Singapore hosted the 14th International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) from April 22 to 24. Minister of Education Huai Jinpeng, attended the summit and delivered a keynote speech highlighting the importance of education in driving national prosperity and global progress.
In his address, Huai emphasized the critical role of education in the face of rapid technological advancement and industrial transformation. He called for a fair and equitable approach to leveraging innovative tools such as AI and digitalization to empower educators and students alike. He also stressed the need to cultivate essential skills like critical thinking, collaboration, and open-mindedness to foster cross-cultural understanding and sustainable development.
Recognizing teachers as the cornerstone of educational success, Huai outlined China’s efforts to bolster its teaching workforce. These initiatives include improving teachers’ status and benefits, establishing a robust teacher education system, and implementing a national digital education strategy. China is also developing a smart education public service platform to provide high-quality resources and support for teachers’ professional growth and student learning. Huai urged nations to actively promote international cooperation and harness the potential of AI and digital education to create a brighter future for educators and learners worldwide.
On the sidelines of the summit, Huai engaged in bilateral discussions with education officials from the United States, Australia, New Zealand, and Slovenia, as well as representatives from international organizations like the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). These meetings aimed to further strengthen educational partnerships and collaboration on a global scale.
The ISTP, co-organized by the OECD, Education International (EI), and Singapore’s Ministry of Education, brought together education officials from 19 countries and international organizations under the theme “Reimagining Education, Realising Potential.”
