Debated in Parliament on 8 Apr 2026.
Mr Yip Hon Weng asked the Minister for Education (a) what is the difference in the recent university graduate employment numbers when calculated using current and previous survey methodologies; and (b) given the continued dip in the percentage of those who secured employment, what is the Ministry's assessment of this trend.
There is no change to the survey methodology for the Joint Autonomous Universities Graduate Employment Survey (JAUGES). Starting from JAUGES 2025, an additional "secured employment" category was reported to provide more information on graduate employment outcomes. Other than graduates who were employed, it also includes those who had secured job offers but had not started work and those who were taking active steps to start a business venture. All previously reported employment indicators, including the employment rate, continue to be provided.
For the second part of the Member's question, the Member may wish to refer to the Ministry of Education's combined reply to Oral Question Nos 105 and 106 given on 7 April 2026 on the autonomous university graduate employment outcomes. [Please refer to "Factors Contributing to Weaker Full-time Permanent Employment Outcomes in Selected Courses for 2025 Graduates", Official Report, 7 April 2026, Vol 96, Issue 27, Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer not Answered by End of Question Time section.]
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