Health and Cyber Wellness
At CTSS, we recognise that mental wellbeing and digital well-being are deeply interconnected aspects of a young person's overall health. Our Mental Health Programme teaches Clementeens fundamental ways to care for their wellbeing and raises awareness of mental health issues. Student Leaders from the Care Strand of the Student Union lead efforts to promote peer bonding, peer influence and peer helping — reflecting our belief that strong peer support relationships are fundamental to the wellbeing of our youths.
Supporting students' digital well-being is equally central to our work. The Cyber Wellness curriculum develops in every Clementeen the instinct to take responsibility for their own well-being in cyberspace, through CCE lessons covering Cyber Use, Cyber Identity, Cyber Relationships, Cyber Citizenship and Cyber Ethics. Beyond the classroom, CTSS has built a rich ecosystem of experiences through purposeful partnerships, student-led initiatives and school-wide programmes during Well-Being Week. Responsible device use is also a whole-school priority — from Unboxing Day for Secondary 1 students, to everyday teachable moments in the classroom, to the use of the Pomodoro Technique during Self-Directed Learning days. Clementeens store their mobile phones in personal lockers before the school day begins, creating space for more meaningful face-to-face interactions during the school day.
We believe students thrive when home and school environments are aligned. CTSS conducts parent engagement workshops on digital parenting, equipping families with practical strategies to promote digital wellness at home. Information for parents on the National Digital Literacy Programme, support for students' learning with Personal Learning Devices, and tips for keeping students safe and smart online can also be found on this google site (opens in new tab).
Family Education
The CCE lessons that centre on Family Education raise awareness about what makes families resilient and the different ways teenagers can contribute to strengthen familial relations. Some skills that are taught to them are Conflict management and positive interaction strategies taught in social-emotional competencies lessons. CTSS also shares parenting talks that aim to improve the relationship between parents and their children. The school and home partnerships are crucial in helping students thrive both in school and at home. For the past few years, selected Student leaders joined FamChamps activities which inspired them to be young family champions in Singapore who believe in, live out and champion family.
Values-in-Action (VIA)
At CTSS, VIA is designed with the belief that meaningful service begins with the heart. We believe every Clementeen has unique strengths that can be channelled towards creating positive impact, and our programme is intentionally designed to nurture student agency — empowering Clementeens to identify causes they care about and design solutions that are purposeful and personally meaningful. Underpinned by the school's desired outcome of Humility to Serve, every act of service is guided by a commitment to dignity — affirming the worth and strengths of those being served.
The VIA programme follows a developmental framework that builds students' capacity for empathy, ownership and advocacy progressively across their secondary school journey. Secondary 1 students begin close to home through environmental stewardship in the school's SMART Garden, growing and sharing vegetables with seniors while advocating for sustainable practices. Secondary 2 students broaden their circle of concern through meaningful intergenerational engagement with seniors in the Clementi community. Secondary 3 students participate in Embodied Pedagogy experiences - stepping into the perspectives of the communities they serve through experiential activities that cultivate empathy from the inside out. Building on this, Secondary 3 and 4 students engage with the Marketplace of Causes, where Secondary 4 students model student voice and advocacy by sharing their community projects with their juniors. Students with a strong passion for specific causes are further supported through the Clementeen Change Initiator platform to pursue advocacy beyond the school's core VIA experiences.
All VIA experiences are guided by CTSS's Service-Learning Project Cycle and Design Thinking methodology, taking students through a structured process of empathising, defining, ideating, executing and reflecting. Reciprocity and community voice are central - students learn as much from the communities they serve as the communities benefit from their efforts. Through this process, Clementeens develop civic literacy, critical and inventive thinking, communication and collaboration as they engage with authentic community issues and work towards shared goals.