The teaching profession and teacher education

Teachers matter. Mr. Lee Kuan Yew saw teachers as the decisive force in the classroom, and believed that in their care are entrusted the impressionable minds of young people, and, thus the future of the nation (Lee 1959, 1966b). But perhaps more significantly, he maintained that it is the duty of the government to create the conditions and give teachers the means to fulfil their tasks (Lee 1959). Much of Singapore’s current success must be attributed to the fundamental views Lee held about teachers and teacher education, and his gumption in investing in the pivotal factor of educational success-the teacher at the front line of the classroom in schools. Singapore’s progress in making education as a profession is unparalleled, and it is perhaps the only country in the world today with a professional teaching track, and an academy established to foster a teacher-led culture of professional excellence. This chapter will take a closer look at how Lee’s views helped shape a system that attracts the right and best people to become teachers, develops them into effective teachers, specialist and leaders, and grows them professionally over their career so that they are able to deliver the best possible learning for every child.