SINGAPORE – Schools in Singapore are hiring external manpower to help with student discipline and management, in an effort to manage teachers’ workloads.
The officers – from outside the Ministry of Education (MOE) – are being deployed across several primary and secondary schools to handle tasks such as fact-finding, resolving conflicts, writing reports and communicating with parents.
Most positions are described as discipline support officers, while others carry titles such as discipline aides or discipline and investigation assistants.
Several schools also indicated a preference for applicants with experience in the uniformed services, such as the Singapore Armed Forces, Singapore Police Force or Singapore Prison Service.
Most schools requested that officers be deployed full-time during the school terms for at least a year, with the option to extend for another year.
The move is supported by funding from the MOE and follows recommendations from its review of bullying in schools, announced in April.
In response to queries from The Straits Times, an MOE spokeswoman said schools can decide on the qualifications and skills required of these officers based on their needs.
Schools may hire youth workers, pastoral care officers or parent liaison officers to support teachers in managing and engaging students.
“This allows teachers to devote greater attention to more complex cases, students requiring more intensive support and broader student development initiatives,” she said.
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