The Elected Presidency: Custodial Powers

Active learning helps students grasp the Elected Presidency’s custodial powers by making abstract concepts concrete. Simulations and discussions let them experience the President’s role as a check on government power, which builds deeper understanding than passive reading alone.

• Secondary 4
• History
• 3 activities
• 20 min–45 min

Learning Objectives

1. Explain the constitutional rationale for establishing an Elected Presidency with custodial powers in Singapore.
2. Differentiate the roles and responsibilities of the government and the President concerning the nation's reserves.
3. Analyze the impact of the 2017 Reserved Election on public perception of multi-racial representation in leadership.
4. Evaluate the effectiveness of the 'two keys' system in safeguarding national reserves against potential misuse.

Simulation Game

⏱ 40 min·Pairs

Simulation Game: The Two-Key System

One student plays the Finance Minister requesting to use reserves for a crisis (e.g., a pandemic), and another plays the President. The President must consult the Council of Presidential Advisers and decide if the request meets the 'national interest' criteria.

Prepare & details

Explain why the office of the President was changed in 1991.

Facilitation Tip: During the simulation, assign clear roles (President, Cabinet, Parliament) and provide a scenario sheet with the reserves and key appointments to review.

Setup: Flexible space for group stations

Materials: Role cards with goals/resources, Game currency or tokens, Round tracker

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Social Awareness
• Decision-Making

Inquiry Circle

⏱ 45 min·Small Groups

Inquiry Circle: The Reserved Election

Groups research the 2017 Reserved Election. They must explain why the government felt it was necessary to ensure a President from a minority race and discuss the public's reaction to this policy change.

Prepare & details

Differentiate the 'two keys' regarding the national reserves.

Facilitation Tip: For the collaborative investigation, assign each group a specific aspect of the Reserved Election rules to research and present, ensuring all voices are heard.

Setup: Groups at tables with access to source materials

Materials: Source material collection, Inquiry cycle worksheet, Question generation protocol, Findings presentation template

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Management
• Self-Awareness

Think-Pair-Share

⏱ 20 min·Pairs

Think-Pair-Share: Ceremonial vs Custodial

Students discuss: 'Which role of the President is more important: being a symbol of unity or being a guardian of the reserves?' They pair up to list the pros and cons of each and share with the class.

Prepare & details

Analyze how the Reserved Election (2017) impacted public perception.

Facilitation Tip: In the Think-Pair-Share, give students a Venn diagram template to organize their comparisons before sharing with the class.

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

Experienced teachers approach this topic by starting with the historical context of why Singapore moved to an elected presidency. They emphasize the President’s reactive and custodial nature, using real cases like the 2008 financial crisis to show power in action. Avoid framing the President as ‘ruling’; instead, focus on their role as a safeguard. Research shows that linking abstract powers to concrete examples helps students retain the concept.

What to Expect

Successful learning looks like students explaining the President’s ‘second key’ role with examples, debating the Reserved Election’s fairness, and distinguishing ceremonial from custodial powers with historical references. Evidence of critical thinking, not memorization, shows mastery.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

During the Simulation: The Two-Key System, watch for students assuming the President can propose laws or policies. Direct them to review the scenario sheet’s veto-only instructions and ask: ‘What specific actions does the President take here?’

What to Teach Instead

During the Simulation: The Two-Key System, clarify that the President’s role is reactive. After the simulation, ask groups to list actions they took and categorize them as ‘veto,’ ‘approve,’ or ‘request clarification’ to reinforce the limits of power.

Common Misconception

During the Collaborative Investigation: The Reserved Election, watch for students thinking the President chooses the candidate. Redirect them to the group’s research on how candidates qualify and the election mechanics.

What to Teach Instead

During the Collaborative Investigation: The Reserved Election, have students present their findings with a focus on the eligibility criteria and selection process. Ask clarifying questions like: ‘Who decides the candidate pool, and what rules apply?’ to correct this view.

Assessment Ideas

Quick Check

After the Simulation: The Two-Key System, present the hypothetical scenario of the $10 billion infrastructure project. Ask students to write one sentence explaining the President’s role in approving or rejecting it, using the ‘second key’ concept from their simulation roles.

Discussion Prompt

During Collaborative Investigation: The Reserved Election, facilitate a class debate on whether the Reserved Election is a fair safeguard for multiracialism. Encourage students to reference the 2017 election findings from their groups.

Exit Ticket

After Think-Pair-Share: Ceremonial vs Custodial, ask students to list two key differences between the two presidencies and write one sentence explaining the primary purpose of the custodial powers, using examples from their Venn diagrams.

Extensions & Scaffolding

• Challenge: Ask students to analyze how the Reserved Election might adapt to future demographic changes in Singapore.
• Scaffolding: Provide a graphic organizer with columns for ‘Ceremonial Powers’ and ‘Custodial Powers’ filled with examples from the simulation.
• Deeper: Invite students to research another country’s system with a similar check-and-balance role and compare it to Singapore’s Elected Presidency.

Key Vocabulary

Custodial Powers	Specific powers granted to the President to safeguard national reserves and the integrity of public institutions, acting as a check on the government.
National Reserves	Singapore's accumulated savings from past surpluses, managed by the government but with the President holding a second key to approve significant drawdowns.
Reserved Election	An election for the Presidency where candidates from a specific racial community are eligible if that community has not been represented in the office for a set period.
Second Key	A metaphor representing the President's veto power over the government's proposed use of national reserves, ensuring prudent financial management.