Desmond Lee
Singapore
“The Leadership, Enrichment, Achievement, Participation and Service (LEAPS) 2.0 is a framework for recognising student participation and achievement in secondary school co-curricular programmes.”
“The Ministry of Education (MOE) is mindful of the impact that rising temperatures may have on our students, teachers and officials taking part in the National School Games. Matches are scheduled only after students have had the time to train and become progressively more heat acclimatised.”
“As shared in Parliament in March 2026, the proportion of students with special educational needs (SEN) in mainstream schools has remained stable, at around 7% of the overall student population. This stability is observed across both primary and secondary schools.”
“The Ministry recruits and assesses applicants based on merit and suitability for the teaching profession, regardless of gender. We look for individuals with a passion for teaching, a belief in the potential of every child, and who possess the values and character to make a positive difference in students' lives.”
“Over the past five years, an average of 750 teachers resigned from the Education Service annually, representing a resignation rate of around 2%.”
“MOE has also progressively strengthened open access within the Primary 1 Registration Framework through Phase 2C, which is open to students regardless of whether they have prior connections to the school. MOE had increased the number of reserved Phase 2C places from zero to 20 in 2014; and from 20 to 40 in 2022.”
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“When we introduce new policies and initiatives, or make policy changes, it increases workload for a season, as schools and teachers need to be briefed, trained and need time to adjust. Good change management is therefore key. MOE has given schools greater flexibility to pace the implementation of new system-wide initiatives, including deferring them if necessary, in order to manage staff workload. Hence, schools could decide when they would implement major changes, such as Full Subject-Based Banding as well as the EdTech Masterplan 2030. Fifth, protected time policies. All schools provide protected vacation time during school holidays to ensure that our teachers can rest and recharge. Across the four blocks of school holidays, teachers can get around six to seven weeks of protected time and can take their vacation leave beyond the protected time, if they do not have any work in school. MOE also refreshed the School-Home Partnership guidelines at the end of 2024 to avoid parent-staff communication after school hours, except for critical emergencies. It also states clearly that teachers do not need to give their personal mobile phone numbers to parents and students. This is to minimise the blurring of lines between work and personal time. Sixth, flexible work arrangements (FWAs). Since 2022, MOE has also provided guidelines on FWA for School-based Officers, while maintaining the duty of care towards our students. These include allowing teachers to report later at the start of the school day or leaving earlier before the end of the school day if they have no lessons or duties. Teachers are also allowed to work from home on a day where they have no classes or duties requiring their presence in school.”
“New AI and other tech tools in the Singapore Student Learning Space (SLS) for example, support teachers to plan lessons, as well as to mark, provide customised feedback and analyse students' responses. Digital platforms, like Parents Gateway, have reduced time spent on administrative tasks, such as collecting consent forms and medical certificates. And while Singapore has one of the highest adoption rates among OECD education systems for using AI, we recognise that it does not immediately translate to reduced work hours. Teachers need time to be trained to use these tools, be comfortable using them and to fully integrate these tools into their work practices. Third, enhanced staffing support. On average, each school has about 85 teachers. In addition, each school is resourced with a team of allied educators performing functions, such as counselling and working with students with special educational needs. All schools have a dedicated administrative team overseeing general administrative matters, procurement, financial operations and logistics support. We have been increasing such support. Over the last 10 years, we have doubled the number of allied educators across all schools, from about 800 to 1,600, and also increased the number of administrative staff in each school, from six then, to around nine today. Furthermore, schools have the flexibility to procure manpower services such as coaches, CCA administrators and allied support for student well-being; as well as vendors to assist with administrative work, events management and student programmes. We will continue to review the number of non-teaching staff needed in schools to effectively support our teachers and our students. Fourth, system-level adjustments.”
“These activities are critical to their effectiveness in providing holistic education for our students. TALIS, being the largest international teacher survey, is a useful benchmarking tool, but it has its limitations. It is conducted once every six years and surveys a representative sample of only our lower-secondary teachers. In contrast, the Ministry of Education (MOE) internally monitors the workload of our teachers more regularly – across all grade levels: primary, secondary, junior college and centralised institute – through surveys, polls and various forms of staff engagement. This allows us to track closely and develop a more holistic understanding of teacher workload trends and issues, so that we can adjust our policies and programmes, as necessary. As we had said in a written Parliamentary Question reply to this House on 14 October this year, our data shows that, over the years, teacher workload has remained stable in terms of total hours, at an average of 53 hours. However, we recognise that the complexity of a teacher's work has increased over the years. Members asked how MOE aims to address the longer working hours and stresses faced by our teachers. MOE adopts a range of measures to manage teachers' workload and to support their well-being, which we review regularly. First, MOE's Teacher Work Management Framework provides our school leaders with a common set of principles and measures to guide equitable workload allocation, considering teachers' competencies and preferences. It emphasises transparency, trust and open communication in workload deployment. This is reviewed regularly in response to new developments. Second, technology and artificial intelligence (AI) innovation. MOE is tapping on AI to help teachers work more efficiently and effectively.”
