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Some 35 per cent of teachers in Singapore have received training on teaching students
with special needs, compared to 23 per cent in 2013 when the Republic first took part in the
survey.

The latest figure is still lower than the 43 per cent of teachers across the OECD countries
that have had special education training.

However, the survey report noted that on average, a smaller percentage of teachers in
Singapore work with special needs students, which it defined as "those for whom a special
learning need has been formally identified because they are mentally, physically or
emotionally disadvantaged".

When it comes to training to teach special needs students as part of their formal training,
about 79 per cent of Singapore teachers reported that they had received it, compared to 62
per cent of OECD teachers.

Another 54 per cent of local teachers said they felt prepared to teach in such settings when
they finished their studies, compared to 44 per cent of OECD teachers.

The number of children with mild special educational needs in mainstream schools here
has doubled from 13,000 in 2013 to about 26,000 last year.

In Singapore, about 3,300 teachers and 167 principals from all 157 secondary schools and

12 private schools selected at random took part in the online questionnaire from September
to October 2017. About 260,000 teachers around the world took part in the survey.

MOE's director-general of education Wong Siew Hoong told reporters on Wednesday
during a media briefing on the survey that the ministry would be reviewing how to help
teachers be better equipped in the field of special education.

"Our schools have become increasingly inclusive, as we have more students with special
needs who can access mainstream curriculum. Our teachers are trying their best to see
how they can work with these students as effectively as possible," he said.

"Teachers, through this survey, have indicated their need for more professional
development in this area. We have been reviewing this - and we will be reviewing this more
- to see what more professional development programmes our teachers can undergo, to
become more effective teachers in supporting more students with special needs."

Refer article at:
https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/education/teachers-feel-equity-and-cultural-diversity-in-schools-important-
teaching-survey

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