By Amelia Tan

PARENTS believe it is not critical for primary school teachers to be graduates, although a review of primary school education has called for the profession to work towards having an all-graduate recruitment policy by 2015.

Passion and aptitude for teaching should be paramount in someone wanting to be a teacher; having a degree is less important, they said.

This viewpoint came through in two focus group discussions held, one for members of the public including parents, and the second, exclusively for parents.

During the second session last Wednesday evening at the Ministry of Education (MOE) in Buona Vista, many of the 25 parents present were vocal.

Some became worked up when describing young graduate teachers who were competent in their delivery of classes but lacked the passion to teach. They were also concerned that A-level and diploma holders with the calling to teach were being passed over for the job.

Architect Setyadi Ongkowidjaja, 51, who has four children aged nine to 18, said: 'I am concerned that some graduates may not be genuinely interested in teaching. They see it as just a job...Graduates can change jobs more easily and may use teaching as a stepping stone to other jobs.'

Sales manager Frank Yeo, 42, whose two children are in Ang Mo Kio Primary, said a graduate teaching force did not guarantee that the children would get a well-rounded education.

He said he found it 'contradictory' that MOE could turn the spotlight on a holistic education, the importance of enrichment activities and building up character, 'but now wanted to put in place a policy which stressed academic qualifications'.

He suggested that, instead of a degree, the ministry should favour candidates with experience in child psychology.

Senior Minister of State for Education Grace Fu, who chaired both discussions, clarified a few times that MOE has always been on the lookout for soft skills when recruiting teachers and will continue doing this even under the all-graduate recruitment policy.

Her reassurance went down well with parents like Mrs Shirley Lo, a 40-year-old lawyer with three children in Southview Primary School.

She said: 'My children's teachers who are graduates tend to be more innovative in their teaching methods. I am in support of the policy if a balance can be reached by recruiting graduates who also have soft skills.'

Ms Fu also explained to parents that diploma and A-level holders will still be considered for teaching careers, but they will have to go through a degree programme at the National Institute of Education.

Parents also suggested that candidates be put on contracts to assess their aptitude before they are offered jobs.

Ms Fu told reporters after the second session that it was clear parents feel that aptitude and having the heart to teach should count alongside academic results.

She added: 'I don't think parents have a fundamental problem with some basic (academic) requirement. How we decide this is something we have to think through.

'Whether we should accept some better candidates who have only polytechnic or A-level qualifications, whether we should take them on a contract basis first - these are all good suggestions we should think about adopting.'

ameltan@sph.com.sg

This article was first published in The Straits Times on 24 Nov, 2008.