Latest news with #NationalInstituteofEducation
CNA
3 days ago
- General
- CNA
NIE's postgraduate teacher training programme to be shortened by four months: Desmond Lee
SINGAPORE: The National Institute of Education's 16-month postgraduate programme for teachers-in-training will be shortened to a 12-month course, Minister for Education Desmond Lee announced on Tuesday (Jun 3). Speaking at a teachers' conference on his ninth day at the ministry, Mr Lee said the refreshed programme will have a stronger focus on integrating theory and practical application. After graduating from the Postgraduate Diploma in Education programme, the new teachers will also have more support for professional learning, which will be grounded in authentic classroom experiences, he said. Many teachers discover there is still much to learn when they start work, and each day presents new opportunities, said Mr Lee. "We learn by doing – and we will walk alongside our new teachers as you hone your craft to help our students learn and grow," he added. The programme will also provide greater flexibility in learning, with teachers being allowed to take elective courses based on their needs and interests along with core modules that are essential to teaching. "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," said Mr Lee, adding that more details will be shared when an ongoing review of the course is complete. The Ministry of Education (MOE) and the National Institute of Education are reviewing the programme to meet the needs of an "increasingly diverse teaching force" as the ministry redoubles efforts to attract "individuals with sound values and the right motivations" to become teachers. From 2022 to 2024, around 390 student teachers enrolled in the postgraduate programme each year, an MOE spokesperson said. Each cohort comprises a mix of fresh graduates and those making a mid-career switch. The ministry is committed to growing and strengthening the teaching profession, and welcomes teachers who have different life experiences and skills, said Mr Lee. "With greater diversity, everyone grows. Newer teachers benefit from time-tested wisdom and practical strategies from experienced educators, and seasoned educators gain fresh insights to enrich their perspectives and competencies," he said. REDUCING TEACHERS' ADMINISTRATIVE WORKLOAD Mr Lee, who was sworn in as education minister on May 23, said he had a lot to learn about MOE. He previously led the Ministry of National Development, where he had held positions since 2013. "I want to make sure that my first priority is to listen to and learn from you, about our education system. Your experiences over the years in the classroom, your daily interactions with your students, and your insights into what works – and what doesn't – are invaluable," he said. Mr Lee said he appreciated the daily demands placed on teachers and that he cared for their well-being. "I am glad to know that we have moved to manage some of the administrative workload of our teachers," he said, pointing to a trial of procurement approaches that will make it easier for teachers to organise cohort camps and make small-value purchases. By the end of this year, teachers will also not need to manually track and collate absentee records, as parents will submit documents directly. "MOE and our school leaders will continue to find ways to help you manage your workload, so that you can focus on what matters most – helping our students to learn and grow well," Mr Lee said.
Straits Times
29-05-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
NIE, Amazon Web Services set up AI innovation hub in NTU to boost trainee teachers' tech skills
AWS Singapore country manager Priscilla Chong showing summit attendees on May 25 local enterprises that are using its services. PHOTO: AWS SINGAPORE – Trainee teachers, students and staff at the National Institute of Education (NIE) can get direct access to artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud technology from industry giant Amazon Web Services (AWS). The institute has joined forces with AWS to set up a Technology for Education Centre at its Nanyang Technological University campus. Their three-year memorandum of understanding (MOU) was announced at the May 29 AWS Summit held at Marina Bay Sands, which drew more than 5,000 attendees. NIE hopes the collaboration – the first for the 75-year-old institute with an industry player – will be the start of more such links so that student teachers will be better equipped in AI and cloud skills. NIE director Liu Woon Chia told a briefing that students will be mentored by both faculty and AWS specialists to apply AI to the real world, such as designing tools for students with special needs. The tech centre, which will be housed temporarily in a converted classroom when the new term starts in August, will eventually have its own premises in a new annex building. AWS training programmes will be included in the curriculum, with students earning credits on completion. There are also plans to co-host hackathons, hands-on workshops and student-led forums to discuss ethical AI in education. NIE director Liu Woon Chia (left) and AWS Worldwide Public Sector Singapore country manager Elsie Tan signed the MOU on May 26. PHOTO: AWS Professor Liu said the