2024年4月3日，新加坡教育部第二部长孟理齐在国会上发表了鼓励未来的大学生从事特殊需要教育职业的发言。
以下内容为新加坡眼根据国会英文资料翻译整理：
叶汉荣先生向教育部长提问，随着对特殊教育需求的不断增长，教育部是否会考虑采取措施，鼓励并培训更多有志于从事特殊教育和康复工作的大学生？
教育部第二部长 孟理齐博士 （代表教育部长）：主席先生，教育部 （MOE） 与社会服务机构密切合作，吸引并留住特殊教育 （SPED） 教师，以满足对特殊教育教师、助教、专业人士和职业教育者日益增长的需求。我们正在努力招募拥有相关技能、能力和素质的大学毕业生和文凭持有者，并与高等院校合作。
除了招聘之外，教育部也致力于加强整个特殊教育领域的发展。
首先，我们在2020年推出了《卓越旅程一揽子计划》（Journeys of Excellence Package），以提升特殊教育教师的专业水平。该计划包括特殊教育教师的职业和能力框架以及培训路线图，明确了职业发展路径和角色期望。2022年，我们还优化了特殊教育文凭 （DISE），让特殊教育文凭教师具备所需的技能和能力。所有特殊教育教师都必须参与并完成DISE课程，该课程由教育部资助。
2024年至2026年间，教育部将增加对特殊教育学校的资助，提高教师和助教的平均工资，以保持市场竞争力并加强特殊教育领域的专业化水平。
主席先生：叶汉荣先生。
叶汉荣先生：谢谢，主席先生。我感谢部长的答复。我有一个简短的补充问题。教育部会考虑通过转换计划吸引其他领域有相关经验的专业人士加入特殊教育吗？
孟理齐博士：主席先生，简短的回答是会的。我们欢迎任何有兴趣加入特殊教育领域的人。我们知道这个领域非常具有挑战性，需要决心、热情和使命感。
所以，我们欢迎叶先生的建议，我们会探索各种方法，并与运营特殊教育学校的社会服务机构合作，鼓励更多有兴趣的人士，即使是通过转换计划，如果他们有兴趣并愿意参加培训项目。正如之前提到的，我们已经为他们制定了职业发展框架，包括入门课程，即特殊教育文凭课程。
以下是英文质询内容：
Mr Yip Hon Weng asked the Minister for Education given the growing demand for special needs education, whether the Ministry will be considering initiatives to encourage and train more prospective tertiary students to pursue careers in special needs education and rehabilitation.
The Second Minister for Education (Dr Mohamad Maliki Bin Osman) (for the Minister for Education): Mr Speaker, the Ministry of Education (MOE) works closely with the social service agencies to attract and retain Special Education (SPED) educators to meet the growing demand for SPED teachers, teacher aides, allied professionals and vocational educators in SPED schools. There are ongoing recruitment efforts to attract university graduates and diploma holders from diverse backgrounds with the relevant skills, competencies and dispositions, including efforts in partnering Institutes of Higher Learning.
Beyond recruitment, MOE is also committed to strengthening the SPED sector as a system.
First, we launched the Journeys of Excellence Package in 2020, to strengthen the professionalism of SPED teachers. This package comprised the SPED teacher career and competency frameworks and training roadmap to provide clarity on career progression, as well as roles and expectations. In 2022, we enhanced the Diploma in Special Education (DISE) to better equip SPED teachers with the necessary skills and competencies. Participation in DISE is a requirement for all SPED teachers and is sponsored by MOE.
MOE will increase funding to SPED schools between 2024 and 2026 to raise the average salaries for teachers and teacher aides to maintain market competitiveness and strengthen the professionalism of the SPED sector.
Mr Speaker: Mr Yip.
Mr Yip Hon Weng (Yio Chu Kang): Thank you, Mr Speaker. I thank the Minister for his response. I just have a very short supplementary question. Will the Ministry consider exploring alternative pathways into special needs education, such as attracting professionals with relevant experience from other fields through conversion programmes?
Dr Mohamad Maliki Bin Osman: Mr Speaker, the short answer is yes. We welcome anyone who is keen to join the SPED sector. We know this SPED sector is a very challenging sector to be in. It requires determination. It requires passion. It is a calling.
So, we welcome Mr Yip's suggestion and we will look into various ways and work with the social service agencies who are operating the SPED schools, to encourage a lot more people, even through conversion, if there are interested individuals to do so and they are keen to participate in the training programme. As mentioned earlier, we have developed a framework for them to go through professional development, including the starting course, which is a Diploma in Special Education.
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