Study finds smartphone bans in Dutch schools improved focus
Three-quarters of the 317 surveyed high schools reported that the ban has had a positive effect on students' concentration. Additionally, nearly two-thirds noted an improvement in the social climate within their schools, and one-third observed better academic performance among students.
"Less distraction, more attention to the lesson, and more social students. No more mobile phones in the classroom is having wonderful positive effects. It's great that schools are putting their shoulders to the wheel on this," State Secretary for Primary and Secondary Education Marielle Paul said.
The ban has been in place since January 1, 2024, and also applies to primary schools.
Typically, students only begin bringing phones to school in the final years of primary school and the survey, released late on Thursday, found the impact there was minimal.
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CNA
5 days ago
- CNA
Commentary: Will cutting administrative work help schools recruit more teachers?
SINGAPORE: The need to recruit and retain good teachers is a constant in Singapore. The Ministry of Education (MOE) said it plans to hire more than 1,000 teachers annually, up from 700, to strengthen the teaching workforce in anticipation of more retirements. In a similar vein, the National Institute of Education (NIE) will shorten its postgraduate programme for teachers-in-training from 16 months to 12 months. It will give them more flexibility to take elective courses based on their interests, and upon graduation, more support for professional learning in classrooms. This is part of an ongoing review to meet the needs of a diverse teaching force and attract individuals with the right values and motivations to become teachers. But how successful will such efforts be when overwork is a chronic issue in the profession? TEACHERS DO MORE THAN TEACH Minister for Education Desmond Lee recently highlighted efforts made to reduce teachers' administrative workload, such as simplifying procurement processes and no longer requiring teachers to collate absentee records. This is so that teachers can 'focus on what matters most – helping our students to learn and grow well'. However, teachers do far more than just delivering content to students. They must assume various roles and responsibilities, which have morphed with MOE reforms. For instance, teachers must now meet individual learners' needs through differentiated instruction and inquiry-based learning. Artificial intelligence has made the tasks of planning and delivering lessons, as well as marking students' work, more complex than it was a decade ago. The avenues for students to learn have also expanded to include overseas immersion trips, cohort learning journeys and outdoor adventure learning camps, all of which require teachers to spend time on the planning and carrying out of these activities. THE CHALLENGING TASK OF CARING FOR STUDENTS Another major MOE focus is students' social and emotional well-being. All teachers have a shared responsibility to foster a 'caring and enabling school environment', which includes building positive teacher-student relationships and peer relationships among students. This task cannot be accomplished overnight, nor is it easily quantified. The idea of 'care' is a powerful and at times challenging one for teachers. For instance, teachers play a crucial role in detecting signs of student self-harm or domestic child abuse. Some teachers take on the task of patrolling the neighbourhood around the school after the school day has ended in a bid to ensure students' safety and well-being. In 2022, then Minister for Education Chan Chun Sing rejected the idea of imposing an upper limit on teachers' work hours as 'unrealistic' because teachers would still work 'way beyond' what is expected of them. Partnerships with parents are also an important aspect of teachers' work. Some teachers text parents with instructions regarding students' homework. Others conduct workshops for parents on topics such as supporting children in learning mathematics and enhancing children's English language skills. Here, as in the case of teacher-student relationships, the boundaries between work and personal time may get blurred at times. The MOE has issued two sets of guidelines, first in 2019 and then in 2024, in a bid to for non-urgent matters. Besides their work with students and parents, teachers must also dedicate time to their professional development through activities like mentoring colleagues and participating in workshops. NOT SO SIMPLE TO CUT A TEACHER'S WORKLOAD Calls to let teachers focus on teaching neglect the reality that working with students involves much more than lesson preparation and marking. Teachers, as frontline individuals who interact with students daily, will inevitably be roped into administrative work, and serve as the main point of contact for parents. Artificial intelligence is often held up as a promising tool for teachers in the tasks of teaching and assessment. However, teachers must still spend time interpreting and reviewing the output of AI assistants before providing feedback to students. Hence, current MOE initiatives to ease teacher workload, such as streamlining of administrative processes, the use of technology and allowing schools greater flexibility in implementing certain policy initiatives, can only go so far. Aspiring teachers must be aware that the moral purpose of 'care' underlies a teacher's work. As former Second Minister for Education Maliki Osman pointed out in 2024, 'a teacher is one who is there to guide the student, go through the education journey holistically so that students also understand the teacher is available at any point in time'. They therefore need to ask themselves whether their personalities and values are well-suited for the demands of teaching. Founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew said in1966, 'If I have to choose one profession in which you give the most for the least, it is probably teaching – if you take it seriously'. These are sobering words to bear in mind as teachers' workload continues to grow more complex in response to changes in the wider education landscape.
