18 September 2020

According to the Singapore University of Technology and Design, around 53 per cent of its 6th batch of graduates have either secured jobs or will be working on their own start-ups. Another 20 per cent plan to pursue graduate studies.

SUTD added that the top hiring sectors include information and communication, business and management consultancy, finance and insurance, and research and development.

One of SUTD’s recent graduates is Ms Faith See. Ms See has joined DBS Bank’s graduate associate programme, known as the Skill Enhancement Education and Development (Seed) programme. She secured the position in October last year. She is currently a cyber-security engineer, although she can explore other roles in rotation.

Another graduate, Mr Safafisalam Bohari Jaon, who studied engineering systems and design, managed to get a place in March in a graduate programme with insurance provider FWD, where he will have a hand in its digital strategy.

Mr Safafisalam, who studied in Raffles Institution, said that giving back to the community is something he feels strongly about.

16 September 2020

Last week, ten teachers in Singapore received the Caring Teacher Award 2020. The 10 recipients were selected from more than 5,800 nominations across 225 schools. Three of them received the National-Level Award whilst the remaining 7 received the National Commendation Award.

The awards “recognise the critical role that teachers play overall, ensuring that learning continues even during a pandemic and that all students are still being cared for,” said the organiser of the event, the National Institute of Education.

NIE Associate Professor Ivy Tan, who is chairman of this year’s awards organising committee and also sits on the panel of judges, said the three national-level winners of the award were “unanimously selected”.

“The testimonies related by the principals, colleagues, parents and students who have supported the nominations of the winners… were heart-warming and uplifting,” said Prof Tan.

10 September 2020

The Ministry of Education will be increasing the availability of career guidance to students to help them better handle the fast-changing education landscape and job market.

Each junior college will have one education and career guidance counsellor, while every two secondary schools will have one.

Education Minister Lawrence Wong said that the number of student welfare officers in schools will also be doubled to better support vulnerable students.

The increase in counsellors and welfare officers will be implemented in phases, starting January next year.

MOE said it will also increase the number of middle- and senior-level positions for allied educators in order to nurture various domain expertise and strengthen professional leadership.

09 September 2020

Seven teachers received the President’s Award for Teachers from President Halimah Yacob last Thursday. This award is the highest honour for educators in Singapore.

The awards was given out at a virtual ceremony, which was also attended by Education Minister Lawrence Wong.

The winners were selected from a list of 17 finalists who were judged by a panel chaired by Ms Lai Wei Lin, the Second Permanent Secretary for Education, and Mr Wong Siew Hoong, the Director-General of Education.

The seven award recipients will get to go on an overseas study trip as part of their professional development.

Honouring teachers in a speech at the ceremony, President Halimah Yacob said: “As a teacher, your work has a lifelong impact on your students. Beyond academic teaching, you are also role models for your students. It is therefore important that we continue to develop our teachers with the right values and skills to meet the evolving demands of our education system.”

09 September 2020

Disruption to schooling this year will cause a skill loss in this generation of students that could eventually lead to as much as a 1.5 percent drop in global economic output for the rest of this century.

This was an estimate recently derived by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development .

“Learning loss will lead to skill loss, and the skills people have relate to their productivity,” according to the OECD report on the matter.

Governments around the world closed schools this year for as long as 10 weeks, which typically represents one-third of a year of schooling.

One impact of the school closures this year was a widening of the gap in educational opportunities between the rich and poor. Children with Internet access, computers, and supportive families fared better than their peers without.

Even as schools in many countries reopen, big challenges remain for education, according to the OECD report, such as how to integrate students back into the physical learning environment in a way that is both safe and sustainable.

04 September 2020

Minister of State for Education as well as Social and Family Development Sun Xueling said in Parliament that the Singapore education system needs to evolve to ensure that our country maintains a fair and just society.

Education must remain a social enabler so that everyone, especially those who may have started with less, have hope and confidence that they have equal access to opportunities to do well.

Ms Sun said: “I believe our social conscience tells us that we do not want to create a self-fulfilling class system in Singapore that is entrenched and segregates individuals, limiting them in their endeavours, and stifling hopes and dreams.”

The government has invested heavily in the recruitment of teachers, as well as in their progression and professional development, said Ms Sun.

That being said, Singapore also needs to move away from an overemphasis on grades, “not just within the school system, but also a broader mindset shift in society, including from among employers and parents.”

Ms Sun added: “And we need to make real changes to some of the current ways of doing things, such as greater recognition of skills when evaluating someone for a job.”