“Thank you, Sir. My response will also cover related oral and written Parliamentary Questions set down for today and subsequent Sittings. Sir, let me begin by affirming what our teachers believe in – that teaching is, at its heart, a profoundly human endeavour. A teacher's responsibility is significant, as it involves nurturing students and shaping their futures. Our teachers take great pride in their work and demonstrate a strong sense of professionalism and dedication. Our educators often go far beyond their formal duties because they see their students' growth and well-being as their responsibility. While we appreciate and applaud their passion, we also want to ensure that such commitment does not result in unsustainable workload for our teachers. Members asked about the teachers' role and how the Ministry intends to support teachers with their non-teaching workload. Members also asked about the use of independent or externally verified studies to validate reported teacher workload hours and if the Ministry conducts regular checks of teacher workload. We recognise that teaching, like many professions, comes with its own set of challenges and stressors. The 2024 Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS), which is a study run independently by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), found that Singapore teachers reported longer working hours per week compared to the OECD average. These longer hours are reported because Singapore teachers spend their time differently from many of their OECD peers. While classroom teaching hours are shorter, our teachers spend time on other important activities such as lesson preparation, co-curricular activities (CCAs) and professional development.”
“Mr Speaker, my response will address the questions raised by Members to understand the Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS) 2024 findings and the current support systems and measures in place to manage teacher workload and well-being. May I have Mr Speaker's permission to answer oral Question Nos 2 to 5 and written Questions Nos 45 to 47 on today's Order Paper?”
“Crest Secondary School and Spectra Secondary School offer a specialised curriculum for students who are inclined towards practice-oriented and hands-on learning, and are eligible for the Posting Group 1 or Posting Group 1/2 option band. Even with the implementation of Full Subject-Based Banding, these two schools remain relevant in our secondary school landscape as they have unique offerings that cater to students with different learning styles. Students at these schools offer both Secondary Education Certificate (SEC) subjects and the Institute of Technical Education Skills Subject Certificate. They can offer some SEC subjects at G2, depending on their aptitude and interests. Given their specialised curriculum and student profile, these schools receive a higher level of resourcing to support their students, including more funding and better teacher to student ratios.”
“Under the Joint Admission Exercise, students select either the Arts or Science course for each junior college (JC) they apply to. Thereafter, students will be posted to the relevant JC and course for which they met the respective cut-off points. In other words, students are posted to the JC only if they meet the cut-off point of their preferred course of study. In isolated cases where a JC assesses that the student is likely to face significant difficulties in coping with certain subjects or subject combinations in the course that he or she is posted to, they may advise the student to take a different subject combination or be transferred to a different course. There was one such case in 2025, where the student was not offered a subject combination of the course he was posted to.”
“My response will also cover the matters raised in the questions by Ms Elysa Chen and Ms Gho Sze Kee1 scheduled for subsequent Sittings. The Ministry of Education (MOE) partners Sport Singapore (SportSG) and the People's Association to facilitate community usage of school facilities outside of school hours. New schools are designed with sports facilities that facilitate community usage. Schools can also allow private buses to park overnight in their car parks. To date, about 180 school fields and 220 indoor sports halls are actively used by the community under the MOE-SportSG Dual-Use Scheme (DUS). ActiveSG members can book school sport facilities, such as badminton, basketball and pickleball courts, for their use. Ninety percent of Government schools are already participating in DUS, and we target to onboard the rest by early next year. To ease the administrative burden of participating DUS schools, SportSG manages the facility booking process and is responsible for the facilities during community sharing hours, ensuring they will be clean and ready for students. Here, I would like to appeal to our community users of school facilities to take good care of them, so that our students will have a pleasant environment to return for assembly on Monday. We will continue to work to support schools to facilitate community use of school facilities.”
“The Ministry of Education (MOE) sets the performance requirements for school bus operators serving mainstream schools. These requirements cover safety protocols, service reliability and overall service quality standards. Individual schools work closely with their appointed bus operators to ensure that these standards are met. The social service agencies work with the special education (SPED) schools to establish standards for school bus operators serving SPED schools, while ensuring the performance requirements can meet the specific transportation needs of students attending SPED schools. All bus operators must also comply with statutory and regulatory requirements, including those mandated by the Land Transport Authority. Both mainstream and SPED schools select bus operators through a competitive bidding process and award contracts to the operators that best meet their needs. The competitiveness of bus fares is one of the key evaluation factors considered by schools. Other non-price factors include operators' good track records, fleet capacity and ability to serve different residential areas.”
