Education was a fundamental priority for the new government in 1959 and many new schools were built. Malay was made the national language, in line with the government’s belief that Singapore could only achieve independence through unification with Malaya. A Malay Education Advisory Committee provided free education up to tertiary level for all Malays, who were the poorest community in Singapore. A unified education system with a common syllabus and a common Primary School Leaving Examination was introduced. After 1965, the government policy centred on effective bilingualism, as the government wanted the workforce to be well-educated and English-speaking.
