HDB and the Resettlement from Kampongs

Active learning works well for this topic because it helps students empathize with the human experiences behind Singapore's rapid urbanization. The shift from kampong life to HDB living involved complex emotions, policies, and trade-offs that are best understood through discussion, role play, and visual analysis rather than passive reading alone.

• Secondary 3
• History
• 3 activities
• 20 min–50 min

Learning Objectives

1. Analyze the primary factors, including the Bukit Ho Swee fire, that accelerated the HDB's public housing development program.
2. Explain the social and psychological challenges faced by former kampong dwellers when relocating to high-rise HDB estates.
3. Evaluate the effectiveness of the Ethnic Integration Policy in fostering racial harmony and social cohesion within HDB estates.
4. Compare the community structures and social interactions in traditional kampongs versus modern HDB neighborhoods.
5. Synthesize information from oral histories and policy documents to describe the impact of resettlement on different age groups.

Role Play

⏱ 50 min·Small Groups

Role Play: The Resettlement Officer

Students act as HDB officers in the 1960s trying to convince a kampong family to move to a new flat. They must address the family's fears about the cost, the loss of community, and the change in lifestyle.

Prepare & details

Analyze why the Bukit Ho Swee fire served as a critical catalyst for accelerated public housing development.

Facilitation Tip: In the Think-Pair-Share activity, assign mixed-ability pairs and provide sentence stems to scaffold discussions about policy trade-offs, such as 'The policy helped _____ by _____, but it also created challenges like _____.'

Setup: Open space or rearranged desks for scenario staging

Materials: Character cards with backstory and goals, Scenario briefing sheet

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Social Awareness
• Self-Awareness

Gallery Walk

⏱ 40 min·Small Groups

Gallery Walk: From Kampong to Flat

Display photos and descriptions of kampong life alongside early HDB designs. Students move through the gallery to identify the 'pros' and 'cons' of each living environment from the perspective of different family members.

Prepare & details

Explain the significant social challenges faced by residents transitioning from traditional kampongs to HDB flats.

Setup: Wall space or tables arranged around room perimeter

Materials: Large paper/poster boards, Markers, Sticky notes for feedback

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

Think-Pair-Share

⏱ 20 min·Pairs

Think-Pair-Share: The Ethnic Integration Policy

Students reflect on why the government introduced racial quotas in HDB blocks. They share with a partner whether they think this is still a necessary policy for maintaining racial harmony today.

Prepare & details

Evaluate how the HDB utilized housing policies to promote racial integration and social cohesion.

Setup: Standard classroom seating; students turn to a neighbor

Materials: Discussion prompt (projected or printed), Optional: recording sheet for pairs

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Awareness
• Relationship Skills

Teaching This Topic

Teachers should approach this topic by centering human stories rather than policy timelines. Research shows that students retain more when they connect abstract concepts like 'social cohesion' to personal narratives. Avoid presenting the transition as purely positive or negative; instead, guide students to weigh both the improvements in living conditions and the losses in community bonds. Use oral histories frequently to disrupt stereotypes, such as the idea that all kampong residents were eager for change.

What to Expect

Successful learning looks like students recognizing the emotional and social costs of resettlement, not just the practical benefits. They should be able to articulate the tension between community bonds and modernization, and explain how policies like the Ethnic Integration Policy addressed social challenges beyond just providing housing.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

During the Role Play activity, watch for students assuming all residents were excited about moving to HDB flats. Redirect them to use the oral history excerpts provided to shape their characters' perspectives, including reluctance or nostalgia.

What to Teach Instead

Remind students to incorporate specific lines from the oral histories, such as 'I didn’t want to leave the place where I buried my parents,' to challenge the idea of universal enthusiasm for resettlement.

Common Misconception

During the Gallery Walk activity, watch for students simplifying kampongs as 'dirty slums' without recognizing the community bonds. Use the juxtaposition of images and quotes to prompt them to identify examples of 'kampong spirit' in the visuals.

What to Teach Instead

Have students point to specific details in the images, like shared spaces or close-knit homes, and match them to quotes that describe trust and mutual aid to correct this oversimplification.

Assessment Ideas

Discussion Prompt

After the Role Play activity, facilitate a discussion using the prompt: 'Imagine you are a resident who lived in a kampong for 30 years and are now moving into an HDB flat. What are three things you would miss most about kampong life, and what are three things you might look forward to in your new home?' Encourage students to share their responses and justify their choices.

Quick Check

During the Gallery Walk activity, provide students with a short excerpt from an oral history of a kampong resident or an HDB policy document. Ask them to identify one specific social challenge or integration strategy mentioned in the text and explain its significance in 1-2 sentences.

Exit Ticket

After the Think-Pair-Share activity, have students write on an index card one key reason why the Bukit Ho Swee fire was a catalyst for HDB development and one way the Ethnic Integration Policy aimed to build social cohesion. Collect these as students leave to assess their understanding of policy impacts.

Extensions & Scaffolding

• Challenge early finishers to draft a letter from the perspective of a resettlement officer explaining how they would respond to a community petition against moving to an HDB flat.
• Scaffolding for struggling students: Provide a graphic organizer with two columns labeled 'Kampong Life' and 'HDB Life' to help them organize their thoughts before discussions.
• Deeper exploration: Have students research another country’s urban resettlement project and compare its outcomes to Singapore’s HDB program in a short presentation.

Key Vocabulary

Kampong	A traditional village in Singapore, characterized by close-knit communities and low-rise housing, often with shared amenities and social networks.
HDB (Housing & Development Board)	Singapore's public housing authority, responsible for planning, developing, and managing housing estates that accommodate the majority of the nation's population.
Ethnic Integration Policy (EIP)	A policy implemented by the HDB to ensure racial balance within housing blocks and neighborhoods, preventing the formation of ethnic enclaves.
Resettlement	The process of moving people from their original homes, often in kampongs or older housing, to new housing estates, typically HDB flats.
Social Cohesion	The degree to which members of a society feel connected and united, sharing common values and a sense of belonging, often promoted through integrated living environments.