History · Secondary 4

Active learning ideas

Government-Linked Corporations (GLCs) and Development

Active learning works because this topic involves complex decisions and trade-offs that benefit from collaborative analysis. Students need to move beyond abstract definitions to see how GLCs function in practice, which activities like debates and role-plays make possible. Working through real-world examples helps them question assumptions about government intervention versus market efficiency.

• MOE Syllabus Outcomes
• MOE: Economic Transformation and Global Integration - S4

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

Activity 01

• Case Study Analysis
• 45 min · Small Groups

Case Study Analysis: SIA's Dual Role

Provide excerpts on SIA's history and achievements. In small groups, students identify contributions to national development and examples of balancing profit with interests like tourism promotion. Groups present one key justification for government involvement.

Justify why the government started its own companies.

Facilitation Tip

During the case study analysis, assign each group a different aspect of SIA’s operations to investigate so they cover the full scope of its dual role.

What to look for

Pose the question: 'Imagine you are advising the Singaporean government today. Should Temasek Holdings continue to invest heavily in new, emerging industries, or focus solely on managing existing GLCs? Justify your recommendation with reference to national interests and market realities.'

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Decision-Making
• Self-Management

Activity 02

• Formal Debate
• 50 min · Whole Class

Formal Debate: GLCs in a Mature Economy

Divide class into pro and con teams on GLC relevance today. Teams research arguments using provided sources, then debate with structured turns. Conclude with whole-class vote and reflection on key evidence.

Analyze how GLCs balance profit with national interests.

Facilitation Tip

For the debate activity, require students to prepare arguments using Temasek’s investment portfolio data to ground their positions in evidence.

What to look for

Provide students with a short case study of a hypothetical GLC facing a decision between maximizing profit or fulfilling a social obligation (e.g., maintaining an unprofitable but essential service). Ask them to write 2-3 sentences explaining the dilemma and suggesting a balanced approach.

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Management
• Decision-Making

Activity 03

• Formal Debate
• 40 min · Small Groups

Timeline Construction: Temasek and GLCs

Groups receive event cards on Temasek Holdings, Singtel, and SIA milestones. They sequence events on posters, annotate impacts on development, and share with class for peer feedback.

Evaluate the relevance of GLCs in a mature market economy today.

Facilitation Tip

When constructing the timeline, provide students with a mix of primary and secondary sources to ensure they see both historical decisions and their long-term effects.

What to look for

On a slip of paper, ask students to list one reason why the government might have started its own companies in the 1970s and one challenge GLCs face in today's globalized economy.

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Management
• Decision-Making

Activity 04

• Formal Debate
• 35 min · Pairs

Policy Role-Play: Founding a GLC

Pairs role-play 1970s cabinet members deciding to launch Singtel. They weigh private sector limitations against national needs, present decisions, and class votes on viability.

Justify why the government started its own companies.

Facilitation Tip

In the policy role-play, assign roles with conflicting interests, such as a finance minister versus a labor representative, to force trade-off discussions.

What to look for

Pose the question: 'Imagine you are advising the Singaporean government today. Should Temasek Holdings continue to invest heavily in new, emerging industries, or focus solely on managing existing GLCs? Justify your recommendation with reference to national interests and market realities.'

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Management
• Decision-Making

A few notes on teaching this unit

Teachers should approach this topic by framing GLCs as tools of strategic development rather than ideological choices. Avoid presenting them as a binary of good or bad; instead, focus on the conditions under which they succeed or face challenges. Research shows that students grasp these nuances best when they work with real financial or operational data, not just policy statements. Encourage students to compare GLCs to private competitors to highlight their unique roles in underdeveloped sectors.

Successful learning looks like students explaining how GLCs balance economic and social goals through concrete examples. They should reference specific company data or policy decisions and justify their reasoning with evidence from case studies or timelines. Group discussions should reveal nuanced perspectives rather than simplistic pro or con stances.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During the case study analysis of SIA's Dual Role, watch for students assuming GLCs are inefficient simply because they are government-controlled. To redirect, ask groups to compare SIA’s profit margins with regional competitors using the provided financial data.

  After the SIA case study analysis, have students present evidence from the financial records to demonstrate that GLCs can achieve commercial success while fulfilling national roles.

• During the timeline construction activity, watch for students concluding that GLCs crowd out private businesses entirely. To redirect, provide comparative market data from before and after GLC entry to show shared growth.

  During the timeline construction activity, ask students to mark periods where private competitors entered the same sectors as GLCs, using this to support the correction that GLCs spur rather than stifle competition.

• During the debate on GLCs in a mature economy, watch for students arguing GLCs are obsolete in developed economies. To redirect, provide them with examples of current GLC roles in digital infrastructure or sustainability.

  After the debate activity, require students to revise their arguments using the examples of emerging GLC roles discussed in class to address the misconception of obsolescence.

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Methods used in this brief

• Case Study Analysis
• Formal Debate