Improving Work-life Balance and Mental Well-being of Educators in View of OECD Teaching and Learning International Survey 2024 Findings

Name and Constituency of Member of Parliament

Dr Wan Rizal, Jalan Besar GRC

Questions

To ask the Minister for Education what additional measures are being considered to address the high stress levels reported by teachers in the recent OECD TALIS 2024 study, particularly regarding support for their mental health and well-being.

To ask the Minister for Education whether the Ministry will review current administrative responsibilities placed on teachers with a view to reducing non-teaching workload and allowing more time for direct instructional duties.

Name and Constituency of Member of Parliament

Mr Shawn Loh, Jalan Besar GRC

Questions

To ask the Minister for Education given the OECD Teaching and Learning International Survey 2024 finding that only 12% of teachers are aged under 30, with 40% of this group intending to leave within the next five years (a) whether the low proportion of younger teachers is an intended policy outcome; and (b) how are beginning teachers supported to manage the increasing demands of this noble profession.

To ask the Minister for Education given the OECD Teaching and Learning International Survey 2024 finding that teachers worked 47.3 hours a week on average (a) whether the Ministry has assessed if the work-life balance of teachers is worse than that of the rest of the public service; and (b) if so, what are new impactful measures being considered to improve work-life balance for teachers.

Name and Constituency of Member of Parliament

Ms Valerie Lee, Pasir Ris-Changi GRC

Question

To ask the Minister for Education (a) whether the Ministry is taking any specific steps to further reduce non-instructional duties for teachers, especially marking and administrative work; and (b) whether the Ministry will consider employing full-time employees to assist teachers in communications and event management, amongst other duties, in order to allow teachers to focus on teaching and coaching our children.

Name and Constituency of Member of Parliament

Mr Kenneth Tiong Boon Kiat, Aljunied GRC

Question

To ask the Minister for Education (a) how does the Ministry account for the OECD Teaching and Learning International Survey 2024 findings showing that 75% of teachers use AI, but weekly work hours remain at around 47 since 2018 with rising stress levels; and (b) whether teacher workload reduction will be made a KPI alongside learning outcomes, for AI adoption, with baselines, targets, timelines, and published results.

Name and Constituency of Member of Parliament

Ms Elysa Chen, Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC

Questions

To ask the Minister for Education (a) whether independent or externally verified studies have been conducted locally to validate reported teacher workload hours, especially for non-teaching duties like event-planning and meetings; and (b) whether the Ministry will consider commissioning such reviews to strengthen transparency and public confidence in workload data accuracy.

To ask the Minister for Education (a) whether there are plans to expand the non-teaching staff complement or outsource administrative and event-planning duties to reduce teacher workload; and (b) whether current promotion criteria, including for substantive grade General Education Officer 5A, implicitly require teachers to take on administrative or event-management responsibilities beyond classroom teaching.

Name and Constituency of Member of Parliament

Dr Choo Pei Ling, Chua Chu Kang GRC

Question

To ask the Minister for Education (a) whether the Ministry conducts regular checks and reviews of the workload of teachers; and (b) what are the channels available for teachers to provide feedback and requests for support such as for administrative assistants and school counsellors.

Name and Constituency of Member of Parliament

Ms Hany Soh, Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC

Question

To ask the Minister for Education in light of the finding by the OECD Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS) 2024 dated 7 October 2025 about the increasing complexity of the teaching profession, what are the specific aspects of the teaching profession in Singapore identified by the Ministry with potential for immediate improvement, especially for teachers’ welfare.

Name and Constituency of Member of Parliament

Dr Hamid Razak, West Coast-Jurong West GRC

Question

To ask the Minister for Education what further measures will the Ministry implement to enhance teacher wellbeing and retention including by way of (a) strengthening and enforcing clear parent-school communication boundaries; (b) achieving measurable reductions in teachers’ administrative workload; and (c) ensuring that the use of new artificial intelligence and digital tools demonstrably reduces teachers’ workload.

Name and Constituency of Member of Parliament

Ms Eileen Chong Pei Shan, Non-Constituency Member of Parliament

Questions

To ask the Minister for Education given how the OECD TALIS 2024 report showed that administrative work is one of the main sources of stress for teachers and the average time spent by teachers on administrative work remained relatively unchanged since 2018 at four hours weekly despite technology initiatives, what quantitative targets and timelines has the Ministry set to reduce this burden further.

To ask the Minister for Education in light of (i) the OECD TALIS 2024 survey where 27% of teachers report experiencing stress “a lot” and (ii) that average term time work hours remain unchanged at 53 hours over the past five years (a) whether the Ministry is concerned; and (b) what specific, measurable targets will the Ministry set to reduce teachers' workload, work hours and stress levels.

