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SINGAPORE – Allied Educators (AEDs) serving students with learning disabilities will have more avenues for professional growth in the years to come.
In recognition of its growing importance, the Ministry of Education (MOE) said on Thursday (Oct 22) that more senior level positions will be created for allied educators providing Learning and Behavior Support (LBS).
These are non-teaching staff who work with students in regular schools who have mild special needs such as dyslexia, autism, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
In a statement, the Education Ministry said that allied educators who provide support in learning and behavior will have their own development path when the allied educator scheme is divided into different pathways in 2022.
A spokesperson said this “will allow the Ministry of Education to review the tracks of the scheme and its distinctive features to better meet the professional needs and aspirations of each unique AED group.”
“This serves to better recognize the unique professional experience and diversity in expertise of each individual group of AED staff and create a sense of identity within its own framework,” he said.
The Ministry of Education also wants to attract and retain more allied educators.
There are currently around 2,000 allied educators, 600 of whom specialize in learning and behavior support.
Every elementary school here has two allied educators who specialize in learning and behavioral support, and most high schools have one of those allied educators.
The total number of such staff has increased by more than 40 percent over the past five years, to address the growing behavioral needs of students.
Other types of allied educators include school counselors, outdoor adventure educators, and student welfare officers.
The Ministry of Education is also creating more senior jobs at its headquarters in the coming years, starting in January next year with two new top allied educators specializing in learning and behavioral support.
There will also be more AED Teacher and Director (LBS) positions for staff to point to, where they can develop mastery expertise and strengthen professional leadership in supporting special needs.
In the long term, the fraternity will be led by several Lead AEDs (LBS) with expertise in different areas, such as the needs of younger students or adolescents, or specific needs such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
Allied educators who specialize in learning and behavioral support will also have more opportunities for rotation periods at MOE headquarters, and there are plans for more training support.
Financial support will be provided to allied educators who wish to pursue programs to deepen their knowledge and skills.
Ms. Maria Lourdes and Mr. Muhammad Suhairi Subarjo are the first two educators to be designated as Principal DEA (LBS).
It will go into effect in January.
Ms Lourdes, who is currently a senior AED (LBS) based in the MOE’s special educational needs division, said: “It is good that the MOE recognizes the scheme as people will also look up to us professionally.
“It has been 15 years since the scheme began and there are new challenges and a new profile of incoming students.”
Said the 40-year-old, who started as AED (LBS) at Jurongville High School from 2008 to 2017: “We want to do more in the years to come, like focusing more on older students and preparing them for jobs, as well as AED mentors and advisers.
“In the past, kids usually came in without much support, but now they have some understanding of basic intervention, so we focus on the social skills needed in adolescence.”
He added that students with behavioral needs also need support in using social media.
Suhairi, 40, who is also a senior AED (LBS) in the MOE’s special educational needs division, said having more opportunities for growth will also help retain educators for the long term.
He was an AED (LBS) at Tampines High School from 2005 to 2017, before moving to the ministry headquarters in late 2017.
Said Mr. Suhairi: “Having rotations and seeing other schools will be helpful. Sometimes, being in one school for so long, your perspectives can be skewed.
“There is more to learn when you move.”
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