“Schools have established procedures to ensure student well-being during disciplinary investigations. These include conducting interviews in safe and private spaces with familiar staff members, such as their Form Teachers or Year Heads, and monitoring students for signs of distress. For students who are visibly distressed, school counsellors will provide social-emotional support and parents will also be informed. Current protocols do not require parental presence during school-based disciplinary investigations.”
“This question has been addressed by written reply on 14 October 2025. Members may refer to the response to Question No 46 for oral answer in the 14 October Order Paper. [Please refer to "Publishing Guidelines on Tackling Bullying in Schools", Official Report, 14 October 2025, Vol 96, Issue 7, Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer not Answered by End of Question Time section.]”
“The Ministry of Education (MOE) regularly reviews the demand and supply for school places at the national and local levels, taking into consideration planned housing developments and public transport networks in each residential area. For the Bishan East-Sin Ming Division, we have assessed that there is sufficient supply of primary school places within one to two kilometres of the Division. The projected increase in demand due to the new housing developments is largely offset by the decreasing demand from the more mature parts of Bishan. Hence, there is currently no plan to build new primary schools there. MOE is careful in our school planning to avoid an oversupply of school places, which could result in schools having many vacancies and a reduced ability to offer diverse programmes. We will continue to monitor demand for school places to ensure sufficient places for school-going children as the profile of residents changes.”
“Jointly offered by the Ministry of Education (MOE) and the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY), Strategic Partnership Co-Curricular Activity (SP-CCA) allows secondary students from different schools to come together to pursue their interest in sports beyond what is offered at their schools. In 2025, there are 232 students from 86 schools in the three SP-CCAs: athletics, water polo and canoeing. In 2024, athletics and water polo were the only available SP-CCAs and they had in total 139 students from 64 schools. The SP-CCA will expand to include hockey next year. The current training venues are adequate for the number of participating students. MOE will work with MCCY and Sport Singapore to explore additional training venues if needed. Schools may also initiate cluster-based CCAs to offer students access to a wider range of CCAs. MOE is supportive of these school-initiated partnerships, which cater to students' diverse strengths and interests while providing opportunities to forge new friendships.”
“The implementation of Smart Facilities Management (FM) in our schools is intended to support facilities management officers (FMO) in their daily operational works, rather than replace them. Smart FM enables the FMO to centrally monitor critical infrastructure and utility consumption real-time, without manual inspections and physical collation of utility reports. This will allow for more timely and data driven decisions to be taken. For example, through data analysis, the FMO can determine whether an equipment is due for servicing. It also reduces the volume of physically demanding and repetitive manual tasks and serves to benefit our ageing workforce. Change management is part and parcel of the Smart FM transition. We will be onboarding the FMO onto the new system and will provide training to upskill and reskill them. Smart FM will enhance the overall building performance through predictive maintenance and energy optimisation. In doing so, we will improve the experience of students and teachers in the school environment.”
“Over the past five years, the work hours that our teachers have reported during term time has remained stable at an average of 53 hours per week1. Of these, about 14 hours are spent on classroom teaching, while the remaining time is spent on activities, such as small group consultations, lesson preparation, co-curricular activities and professional development. These activities are critical to their effectiveness and provide a holistic education for our students. Over the years, the Ministry of Education (MOE) has streamlined processes and used technology to reduce administrative work. For instance, teachers now use Parents Gateway, a digital platform to obtain consent from and to disseminate information to parents. Beyond using technology, MOE has deployed a dedicated team of administrative staff in each school to handle general administrative matters, procurement, financial operations as well as logistics support. Today, teachers spend four hours per week on administrative work, down from five hours per week in 2021. MOE will continue to streamline work and leverage technology including artificial intelligence solutions, to help our teachers manage their workload.”
“The Ministry of Education (MOE) and schools take a firm stance against all forms of hurtful behaviours. Bullying involves persistent and intentional hurtful acts, while other hurtful behaviours include once-off insensitive comments and physical fights. Bullying can take on various forms, including verbal, social, physical and cyber. This understanding guides schools in managing different forms of hurtful behaviours. MOE provides schools with guidelines to formulate their discipline policies and school rules based on the student profile and needs. Schools adopt a tiered approach for disciplinary measures based on the severity of each case. Such measures range from reflection for careless remarks to detention or suspension for more serious cases and to caning for boys in egregious cases.”
