We appreciate Mr Ng Wei Yang's concern for the well-being of our teachers (Pay hike is welcome, but do more to prevent teacher burnout, Aug 24), and assure him that the Ministry of Education (MOE) will continue to strengthen support for our teachers, including their mental and physical well-being.
In recognising that our teachers perform multiple roles to support the development of their students which extend beyond classroom teaching, MOE and schools actively find ways to manage their workload, including providing schools with the flexibility to pace the implementation of selected initiatives.
We also support teachers in their administrative duties and communication with parents, through the use of technology and streamlining of processes. For example, teachers can use Parents' Gateway, a mobile application, to collect consent forms and disseminate updates on school programmes and activities to parents.
Teachers are encouraged to share any concerns with their supervisors and school leaders. They can also seek support from the wellness ambassadors in their schools and access MOE's in-house professional counselling services and the 24/7 whole-of-government counselling hotline.
To protect teachers' personal time, schools endeavour to establish clear expectations - teachers are not expected to reply to e-mails or text messages outside of work hours, except for urgent matters.
Parents also play a key role in supporting teachers' well-being, by respecting the personal time and space of our teachers and minimising non-critical communication with their children's teachers outside office hours.
Parents and the public can work closely with teachers to establish positive partnerships and set appropriate expectations on the teachers' responsibilities for the children's development.
MOE will continue to work closely with school leaders, parents and the public to manage our teachers' workload and safeguard their well-being.
Chua-Lim Yen Ching
Deputy Director-General of Education (Professional Development)
Ministry of Education
