Results from TALIS 2024 ‑ Country notes: Singapore
Table of contents
The OECD Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS) is the largest international survey of teachers and principals. By collecting internationally comparable information, it ensures their voices are represented in education policy making.
TALIS relies solely on self-reports, which reflect perceptions but may be shaped by social and cultural context. Therefore, cross-country comparisons should be interpreted with caution.
This note presents findings based on responses collected in 2024 from lower secondary teachers and principals. It only comments on statistically significant differences or changes.
Percentage of lower secondary teachers, by age group
Note: * Estimates should be interpreted with caution due to higher risk of non-response bias.
Source: OECD, TALIS 2024 Database, Table 1.3.
In Singapore, teachers are, on average, 42 years old, which is lower than the average age of teachers across OECD countries and territories with available data (hereafter, “OECD average”) (45 years old). Furthermore, 24% of teachers are aged 50 and above (lower than the OECD average: 37%) and 12% of teachers are aged below 30 (higher than the OECD average: 10%). Since 2018, the share of teachers aged 50 and above has increased by 12 percentage points.
64% of teachers are women (lower than the OECD average: 70%). The percentage of female teachers did not change between 2018 and 2024.
48% of teachers have non-teaching work experience (lower than the OECD average: 57%). The share of second-career teachers (those with at least ten years of work experience in non-education roles and for whom teaching was not their first career choice) is 3% (lower than the OECD average: 8%).
Percentage of lower secondary teachers
Statistically significant differences from the OECD average are highlighted with filled circles.
Source: OECD, TALIS 2024 Database, Tables 1.25, 1.42 and 1.59.
In Singapore, 56% of teachers work in schools where the share of students whose first language is not the language of instruction is above 10% (higher than the OECD average: 25%) and 0% teach in schools with at least 1% of students who are refugees (lower than the OECD average: 47%). Compared to 2018, the share of teachers in schools where more than 10% of students are non‑native speakers has decreased by 26 percentage points, while the share of teachers in schools with at least 1% of students who are refugees has not changed.
The share of teachers who feel they can adapt their teaching to the cultural diversity of students “quite a bit” or “a lot” is 67% (higher than the OECD average: 63%), and the share of those who can ensure that students with different cultural or ethnic backgrounds work together “quite a bit” or “a lot” is 80% (higher than the OECD average: 74%).
The share of teachers who teach in schools where more than 10% of students have special education needs is 30% (lower than the OECD average: 46%). The share of teachers in these schools increased by 16 percentage points between 2018 and 2024. To note, in certain countries, the term has shifted from special education needs to learning support needs. This needs to be considered when examining trend data on special education needs in schools.
The share of teachers who feel they can design learning tasks to accommodate students with special education needs “quite a bit” or “a lot” is 38% (lower than the OECD average: 62%), while the share of those reporting that they can work jointly with other professionals and staff to teach students with special education needs in the classroom “quite a bit” or “a lot” is 55% (lower than the OECD average: 72%).
Social and emotional skills are vital for academic, professional, health, and societal outcomes, making it essential to understand teachers’ competencies and confidence in teaching them. In Singapore, 77% of teachers feel they can support students’ social and emotional learning “quite a bit” or “a lot” (higher than the OECD average: 73%), and 93% report being comfortable providing instruction on social and emotional skills to students (higher than the OECD average: 86%).
63% of teachers report “frequently” or “always” developing students’ skills in understanding their own emotions, thoughts or behaviour (lower than the OECD average: 68%), and 78% report that they “frequently” or “always” focus on developing student skills in empathising with others (lower than the OECD average: 82%).
Many education systems were forced to use online or hybrid learning during the COVID-19 pandemic, and some systems have maintained those methods. In Singapore, 81% of teachers work in schools where at least one lesson was taught as hybrid or on line in the last month (higher than the OECD average: 16%).
75% of teachers report having used artificial intelligence (AI) in their work (higher than the OECD average: 36%). Teachers tend to use AI to efficiently learn about and summarise a topic (77%), generate text for student feedback or parent/guardian communications (69%), and generate lesson plans or activities (65%). The least frequent use of AI is to assess or mark student work (34%), review data on student participation or performance (28%), and support students with special education needs (16%).