“The Ministry of Education (MOE) closely monitors teachers' workload as part of our commitment to teachers' well-being and to ensure that initiatives can be implemented sustainably. This is done through regular surveys and engagement sessions with our teachers and school leaders. Overall, the average weekly work hours reported by teachers have remained stable over the past five years. MOE provides holistic support to schools when implementing new initiatives. This includes implementation guidelines, appropriate training, such as through workshops and briefings, and the necessary tools and resources. Teachers are also supported through platforms for collaboration and sharing of good practices. For the “Transforming Education through Technology” Masterplan 2030 implementation as an example, each school is provided with consultancy and professional development support. We also provided schools with EdTech resources such as centrally deployed artificial intelligence tools to support lesson planning and marking. In addition, schools are given flexibility on implementation timelines where appropriate. For example, schools could decide on when to come onboard the Masterplan 2030 over a period of four years. For Full Subject-Based Banding, lessons learned from pilot schools enable MOE to better support schools closely with useful resources and good practices for each phase of schools. Such flexibility and phasing in allow schools to consider issues such as teacher readiness and reduces the amount of change management.”
“Almost all undergraduate courses in our autonomous universities (AUs) require the completion of an internship for graduation. Credit-bearing internships may take between two weeks to 12 months, depending on the institution and course. Based on the 2024 AU Graduate Employment Survey, about nine in 10 graduates participated in at least one internship during their course of study. This is comparable to that of 2022 and 2023. Among those who participated in internships, the average number of internships completed per graduate has remained roughly stable at around two in the last three years. The Ministry of Education and the AUs do not track the number of students taking multiple internships simultaneously or unpaid internships. The AUs have provided feedback that such cases are uncommon.”
“All primary schools prioritise student safety in their dismissal procedures. This includes communicating standard dismissal timings with parents and caregivers and ensuring adequate safe places for children who are waiting for pick-up. Schools also give advance notice to parents via Parents Gateway if there is any change to school dismissal timing. Students who need to leave school before the official dismissal time will need the school's permission and their parents will also be informed. Parents should inform the school or their child's form teacher if they are unable to pick up their child as scheduled. Students who are not picked up will remain under supervised care until the revised pick-up arrangements are confirmed.”
“Over the years, the Ministry of Education (MOE) has introduced changes to our education system to strengthen the holistic development of students, reduce the over-emphasis on academic grades and nurture the joy of learning. This includes making changes to the Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) scoring system to reduce the fine differentiation of results and recognise the student's level of achievement in a way that does not depend on how their peers have done. We also have the Direct School Admission, which is an alternative pathway for students to gain admission into secondary schools based on their interests, aptitude and potential in various talent areas beyond their performance at PSLE. MOE has been carefully studying alternative school posting approaches such as a primary-to-secondary through-train model and weighed their benefits and challenges. Key considerations include whether these alternative approaches enable us to fairly and transparently post students to secondary schools, and if they serve as useful checkpoints to gauge our students' learning and right-site them to appropriate subject levels at the start of their secondary school education. We will continue to study options, including suggestions made by the Member, that can help us to achieve these objectives better.”
“My response will address the questions on bullying raised by Member Ms He Ting Ru and related question from Member Mr Cai Yinzhou who filed an oral Parliamentary Question for a subsequent Sitting. I invite Mr Cai to seek clarifications if needed and thereafter withdraw the question for that Sitting. The Ministry of Education works within Singapore's legal framework to address bullying in schools. Schools communicate rules and disciplinary frameworks to staff, parents and students through platforms, such as student handbooks, student briefings and parent engagement sessions. After establishing facts, schools impose disciplinary consequences and educate students to restore relationships and change their behaviours. Severe cases are reported to the Police. When bullying incidents occur, schools engage parents or guardians to inform them about the facts of the incident, work with them on the safety plan and provide them with resources to support the children at home. When families have other more complex issues that may affect the children's behaviours in school, schools will support the student while referring the family to community agencies for appropriate support.”
“For the affected stall holders, we will continue to facilitate them to work in other schools or with the incoming operator.”
“The Ministry of Education (MOE) will assess whether to expand the central kitchen model beyond the initial 13 schools based on the outcomes of the implementation in these schools. Specifically, we will monitor closely the operational efficiency, food quality, cost-effectiveness and student satisfaction at these schools. We will refine the model as necessary based on lessons learnt from this initial phase. In the short to medium term, the existing Individual Stallholder System will be the dominant canteen model and MOE will continue to support schools operating under this model. We will consider the central kitchen model for schools that face genuine difficulties in engaging canteen vendors or have the prospect of many empty stalls. Any expansion of the central kitchen model to more schools will depend on the schools' needs, readiness and interest. The central kitchen operators are required to provide at least one full meal priced at no more than $2.70 in primary schools and $3.60 in secondary schools. These are comparable to the meal prices charged by individual stallholders. Students from lower-income families receiving MOE Financial Assistance Scheme (FAS) will have their meals paid for. They will continue to receive school meal subsidies that pay for at least seven meals per school week for primary level and 10 meals per school week for secondary level. Students who need additional assistance, including those who are not eligible for MOE FAS, can approach their schools for school-based assistance. MOE will continue to work with schools to ensure students are well-nourished and to keep the food options affordable. We also thank our many stallholders for their dedicated services in serving our students and staff through the years.”
