CCE · Secondary 2

Active learning ideas

The President's Custodial Role

Active learning helps students grasp the President's custodial role by turning abstract constitutional powers into concrete experiences. Role-playing veto decisions and analyzing case studies lets students practice applying checks and balances in real scenarios, which deepens understanding beyond textbook descriptions.

• MOE Syllabus Outcomes
• MOE: Governance and Democracy - S2

• 35–50 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 4 activities

Activity 01

• Inside-Outside Circle
• 45 min · Small Groups

Role-Play Simulation: Veto Decision

Assign roles as President, ministers, and advisors. Present a budget scenario involving past reserves. Groups deliberate for 10 minutes, then President decides with justification. Debrief on constitutional limits.

Explain the unique custodial powers of the Singaporean President.

Facilitation Tip

During the Role-Play Simulation, assign clear roles such as President, Finance Minister, and Opposition Leader to ensure every student engages with the decision-making process.

What to look for

Pose this question to small groups: 'Imagine a scenario where the government proposes a large expenditure from the national reserves for a new infrastructure project. What specific questions would the President, in their custodial role, ask to ensure the reserves are protected?' Have groups share their key questions.

• Remember
• Understand
• Apply
• Relationship Skills
• Self-Management

Activity 02

• Jigsaw
• 50 min · Small Groups

Jigsaw: Custodial Powers

Divide powers into stations: reserves, appointments, GIC/ Temasek. Expert groups study one, then mixed groups teach peers and discuss checks. Create a shared concept map.

Analyze how the President acts as a check on government spending and appointments.

Facilitation Tip

For the Jigsaw Activity, group students by custodial power topics and have them teach their findings to a new group to reinforce peer learning.

What to look for

Ask students to write down one specific custodial power of the President and one example of how this power acts as a check on the government. Collect these to gauge understanding of the President's unique functions.

• Understand
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Relationship Skills
• Self-Management

Activity 03

• Inside-Outside Circle
• 35 min · Pairs

Debate Pairs: Non-Partisan Value

Pairs prepare arguments for and against a partisan President. Debate in class with structured turns. Vote and reflect on parliamentary system strengths.

Justify the importance of a non-partisan Head of State in a parliamentary system.

Facilitation Tip

In the Debate Pairs activity, provide a structured framework with time limits to keep discussions focused on non-partisan principles rather than political opinions.

What to look for

Present students with a short list of government roles (e.g., Chief Justice, Chairman of a Statutory Board, Permanent Secretary). Ask them to identify which roles require Presidential approval for appointment and briefly explain why.

• Remember
• Understand
• Apply
• Relationship Skills
• Self-Management

Activity 04

• Gallery Walk
• 40 min · Individual

Gallery Walk: Historical Examples

Post summaries of past Presidential interventions. Students rotate, note impacts, then discuss in whole class how custodial roles protected reserves.

Explain the unique custodial powers of the Singaporean President.

Facilitation Tip

During the Case Study Gallery Walk, place primary documents like constitutional articles next to each case to ground abstract powers in real text.

What to look for

Pose this question to small groups: 'Imagine a scenario where the government proposes a large expenditure from the national reserves for a new infrastructure project. What specific questions would the President, in their custodial role, ask to ensure the reserves are protected?' Have groups share their key questions.

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Create
• Relationship Skills
• Social Awareness

A few notes on teaching this unit

Teaching this topic effectively requires balancing constitutional precision with real-world relevance. Focus on the procedural aspects of custodial powers first, using concrete examples, before moving to debates about their purpose. Avoid framing the President as a purely symbolic figure; instead, emphasize the specific conditions under which custodial powers are activated. Research shows that students retain constitutional concepts better when they see how these powers have been applied in specific historical moments.

Students will clearly explain the President's custodial powers, distinguish them from executive functions, and justify when and why these powers are used. Successful learning is visible when students reference specific constitutional limits and historical precedents in discussions and written work.

---

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During the Jigsaw Activity: Custodial Powers, watch for students believing any citizen can become President without qualifications. Have groups reconstruct the eligibility criteria from constitutional articles and present a flow chart of the qualification process to the class.

  During the Debate Pairs: Non-Partisan Value, correct the misconception by framing the President’s role as a guardian of long-term governance, not a political actor. Ask pairs to identify constitutional language that emphasizes continuity and unity, then cite it in their debate points.

---

Methods used in this brief

• Inside-Outside Circle
• Jigsaw
• Gallery Walk