TEACHER INTAKE (Quality and standard)

Mr Sin Boon Ann asked the Minister for Education whether efforts by his Ministry to increase the intake of teachers over a relatively short period of time have resulted in his Ministry compromising the quality and standard of teaching staff in schools.

The Minister for Education (RAdm Teo Chee Hean): Mr Speaker, Sir, recruitment of teachers has improved in the last few years and I am glad to report to the House that the number recruited has increased. There was a step increase in recruitment in 1996, following a major revision to the Education Scheme of Service. Recruitment increased from the level of 1,000 per year prior to 1996, to an average of 1,950 from 1996 to 1998, approximately double. During the economic crisis in 1999, my Ministry took the opportunity to increase recruitment resulting in an exceptionally large intake of 3,325 trainee teachers that year. That means more than three times what we have been recruiting per year prior to 1996. The increased recruitment over these last few years has largely been due to the improved scheme of service for the Education Service, and the relative attractiveness of teaching compared to other careers during the economic downturn. Recruitment has settled at the level of around 2,250 per year in the last two years. This is the level which my Ministry would be comfortable with to maintain the staffing level of the teaching force which is now about 24,000 strong.

The Ministry has maintained the same criteria and standards for recruitment throughout this period. We have continued to target our teacher recruitment at the top one-third of each Primary One cohort, which will include graduates, school leavers with good `A' level results, and the top band of Polytechnic Diploma graduates. Besides satisfying our shortlisting criteria, all applicants to the Education Service are interviewed by a panel comprising senior educationists, very often senior principals. The interview panel assesses candidates not only on their academic qualifications alone but also on their interest in teaching, and personal and leadership qualities that will enable them to be good teachers. While they are in the National Institute of Education undergoing training, trainee teachers are also assessed for their aptitude and attitude towards teaching.

I would just like to cite one statistic to show how the new teachers that we are recruiting are better prepared. About 63% of all new teachers recruited from 1996 to 2000 were graduates or were enrolled into the National Institute of Education for degree programmes. As a result of the greater number of graduates recruited, the overall percentage of graduates in the teaching force has increased from 40.9% in 1996 to 55.4% in 2000, and we expect the proportion to continue to rise. I would like to assure Mr Sin that the Ministry will continue to uphold the high standards in recruiting good teachers for our schools.

Mr Sin Boon Ann: Sir, will the Minister be able to give me an indication of the number of complaints made by parents against the quality of teachers in schools over the years, and whether this number has gone down or has remained the same?

RAdm Teo Chee Hean: Sir, I am not able to give Mr Sin statistics on this, because complaints can be defined in many different ways. So we do not keep statistics of this nature. My sense is that, yes, parents do take a greater interest today in the education of their children, and they do come into contact with the teachers more often to discuss about their children. I think this is something positive and to be welcomed, and I would encourage both parents and teachers to take part in this kind of discussion in a positive and constructive way for the benefit of students.

I would like to say though that the young teachers are doing very well. I have met many young teachers in my visits to schools and also to the National Institute of Education. They are enthusiastic, energetic and able. In fact, their senior colleagues in schools are also impressed with them. The combination of experience and youth is good for our schools and our students. I visited a primary school yesterday and, in fact, one of the senior teachers told me that I should go to Parliament and tell the Members here that the young teachers are good, so that the public do not keep beating up on them. I hope that this House, the public and parents will join me in encouraging and cheering our young teachers on, so that they will continue to do even better for their students. They need your encouragement.