“For students in our mainstream schools who have been identified as exceptionally gifted in specific subjects, the Ministry of Education works with schools to develop a personalised education plan with appropriate provisions and resources tailored to their abilities and needs. If assessed to be ready both academically and socio-emotionally, exceptionally gifted students may attend classes or after-school programmes at higher grade levels to help them develop their talent in the specific area. In some cases, they receive guidance from expert mentors who provide advanced learning opportunities, such as specialised research in our autonomous universities (AUs). For exceptionally gifted students who apply for admission to AUs at a younger age, their applications will be assessed on a case-by-case basis, whether they are academically and social-emotionally ready to go to university.”
“From time to time, teachers deal with inappropriate student behaviour including rudeness and defiance, which are addressed through established disciplinary processes. Of these incidents, cases involving physical abuse or assault of school staff remain rare. These cases may also include incidents where teachers are struck while intervening to break up fights between students or while managing students with Special Educational Needs. Through Character and Citizenship Education, students learn pro-social behaviour and relationship management skills. These efforts help students develop appropriate behaviour and respect for others. Our school staff are also trained to de-escalate situations and prioritise the safety and well-being of all students and staff. Verbal abuse and physical aggression towards teachers and school staff are serious disciplinary offences under school rules. When such incidents occur, schools will take strong disciplinary actions, including suspension and caning for boys. Where necessary, schools will file a police report, and perpetrators may face legal consequences. As part of corrective measures, schools also help students understand why their behaviour is inappropriate through counselling and work with both students and parents to rebuild respectful relationships.”
“The primary objective of internships is to provide students with on-the-job training that allows them to apply their learning in a real-world setting, and develop soft skills in the workplace, such as communicating and working with colleagues. Some companies may choose to offer an intern a full-time role at the end of the internship, if there are available full-time positions and they find the intern to be a good fit after having had the opportunity to assess the intern's performance up-close. Based on the 2024 Joint Autonomous University Graduate Employment Survey (JAUGES), about 40% of graduates had received job offers from a company they had done an internship with, of which about 60% took up the offer. The Ministry of Education does not collect data on the internship companies that provided job offers to interns.”
“This question has been addressed in the oral reply to Question No 20 on 25 September 2025. [Please refer to "Career Impact of SkillsFuture Credits, Mid-Career Training Allowance and Level-Up Programme", Official Report, 25 September 2025, Vol 96, Issue 5, Oral Answers to Questions section.]”
“School bus fares are determined through a competitive bidding process and contracts usually last two years or more. For new school bus contracts that commenced in 2025, the average increase in bus fares from 2024 was 7% for trips up to 2km and 1% for longer trips of beyond 2km to 4km. Low-income families under the Ministry of Education (MOE) Financial Assistance Scheme receive a subsidy for primary school students taking the school bus fares. This subsidy was raised from 60% of monthly school bus fares to 65% in January 2023. For those who need more help, schools will continue to provide additional financial support beyond the school bus subsidy. The Government has implemented measures to help school bus operators keep their operating costs low, so they can offer more affordable bus fares. For example, school buses are exempted from Certificate of Entitlement requirements. Private Hire and Excursion Bus operators who use their buses to provide school bus services are eligible for a 50% road tax rebate by the Land Transport Authority. Eligible school bus operators are also provided with additional foreign worker quotas to help them recruit sufficient drivers. MOE will continue to closely monitor the school bus fare situation and step up financial support, if necessary.”
“In addition, leading manufacturing companies that SSG has appointed as SkillsFuture Queen Bee companies are supporting local firms in meeting their technology, skills and talent needs in advanced manufacturing. An example of a Queen Bee company is Siemens, which is mentoring other organisations to adopt new technologies through training programmes and co-developed proof-of-concept projects. About 330 companies have benefitted from being in these Queen Bee networks in the manufacturing sector. I urge companies to make use of the various channels available, to align training with emerging industry needs. Companies may work directly with the educational institutions or through AMTA and the relevant SkillsFuture Queen Bees, to help develop training provisions that prepare our workforce well for Industry 4.0.”
“Training is a key enabler for many sectors, such as manufacturing, logistics and healthcare, to adopt Industry 4.0 technologies, for example, automation and robotics, Internet of Things, 3D printing and artificial intelligence. In particular, our shift towards advanced manufacturing provides an instructive example of how we ensure training can meet existing and emerging skills needs. In 2020, the Government set up the Advanced Manufacturing Training Academy (AMTA) that is now under the Singapore Manufacturing Federation, with support and partnership from several economic agencies as well as SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG) and the Nanyang Technological University. AMTA scans new Industry 4.0 developments, works with SSG and sector agencies to understand the emerging and in-demand skills needs in the manufacturing sector and coordinates with training providers, such as the Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs), to refresh training programmes and curriculum. This approach ensures a strong industry-academia nexus. Today, our IHLs offer a good range of training programmes, whose content and curriculum are refreshed through industry feedback and IHL staff's involvement in industry projects and attachments. IHLs cover Industry 4.0 knowledge and technologies in the engineering curriculum at the Nitec, diploma and undergraduate degree level. Further industry specialisations are offered at the post-diploma level and the Masters level. Existing professionals in the manufacturing sector can take up shorter bite-sized upskilling programmes related to Industry 4.0 supported and curated by SSG under the SkillsFuture series. Today, there are about 350 of such shorter training programmes, attended by about 11,300 individuals last year.”
