Singapore Teachers' Union

The Singapore Teachers' Union (STU) is the largest teachers' organisation in Singapore. It was founded in 1946. It represents over 12,000 teachers employed by the Ministry of Education, Singapore.

STU provides assistance in dealing with work-related problems and advice on terms and conditions of service. STU also works through collaboration, cooperation and dialogues with the Ministry of Education.

STU also organises various workshops, courses and seminars for teachers.

STU is an affiliate of the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC), a member of the ASEAN Council of Teachers and the Education International.

Educare Co-operative Limited is a co-operative of Singapore Teachers' Union.

There were teachers associated with the Malayan Democratic Union (MDU), a political party with an anti-colonial platform. They were the prime movers for the establishment of a teachers' union. Giving them strong support was John Eber, a lawyer who was in the MDU leadership. On 28 September 1946, about 200 teachers attended a meeting under the auspices of Singapore Teachers' Association (STA). A key agenda of the meeting was a motion to have a union of their own, as STA had no legal status to negotiate better terms for teachers. The motion was moved by P V Sharma and seconded by Yapp Thean Chye. STA was revived at a general meeting held at Raffles Institution on 13 November 1925, "after an interim period during which a great deal of thought and discussion was given to the production of a constitution free from any suspicion of trade-unionism and which would enable the activities of the Association to be carried on more expeditiously."

Singapore Teachers' Union was founded on 19 October 1946, after more than 300 teachers attended the STU's inaugural meeting at 331 North Bridge Road, the headquarters of the MDU. The meeting lasted for 5 hours, and saw the adoption of the union's constitution.

The founding members were H N Balhatchet (President), Yapp Thean Chye (General Secretary), P V Sharma (General Secretary), Lim Choo Sye (Treasurer), N Scharenguivel (Editor), Kiang Ai Kim, Quah Quek Tin, Frank James, J E K Retnam, Seow Cheng Fong and Tay Kheng Hock. Since then, its notable leaders included former President of the Republic of Singapore C V Devan Nair, Minister of State for Labour Sia Kah Hui, former Member of Parliament Lawrence Seah and Vice President of NTUC Edwin Lye Teck Hee.

STU was one of the unions that supported the formation of NTUC in 1961.

On 15 February 1960, the Graduate Teachers' Association decided on dissolution following a ballot vote by members who opted to join the Singapore Teachers' Union.

In 1966, STU Central Council endorsed the first Code of Ethics for Teachers in Singapore, which was drafted by the STU's Professional Sub-committee. The Code was then put before the Annual Delegates Conference of the Union on 12 June 1966 for adoption. The Code outlined the expected norms of behaviour of teachers in relation to society, the profession, the pupil, fellow teachers, extra curricular activities, Educational superiors, parents, community and the Union.

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