Name and Constituency of Member of Parliament
Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang, Nee Soon GRC
Question
To ask the Minister for Education (a) whether the Ministry will consider mandating all MOE schools to offer staggered working hours for teachers instead of allowing this to be at their discretion; and (b) if not, why and what steps will the Ministry take to increase the number of schools offering staggered working hours for teachers.
Response
1. As schools have different operating contexts, MOE gives School Leaders the autonomy to implement staggered working hours while maintaining duty of care for students and ensuring that educational outcomes are not compromised.
2. Rather than mandating that all schools offer staggered working hours, schools offer different forms of flexible work arrangements for staff. These include allowing staff to (i) work part-time, (ii) take time-off to attend to urgent personal/family needs, (iii) work from home when they have no in-person classes or other duties requiring their presence in school, or (iv) attend virtual meetings at their preferred venue. Staff who require flexibility in their work arrangements can discuss with their supervisor how best to meet the needs of both the school and the staff.
3. MOE will continue to share good practices and work with School Leaders to support the well-being of our teachers.