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SINGAPORE – An annual reorganization of principals will see 43 schools next year with new leaders, including nine from the Ministry of Education (MOE) headquarters.
It is the highest number of officers who moved from headquarters to main schools in recent years, according to The Straits Times controls.
The number of those transfers ranged from three to seven in the last five years.
Mr. Melvin Cher Teck Yiang, deputy director of the pre-school education branch of the Ministry of Education in the schools division, will become director of Northoaks Elementary School.
The 42-year-old said that being familiar with policy work will be helpful in his new and first appointment as director.
“I have a better idea of how the policies are made and I think this will help communicate the changes to school staff,” he added.
He will also continue to be involved in preschool affairs to some extent, as Northoaks Primary houses an MOE kindergarten.
“I will work with the preschool teachers and support them in running the center,” he said, adding that he looks forward to the opportunity to test ideas that can help ease the transition of children from preschool to elementary school.
“We have a lot to learn from how preschool settings are set up and some of their teaching approaches – some of these can be applied to Primary 1 and Primary 2 classes in particular,” Cher said.
“For example, a preschool classroom is very dynamic; we want children to feel welcome and engaged. There is a lot of emphasis on experiential learning and getting children curious about the world around them and asking questions.” He said. .
“They are good learning habits and dispositions that apply to elementary school children.”
In a statement on Friday (October 16), the Education Ministry said that the process for appointing and rotating principals allows schools to benefit from new perspectives.
Experienced principals can also share best practices between schools, he added.
As part of the reorganization, St. Andrew’s High School and Guangyang Elementary School will be among 23 schools to have principals for the first time.
The new school leaders include Mr. Cher and Ms. Foo Boon Ching, who will lead Yangzheng Elementary School. She is currently the deputy principal of Pei Tong Elementary School.
Among the MOE headquarters officers who made the move is Mr. Tham Kine Thong, director of the MOE’s school operations policy in its schools division. He will direct St Andrew’s Junior College.
Ms. Yvonne Teo, Deputy Director for Assessment Policy and Practice in the Curriculum Policy Office of the Ministry of Education, will now lead Bedok View High School.
In its statement, the Ministry of Education said: “For the 23 newly appointed directors, this is an important milestone in their careers as they take on greater responsibilities as leaders in education.
“For the 20 current principals and headquarters officials who will take on new principal positions, it is an affirmation of the MOE’s confidence in their abilities to continue to lead and guide our teachers, staff and students in the schools.”
The 43 new principals will receive their letters of appointment from the Director General of Education of the Ministry of Education, Wong Siew Hoong, in a ceremony in December, which will be attended by the Minister of Education, Lawrence Wong.
At the ceremony, the Ministry of Education will also recognize the contributions of retiring principals and its headquarters higher education officials who have previously served as principals.
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