Expected Outcomes from Smaller Class Size Pilot Study
Ministry of EducationSpeakers
Summary
This question concerns the implementation details and expected outcomes of the six-school classroom redesign and smaller class size pilot scheduled for 2027. Mr Kenneth Tiong Boon Kiat, Dr Wan Rizal, and Ms He Ting Ru asked the Minister for Education about selection criteria for smaller classes, teacher recruitment, workload management, and evaluation metrics. They also inquired whether non-classroom duty reorganisations and smaller classes could be adopted by other schools prior to a system-wide rollout, and if pilot findings would be published. In response, Minister Desmond Lee stated that the Ministry of Education will provide an oral answer addressing these Parliamentary Questions together with other related questions at the next available opportunity.
Transcript
77 Mr Kenneth Tiong Boon Kiat asked the Minister for Education regarding the six-school pilot from 2027 (a) what the pilot will establish about implementing smaller classes, whose benefit the Ministry has accepted since 2018; (b) whether other schools may adopt smaller classes based on its findings before a system-wide decision; and (c) what additional teachers it requires, and whether recruitment for wider adoption will begin alongside it rather than after it.
78 Dr Wan Rizal asked the Minister for Education following the 2026 Schools Work Plan Seminar (a) how will the Ministry ensure that the Teacher Workspace roll-out and the classroom redesign pilot reduce, rather than add to, teachers' workload during the transition; and (b) whether the re-organisation of non-classroom duties in the six pilot schools will be extended to other schools.
79 Ms He Ting Ru asked the Minister for Education in relation to the 2027 pilot on classroom redesign in six schools (a) what criteria will determine which classes, levels or subjects receive smaller class sizes; (b) how streamlining of teachers' non-teaching duties will be assessed alongside class size changes; (c) what metrics will measure the pilot's success; and (d) whether findings will be made public before wider rollout is considered.
Mr Desmond Lee: The Ministry of Education will provide an oral answer to this Parliamentary Question (PQ), together with other PQs that have been filed on this topic, at the next available opportunity. [Please refer to "Measurable Indicators in Smaller Class Size Pilot Study", Official Report, 7 October 2026, Vol 96, Issue 39, Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer not Answered by End of Question Time section.]