All primary, secondary and JC teachers to complete compulsory AI modules under new MOE plan

SINGAPORE – All teachers in primary and secondary schools, and junior colleges (JCs), will have to complete three compulsory training modules on artificial intelligence under a new plan by the Ministry of Education (MOE).

Launched in August, the Teacher AI Literacy Professional Learning Roadmap sets out the skills and knowledge needed as the technology becomes more common in classrooms.

The first module, which covers the fundamentals of AI such as ethical considerations, safety and responsible use, must be completed by the end of 2026.

The other two modules, to be completed by end-2027, explore age-appropriate use, how AI affects students’ thinking, and how it can be used to deepen learning.

Conducted online, each module takes about 30 to 45 minutes to complete.

Beyond the compulsory modules, teachers will be able to take more advanced, subject-specific AI courses from 2027.

These moves come amid growing concerns that students may become overly reliant on AI, using it as a shortcut to complete assignments or producing answers without developing their own thinking.

Responding to related questions raised in a parliamentary session in February, Education Minister Desmond Lee said that the ministry is studying the impact of such tools on students’ learning. It provides guidance to schools to ensure that the use of AI enhances, rather than undermines, teaching and learning.

He added that AI is gradually introduced from Primary 4 with teachers’ supervision. They can use MOE-developed AI tools – available in the Singapore Student Learning Space – which are “designed to be pedagogically sound and are accompanied by appropriate guard rails”.

Samuel Tan, lead specialist at MOE’s Educational Technology Division, said the internal AI literacy road map – meant for schools and teachers – builds on guidance from the ministry since generative AI tools such as ChatGPT became widely available in late 2022.

“When AI became popularised, there were teachers who ran ahead quite fast, experimenting with it since 2023,” he said, adding that the ministry saw a need for clear guidance to equip teachers with AI skills that are useful for teaching and learning.

As at 2024, there were 29,605 teachers across primary schools, secondary schools and JCs.

Tan said the ministry spells out the specific knowledge, skills and ethical considerations teachers should have regarding the use of AI, while giving schools flexibility to plan their own professional learning opportunities.

Candice Seet, a master teacher for history, said many educators have been eager to explore AI, but need support to keep up. An educator for over 20 years, she is currently based at the Academy of Singapore Teachers (AST), where she conducts workshops and training for teachers.

“AI is new and evolving, and we recognise that teachers are naturally at different stages of readiness as well as levels of confidence when it comes to using AI for teaching and learning,” she said.

Apart from the online modules that teach the basics, Seet said teachers also have other learning opportunities to hone their AI skills for teaching and learning. This includes learning from colleagues who have already tried AI in classrooms, through peer-sharing sessions in school and learning networks organised by the AST and school clusters.

Learning when to use AI and when not to

MOE’s Tan said AI literacy is an increasingly important aspect of MOE’s broader EdTech Masterplan 2030, which lays out plans to tap education technology to complement teaching.

The intention is not for all teachers to use AI in every lesson, he said.

Seet added that the emphasis is on designing AI lessons that encourage critical thinking and reflection. This could be done by getting students to question AI-generated information and to verify it against trusted sources.

She said such activities help with metacognition, where students think about how they think.

“It’s important that they engage in deep reflection, especially when they’re using AI as part of their learning experience... And teachers play a critical role in helping students exercise discernment,” she said.

Even as more teachers become more comfortable and adept at using AI, Seet does not foresee it dominating classrooms. Instead, she expects teachers to be more confident in deciding when technology can enhance a lesson, and when it might not.

“There are some things that we can’t outsource to AI, such as discernment, reasoning and exercising judgment,” she said.

Teachers are essential even in designing AI-enabled lessons, she said, because they are trained to keep students at the centre. They consider whether AI adds value to their learning, ensure students are still interacting with teachers and peers, and encourage such tools to be used responsibly and not as a shortcut to learning.

 “Teaching is fundamentally a human endeavour,” she added.