Smaller classes, streamlined teacher duties among ideas MOE will pilot in 6 schools
The ministry will explore where smaller classes can make "the greatest difference" to teaching and learning, Education Minister Desmond Lee says.
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SINGAPORE: A pilot in six schools will study measures to redesign classrooms from 2027, including whether more students can benefit from smaller classes, Education Minister Desmond Lee announced on Wednesday (Sep 16).
The Ministry of Education (MOE) will also study streamlining teachers' duties outside the classroom, letting them focus on two of three areas – form teachership, co-curricular activities (CCAs) and committee work, he said.
The six schools are St Anthony's Canossian Primary, Woodgrove Primary, Zhangde Primary, Commonwealth Secondary, Deyi Secondary and Jurongville Secondary.
MOE will use the pilot to explore where smaller classes can make "the greatest difference" to teaching and learning, said Mr Lee.
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CNA has asked MOE about how much smaller the classes will be, the student-to-teacher ratio and how the figures will be determined.
Smaller classes have been adopted on a needs-based approach for years, Mr Lee said on Wednesday. Primary 1 and 2 form classes have been kept at about 30 students since 2006, while learning support programme classes have eight to 10 students and Crest and Spectra Secondary Schools typically have about 20 students a class.
With the recent introduction of full subject-based banding, subject class sizes now vary depending on students' learning needs and the nature of the subject.
“We have observed positive experiences on the ground. With smaller classes when needed, teachers are better able to cater to individual learning needs and customise a more engaging and effective learning environment,” he said.
Smaller classes allow closer attention to students and more timely feedback, but do not automatically mean less work for teachers, Mr Lee said. It could mean they take on more teaching, as happens in other countries.
The government cannot simply hire more teachers given its limited workforce. “And even if we were to hire more teachers, it must be done in a sustainable manner, without compromising quality.”
This is why smaller classes must be part of a broader redesign of teaching and learning. If teachers are to teach more classes, MOE must create the capacity and conditions they need to do so, Mr Lee said.
Beyond classroom teaching, many teachers also take on roles such as being form teachers, managing CCAs and working on committees. While these are important, constantly switching between responsibilities takes time and mental bandwidth, he said.
MOE will study letting teachers focus on two of the three areas, taking into account each school's needs and teachers' strengths and interests.
“We also recognise that not every task in school requires a teacher. So we should keep asking four questions: Is it still necessary? Can we simplify it? Can technology or other processes help? And must a teacher do it?”
CCAs and other student development programmes are important for students' holistic development, and teachers will continue to play a key role in helping students develop social-emotional and 21st-century competencies, said Mr Lee.
At the same time, MOE will explore tapping coaches, instructors, non-teaching staff and external partners more deliberately to support these programmes, including administrative duties.
MOE will also study adapting existing school spaces for more flexible use and using technology to free up time for teaching.
Teacher Workspace, a platform piloted in about 20 schools, will be rolled out to all schools by 2027, allowing teachers to coordinate support and communicate with parents and partners more seamlessly, said Mr Lee.
Artificial intelligence and other capabilities will be introduced to the platform over time. For example, collating relevant information about students to generate first drafts of administrative reports to cut down on manual work.
Mr Lee said MOE would proceed carefully given the complexity of the six-school pilot, and would assess whether the changes lead to better learning outcomes and more sustainable teaching.
"We will keep schools updated and share what we learn before considering how these approaches might be applied more widely," he added.
School leaders from the pilot schools said they hope the changes will allow teachers greater scope to experiment with innovative, learner-centred teaching methods that will make learning more meaningful and enjoyable for students.
When talking about smaller class sizes, it is not about the number of students, but how to better meet the students’ learning needs, said Mrs Adeline Ng, the principal of Woodgrove Primary School.
“With more time invested into the classroom, teachers get to know our children’s needs better, and we would then be able to tailor the learning experiences for our children,” she added.
Woodgrove Primary has been experimenting with flexible and modular learning spaces that teachers can configure for collaborative learning, she added, noting that such spaces sometimes cannot accommodate a full class.
“Therefore, if there’s flexibility in such spaces, the number will also change to better benefit the children.”
At Deyi Secondary School, having smaller classes will depend on the different learner profiles, said the school’s principal Mr Chow Weisi.
“It really depends on how the teachers want to design the lessons, so the numbers may vary in terms of the size.”
Letting teachers focus on two areas outside of classroom teaching instead of three will give teachers more space to create these experiences for students, he said.
From 2027, all Deyi Secondary School teachers will continue teaching character and citizenship education classes, which makes them form teachers, said Mr Chow, describing this as their “core duty”.
On top of that, they can choose to focus on CCAs or committee work, which will free up space and time for designing lessons, he added.
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