Ratio of Male to Female Teachers in Schools

Asst Prof Tan Kheng Boon Eugene asked the Minister for Education (a) what is the ratio of male to female teachers in (i) national schools at the Primary, Secondary and post-Secondary (Junior Colleges, Integrated Programme schools and Centralised Institute) levels; and (ii) all-boys schools at the Primary and Secondary levels, including Integrated Programme schools; and (b) whether there are plans to boost the number of male teachers in our schools and to make the teaching profession more attractive to men.

Overall, male teachers comprise about 30% of our total teaching force.

In Primary schools, male teachers typically comprise 20% of the teacher population. In Secondary schools, Junior Colleges, Centralised Institutes and mixed-level schools, this proportion rises to about 35%-40%.

In all-boys schools, the proportions of male teachers are slightly higher, at about 25% of Primary teachers and 45% of Secondary and post-Secondary teachers.

While we would welcome more male teachers joining the teaching service, gender is not a consideration in our selection and deployment of teachers. We recruit teachers based on their aptitude and passion for teaching, as well as their character and values, among other factors. When deploying teachers to our schools, we consider factors, such as the subjects they are trained to teach, as well as the learning needs of the school's students.