Chan Chun Sing on improving special education sector
In the immediate term, special education (SPED) schools will implement the Journey of Excellence Package, developed by the Ministry of Education (MOE) in collaboration with SPED schools. It includes support in funding for competitive salaries and professional development to enhance the professionalism of teachers. SPED schools will also appoint a school staff developer to look after the learning needs of teachers. This package will strengthen the hiring and retention of teachers to help address their high workload. SPED schools are also implementing measures to further improve teachers’ well-being. Education Minister Chan Chun Sing highlighted these efforts in reply to an MP’s question in Parliament on Tuesday (Sep 10). He said in the medium to longer term, MOE is working with social service agencies (SSAs) and SPED schools at the sectoral level. It will work with them to deepen the professional capabilities in teachers and leaders in curriculum, as well as some specialisation in various disability profiles. MOE will work with them to develop a pool of relief teachers who can step in when needed so that SPED teachers can go for training and be supported when they need to be away for other reasons. To strengthen their manpower resourcing, MOE will explore working with SPED schools to do joint marketing as a sector to better recruit teachers and improve their human resource management and processes. MOE is also in discussion with SPED schools and SSAs to provide mainstream and SPED teachers with the opportunities to learn from each other, either through attachments or possibly rotations. MOE will work with the SSAs to see how they can better achieve economies of scale in administration and infrastructure support without losing the nimbleness required to cater to the unique needs of SPED schools. Mr Chan stressed the need to continue to take care of SPED teachers and strengthen their professional capabilities so that SPED students can grow up to be active in the community or the workplace and are valued by society. He said achieving this will require the collective efforts of the SSAs and SPED schools, which MOE is committed to support.
In the immediate term, special education (SPED) schools will implement the Journey of Excellence Package, developed by the Ministry of Education (MOE) in collaboration with SPED schools. It includes support in funding for competitive salaries and professional development to enhance the professionalism of teachers. SPED schools will also appoint a school staff developer to look after the learning needs of teachers. This package will strengthen the hiring and retention of teachers to help address their high workload. SPED schools are also implementing measures to further improve teachers’ well-being. Education Minister Chan Chun Sing highlighted these efforts in reply to an MP’s question in Parliament on Tuesday (Sep 10). He said in the medium to longer term, MOE is working with social service agencies (SSAs) and SPED schools at the sectoral level. It will work with them to deepen the professional capabilities in teachers and leaders in curriculum, as well as some specialisation in various disability profiles. MOE will work with them to develop a pool of relief teachers who can step in when needed so that SPED teachers can go for training and be supported when they need to be away for other reasons. To strengthen their manpower resourcing, MOE will explore working with SPED schools to do joint marketing as a sector to better recruit teachers and improve their human resource management and processes. MOE is also in discussion with SPED schools and SSAs to provide mainstream and SPED teachers with the opportunities to learn from each other, either through attachments or possibly rotations. MOE will work with the SSAs to see how they can better achieve economies of scale in administration and infrastructure support without losing the nimbleness required to cater to the unique needs of SPED schools. Mr Chan stressed the need to continue to take care of SPED teachers and strengthen their professional capabilities so that SPED students can grow up to be active in the community or the workplace and are valued by society. He said achieving this will require the collective efforts of the SSAs and SPED schools, which MOE is committed to support.
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