21 March 2021
International or foreign-born teachers have made up less than 1 per cent of the overall teaching force in MOE schools over the past five years. There are only 320 to 330 international teachers here today.
Recruitment of foreign teachers has been calibrated to account for demand and staffing needs, said a spokesman for the Ministry of Education. There has also been a sufficient supply of suitable local educators, the spokesman said.
During the debate on ministries’ budgets, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office Indranee Rajah stressed that it was key for Singapore to “remain open to global talent who can complement our local workforce”.
MOE said that it recruits international teachers mostly to supplement the local workforce across primary and secondary schools, junior colleges and Millennia Institute.