Sending Teachers for Stints at Overseas Schools or for Industry Attachment
Ministry of EducationSpeakers
Summary
This question concerns Mr Darryl David’s inquiries about teacher programs for overseas teaching stints and professional corporate industry attachments. Minister for Education Chan Chun Sing stated that the Teacher Work Attachment-Plus (TWA+) programme has provided two-to-four-week attachments to about 550 teachers since 2022. He added that nearly 6,000 teachers engaged in learning journeys and industry dialogues, while others undertook longer public sector secondments of two to three years. Regarding industry backgrounds, approximately one in 10 teachers joined the profession with at least five years of prior work experience. For overseas exposure, teachers are seconded to the Singapore International School in Hong Kong for three to five years or local international schools for one month.
Transcript
25 Mr Darryl David asked the Minister for Education (a) whether there are any dedicated programmes for sending teachers for teaching stints in overseas schools or institutions; (b) if so, where will the teachers typically be sent to; (c) how long is the average length of each teaching stint; and (d) how many teachers in terms of absolute number and percentage have undergone such overseas teaching stints.
26 Mr Darryl David asked the Minister for Education (a) how many teachers have had professional corporate working experience outside of the teaching profession; (b) what is the average number of years of professional corporate experience that these teachers have; (c) whether the Ministry has any dedicated programmes to send teachers who have not worked outside of the teaching profession for professional corporate industry attachments; and (d) if so, how many teachers in terms of absolute numbers and percentage have undergone such industry attachment programmes.
Mr Chan Chun Sing: The Ministry of Education (MOE) provides a wide range of professional development opportunities for teachers to expose them to external work experiences.
Under the Teacher Work Attachment-Plus (TWA+) programme, teachers can be attached to people, public and private sector organisations for two to four weeks. Since 2022, about 550 teachers have benefited from such attachments. In addition, MOE organises learning journeys to external organisations and themed dialogues with industry experts. Close to 6,000 teachers have participated in these sessions. Beyond TWA+, a good number of teachers have also gone on longer work attachments of two to three years through secondments to other public sector organisations.
MOE welcomes those in other industries to join the teaching profession. Around one in 10 of our teachers have at least five years of prior work experience. They bring diverse industry experiences that they can share with fellow educators and students.
MOE seconds a small number of teachers to the Singapore International School in Hong Kong for periods of three to five years. We also facilitate one-month teaching attachments to international schools in Singapore for around two to three teachers per year.