Nineteenth-century Singapore was a vibrant commercial centre. Just a year after the British established a trading post in 1819, it showed its potential by earning revenue, and three years later, its trade surpassed that of Penang. It grew so rapidly that by 1832, it became the capital of the Straits Settlements comprising Singapore, Penang and Malacca.

But beneath the prosperity, Singapore remained undeveloped in many areas including education. There was little public demand for formal education and the government in British India at that time was unwilling to channel money into developing education, much less the education of girls.

This stamp issue depicts the early education and skills that girls received in Singapore.