Teacher Preparation To Support Student Learning

There are various routes to becoming a teacher candidate in Singapore. These routes all culminate with a common criterion that individuals must come from the top one-third of their graduating cohort. In addition to academic achievement, potential teacher candidates are assessed for their suitability to work with children and adolescents.
Fifteen years ago, no primary teacher possessed an undergraduate degree. Today, 55% of primary teachers have a bachelor’s degree. It is possible to become certified primary teachers with a diploma in education (DipEd), although increasingly teachers are encouraged to pursue a bachelor’s degree.
Individuals selected for entry into the undergraduate program at the National Institute of Education (NIE), the sole teacher preparation institution in the country, become de facto employees of the Ministry of Education; MOE pays their tuition and provides them with an allowance. MOE also pays tuition and salary for those who are selected for the NIE post-graduate teacher program after receiving their degree in another field or through a career change.
Because they are selected from the top one-third of their graduating cohort, BA/BSc candidates begin their studies with a solid foundation in mathematics, which is further strengthened during their undergraduate years. Those planning to teach in the primary grades take mathematics courses in years 2-4. The first mathematics courses include number topics and fundamental principles of primary mathematics along with curriculum studies courses that provide an overview of the Singapore primary mathematics curriculum. In their third year, they learn about teaching problem solving, conducting mathematical investigations, and facilitating mathematical communication. They also learn how to teach algebra, issues of money, geometry and measurement, graphical representation, and statistics. In their final year, candidates wishing to teach upper primary mathematics take additional courses in content knowledge.
Successfully completing a teacher preparation program in no way signifies that a person has finished learning how to teach. Teachers continue upgrading their knowledge and skills throughout their careers. They are expected to take at least 100 hours of professional development annually, paid for by the MOE.