Singapore aims to grow its education sector to about 5 percent of its gross domestic product (GDP) by 2015 from the current 3.8 percent, a senior official said on Friday.

"Our objective is to develop Singapore into a 'Global Schoolhouse'," said S. Iswaran, minister of State for Trade and Industry, at the inaugural Singapore Education Awards.

He added that the "global schoolhouse" will provide diverse and quality educational choices at all levels from pre-school to post- graduate study, to attract international students.

To achieve this, he noted that Singapore needs to continue to build on the strength of the public education system, as well as nurture the private education sector.

Apart from the public schools which have a distinguished record of high standards in teaching and learning, the private education sector is also thriving, the minister said.

There are 20 foreign universities and 41 preparatory and boarding schools in Singapore now, and some 290 local private schools have attained a trust accreditation.

Efforts have begun to bear fruit, he said. Last year, Singapore hosted up to 80,000 students of over 120 nationalities.

This was an increase of 11.6 percent over the previous year, and 46 percent since the country started active cultivation of the international student market in 2003.

Source: Xinhua