More specialisation opportunities and easing of burden for teachers: MOE

SINGAPORE – As the demands on Singaporean educators grow, the Ministry of Education (MOE) plans to support teachers by providing better professional development opportunities and find ways to relieve their administrative tasks so that they are able to deliver better lessons for students.

Speaking at the annual MOE Work Plan Seminar today (23 Sep), Education Minister Heng Swee Keat noted that teachers are at the heart of efforts to provide a student-centric and values-driven education.

“Just as we bring out the best in all our teachers, we must bring out the best in every educator in our education system.” he added.

Over the next five years, MOE will provide more specialisation opportunities for teachers, where primary school teachers will specialise in teaching two instead of three subjects.

This also includes the National Institute of Education (NIE) Advanced Diploma in Teaching Early Primary School Years, to strengthen the expertise of teachers handling Primary One and Two children.

MOE will also develop and appoint more teachers for the teaching track in the education service. There are currently three career tracks for teachers, the teaching, leadership and senior specialist tracks.

To support the mentoring of teachers, a mentorship course will be introduced. Mentoring provided during the teachers’ time in the NIE and during their teaching years will also be better integrated, said MOE.

To help teachers make more time to teach better, MOE plans to simplify certain administrative processes, for instance. This includes adopting technology and automation to ease their work-load when taking attendance or stock-taking of school supplies.

Finance partners will soon be provided to the schools to provide schools and teachers with support for complex procurement and finance issues.