The transition to a multicultural and immigrant nation: Education policy implications from Singapore and the UK

Purpose The purpose of this study is exploring the direction of multicultural education policy for the “new us” in Korean society, which is in the process of transitioning into a multicultural and immigrant nation. MethodsThis study collected policy cases from the UK and Singapore and derived implications to achieve the research purposes. As a country located in Asia, Singapore is a meaningful case in that it has incorporated a multicultural society into its national identity since the beginning of its founding, while the UK has been experiencing changes in national identity due to the large-scale influx of immigrants. Results First, the Singapore government is continuously making efforts to implement civic education suitable for a multicultural society. Emphasizing the role of public education, efforts are being made to establish individuals’ identity that encompasses cultural, national, and global civic identity. Second, in the UK, diversification is accelerating, and a huge budget is being invested to support youth competency development. It approached youth's social competency, social inclusiveness, and social participation in an integrated manner rather than treating them as different areas or approaching them from a fragmented perspective. ConclusionMulticultural education policy is not a policy for immigrants, but rather a core education for all youth, and to implement it cooperatively at the governmental level. It is important to realize that the reason the British government was able to secure a large scale budget, enact laws and reorganize the system, and collaborate among ministries was because it recognized that multicultural education should be a priority for the country. This is why it is important to navigate the new direction for multicultural education policy for South Korea in the era of the transition to a multicultural and immigrant country.