“Mr Speaker, these questions have been addressed by written reply on 23 September 2025. Members may refer to the response to Question No 70 for oral answer in the 23 September 2025 Order Paper. [Please refer to "Allocation of Counsellors to Schools", Official Report, 23 September 2025, Vol 96, Issue 3, Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer not Answered by End of Question Time section.]”
“These questions have been addressed by written reply on 24 September 2025. Members may refer to the response to Question Nos 41 and 42 for oral answer in the 24 September 2025 Order Paper. [Please refer to "Guidelines Encouraging Responsible Use of Artificial Intelligence in Schools", Official Report, 24 September 2025, Vol 96, Issue 4, Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer not Answered by End of Question Time section.]”
“Beyond teaching students to learn about AI and learn how to use AI, IHLs have also increased curricular focus on helping students learn beyond AI, by developing key competencies like critical thinking, interpersonal and collaboration skills, as well as the ability to work across cultures. These competencies are critical in equipping graduates with skills that can bring value beyond AI itself, preparing them for a myriad of roles in an evolving world of work. Preparing students for tomorrow's workplace remains a key priority for our education system. The Ministry of Education (MOE) will continue to work with our institutions to equip our graduates with the necessary skills and competencies to meet evolving industry needs.”
“My response will address Question Nos 24 and 25 in today’s order paper. We recognize that some young Singaporeans may be concerned about their employment prospects given how rapidly new technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI) are reshaping industries and jobs. The nature of work is changing but our labour market remains resilient. According to the Ministry of Manpower, as of June 2025, there are around 30,000 entry-level jobs available for fresh graduates across various sectors such as Health & Social Sciences, Professional Services, Information & Communications, and Wholesale Trade. To help students seize opportunities amidst technological change, our Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs) regularly review their course offerings in consultation with sector agencies and industry partners. The existing curriculum helps IHL students to learn about AI and equips them with baseline digital literacy and AI competencies. Students also learn how to use AI within their specific disciplines, with IHLs integrating industry-relevant AI tools into courses and partnering industry to create hands-on AI learning environments where appropriate. One example is Temasek Polytechnic’s FutureX - Digital Technologies & AI Centre, which provides training to students on cloud computing and AI skills relevant to the digital economy. These skills are further honed when students complete internships or industry attachments that allow them to gain first-hand experience and apply their skills in real-world contexts.”
“The annual teacher resignation rate counts all teachers who have resigned from the Education Service, including those who subsequently joined the Flexi-Adjunct Teaching (FAJT) Scheme. The annual resignation rate from 2022 to 2024 was 2.4% on average. As of end-2024, excluding those who subsequently joined the FAJT Scheme, the adjusted annual resignation rate from 2022 to 2024 would be 1.7% on average.”
“These questions have been addressed as part of the oral reply to Question Nos 1 to 12 on 23 September 2025. Members may refer to the transcript for the reply. [Please refer to "Management of Bullying in Schools", Official Report, 23 September 2025, Vol 96, Issue 3, Oral Answers to Questions section.]”
“This question has been addressed by written answer on 23 September 2025. Members can refer to the response to Question Nos 108 and 109 in the 23 September 2025 Order Paper. [Please refer to "Enhancing Vape Detection in Schools and Counselling for Students Caught Vaping", Official Report, 23 September 2025, Vol 96, Issue 3, Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer not Answered by End of Question Time section.]”
“The well-being and career development of our teachers, educators and staff are a key priority for the Ministry of Education (MOE). MOE has put in place programmes and platforms to enable our Principals and Vice-Principals to support their teachers' well-being and career development. Structured leadership programmes, like the two-year Vice-Principal Learning Series and the seven-month full-time Leaders in Education Programme, cover Human Resource matters, such as professional and career development, flexible work arrangements and staff well-being. MOE also curates leadership executive programmes to support the continual development of our experienced Principals and Vice-Principals. This includes providing our school leaders with coaching skillsets so that they can support their teachers' professional and personal growth and well-being.”
“Through these outreach efforts, we aim to better support seniors and individuals who might need more help in navigating the MySkillsFuture portal or signing up for relevant training courses using their SkillsFuture Credit.”
