SINGAPORE - Non-graduate teachers who perform well at their jobs will be placed on the graduate salary scale, without having to obtain a degree.

They will also not be required to take up leadership or senior teaching positions before being put on the higher salary scale.

The change will take effect in the fourth quarter of the year, said Education Minister Heng Swee Keat on Tuesday at a scholarship ceremony at Concorde Hotel Singapore.

Currently, even after years of experience, non-graduate teachers cannot cross over to the graduate salary scale without holding a degree, although they can take on leadership or senior teaching positions.

Mr Heng said that the Ministry of Education will study the possibility of merging the graduate and non-graduate schemes for teachers, so that both can be paid and progress along the same salary scale, based on their ability to take on larger roles.

"This is not a one-off exercise," he said, adding that his ministry's decision is to show that teachers are recognised "based on their performance and contribution, regardless of their qualifications".

Mr Heng said that teachers, regardless of their starting points, will continue to have opportunities to grow and learn on the job, through schemes such as mentoring, courses or part-time study at the National Institute of Education or universities.

These measures follow major education recommendations released on Monday by the Applied Study in Polytechnics and ITE Review committee.

The committee announced several major changes, including ways for Institute of Technical Education (ITE) and polytechnic graduates to work and further their qualifications without pursuing a degree.