Debated in Parliament on 8 Oct 2014.
Mr Baey Yam Keng asked the Minister for Transport (a) why are students receiving allowances from organisations ineligible for the Tertiary Student Concession Card; (b) what is the definition of such allowances; and (c) why are diploma students and undergraduates receiving scholarships or bursaries given on the basis of academic achievement or hardship not eligible for the Tertiary Student Concession Cards and why such a similar condition does not apply to students in ITEs and junior colleges.
The Senior Minister of State for Transport (Mrs Josephine Teo)(for the Minister for Transport): Mdm Speaker, student concession schemes are cross-subsidised by full-fare paying commuters. They are granted on the basis that students are generally not financially independent and society should help subsidise their public transport expenditure. This includes students, whether in our Institutes of Technical Education (ITEs), junior colleges, polytechnics or universities, receiving scholarships or bursaries which were awarded on the basis of academic achievement or financial hardship. However, students who are receiving some form of income, for example, from companies which employ them, have traditionally
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been deemed to be financially independent and, hence, not eligible for student concessions. Because these concessions are crossed-subsidised by other commuters, the Public Transport Council (PTC) and public transport operators have been judicious about who should get to enjoy them.
Having said that, the Council has asked the operators to consider extending student concessions to all full-time students in our ITEs, polytechnics and universities even if they are receiving some form of income, as the numbers are not large, and the distinction between them and other students who are receiving scholarships or bursary is not always clear. The operators are considering the request.
Mr Baey Yam Keng.
Madam, I would like to clarify because based on the existing website, it makes a distinction between students from ITEs and junior colleges and students from the polytechnics and undergraduates. For those who are receiving scholarships or bursaries, one category is ineligible while one category qualifies for the concession. So, I think there is a difference, in terms of the treatment, and I hope that the authority could normalise it so that it is fair to all students studying in the various institutions.
Mdm Speaker, I should take this opportunity to clarify. In fact, ITE-sponsored students are treated the same way as sponsored students in the universities and polytechnics. They are also not eligible for student concessions today. However, there is an operational requirement for all ITE students to carry a Specification for Contactless e-Purse Application or CEPAS card for other functions, such as access within the school, and TransitLink, which is the one that issues CEPAS cards, issues these cards to all these ITE students. So, it may appear that the ITE-sponsored students are treated differently from the sponsored students in polytechnics and universities. But, in fact, that is not the case. So, I just want to clarify that with the Member.
Mr Baey Yam Keng.
May I ask the Senior Minister of State, does it mean that ITE CEPAS card holders do not enjoy nor do they enjoy travel concessions?
The ITE-sponsored students currently do not enjoy student concessions. Earlier in my reply, I have said that the Council had asked the operators to consider extending student concessions to all sponsored students who are in the institutions on a full-time basis. And if the operators were to agree to this, then it would apply equally
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to sponsored students in ITEs, universities and polytechnics.
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