“As of 31 December 2024, more than one-in-three eligible Singaporeans have utilised their SkillsFuture Credits. The SkillsFuture Credit utilisation rate alone does not give a complete picture of Singaporeans' training participation rate. Many individuals have gone for training without tapping on their SkillsFuture Credit to offset the out-of-pocket training fees. For example, of the 550,000 individuals who participated in training supported by SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG) in 2024, 241,000 were sponsored by their employers. Our aim is to encourage individuals to plan and decide how they can use their SkillsFuture Credits meaningfully. Today, Singaporeans can use their base-tier credit for a wide range of skills-based courses, including in technology-related areas, such as artificial intelligence and cybersecurity. The additional-tier credit can be used for a subset of over 7,000 courses that target employability. All eligible courses are published on MySkillsFuture portal and SSG continues to enhance the portal so users can more easily search for courses and receive personalised course recommendations that match their career goals, skills needs or interests. Individuals can refer to the jobs and skills insights published by SSG to guide their training decisions. Lifelong Learning SG also offers a one-on-one skills and training advisory to advise Singaporeans on what skills to pursue. SSG will continue working with partners including Government agencies, such as the People's Association and Community Development Councils, as well as the Labour Movement and self-help groups to raise awareness of the SkillsFuture movement and how to use SkillsFuture Credit purposefully.”
“For enrolment to start Primary 1 in 2025 at a Special Education (SPED) school, the average processing time from submission of the application to the confirmation of a place for the child in a SPED school is six months. In some cases where an alternative school had to be identified due to vacancy constraints, the wait time could be longer. Whilst most of the students in SPED do start school on the first day of the school year, there are students who may have to begin school at a later date, as the schools require additional time to recruit teachers and expand their capacity to enrol more students. The Ministry of Education (MOE) works closely with the Social Service Agencies (SSAs) that run SPED schools to monitor the capacity and demand for schools, and the wait time for enrolment. Between 2022 and 2024, the total number of SPED school places increased from 7,300 to 8,300, supported by the opening of seven additional new SPED schools. Over the period from 2026 to 2030, the total number of places will increase to about 10,000, supported by the expansion of existing schools and the opening of one more new school. To support growth in the SPED sector, MOE works closely with SSAs to attract and retain teachers and teacher aides by implementing the enhanced salary guidelines under the SPED Teaching Profession: Journeys of Excellence Package 2.0, announced in 2024, in addition to strengthening professional development opportunities. MOE continues to encourage individuals open to pursue a promising and purposeful career educating children with special educational needs to join the sector.”
“The Ministry of Education (MOE) and the National Institute of Education (NIE) regularly review the teacher preparation programmes to ensure that new teachers are well-equipped with the necessary knowledge and skills. The extension of the Postgraduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) programme from 12 to 16 months in 2016 provided teachers with extended time in school for practical application, time and space for reflection as well as additional courses, such as parent engagement and special educational needs. Since then, NIE and MOE have developed effective approaches, such as asynchronous online learning, and shifted some learning to the Beginning Teacher stage. This allows NIE to reduce the duration of the PGDE programme to better meet the learning needs of an increasingly diverse teaching force which includes mid-career officers, without compromising quality of teacher preparation.”
“The Ministry of Education (MOE) develops students' and teachers' foundational artificial intelligence (AI) literacy and skills in generative AI (GenAI) in a number of ways. Students develop digital competencies, like digital safety and security; and digital knowledge currency, which has been updated to include AI literacies, such as to think critically about AI's biases, question AI outputs and to discern and identify false or misleading information produced by AI. These are developed through the curriculum, co-curriculum and other enrichment opportunities, such as in cyber wellness lessons and AI literacy modules in the Code for Fun programme in primary and secondary schools. Teachers also have opportunities to attain foundational knowledge of AI. They are provided with guidance on the ethical and pedagogical considerations on AI use to understand its associated risks and limitations, and to use AI effectively and in an age-appropriate manner. As GenAI and, correspondingly, what constitutes AI literacy is still evolving, MOE will continue to monitor developments and consider how best to measure AI literacy in due course.”
“This question has been addressed by written answer on 22 September 2025. Members can refer to the response to Question No 58 in the 22 September Order Paper. [Please refer to "Data on Fresh Graduates Employed on Fixed-term Contracts with Durations of One Year or Less", Official Report, 22 September 2025, Vol 96, Issue 2, Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer not Answered by End of Question Time section.]”
“SSG will continue to strengthen its quality control measures so that programmes are relevant to employers and validated for quality by learners.”
