Pre-school teachers to receive weekly protected time for administrative duties

Early childhood educators in Singapore will gain dedicated time away from classroom duties to handle administrative and planning work under a new initiative rolling out from November next year. The two-hour weekly allocation represents a structured approach to reducing teacher workload and recognising the importance of non-instructional tasks in quality early childhood provision. This protected time is intended to enable staff to focus on activities including lesson planning, student assessment, parent communications, and professional development without interruption from classroom responsibilities. Child care operators are being encouraged to go beyond the minimum threshold, with sector guidance indicating that centres offering extended protected time will be viewed favourably. The move aligns with broader efforts across Singapore's education system to improve working conditions and retention in the early childhood workforce, addressing long-standing concerns about teacher burnout in pre-school settings.