Values are Caught, Not Just Taught: Why Relationships are the Real Key to CCE

Dr Ng Ee Lynn from NIE highlights how everyday interactions between students, teachers, parents and other significant adults play a crucial role in shaping values and character.

In a commentary for Lianhe Zaobao, Dr Ng Ee Lynn, Senior Education Research Scientist at the National Institute of Education (NIE), NTU Singapore, emphasised that character and values are not developed through formal lessons alone, but also through the relationships and everyday experiences that shape students’ lives.

While Character and Citizenship Education (CCE) provides students with opportunities to develop values, social-emotional competencies and a sense of civic responsibility, Dr Ng explained that these qualities are most meaningfully cultivated when students experience them in practice.

She highlighted the importance of creating psychologically safe classrooms where students feel respected, supported and confident to express different perspectives, learn from mistakes and take responsibility for their actions. Through positive relationships, teachers can model empathy, fairness and respect while encouraging students to develop resilience, critical thinking and independent judgment.

Beyond the classroom, parents, coaches and other significant adults also play an essential role by demonstrating positive values through their words and actions. Providing children with opportunities to make decisions, resolve conflicts and take on responsibilities helps them translate what they learn into real-life behaviour.

Dr Ng also underscored the importance of strong home-school partnerships, mutual trust and sustained support for teachers in nurturing students' character development.

Ultimately, she argued that raising resilient, empathetic and responsible young people requires a collective effort. Character education is not simply about what children are taught, but also about the values they see, experience and practise every day.

Read the full commentary in Lianhe Zaobao.