SINGAPORE - Special education (Sped) teachers will receive higher salaries in the next few years, as part of broader moves to raise the quality of education in the sector and strengthen support for students with special needs.

Second Minister for Education Maliki Osman said that between 2024 and 2026, Sped classroom teachers can receive salary increases of up to 12 per cent, while teacher aides can receive increases of up to 15 per cent.

From 2024, starting salaries for Sped classroom teachers and teacher aides will rise by up to 15 per cent and 17 per cent, respectively, he said in Parliament on March 4.

Dr Maliki was speaking as the debate on the Ministry of Education’s (MOE) budget resumed, after Education Minister Chan Chun Sing said on March 1 that the hope is to bring the Sped sector in line with mainstream education, in terms of professional development opportunities for educators.

Dr Maliki said the Government has increased funding for Sped schools over the years, and spends more on education per child in a Sped school compared with a mainstream school.

A review of salary guidelines was done to enhance the attractiveness of the Sped teaching profession, he said.

There are currently close to 1,700 Sped teachers and about 800 teacher aides.

These increments will vary for individuals depending on their experience, competencies, job role and work performance, he said.

Funding will be provided to social service agencies to implement these salary enhancements progressively, said Dr Maliki.

By 2026, Sped classroom teachers are expected to receive monthly salaries ranging from $3,000 to more than $7,000, while teacher aide salaries will range between $2,000 and over $4,000, said MOE in a statement.

New joiners to the sector will also benefit. Sped classroom teachers may receive a starting salary of up to $3,600 monthly before pursuing their diploma in special education training. Teacher aides may receive a starting salary of up to $2,100 monthly.

Dr Maliki said each Sped school will also appoint a school staff developer, who will focus on dedicated planning and implementation of professional learning opportunities for Sped teachers.

Sped teachers will also have more education leadership course opportunities made available to them from 2024.

An MOE spokesperson added that with more Sped schools being set up in recent years, the number of teachers hired over time has also increased.

The number of teachers will have to increase by about 350 by 2030 to meet the growing needs of Sped, added the spokesperson.

Ms Nur Syahidah Abdul Rasid, 34, an assistant senior teacher at Rainbow Centre’s Admiral Hill campus, said she and her colleagues were very excited about the salary increase.

“It spurs us on to know our work is being recognised,” she said.

Ms Syahidah said that “salary is still something people will consider”, even if the motivation for many in her line of work comes from intrinsic passion and a heart for those with special education needs.

She is also interested in having more education leadership opportunities, adding: “We want to see more structured career advancement and progression (pathways).”

She suggested that MOE also look into allowing lateral moves across Sped schools for teachers to gain insights about different disabilities.

Lower fees

Currently, about half of Sped school students pay fees similar to what their mainstream peers pay, said Dr Maliki.

Nine Sped schools are expected to further reduce fees by up to 60 per cent, he said. This comes after six Sped schools with higher fees lowered their fees by at least 25 per cent in 2020.

The latest move means the maximum monthly fees chargeable for Singaporean students will be reduced from $150 to $90, he said.

The nine schools are Awwa School @ Napiri, both Eden School campuses, Pathlight School, Rainbow Centre in Margaret Drive, Yishun Park and Admiral Hill, as well as St Andrew’s Autism School and St Andrew’s Mission School. They serve students with autism spectrum disorder and multiple disabilities.

About 3,500 students will benefit from this shift, which will take effect by mid-2025, said Dr Maliki. There are currently about 8,000 students in 25 Sped schools here.

The exact fees will be determined by the schools and communicated to parents when ready.

Ms Norfadillah Ahmad, 41, is a full-time caregiver to her 14-year-old son Nur Yusuf Islam Lim Muhammad Isa Lim, who has autism. He is a student at Rainbow Centre’s school at Margaret Drive.

While they will not benefit from the latest reduction as they are already paying subsidised fees under the school’s financial assistance scheme, Ms Norfadillah shared about the cost pressures other parents felt.

As a member of the school’s Parent Champion Network, she said other parents have welcomed the news as it would relieve some financial pressures, pointing out that they were paying more in school fees than those in mainstream schools.

“With the money saved, parents can also direct it to things like enrichment classes and therapy,” she added.

Parents have also been hoping for childcare leave specially for those who have children with special needs, so that they will not have to deal with loss of income when taking more time off.

“When sometimes they fall sick, they need more special care, so we hope the Government can look into this,” said Ms Norfadillah.

Ensuring pre-school affordability

Dr Maliki also announced more support for the pre-school sector to ensure affordability.

He noted that children here who attend pre-school from the age of three are less likely to require learning support when they enter Primary 1.

From the fourth quarter of 2024, the KCare Additional Subsidy for MOE kindergartens will be expanded to a wider pool of Singaporean families, he said.

All families of Singaporean children with a gross monthly household income of up to $6,000 will be able to receive the additional subsidy, which goes up to $235, depending on household income tier.

This is on top of the $150 basic KCare subsidy that all families of Singaporean children currently receive.

Before this enhancement, only families of Singaporean children with working mothers were eligible for the additional subsidy.

Now, newly eligible families with non-working mothers will see a 51 per cent to 99 per cent reduction in monthly fees.

KCare is an optional care service for parents who need full-day care service for their children who are enrolled in MOE kindergartens. It is available at all 55 MOE kindergartens.

Dr Maliki added that his ministry is also strengthening initiatives to facilitate regular attendance and provide learning support.

“We want our children from the most vulnerable segment to have a strong start in their education journey. Studies show that attending quality pre-school can boost confidence and social skills, and lay a strong foundation for life,” he said.