“Companies play a critical role in influencing and supporting individuals' skills development journey. When they clearly articulate the skills and certifications required for particular jobs and recognise and reward the competencies attained through skills-first hiring practices, they create stronger impetus for workers to upskill and reskill, to take up those job roles. SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG) has appointed skills development partners, who are trade associations and professional bodies, to support companies in these efforts. They help employers identify in-demand priority skills and recognise these skills through suitable credentialling systems as well as aggregate skills demand to facilitate job redesign and enterprise transformation at the sector level. To date, five Skills Development Partners have been appointed. They are the Institution of Engineers Singapore, Institute for Human Resource Professionals, Singapore Computer Society, SGTech and Singapore Business Federation. We encourage companies to work with these Partners and SSG, to identify skills and training courses that are relevant to the jobs they are hiring for. To safeguard learners' welfare and interests, SSG monitors the quality and outcome ratings closely for its funded programmes through the post-course Training Quality and Outcomes Measurement (TRAQOM) survey that is administered to all trainees. Programmes that perform poorly in TRAQOM will not be renewed for funding. Registered training providers offering SSG-funded programmes must also pass SSG's audit to ensure their course quality assurance and administration processes are in place. To date, 42 training providers have been terminated for failing the audit checks. None of them have resumed offering SSG-funded programmes.”
“This question has been addressed by written answer on 24 September 2025. Members can refer to the response to Question Nos 41 and 42 in the 24 September Order Paper. [Please refer to "Guidelines Encouraging Responsible Use of Artificial Intelligence in Schools", Official Report, 24 September 2025, Vol 96, Issue 4, Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer not Answered by End of Question Time section.]”
“AI should enhance and not supplant deep learning. We will have to equip our students with critical skills so that they can create value, leveraging on and beyond AI. These are not easy changes and they will take time to implement. Some of them may require us to fundamentally rethink some of our approaches to assessments, curriculum, learning and how we organise our education system, but they are necessary in the long term. We will work closely with our parents, teachers, researchers, students, and the community, learn from other countries, and keep our focus on what matters most – the future of our children. At the core of this is one fundamental question: how do we help our children succeed in life. Not by sending them to more tuition or enrichment classes, but by developing them holistically and empowering them to learn deeply, helping them to be confident about their strengths and interests, anchoring them in values, and developing them in the adaptability, resilience and determination to thrive in a world of change. Mr Deputy Speaker, to conclude, in the face of an ever-changing world, the challenges we encounter today are not just problems to solve. They are opportunities to grow, to innovate, and to come together to define ourselves as a society. So, let us work together and build a future where every family thrives, every child can reach their fullest potential and every Singaporean has the opportunity to succeed. I support the Motion. [Applause.]”
“Examinations like the PSLE should not remain a high stakes checkpoint for students that is viewed as a determining factor for the trajectory of the rest of their lives. Instead, we will focus on the more important aspects of our children's experiences in school – developing life skills, interpersonal relationships, good character and values and more. In the working world, we all know that grades might still get you through the door, but how you are as a person, determines how you do. We will increase our emphasis on CCE lessons and CCAs, which are just as important, if not more important, than academic grades. We must also guard against the opportunity gap in our education system where families with more resources "hot-house" their children to give them a leg up in school, while children from lower income families face an uphill battle. If we do not close these gaps, they will only widen. We will enhance resources for schools and deepen partnerships with parents and the community to better support low-income students. And in the first half of my speech, I spoke about how, through ComLink+ and other measures, we collaborate more effectively as one. We also recognise the importance of giving our children the opportunity to interact with peers from different backgrounds from a young age to prevent divisions along lines such as race, religion or socio-economic status. Our schools and classrooms must continue to be a reflection of society, where people from different walks of life and backgrounds come together, not in cloistered communities. We will continue to enable students from different backgrounds to learn together and learn from one another. We will transform teaching and learning to prepare our students for a world transformed and disrupted by AI.”
“Through UPLIFT initiatives, we bring together schools, community partners, social service offices (SSOs) and other Government agencies to provide more comprehensive support for students from disadvantaged backgrounds, and we coordinate these efforts tightly with ComLink+. Beyond school, we continue to encourage lifelong learning through SkillsFuture, because in a world that keeps changing ever faster, learning cannot stop once you leave school. But as Prime Minister said yesterday, the reality is that our society is not entirely moved away from seeing education as an "arms race". And while CCAs and CCE are an important part of school life, I am sure many parents and students still do not see them as equally or more important than academic grades. That is not entirely surprising, because our traditional theory of success in Singapore is still weighted towards academic achievement. While we do want to strive for excellence, an overemphasis on academic grades can create unhealthy levels of competition, pressure and stress, rather than fostering a true love of learning on or focusing on things that matter. And in an education "arms race", those whose families have more resources are likely to start ahead and then race even further ahead, while those who fall behind may struggle to catch up. As we face new and more complex challenges on the horizon, such as AI and social inequality, we must do more to break away from this concept of an education "arms race" and provide opportunities for our students to develop their talents and interests, regardless of starting point. We will look at many ways to refresh our education system in line with the spirit of the Forward Singapore agenda. We will study how to reduce the stakes in examinations.”