THE Education Ministry (MOE) promoted more than 7,500 officers this year, including its director-general and one of its youngest principals to move into the upper echelons of the civil service.

Ms Seah Jiak Choo, 57, director-general of education, was moved up within the superscale pay grade, in part for her role in leading a programme that helped to raise teaching standards and capture the attention of students.

Education Minister Ng Eng Hen also lauded Ms Seah's efforts to support the teachers. He highlighted her role in pushing a mentoring programme for new teachers and boosting paid leave for professional development.

Dr Ng said: 'I am aware that change is never easy, and there have been quite a few in MOE these past years. Her leadership has provided a steady and calming force that enabled our school system to smoothly shift gears in some critical areas.'

The list of promotions also included the youngest officer promoted to the superscale grade this year, Ngee Ann Secondary principal Chua Chor Huat, 41.

Mr Chua will be principal of the new School of Science and Technology. The institution is scheduled to open in 2010 and will offer a practical four-year programme leading to the O levels.

Mr Chua, who has been principal of Ngee Ann Secondary since December 2003, has been in the education service for 15 years.

On what was the first day of an annual ceremony, some 1,050 principals and teachers received their letters of promotion yesterday.

They were handed out by Dr Ng, Ms Grace Fu, Senior Minister of State for Education and National Development, and Mr Masagos Zulkifli, Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Education and Home Affairs.

Speaking to the audience of mostly principals and teachers, Dr Ng cited a personal anecdote from his previous experience as a cancer surgeon.

Dr Ng said he changed his methods of breaking the truth to cancer patients over the years. His approach became less clinical and offered more hope.

'When asked how long they would live, I responded differently from before. I would reply by asking what book they were reading. I would say get a thicker book, because they would be able to finish that book.

'Teachers, like doctors, are often placed in positions of great opportunity and responsibility, to be able to influence and change lives,' he said.

This article was first published in The Straits Times on Apr 8, 2008.