To ask the Minister for Education in each of the past five years, what is the ratio of teaching to administrative staff in schools at the (i) primary (ii) secondary and (iii) post-secondary levels respectively.

Name and Constituency of Member of Parliament

Mr Lee Hong Chuang, Jurong East-Bukit Batok GRC

Question

To ask the Minister for Education what extra steps are the Ministry taking to reduce non-teaching workload for teachers, including administrative duties, co-curricular commitments, lesson planning and parent-communications, so that teachers may devote a greater portion of their time to direct teaching and student interaction.

Name and Constituency of Member of Parliament

Mr Jackson Lam, Nee Soon GRC

Question

To ask the Minister for Education (a) whether the Ministry has assessed the cumulative effects of sustained seven-day work weeks and after-hours marking on teachers’ mental health and family life; (b) how such well-being data inform staffing, performance evaluation, and retention policies; and (c) whether the Ministry will pilot protected rest-time policies for educators.

Name and Constituency of Member of Parliament

Mr Patrick Tay Teck Guan, Pioneer SMC

Question

To ask the Minister for Education whether the Ministry will consider hiring more administrative staff or piloting contingent teaching assistants similar to those of international schools and universities to help secondary school teachers focus on their core teaching duties, following the recently released OECD TALIS 2024 report, which found that full-time secondary school teachers worked more hours than the OECD average but fewer hours on teaching.

Name and Constituency of Member of Parliament

Mr Vikram Nair, Sembawang GRC

Question

To ask the Minister for Education in light of the 2024 Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS) which found longer working hours of Singapore teachers and the higher stress they face as compared to OECD average, whether the Ministry is taking steps to address these matters.

Combined Response

1. Mr Speaker, my response will address the questions raised by Members to understand the Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS) 2024 findings and the current support systems and measures in place to manage teacher workload and well-being. May I have your permission to answer oral question nos 2-5 and written question nos 45 – 47 on today's Order Paper? My response will also cover related written and oral PQs for today and subsequent sittings.
2. Mr Speaker, let me begin by affirming what our teachers believe in – that teaching is, at its heart, a profoundly human endeavour. A teacher's responsibility is significant, as it involves nurturing students and shaping their future. Our teachers take great pride in their work and demonstrate a strong sense of professionalism and dedication.

3. Our educators often go far beyond their formal duties because they see their students' growth and well-being as their responsibility. While we appreciate and applaud their passion, we also want to ensure that such commitment does not result in unsustainable workload for teachers.

   [Members asked about the teachers' role and how the Ministry intends to support teachers with their non-teaching workload.]

   [Member also asked about the use of independent or externally verified studies to validate reported teacher workload hours, and if the Ministry conducts regular checks of teacher workload.]

4. We recognise that teaching, like many professions, comes with its own set of challenges and stressors. The 2024 TALIS, which is a study run independently by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), found that Singapore teachers reported longer working hours per week compared to the OECD average. These longer hours are reported because Singapore teachers spend their time differently from their OECD peers. While classroom teaching hours are shorter, our teachers spend time on other important activities such as lesson preparation, Co-Curricular Activities (CCAs) and professional development. These activities are critical to their effectiveness in providing a holistic education for our students.

5. TALIS, being the largest international teacher survey, is a useful benchmarking tool, but it has its limitations. It is conducted once every six years, and surveys a representative sample of only our lower-secondary teachers. In contrast, MOE monitors the workload of our teachers more regularly - across all grade levels, through surveys, polls, and various forms of staff engagement. This allows MOE to track closely and develop a holistic understanding of teacher workload trends and issues, so that we can adjust our policies and programmes as necessary. As we said in a written PQ reply to this House on 14 Oct, our data shows that, over the years, teacher workload has remained stable in terms of total hours, at an average of 53 hours. However, we recognise that the complexity of a teacher's work has increased over the years.

   Comprehensive Efforts to Manage Teacher Workload and Well-Being

   [Members asked how MOE aims to address the longer working hours and stress faced by teachers.]

