29 June 2019
The Teaching and Learning International Survey (Talis) conducted by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development has found that working conditions for Singapore teachers have improved, with local educators putting in fewer hours each week now than they did five years ago.
Singapore teachers now work two hours fewer than the 48 per week they reported in the year 2013.
In addition, the survey found that teachers are spending less time on administrative work and marking, which also gives them more time to teach. Teachers here spent most of their time on actual teaching, reporting 18 hours per week, up by an hour from 2013.
The OECD study polled over 200,000 teachers worldwide. The study found that Singapore teachers are the seventh-most hardworking in the world. Japan’s teachers came up top with 56 hours per week.
The five-yearly OECD survey aims to help countries review teacher education and professional development, their instructional beliefs and practices.