Among teachers who report that they have not used AI in their teaching in the 12 months prior to the survey, 65% report that they do not have the knowledge and skills to teach using AI (lower than the OECD average: 75%) and 24% say that their schools lack the infrastructure to use AI (lower than the OECD average: 37%).
Percentage of lower secondary teachers
Statistically significant differences from the OECD average are highlighted with filled circles.
Source: OECD, TALIS 2024 Database, Tables 4.3, 4.7, 4.10 and 4.24.
In Singapore, 88% of recent graduates (teachers who have completed their initial teacher education in the five years prior to the survey) “agree” or “strongly agree” that the quality of their initial education was high overall (higher than the OECD average: 75%).
The following shares of recent graduates report that their initial teacher education prepared them well for: subject content (71%), general pedagogy (75%), teaching in a multicultural or multilingual setting (52%), using digital resources and tools for teaching (63%), and supporting students’ social and emotional development (49%).
Among teachers who have recently joined their current school (within five years prior to the survey), 97% report having taken part in either formal or informal induction in their school (higher than the OECD average: 72%). Rates of participation in any induction programme (whether formal or informal) have increased by 7 percentage points between 2018 and 2024 (the OECD average increased by 31 percentage points).
42% of novice teachers (with up to five years of teaching experience) have an assigned mentor (higher than the OECD average: 26%), and 100% work in schools offering some mentoring programmes (higher than the OECD average: 81%). Between 2018 and 2024, the share of novice teachers with an assigned mentor decreased by 12 percentage points.
56% of teachers report that the professional learning activities they participated in during the 12 months preceding the survey had a positive impact on their teaching (similar to the OECD average: 55%). The share of novice teachers who find professional learning impactful is similar to what experienced teachers report.
The areas for which teachers most commonly report high level of professional learning needs include: skills for using artificial intelligence for teaching and learning (31%), pedagogical skills for incorporating digital resources and tools into teaching (17%), and technical skills for the use of digital resources and tools (16%). The areas most commonly indicated by novice teachers in relation to high level of professional learning needs are: skills for using artificial intelligence for teaching and learning (21%), teaching students with special education needs (18%), and classroom management for student behaviour (17%).
Teachers most commonly identify the following barriers to engaging in professional learning: not having time due to other commitments or responsibilities (75%), professional learning conflicts with work schedule (72%), and lack of incentives for participating in professional learning (37%). The barriers that novice teachers are most likely to report as preventing them from participating in professional learning include: not having time due to other commitments or responsibilities (75%), professional learning conflicts with work schedule (74%), and lack of incentives for participating in professional learning (39%).
Percentage of lower secondary teachers
Statistically significant differences from the OECD average are highlighted with filled circles.
Source: OECD, TALIS 2024 Database, Tables 5.1, 5.2, 5.3 and 5.31.
In Singapore, levels of instructional autonomy – reported by teachers – and involvement in school‑level decision making on curriculum, instruction, and other school policies – reported by principals – are close to the OECD average, with no consistent pattern of being above or below it across items.
Teacher appraisal not only serves a formative role by supporting professional growth but also a summative role by assessing effectiveness and ensuring accountability. Among teachers who report having “substantial” or “full” autonomy in curriculum implementation in Singapore, 1% work in schools where they are appraised less than once per year, or not at all.
Percentage of lower secondary teachers
Statistically significant differences from the OECD average are highlighted with filled circles.
Source: OECD, TALIS 2024 Database, Tables 6.8, 6.17, 6.27 and 6.36.
In Singapore, the most frequent forms of collaboration among teachers include: exchanging teaching materials with colleagues (61%), engaging in discussions about the learning development of specific students (60%), and working with other teachers in the school to ensure common standards in evaluations for assessing student progress (50%). Between 2018 and 2024, the share of teachers engaging in deeper forms of collaboration evolved the following way: team teaching decreased by 12 percentage points; providing feedback based on classroom observations decreased by 5 percentage points; engaging in joint activities across different classes decreased by 2 percentage points; and participating in collaborative professional learning decreased by 12 percentage points.
