Singaporean Children Exempted from Attending National Schools

Ms Sylvia Lim asked the Minister for Education for the last five years (a) how many Singaporean children have been exempted from attending national schools under the Compulsory Education (Exemption) Order; and (b) how many of such children were exempted respectively on the grounds of (i) physical, intellectual or developmental disability (ii) being home-schooled and (iii) the Director-General deeming the child unsuitable and under what circumstances.

Sir, over the last five years, around 700 Singaporean children were exempted from attending national schools each year. Of these, around 85% were placed in non-mainstream schools based on their educational and well being needs. Less than 15% were homeschooled, and the rest were exempted on the grounds of physical, intellectual or developmental disability.

I think we do not have time for the next supplementary question. Order. End of Question Time. The Clerk will proceed to read the Orders of the Day and Notice of Motion.

[Pursuant to Standing Order No 22(3), provided that Members had not asked for questions standing in their names to be postponed to a later Sitting day or withdrawn, written answers to questions not reached by the end of Question Time are reproduced in the Appendix.]