National Institute of Education

Until the 1960s, Tamil education in Singapore faced challenges in getting suitably trained Tamil teachers. However, with the commencement of Tamil teacher training at the Teachers’ Training College (TTC) in 1961, the situation improved. Those who had studied Tamil as a second language in English-medium secondary schools enrolled in this teacher training course to become Tamil teachers. Starting with just six students in 1964, the course eventually produced hundreds of Tamil teachers over time. In 1973, TTC was given an expanded role in line with the government’s education policy and was renamed the Institute of Education (IE). S Deivanayagam was appointed as the first Head of the Tamil department at IE.

In 1991, IE underwent another transformation and was re-established as an autonomous institute within the Nanyang Technological University, under the new name National Institute of Education (NIE). As the only tertiary institution in Singapore responsible for training teachers, NIE has enhanced training opportunities for Tamil teachers through new initiatives. There was a time when Tamil teachers had to travel to India to obtain their graduate qualifications in Tamil language and literature. However, with the establishment of the Tamil Language and Culture Division as part of the Asian Languages and Cultures Academic Group, NIE now offers training in a wide range of academic levels, including Diploma in Education, BA Double Major Programme, Post Graduate Diploma in Education, Master's in Education and Doctor's in Education. The division is also conducting Tamil-related General Elective courses in English for undergraduate students from NIE and NTU.  In addition, the division is continuously involved in research to improve Tamil teaching, provides professional guidance in teacher training, and facilitates research publications and conferences to further support Tamil teacher development. Another significant aspect of its work is its international engagement. NIE assists Tamil Diaspora teachers in Canada, Europe, and Australia and has developed close affiliations with leading foreign universities to further strengthen Tamil teaching, learning and pedagogical innovation in Singapore. 

The division also conducts research on Tamil education.

For more information
National Institute of Education. Accessed 1 August 2025. https://nie.edu.sg