Back to Statistics HubReal Data from SingStat API| Table M850691 (SDG 4.5.1)
Official MOE Data via SingStat
Teacher-Student Ratio SingaporeTeacher-Student Ratio Singapore
Official pupil-teacher ratio data from SingStat. Primary: 1:14.4, Secondary: 1:12.0 in 2023. Real data from Table M850691 (SDG 4.5.1).
teacher student ratio Singapore
how many teachers per school
Singapore teachers
MOE teachers pupil ratio
Primary
Ratio 2023
1 : 14.4
teacherstudents
Secondary
Ratio 2023
1 : 12.0
teacherstudents
Primary
Ratio Trend
-4.6%
-4.6%change
20152023
Retention
Attrition Rate
3%
very low
EXCELLENT
Pupil-Teacher Ratio Trends (2016-2023)
Students per teacher by level
Nov 2025
SingStat Table M850691 (Real Data)
Data Sources
Pupil-Teacher Ratio Data
- • Source: Singapore Department of Statistics (SingStat)
- • Table ID: M850691 ↗
- • Provider: Ministry of Education (MOE)
- • Used for: UN SDG 4.5.1 reporting
Key Statistics (2023)
- • Primary: 1 teacher per 14.4 students
- • Secondary: 1 teacher per 12 students
- • Improved 5% from 2016 at primary level
- • Best ratio was 13.8 in 2021
Key Insights (Based on Real Data)
Improved Ratios
Primary ratio improved from 15.1 (2016) to 13.8 (2021) before slightly increasing to 14.4 (2023) due to enrollment recovery.
Secondary Stable
Secondary ratios remained stable at 11-12 students per teacher, among the best in the world.
No Teacher Shortage
Unlike many countries, Singapore maintains adequate teacher supply through competitive pay and high prestige.
Why Singapore Has No Teacher Shortage
- • Competitive Pay: Starting $3,800/month, senior teachers earn $6,000+
- • High Prestige: Teaching is a respected profession in Singapore
- • Selective Entry: Only 20% of applicants to NIE are accepted
- • Low Attrition: Only ~3% leave annually vs 8-15% globally
- • Strong Training: NIE provides world-class teacher education