Students and role reversal, no more "amateur teachers"; A warning from Estonia, A vision of the future of knowledge: A national strategy starting from age 3

Nikkei noted the need for highly skilled and trained teachers in the age of AI and examined teacher and student training in Estonia and Singapore respectively. Nikkei highlighted that Singapore’s prioritised “human capital investment”, with over 12% of the national budget allocated to education. A/P Chow Jia Yi, Dean of Teacher Education & Undergraduate Programmes (TEUP) at NIE, noted that it was important to raise the quality of teachers in Singapore for national survival. Comparing NIE’s preparation for teachers and principals to that of Japan, Nikkei highlighted that Singapore teachers are rigorously prepared and positioned as “nation builders”. They also noted that Singapore teachers are rewarded generously in terms of remuneration, compared to Japan

Nikkei also noted that PSLE was a high stakes exam, as success may open the path to university while failure dramatically narrows possibilities. A Japanese mother living in Singapore noted the pressure from PSLE, adding that parents often sent their children to tuition and enrichment classes from kindergarten onwards. Nikkei concluded that Singapore’s system emphasised high standards, practical experience, and professional development for both students and teachers, positioning them as twin pillars in the nation’s intellectual strategy.

The original article can be found here.