94% of teachers “agree” or “strongly agree” that, at their school, teachers can rely on each other (higher than the OECD average: 86%). This share has not changed since 2018.
92% of teachers “agree” or “strongly agree” that their principal has good professional relationships with staff (higher than the OECD average: 86%), 85% report that their principal provides useful feedback to teachers and staff (higher than the OECD average: 77%), and 92% agree that their principal has confidence in the expertise of the teachers at their school (similar to the OECD average: 92%).
98% of teachers “agree” or “strongly agree” that students and teachers usually get along well with each other (higher than the OECD average: 96%), while 78% agree that, in their school, teachers are valued by students (higher than the OECD average: 71%).
While 76% “agree” or “strongly agree” that in their school, teachers are valued by parents and guardians (higher than the OECD average: 65%), 16% of teachers report collaborating with parents and guardians to enrich students’ learning activities at least once a month (lower than the OECD average: 25%).
Percentage of lower secondary teachers
Statistically significant differences from the OECD average are highlighted with filled circles.
Source: OECD, TALIS 2024 Database, Tables 7.24 and 7.31.
Higher social status of the teaching profession can help attract high-calibre candidates to the profession and retain experienced teachers. In Singapore, 71% of teachers “agree” or “strongly agree” that teachers are valued in society (higher than the OECD average: 22%). Between 2018 and 2024, this share did not change.
57% of teachers “agree” or “strongly agree” that teachers’ views are valued by policymakers in their country/region (higher than the OECD average: 16%). This share has increased by 7 percentage points since 2018.
79% of novice teachers report that teaching was their first choice as a career (higher than the OECD average: 58%). This share has increased by 8 percentage points since 2018.
Percentage of lower secondary teachers
Statistically significant differences from the OECD average are highlighted with filled circles.
Source: OECD, TALIS 2024 Database, Tables 7.35, 7.50, 7.52 and 7.63.
In Singapore, 83% of teachers have a permanent contract (similar to the OECD average: 81%). Between 2018 and 2024, the share of teachers with a permanent contract did not change. Novice teachers are equally likely to have a fixed-term contract as their experienced peers. The share of teachers who are employed on a fixed-term contract while reporting job security as highly important is 8% (similar to the OECD average: 9%).
5% of teachers are employed part-time (working up to 90% of full-time hours) (lower than the OECD average: 19%). Since 2018, the share of teachers working part-time has not changed. Novice teachers are less likely to be employed part-time than their experienced colleagues. The share of teachers who work part-time but do not consider job flexibility highly important is 1% (lower than the OECD average: 7%).
68% of teachers “agree” or “strongly agree” that they are satisfied with their terms of employment (barring salaries) (similar to the OECD average: 68%). Teachers’ satisfaction with their terms of employment (barring salaries) has decreased by 7 percentage points since 2018.
55% of teachers “agree” or “strongly agree” that they are satisfied with their salaries (higher than the OECD average: 39%). Between 2018 and 2024, teachers’ satisfaction with their salaries decreased by 17 percentage points.
Percentage of lower secondary teachers who report that the following are sources of stress “quite a bit” or “a lot”
Statistically significant differences from the OECD average are highlighted with filled circles.
Source: OECD, TALIS 2024 Database, Table 3.16.
In Singapore, the most commonly reported sources of stress are: having too much administrative work to do (53%), having too much marking (49%), and being held responsible for student achievement (45%).
Full-time teachers report that their total working hours per week is 47.3 hours (higher than the OECD average: 41). Teachers’ total working hours have not changed since 2018.
Full-time teachers report spending 17.7 hours per week on teaching (lower than the OECD average: 22.7). Teachers’ time spent on teaching has not changed since 2018.
Full-time teachers report spending 8.2 hours per week on preparing lessons (higher than the OECD average: 7.4). The time spent on preparing lessons has increased by 0.9 hours since 2018.
Full-time teachers report spending 6.4 hours per week on marking and correcting of student work (higher than the OECD average: 4.6). Teachers’ time spent on marking and correcting of student work has decreased by 1.1 hours since 2018.
Full-time teachers report spending 4 hours per week on administrative work (higher than the OECD average: 3). The time spent on administrative work has not changed since 2018.