centre is 'going to be a space where students, faculty or staff can come in and say, 'Hey, I've got this problem in education that I think we should have a better solution. Now, let's discuss and talk to AWS experts.'' More than 1,000 trainees graduate from NIE each year and go on to teach in Singapore schools. It also enrols master and doctoral degree students. AWS also announced at the conference about its AI Spring Singapore programme, which it launched in 2024 to support Singapore's AI blueprint. The US company, which has operated here for 15 years, has pledged investments and support for the public sector, local workforce, enterprises and start-ups, community and research. Its programme activities over the past year include hosting a sandbox environment for Synapxe, Singapore's national HealthTech agency; providing computing and AI resources to Temasek Polytechnic; and working with AI Singapore to create the Asean Large Language Model League competition. The tech firm, which recorded revenue of US$107 billion (S$138 billion) in 2024, is the world's largest hyperscaler, or large-scale cloud service provider, with an almost one-third share of the market. At the summit, Mr Adrien Desbaillets, chief executive of food chain SaladStop!, demonstrated its AWS-hosted AI assistant LuLu, which it plans to launch in September. The conversational voice bot combines data of popular ingredient pairings, menu availability, customer order history and real-time request to personalise a salad bowl recommendation. It also listed the meal's carbohydrate, healthy fat and protein amounts. When a customer says she does not like edamame, the bot will suggest replacing the green bean with tofu, adding that there is no drop in protein value. SaladStop! plans to go beyond its stores to sell its food direct to organisations such as hospitals and fitness centres. Mr Desbaillets said: 'For us, the chatbot experience is incredible. We believe it's could be so much bigger than our 80 outlets today. We can really take things to a whole new level.' Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
The Star
05-05-2025
- Science
- The Star
Rising interest in pilot school scheme
Aznan chatting with pupils at SK Kota Puteri 4. INTEREST in Johor's pilot school programmes is growing, with more parents – including those from outside the state – showing keen interest. Johor education and information committee chairman Aznan Tamin said the programmes, namely those involving cross-border teacher training with Singapore, were starting to gain traction. 'To date, 30 teachers have been sent to Singapore under the state's pilot programme focusing on Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subjects. 'More than 30 English teachers will also undergo training there as part of our continuous efforts to enhance the quality of education,' he added. He said the state was hopeful of seeing improved student performance and school achievements within one to two years, especially with infrastructure upgrades scheduled to begin this month. 'We are not only upgrading physical facilities, but also investing in the capacity building of teachers, which will directly benefit the students.' Aznan said the teacher training programme, conducted in collaboration with Singapore's National Institute of Education (NIE), would continue monthly, with additional support from the state government. A total of 212 primary and secondary school teachers have been sent for professional development at NIE in phases since last November. These teachers are being prepared for the opening of Johor's pilot Bangsa Johor school. 'We want all 212 teachers to obtain certification for the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). 'They will play a crucial role at the Bangsa Johor pilot school, where we are placing greater emphasis on STEM subjects,' said Aznan. He added that professional training sessions at NIE covered over 10 modules, focusing on strengthening pedagogical skills, introducing innovative STEM applications and fostering international collaboration in education. 'The training does not just equip teachers with knowledge, but also provides fresh perspectives that they can bring back to their classrooms,' he said. Two primary and two secondary schools have been selected for the pilot programme – SMK Kota Puteri 2 with 2,352 students and SK Kota Puteri 4 with 532 students in Pasir Gudang; and SMK Tasek Utara with 611 students and SK Tasek Utara with 802 students in Johor Baru. Aznan said students at these schools would be required to complete at least 112 hours in STEM subjects each year, compared to a minimum of 64 hours in other schools. At the school level, STEM education has been introduced, with a focus on pupils in Years Four, Five and Six for primary schools, and Forms One, Two and Three for secondary schools. 'Feedback from parents has been positive and we are seeing interest from families outside Johor wanting to enrol their children in the pilot schools,' he said. Separately, Aznan said the state government would also be enhancing school infrastructure and public amenities to ensure greater comfort for students, teachers and visitors. 'We are confident that with these improvements, Johor will continue to be a leader in education innovation and excellence.'
