Teacher training at NIE for degree holders to be reduced from 16 months to a year: Desmond Lee

Straits Times

2 days ago

Education Minister Desmond Lee delivering a speech at the Teachers' Conference and ExCEL Fest 2025 on June 3. ST PHOTO: CHONG JUN LIANG
Teacher training at NIE for degree holders to be reduced from 16 months to a year: Desmond Lee
SINGAPORE - Teacher training for university graduates will be reduced from 16 months to a year, as part of efforts to better support educators and attract more talent.
Newly-minted Education Minister Desmond Lee said on June 3 that the Education Ministry (MOE) and National Institute of Education (NIE) are reviewing the 16-month Postgraduate Diploma in Education programme to meet the learning needs of an increasingly diverse teaching force.
The programme, funded by MOE, is a full-time programme that equips degree holders with teaching skills for Singapore schools.
Going forward, the programme will have a stronger focus on integrating theory and practical application, said Mr Lee, and beginning teachers can expect more avenues to hone their teaching skills in the classroom after graduation.
Addressing about 2,000 educators at the Teachers' Conference and ExCEL Fest 2025 held at the Singapore Expo, Mr Lee said that new teachers will also have more flexibility and autonomy to shape their learning, both during their training and when they enter schools.
The event is organised by the MOE every two years, to bring together educators to share insights and learning practices as a fraternity.
'We envision a more flexible approach where all teachers will take core learning components which are essential to teaching, while they can choose elective learning components based on their needs and interests,' he said.
'In this way, our new teachers will continue to be well-prepared for your roles, and we can better cater to your diverse backgrounds and learning needs.'
More details will be given once the review is complete, said Mr Lee.
Teachers are the influencers of every generation, said Mr Lee. 'While technology and AI can enhance teaching and learning, it can never replace what you bring to the classroom – your knowledge, experience and care for your students.'
He said the MOE will support teachers in three key areas: growing professional capabilities, attracting diverse talents and partnering stakeholders and the community.
The ministry will provide teachers opportunities to keep updated on developments in their subject areas and in the field of education.
Educators can also go on stints beyond the education context such as the Teacher Work Attachment Plus programme. Since its introduction in 2022, teachers have joined 3,800 learning journeys and 700 work attachments.
'Whether through learning journeys or short-term work attachments, you can step out of your classrooms to gain fresh perspectives and understand the latest developments across various industries. You then bring valuable real-world insights back to your students and colleagues,' said Mr Lee.
And to provide more time and space for learning, MOE is finding new ways to manage teachers' administrative workloads.
These include piloting procurement approaches to make it easier to organise cohort camps and make small value purchases. Mr Lee said this will be rolled out to more schools when ready.
By end 2025, teachers will no longer need to manually track and collate absentee records as parents will submit documents directly through the Parents' Gateway app.
The MOE is committed to grow and strengthen the teaching profession, said Mr Lee.
'In addition to our efforts to retain good teachers, we are also redoubling our efforts to attract individuals with sound values and the right motivations to join our fraternity,' he added.
The ministry welcomes teachers with different life experiences and skills, such as mid-career individuals.
With greater diversity, newer teachers benefit from the wisdom and practical strategies from experienced educators, and seasoned educators gain fresh insights to enrich their perspectives and competencies.
'This dynamic exchange strengthens our fraternity, which will benefit and enrich our students' learning and growth,' said Mr Lee.
Education extends well beyond the school, he added. This means that partnering others in the community, like parents and alumni, is essential to help students grow, he said.
'Collaboration with industry, social service agencies and other community partners opens windows into the world beyond school for our students. They can help our students learn how to navigate real-world challenges and better understand societal needs,' he added.
Preparing students for a changing world
In his speech, Mr Lee said that the changing world raises fundamental questions for educators about preparing students for the uncertain future.
'We are witnessing seismic shifts in the global landscape - from a fragmenting global order where peace can no longer be taken for granted, to a fragile economic order with the rising tide of protectionism,' he said.
Technology and artificial intelligence (AI) are transforming how people work, live and learn, and social media has democratised access to information while proliferating half-truths and untruths.
He added that societal tensions and climate change, if not addressed properly, will also be threats.
These issues raise important questions on what aptitudes and skills students need to thrive in this complex world, said Mr Lee, and how educators can help them to build these up.
Beyond strong fundamentals in literacy, numeracy and subject matter knowledge, he said students will need to develop new competencies.
These inlude the ability to discern critically and think creatively, to communicate and collaborate across cultures and diverse perspectives, and to apply their knowledge to real-world challenges.
'More importantly, they will need a strong set of values as their moral compass to navigate this uncertainty and complexity,' said Mr Lee, and teachers play an important role in the process of developing these values.
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