SINGAPORE: Ministry of Education (MOE) teachers, allied educators and MOE kindergarten educators will receive a salary increase of 5 per cent to 10 per cent from Oct 1.
“This is to ensure that their overall salary packages remain competitive, and so that MOE can continue to attract and retain good educators,” said the Education Ministry in a press release on Tuesday (Aug 16).
The pay increase will benefit about 35,000 education officers, 1,600 allied educators and 800 MOE kindergarten educators.
Salaries for teachers and allied educators such as counsellors and student welfare officers were last reviewed in 2015. The MOE kindergarten educator scheme was only introduced in 2019.
RETENTION PLAN
The Education Ministry will also enhance a 30-year retention scheme for teachers known as the CONNECT Plan.
Currently, a flat rate quantum ranging from S$3,200 to S$8,320 is set aside for education officers each year, depending on their length of service. Payouts are given every three to five years, comprising a proportion of the money accumulated.
From 2023, the CONNECT Plan will be enhanced by about 20 per cent overall. “The annual deposit quantum and payout ratio will be raised to better support officers in the earlier years of their career,” said MOE.
The ministry also announced that a new general education officer (GEO) 5A substantive grade will be created to better recognise the contributions of good-performing teachers who do not hold a key personnel appointment such as Subject Head or Senior Teacher.
Currently, education officers who do not hold key personnel appointments, and who would typically continue as classroom teachers, can progress up to the GEO 5 substantive grade. Meanwhile, those who hold key personnel appointments can be promoted to the Senior Education Officer (SEO) substantive grades.
From next year, teachers who do not hold key personal appointments when they are at the maximum salary point of GEO 5 substantive grade can progress to GEO 5A, if they meet the performance criteria for a promotion.
They will thus benefit from a higher salary ceiling, which will be between that of the GEO 5 and SEO 1 substantive grades, said MOE.
“Teachers are the core of our education system,” said MOE, adding that it will continue to provide opportunities for educators to learn and develop throughout the course of their careers.
“This includes providing in-service courses to help teachers deepen their content mastery and pedagogy, as well as exposing teachers to diverse experiences outside the classroom through external work attachments,” said the ministry.