CNA
15-07-2025
- CNA
MOE not investigating SJI International for student's death during Maldives school trip
SINGAPORE: The Ministry of Education (MOE) said on Tuesday (Jul 15) it will not be investigating the management of St Joseph's Institution International (SJII) for the death of a student during a school trip to the Maldives in November 2024. The student, 15-year-old Singaporean Jenna Chan, died during a National Youth Achievement Award overseas expedition in the Maldives, Dr Michael Johnston, the school's CEO, previously told CNA. In response to CNA queries, MOE said it has been "closely engaging" the school's board of governors, which oversees its operations and policies, and that it understands the school has safety processes in place for overseas trips. These safety processes were adhered to for the Maldives trip, said MOE, and as such, the ministry will not be investigating the school's management. "We also understand that the Board has convened a board-led review into the incident, which includes a review of SJII's safety processes. We have encouraged the parents and SJII to work together to find out the cause of the incident." MOE added that privately funded schools (PFSs) - schools catering to international students and local students who prefer an alternative schooling option - such as SJII are "outside the mainstream school system and have autonomy over their operations, policies and governance". As such, the school's activities are mostly not under MOE's purview. "To support the safety and well-being of Singaporean students in PFSs, MOE conducts regular exchanges with PFSs to share best practices, including on overseas trips planning considerations and safety measures which they can incorporate into their policies and processes, taking into consideration their specific circumstances and activities," said MOE. "We will continue to work with SJII to support the family during this difficult period." MOE also said that the Singapore government has been in contact with the student's family since the incident and is "providing support where possible, within the ambit of our laws and regulations". It added that while Singapore authorities do not have legal jurisdiction to investigate incidents that happen outside the country, the Singapore Police Force has been assisting the Maldivian authorities, who have primary responsibility and jurisdiction over the case.
CNA
11-07-2025
- CNA
Is a master's degree still worth it? Maybe not, say some recent graduates
For Mr Low, the former polytechnic lecturer, earning a master's degree was a personal milestone. "My late dad was a teacher. After O Levels, I went to ITE (Institute of Technical Education). Back then, being associated with ITE felt like the end – and for a parent who was an MOE teacher, it was a bit of a disappointment,' he said. Mr Low later went on to complete his polytechnic diploma and bachelor's degree. 'Sadly, my dad didn't live to see me pursue my master's. He passed away in April 2023 from liver cancer. I dedicate this achievement to him.' In CNA TODAY's conversations with other master's degree holders, many said they still believe in the value of the qualification, especially for those who want to stay up-to-date with changes in technology and how industries are evolving. Ms Wong Jian Hui, 39, a planning manager at Tower Transit Singapore, believes that with artificial intelligence, automation and sustainability reshaping businesses, a master's degree can provide the cross-industry knowledge needed to see the bigger picture and stay adaptable. "It's most useful for those who are curious, open to learning beyond their current scope and looking to stay relevant in a fast-evolving work environment," she said. She graduated with a master's in information technology in 2023, driven by a mix of curiosity and a desire to future-proof her career. Ms Janice Tay, 45, left her finance role after her son was diagnosed with global developmental delay – a condition where a child shows slower progress in multiple areas of development – and other learning needs, and started an early intervention centre in 2017. She said she had initially tried shorter courses and certificates, but they felt too piecemeal. Seeking a programme that connected child development, teaching strategies, and inclusive practices, she enrolled in a master's in special education in 2020. 'Without the master's, I might still have been able to start a centre, but I doubt I would have earned the same level of trust from professionals, government partners, or even families as quickly,' Ms Tay said. 'The master's wasn't a direct path to a higher salary in the traditional sense, since I transitioned from the corporate sector to founding a social enterprise. But it enabled me to build a sustainable business model that now supports a full-time team, allows us to reinvest in services, and continues to grow.' Then there is Mr Zhuang Changzhong, 34, a former litigator whose 2023 master's in information technology armed him with the technical skills to leap from the courtroom to a financial-sector role overseeing data privacy and regulatory compliance. 'Being a litigation lawyer, it would have been difficult to go in-house into a corporate role," he said. 'But the master's programme equipped me with the skills that allowed me to find my place in regulatory legal work. I would say it had a measurable impact, where I am able to contribute meaningfully even in a new role in a new industry.' Mr Imran Khan, 39, a communications educator, completed his second master's degree, in creative writing, in 2021. His first, an MBA, had enabled him to relocate from Dubai to Singapore in 2015. That MBA, which cost him about US$16,000, delivered a clear return on investment. 'I don't think moving to Singapore would have been possible without it,' he said. It opened doors to a new market, industry and roles, and he more than recouped the cost. After years of working in Singapore, he pursued the creative writing degree purely out of passion for the craft and the chance to connect with like-minded people. 'I went in knowing it wouldn't necessarily pay off financially. But I wanted to be intellectually stimulated, immerse myself in the local writing scene and meet people I wouldn't have otherwise connected with,' he said. While the monetary returns are 'debatable', he said that was not the reason he pursued creative writing. 'I had the opportunity, I could afford it, and I finally had the time. So I thought, why not? Let's fulfil this childhood dream I've always had. And I'm much happier for it.'
