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Frequently Asked Questions: GEP Teachers

  1. How are teachers for the primary GEP selected?

    Teachers for the primary GEP are selected by the Gifted Education Branch. Shortlisted teachers are invited for an interview. At this interview, an assessment is made of the teacher’s attitude towards gifted education and his/her suitability to teach in the Programme.

    A teacher who indicates interest and willingness to join the Programme and who appears to have the prerequisite qualities for teaching gifted children is then observed teaching in his/her own class by 2 officers from the Gifted Education Branch. Selection of the teacher is based on his/her performance during the interview and the classroom observation.

  2. Does Gifted Education Branch select teachers for School-Based Gifted Education (SBGE) in the Secondary levels?

    No. The 7 IP schools that offer SBGE, Anglo-Chinese School (Independent), Dunman High School, Hwa Chong Institution, Nanyang Girls’ High School, NUS High School of Mathematics and Science, Raffles Girls’ School (Secondary) and Raffles Institution, identify and select their own teachers.

  3. What qualities are required of teachers in the GEP and SBGE?

    Teachers of the gifted should believe that there is a need to cater to gifted children. They must also be strong in their subject content and possess good academic qualifications and teaching records. They should be intellectually curious, imaginative, creative, energetic, enthusiastic, open to new ideas, flexible, and should have respect for individual potential. They need to also have special skills and attitudes to facilitate learning among the gifted pupils they work with.

  4. What kind of training is provided for teachers in the GEP?

    The major part of the training for new GEP teachers takes place on the job. This takes the form of classroom observations by Gifted Education Branch officers as well as frequent consultations with them on matters relating to curriculum planning and teaching strategies.

    New GEP teachers have to complete 3 compulsory courses:

    1. Foundation Course in Gifted Education which exposes teachers to essential concepts in the education of the gifted
    2. Affective Education for the Gifted which emphasizes the development of the affective domain of GEP pupils
    3. Curriculum Differentiation for the Gifted which equips teachers with the skills to differentiate the curriculum from that of the mainstream in order to cater to the needs of the gifted.

    Throughout the year, GEP teachers continue to work closely with the subject officers in the Gifted Education Branch at the Ministry of Education. They meet with them to discuss both curriculum and instructional approaches. Local workshops are conducted by gifted education specialists and overseas consultants. Teachers may also be sent for courses in the field of gifted education or be placed on attachment to gifted education programmes overseas.

    Teachers also attend the GEP Annual Conference which is held every November.

  5. Will teachers in the SBGE be given special training?

    Gifted Education Branch will provide training for the teachers identified by the schools which have programmes that cater to the gifted and highly able. They are given exposure to the fundamentals of gifted education. Topics include characteristics of gifted learners, meeting social-emotional needs of the gifted as well as instructional approaches suitable for these learners.

  6. What do I do if I am interested in becoming a GEP teacher?

    If you are interested in becoming a GEP teacher, please send an email to vijaya_ganesh@moe.gov.sg with the following information:

    1. Name (as on I.C.)
    2. I.C. No
    3. Gender
    4. Address
    5. Current school
    6. Years in service (excluding NIE)
    7. Responsibilities in current school
    8. Office Tel
    9. Handphone Tel
    10. Email Address
    11. Comments (if any)

  7. What do I do if I am interested to teach in the SBGE?

    Teachers who are interested to teach in the SBGE should apply directly to the IP schools that offer SBGE. These schools are:

    • Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) [ACS(I)]
    • Dunman High School [DHS]
    • Hwa Chong Institution [HCI]
    • Nanyang Girls’ High School [NYGH]
    • NUS High School of Mathematics and Science [NUSHS]
    • Raffles Girls’ School (Secondary) [RGS(S)]
    • Raffles Institution [RI]