NIE Study Reveals Diverse Developmental Pathways Among Lower Socio-Economic status’ Students

Findings from the DRivers, Enablers, and pathways of Adolescent developMent in Singapore (DREAMS) study, commissioned by the Ministry of Education and conducted by researchers from the National Institute of Education (NIE), Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, have shed new light on the experiences of students from lower socio-economic status (SES) backgrounds.

Featured in The Straits Times and Lianhe Zaobao, the study found that students from lower SES backgrounds are not a homogeneous group defined solely by disadvantage. Instead, NIE researchers identified five distinct developmental profiles among lower SES student participants, highlighting the diverse pathways young people take as they navigate their educational journeys.

The findings also revealed that while some lower SES students entered secondary school with academic achievement comparable to their peers from higher SES backgrounds, socio-economic constraints could limit the extent to which they benefited from their early success. Over time, students from higher SES backgrounds often outperformed lower SES students who had started with similar PSLE scores.

Professor Kenneth Poon, lead Principal Investigator of the DREAMS study, noted the importance of understanding the factors that shape students’ long-term development. The research team hopes to extend the study for a further three years to continue tracking students’ growth, intellectual curiosity and academic outcomes, generating insights that can inform educational policies and support efforts to promote social mobility and educational equity in Singapore.

Read the article on The Straits Times here.
Read the article on Lianhe Zaobao here.