Making a mid-career switch may be frightening for some, and for others, exciting. For Mr Ramasamy Stalin, his love for the Tamil language led him to leave his career as an Equipment Management Executive to join the teaching profession in 2016. To achieve his aspiration of becoming a teacher, he began his lifelong learning journey through the Postgraduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) programme offered by the National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NIE NTU, Singapore) which trains university graduates and prepares them for the teaching profession.
While the role of the teacher, in layman’s terms, is to teach, the classroom, which encourages the exchange of ideas and creativity, provides a conducive environment that also encourages teachers to grow alongside their students. “I was motivated to gain a deeper understanding in topics such as sociolinguistics to teach the Tamil language in school more effectively,” said Mr Stalin. “To continue my professional development and thirst for knowledge, I decided to pursue my postgraduate studies.”
Undoubtedly, NIE NTU, Singapore was Mr Stalin’s first choice to pursue his master’s degree, having benefited from the high quality and rigourous PGDE programme. In 2019, he enrolled in the Master of Education (Tamil Language) under a sponsorship offered by the Ministry of Education, Singapore.
The Master of Education (Tamil Language) programme enables education professionals to develop a wide and in-depth knowledge of and perspectives on the practical as well as theoretical issues of Tamil language education. NIE also offers over 30 graduate programmes in different educational domains and specialisations to meet the needs of educators and working professionals in the education industry.
Motivated by greater sensitivity to the needs of adult learners, the learning environment in NIE allows flexibility and autonomy for students like Mr Stalin to pace their studies where they may pursue the programme on a part-time or full-time basis. “My experience at NIE was wonderful. Despite the challenges of balancing work and study, my lecturers and friends were very supportive and encouraging,” recounted Mr Stalin.
"The National Institute of Education (NIE) is an autonomous institute under the Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore. It has been consistently ranked among the top 20 educational institutions in the world and the top five in Asia by the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) ranking."
NIE also designs its curriculum to link theory with professional practice. Students are encouraged to challenge and develop their critical thinking skills, and to apply what they have learnt at NIE in the classrooms the next day. “I enjoyed working on my projects that helped me develop a wide range of skills beyond academic success where I could demonstrate my knowledge and skills innovatively in my teaching career,” shared Mr Stalin. “I will always treasure my professional development journey at NIE.”
The National Institute of Education (NIE) is an autonomous institute under the Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore. It has been consistently ranked among the top 20 educational institutions in the world and the top five in Asia by the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) ranking.
Like Mr Stalin, are you inspired to forge a career in the education industry? Do you also wish to come on board a learning journey in a supportive and nurturing environment like NIE? Application for August 2023 intake is open until 13 January 2023.
For more information, visit www.nie.edu.sg/aug2023.
Also, if you missed the Postgraduate & Continuing Education Fair 2022, watch programme-related talks and videos here: www.nie.edu.sg/pgce.
