We thank Forum writers Kevin Chua Hock Meng (Character and Citizenship Education often neglected in schools, July 23), Santakumari Ratnam (Lessons on race, religion more likely to stick when taught at home, July 23) and Florence Beckmann (Teach kids to be inclusive, July 24) for their feedback.

Character and Citizenship Education (CCE) lessons have always been an integral part of our school curriculum, and schools should deliver these lessons consistently as part of their curriculum and reinforce these lessons by providing a range of experiences for students such as the Values-in-Action programme and Learning Journeys. It should also be delivered in partnership with parents.

We review the CCE curriculum regularly to ensure that it remains relevant within the changing social environment, especially with the rising influence of social media.

In March, we announced that we will be progressively rolling out an enhanced CCE curriculum from next year (CCE 2021) to anchor our students on a strong foundation of moral values, good character and resilience.

In the CCE 2021 curriculum, students' CCE learning experiences within and beyond classrooms will be more defined and intentional, and the total exposure to CCE and opportunities for learning will increase.

For instance, for secondary school students, teachers will facilitate regular discussion of contemporary issues such as cyber bullying, race and religion, and environmental sustainability at least once a fortnight.

Equipping our teachers is key - which is why the Ministry of Education is now training specialised CCE teachers to lead and support their colleagues to facilitate these discussions.

We will also continue working closely with schools to reinforce the importance of CCE and ensure that these lessons remain a vital aspect of each student's schooling experience.

Puvan Ariaratnam

Director, Character and Citizenship Education

Ministry of Education