28 August 2020
Singapore has over 30,000 teachers but our teaching force is among the youngest in the world. The median age is only slightly above 35 years old, compared with around 43 to 45 worldwide.
Singapore teachers are also among the most hardworking, clocking in over 30 school teaching hours per week excluding time spent on extra curricular activities.
Japanese teachers reported working even longer hours, at 54 hours in a week in total.
MOE has previously highlighted that most Singapore teachers expressed satisfaction with their job, and that young teachers bring “diverse perspectives and renewed energy into the teaching force”.
In recent years MOE has increased the support staff in schools, including providing more school counsellors and allied educators.