6. MOE adopts a range of measures to manage teachers' workload and support their well-being, which we review regularly. First, MOE's Teacher Work Management Framework provides School Leaders with a common set of principles and measures to guide equitable workload allocation, considering teachers' competencies and preferences. It emphasises transparency, trust and open communication in workload deployment. This is reviewed regularly in response to new developments.
7. Second, Technology and AI Innovation. MOE is tapping on AI to help teachers work more efficiently and effectively. New AI tools in the Singapore Student Learning Space for example, support teachers to plan lessons, as well as to mark, provide customised feedback, and analyse students' responses. Digital platforms, like Parents Gateway, have reduced time spent on administrative tasks, such as collecting consent forms and medical certificates. While Singapore has one of the highest adoption rates among OECD education systems for using AI, we recognise that it does not immediately translate to reduced work hours. Teachers need time to be trained to use these tools, be comfortable using them and to fully integrate these tools into their work practices.
8. Third, Enhanced Staffing Support. On average, each school has about 85 teachers. In addition, every school is resourced with a team of allied educators performing functions such as counselling and working with students with special educational needs. All schools have a dedicated administrative team overseeing general administrative matters, procurement, financial operations and logistics support. We have been increasing such support. Over the last ten years, we have doubled the number of allied educators across all schools from around 800 to 1,600; and increased the number of administrative staff in each school from six to around nine today. Furthermore, schools have the flexibility to procure manpower services such as coaches, CCA administrators and allied support for student well-being; as well as vendors to assist with administrative work, events management and student programmes. We will continue to review the number of non-teaching staff needed in schools to effectively support our teachers and students.
9. Fourth, System-level Adjustments. When we introduce new policies and initiatives, or make policy changes, it increases workload for a season, as schools and teachers need to be briefed, trained and need time to adjust. Good change management is key. MOE has given schools greater flexibility to pace the implementation of new system-wide initiatives, including deferring them if necessary, in order to manage staff workload. Hence, schools could decide when they would implement major changes such as Full Subject-Based Banding and EdTech Masterplan 2030.
10. Fifth, Protected Time Policies. All schools provide Protected Vacation Time during school holidays to ensure teachers can rest and recharge. Across the four blocks of school holidays, teachers get 6-7 weeks of protected time and can take their vacation leave beyond the protected time if they do not have any work in school. MOE also refreshed the School-Home Partnership guidelines at the end of 2024 to avoid parent-staff communication after school operating hours except for critical emergencies. It also states clearly that teachers do not need to give their personal mobile phone numbers to parents and students. This is to minimise the blurring of lines between work and personal time.
11. Sixth, Flexible Work Arrangements. Since 2022, MOE has also provided guidelines on Flexible Work Arrangements (FWA) for School-based Officers, while maintaining the duty of care towards students. These include allowing teachers to report later at the start of the school day or leaving earlier before the end of the school day if they have no lessons or duties. Teachers are also allowed to work from home on a day where they have no classes or duties requiring their presence in school. Teachers who are unable to take on the full workload can apply for part-time working arrangements.

12. Seventh, Well-being Support. All schools have Staff Well-Being Committees that are resourced with Staff Welfare Funds. Teachers have access to a range of resources such as well-being workshops, talks, webinars, and online self-care materials. If they have well-being concerns, they are encouraged to raise them with their supervisors, School Leaders or Superintendents. They also have access to peer support such as their school's Wellness Ambassadors and to free professional counselling through MOE in-house counsellors or the Whole-of-Government (WOG) Employee Wellness Programme.

    Monitoring Teacher Satisfaction and Retention

    [Members asked if the reduction of workload will be a key priority with KPIs set, and how well-being data informs staffing, performance evaluation and retention policies.]

13. MOE takes a holistic approach to monitoring teacher well-being rather than using singular metrics like work hours. We regularly track a range of indicators including job satisfaction, retention rates, and stress levels, and also engage with MOE teachers' unions to get feedback and suggestions. This approach allows us to ensure timely interventions to support teacher well-being. Apart from broad-based measures to support the profession, when we receive school-specific feedback, we will also implement targeted measures to address these issues.

14. We are encouraged by the commitment shown by our teachers over the years, in spite of the growing complexity of the role. The mean annual resignation rates of teachers have remained stable at around 2% to 3% over the past few decades. TALIS 2024 also found that many of our teachers feel valued by society and see teaching as an attractive career choice. Based on the results from MOE's staff engagement survey last year, teachers' perceptions of work-life balance support were comparable to those across the wider Public Service.

    Partnering Parents and Community

15. I thank MPs and members of the public for their concern for our educators. Indeed, our individual and collective attitude towards educators will determine whether we can continue to attract and retain good educators.
16. Beyond MOE and schools, parents and other stakeholders also play an important role in supporting our teachers' well-being. By working collaboratively with schools, respecting teachers and maintaining realistic expectations about the responsibilities of teachers, parents can help create an environment where teachers can focus on what they do best - educating our children. I would like to encourage parents and in fact all of us to recognise and appreciate our educators who dedicate themselves daily to nurturing young minds. As a society, let's cherish our educators' contributions every day, not just on Teachers' Day. For when we honour those who teach our children, we strengthen the foundation upon which our nation's progress rests.
17. Let me close by saying this: Having highly professional caring educators, who are deeply committed to shaping the lives of our children and youth, is one of Singapore's reservoirs of strength. I thank all our teachers and allied educators for the good work you have done – seen and unseen. We appreciate you and are committed to working with you to nurture and guide our next generation.