The number of male pre-school teachers in Singapore has risen significantly over the past four years but they remain a small minority within the sector dominated by women. According to the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA), the number of men working in pre-schools increased from approximately 190 in 2021 to 300 in 2025, representing a growth of nearly 60 percent. Despite this increase, male educators make up just about 1 percent of the 28,000 early childhood professionals employed at around 1,800 pre-schools nationwide.
Among these educators is 33-year-old Muhammad Aliff Mohamed Murat, a lead teacher at My First Skool in Rivervale Crescent who has actively sought to challenge traditional gender stereotypes among young children. When some of his students insisted that pink was a color only for girls, he wore a pink shirt the next day to demonstrate that colors, like many other roles, are not gender-exclusive. "Why not? I’m very excited to be your teacher and I’m here to help and teach you," he told his class when asked if boys could be teachers.
Aliff, who entered the profession in 2018, faced skepticism from his family, friends, and some parents who hesitated to have a male teacher for their children. He said building trust with parents has been essential in overcoming these doubts. One parent, Tee Qiu Feng, praised the positive influence of male educators like Aliff, noting that children benefit from seeing that men can be caring, patient, nurturing, and responsible.
Similar sentiments were expressed by other male teachers such as 39-year-old Toh Kiat Boon of My First Skool in Tampines. Toh, who transitioned from a family mechanical engineering business to early childhood education nearly three years ago, actively confronts gender misconceptions that he observes among his pupils. When confronted with children questioning whether girls can pursue certain careers or boys engaging in traditionally "female" activities, he encourages open dialogue to debunk such stereotypes.
However, male teachers also face practical challenges in a predominantly female workplace. For instance, Toh noted that restrictions on physical contact mean he cannot comfort children with hugs as easily as female colleagues, so he adapts by connecting through the children’s interests, such as Pokémon cards and stickers.
Muhamad Shahril Samri, who began teaching nearly a decade ago after being encouraged by a school principal, recalled facing criticism from friends who questioned his choice to work in what they viewed as a female profession. Now a teacher at PCF Sparkletots in Marsiling, Shahril has earned the trust of parents and hopes to encourage children to move beyond rigid gender roles.
Experts in early childhood development also emphasize the importance of male teachers in helping children understand that caregiving and nurturing are human qualities rather than gendered behaviors. Jeannie Ng, campus director of the National Institute of Early Childhood Development’s Temasek Polytechnic campus, said male educators provide everyday examples that caregiving is a shared responsibility. She cautioned, however, that the roles assigned to male and female teachers should be mindful to avoid reinforcing outdated gender assumptions.
As male pre-school teachers like Aliff, Toh, and Shahril continue to challenge norms, they aim to foster an environment where children are not limited by gender stereotypes and where nurturing is recognized as an essential skill accessible to all.