Labour's Tristram Hunt says that teachers should take a public pledge equivalent to the Hippocratic Oath that would see them vow allegiance to a set of values that would come to define their profession.

The shadow educations secretary, who continues to lecture on Modern Britain History at Queen Mary University of London, said that this symbolic statement would go a long way in "elevating" the status of teaching.

Mr Hunt explained that the oath would place stress the importance of the profession, which he described as a "noble" calling. He was speaking after a recent trip to Singapore, which has proved to be an inspiring experience.

As is known, the south-east Asian city-state has one of the most successful school systems in the world. Not only does it deliver consistently good results, it also fosters an innovative and rewarding environment that benefits both teachers and students alike.

Singapore's strength, Mr Hunt said, lies in its "total prioritisation on teaching quality" – it makes no bones about the fact that this is integral in ensuring pupils realise their potential.

He revealed that the country does have a teaching oath of sorts underpinning their profession, which includes a public statement that commits them to teaching. They also receive an emblematic gift of a compass, which provides them "with a sense of moral purpose and virtue".

"There is a teacher's oath about continuing to learn and to pass on the love of learning," the MP for Stoke-on-Trent Central said. "I'm very attracted by this notion of having almost a Hippocratic oath about the meaning and purpose of teaching.

"It's bolstering the moment of qualification and the meaning of qualification - what it means to become a teacher. That seems to be an important idea that we want to explore. It can't just be a gimmick - it has to be part of a commitment to professional development and career pathways."

Other factors contributing to Singapore's accomplishments include a focus on what really matters – investing in training and bolstering the quality of teachers. Academically high-performing countries demonstrate this, while others, like the UK, fall short.

According to Mr Hunt this is because policymakers in the country have a tendency to direct their efforts on "relentless structural change", which often does very little to improve the status quo.

Culturally, more needs to be done in the UK to make training an integral part of the profession – qualifying as a teacher, he said, was only the "starting point". A solid system of training and career development is therefore vital in transforming teaching and making it a vibrant industry to be in.

Mr Hunt said: "It's very exciting to talk about a bright, new, shiny type of school, but policies to turn the dial on professional development for teachers is harder work - but it is much more substantive in the long run."

The Hippocratic Oath was written 2,500 years ago and is considered to be one of the most important documents in western medicine. It is thought to have been penned by the Pythagoreans in ancient Greece.

"I swear by Apollo the physician, and Aesculapius the surgeon, likewise Hygeia and Panacea, and call all the gods and goddesses to witness, that I will observe and keep this underwritten oath, to the utmost of my power and judgement," the opening of the oath reads.

"I will reverence my master who taught me the art. Equally with my parents, will I allow him things necessary for his support, and will consider his sons as brothers. I will teach them my art without reward or agreement; and I will impart all my acquirements, instructions, and whatever I know, to my master's children, as to my own."