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Here's an article for those who are interested in teaching as a future career ...

ore opportunities for teachers
By Leow Si Wan

FROM January next year, teachers who wish to focus on classroom teaching can move up the professional ladder to the new post of principal master teacher. Equal in standing and salary scale to a school principal, they will be considered national-level experts in their subjects.

Four master teachers - the highest position on the teaching track now - will assume the new positions next year, said Education Minister Ng Eng Hen.

They are science teachers Aw Wai Lin and Nora Teo, both 60, Chinese language teacher Ng Tai Cheen, 58, and English teacher Connie Seng, 61. They each have about 40 years of teaching experience, and will be hoping to share their expertise as they move around schools.

Madam Aw said: 'This new post is an acknowledgement of quality teachers and quality teaching, and will bring more career opportunities for those on the teaching track.'

The move means that teachers can break into the high-end superscale salary grades of the civil service without having to move into management.

The principal master teachers and the master teachers, said Dr Ng, 'will divide their time between teaching in school, leading the professional development of their colleagues and engaging in pedagogical research and innovation'.

He was speaking at the MOE Work Plan Seminar - a yearly meeting that reviews the progress over the past year and looks at key challenges for the profession in the year ahead - at Ngee Ann Polytechnic on Thursday.

The subject of teacher development was a key thrust of his address alongside language skills. He said another post had been created between senior teachers - usually a teacher with at least five years of teaching experience - and master teachers, who work at school cluster levels to guide teaching methods. The lead teacher post corresponds with that of a current head of department, a management post.

The number of senior teacher appointments will also increase to recognise excellent teachers, Dr Ng added.

Since 2001, teachers have been able to choose from three career tracks: a leadership track for management posts such as principal or head of department, a specialist track for specific areas of education, or the teaching track to remain in the classroom.