The most commonly reported appraisal methods (as reported by principals) are: observations of classroom teaching (98%), assessments of teachers’ content knowledge (95%), and school-based and classroom-based results (82%).
The most frequently reported consequences of appraisal include: discussing with the teacher measures to remedy any weaknesses in teaching (87%), developing a development/training plan (68%), and appointing a mentor to help the teacher improve his/her teaching (41%).
Percentage of lower secondary teachers
Statistically significant differences from the OECD average are highlighted with filled circles.
Source: OECD, TALIS 2024 Database, Tables 2.1, 2.3, 2.14 and 7.1.
In Singapore, 43% of teachers report meeting their lesson aims “quite a bit” or “a lot” across all seven areas – teaching clarity, cognitive activation, feedback, support for consolidation, adapting teaching to the different needs of students, supporting students’ social and emotional learning, classroom management – covered by TALIS (similar to the OECD average: 44%). Among teachers’ lesson goals, helping students to manage their own emotions as well as their thoughts and behaviour (64%) is the least likely to be achieved.
The share of novice teachers (with up to five years of teaching experience) who report fulfilling lesson aims across all seven areas covered by TALIS (36%) is 7 percentage points lower compared to that of experienced teachers (43%).
27% of teachers experience stress “a lot” in their work (higher than the OECD average: 19%); 10% say their job negatively impacts their mental health “a lot” (similar to the OECD average: 10%), and 10% report that it negatively impacts their physical health “a lot” (higher than the OECD average: 8%). Between 2018 and 2024, the share of teachers experiencing stress “a lot” in their work increased by 4 percentage points.
Teachers under age 30 are more likely to report feeling stressed “a lot” than their colleagues aged 50 and above.
The share of teachers who report that, all in all, they are satisfied with their jobs is 87% (lower than the OECD average: 89%). The share of teachers satisfied with their jobs has decreased by 2 percentage points since 2018.
The share of teachers who are satisfied with their jobs is the same in privately managed schools as in publicly managed schools.
40% of teachers under age 30 express their intention of leaving teaching within the next five years (higher than the OECD average: 20%). This share has decreased by 9 percentage points since 2018.
All data reported in this note come from the tables accompanying the report (OECD, 2025):
Teachers’ background: Tables 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.5, 1.12 and 1.14.
Teaching for today’s world: Tables 1.25, 1.26, 1.27, 1.29, 1.42, 1.45, 1.53, 1.59, 1.60 and 1.63.
Teachers’ learning opportunities: Tables 4.3, 4.5, 4.6, 4.7, 4.10, 4.11, 4.24, 4.27 and 4.41.
Teacher leadership and autonomy: Tables 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.31 and 5.40.
Teachers’ professional relationships: Tables 6.3, 6.7, 6.8, 6.9, 6.17, 6.18, 6.27, 6.29, 6.30, 6.36 and 6.38.
Status of the teaching profession: Tables 7.24, 7.26, 7.29, 7.31 and 7.32.
Teachers’ terms of employment: Tables 7.35, 7.36, 7.37, 7.41, 7.44, 7.46, 7.47, 7.50, 7.52, 7.54, 7.63 and 7.67.
Demands of teaching: Tables 3.8, 3.10, 3.16, 3.20, 3.34, 3.36, 3.37, 3.38, 3.48, 3.50 and 3.54.
Teachers’ professional outcomes: Tables 2.1, 2.3, 2.4, 2.7, 2.13, 2.14, 2.15, 2.27, 7.1 and 7.2.
References
OECD (2025), Results from TALIS 2024: The State of Teaching, TALIS, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/90df6235-en.
OECD (forthcoming), Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS) 2024 Technical Report, OECD Publishing, Paris.
OECD (forthcoming), Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS) 2024 User Guide, OECD Publishing, Paris.
For more information about TALIS 2024 visit www.oecd.org/en/about/programmes/talis.
Explore, compare and visualise more data and analysis using http://gpseducation.oecd.org.
Questions can be directed to the TALIS team at the Directorate for Education and Skills: edutaliscontact@oecd.org.
This note was written by Gabor Fülöp and Rodolfo Ilizaliturri, Directorate for Education and Skills.
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