By Melissa Tanya Gomes
23 July 2022
I have always wondered if my teaching qualification in Malaysia enables me to teach in high-performing countries like Finland, Singapore and China. Similarly, what it takes for someone to be a teacher in these countries? How does their teaching system enable students to rise to the top of international assessments?
Here, we will explore strategies adopted by three high-performing countries in ensuring all students have access to qualified teachers.
Finland
3 Hour Written Exam
Annually, approximately 20,000 students apply for about 4,000 slots in teacher education institutions. Primary education candidates sit for a national examination known as the VAKAVA.
VAKAVA is a national selection cooperation network of eight universities that organizes a three-hour written exam consisting of five to eight research articles that candidates must analyze and interpret.
Application
Across the eight universities in the VAKAVA network, candidates have six weeks to prepare for the exam. Following the completion of the assessment, candidates will also indicate which university they wish to attend.
Assessment
Universities will invite candidates who have passed the exam for an interview conducted by professors and lecturers. In some universities, these candidates are observed and interviewed by real teachers who then rank their choices.
Singapore
Candidates who wish to teach in Singapore national schools must undergo a four-step process before entering a teacher preparation program. Only one of three shortlisted applicants makes it through the selection interview.
Step 1: CV Screen
Candidates are assessed for minimum qualifications based on the following:
- Academically, applicants should be in the top 30% of their cohort.
- Completed relevant school and university education.
- Show evidence of interest in children and education.
Step 2: Assessment Tests
Candidates who passed the minimum requirements will sit for relevant entrance proficiency tests such as English proficiency, which is a key teacher preparatory requirement in the Ministry of Education.
Step 3: Interviews
Shortlisted candidates attend an interview conducted by currently serving or recently retired principals. Interviewers look for good communication skills, passion for teaching and potential to be a good role model to their future students.
Step 4: Monitoring at the National Institute of Education (NIE)
Upon passing the examination, candidates will attend the Introduction to Teaching Program (ITP): an introductory course for contract teachers before being permanent in the system.
During the course, teachers are sent to schools for assessment. Here, they are guided by a school mentor (a teacher leader / an experienced teacher) and a reporting officer (head of department / subject head). At the end of the program, candidates are accepted into teacher preparation if they receive a good assessment and recommendation from the school.
Shanghai, China
Teacher Qualification Certificate
Upon completion of a teacher education program in university, candidates must apply for a teacher qualification certificate issued by the national government. To be certified, candidates must pass a three-part national certification exam.
First, candidates must pass written examinations in pedagogy, psychology and teaching methods. Once successful, candidates attend an interview session with a master teacher and a local district education officer. Finally, candidates must pass a Mandarin language test before being certified.
Exam
Once a candidate is certified, he/she must pass another district level exam in order to be hired. Upon passing the exam, candidates participate in an interview led by content area experts from the local district office.
Conclusion
One of the key strategies employed by Finland, Singapore and Shanghai to build quality education is ensuring that the best candidate is selected to teach. Two common methodologies adopted across these three countries are rigorous and in-depth examinations and intense interviews conducted by on-the-ground practitioners.
Is Malaysia’s teacher selection process rigorous and intense enough to recruit the best into the teaching profession?
Source:
https://www2.helsinki.fi/en/networks/national-selection-cooperation-network-in-the-field-of-education/about-vakava;
How The World’s Best-Performing School Systems Come Out On Top by Barber and Mourshed (2007);
Empowered Educators, How High Performing Systems Shape Teaching Quality Around the World by Linda Darling Hammond (2017).
Melissa Tanya Gomes is the Co-founder and CEO of Edvolution Enterprise. She has more than 10 years of experience in management consulting and education. She co-founded a school improvement initiative for which she was given the Excellent Service Award by the Ministry of Education Malaysia in 2018.
