Education — Topics

13 Sep 2016

Coaching Researchers to Help Them Relate Better to Business Needs

Thomas Chua Kee Seng asked whether research scientists and engineers from public research institutes can be trained to better communicate and relate to SMEs' business needs.
S Iswaran highlighted that SMEs are vital to Singapore's economy and that government programs like GET-Up connect them with research expertise, while A*STAR offers training to improve researchers' communication skills and has an SME Office to reach out to businesses.
A*STAR has trained over 600 researchers in communication, deepened engagement with SMEs, and reported a 40% increase in projects with SMEs from 2011 to 2015, along with specific secondments and advisory support.
The government will continue aiding SMEs through innovation, while urging SMEs to proactively utilize available public research capabilities.

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13 Sep 2016

Security Measures for Primary and Secondary Schools in Light of Growing Terror Threat

The Ministry of Education employs a three-pronged security approach that includes physical measures like fencing, CCTV, and gate barriers, procedural controls, and community partnerships with the Neighbourhood Police.
Students and staff are trained through regular emergency drills involving the Police and SCDF, with all schools having a structured emergency response plan in place since the 1990s.
Security measures are calibrated to national threat assessments from the Ministry of Home Affairs, and MOE routinely reviews and updates these measures to ensure effectiveness.

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13 Sep 2016

New Benchmark for Madrasahs under New PSLE Scoring System

The basis for madrasah benchmarks remains unchanged under the new PSLE scoring system, pegged to the average PSLE score of Malay pupils in the six lowest-performing national primary schools taking four Standard-level subjects.
The Ministry of Education has engaged school leaders, including principals of the four full-time madrasahs offering primary-level education, to explain the new PSLE system.
MOE will continue working with the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth and the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore to address any queries or concerns from the madrasahs.

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13 Sep 2016

Creating Awareness among Students of Counselling Support

Schools teach social-emotional skills, provide resilience-building activities, and train teachers to identify and refer students in distress for counselling support.
Awareness is promoted through posters, helplines, and student handbooks, with schools also referring students and families to community resources or mental health professionals.
Outside school hours, 24-hour helplines are available, and parents can seek medical help from family doctors or hospitals.
The Ministry of Education reviews every student suicide case to identify any missed warning signs and is conducting a further review of strategies to prevent such incidents.

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13 Sep 2016

Prevention of Teen Suicides

The Minister outlined a multi-agency approach to address teen suicides, involving programs in schools for psychological resilience, community partnerships, and a 24-hour crisis hotline run by trained adults, while noting that teenagers are not suited to man such hotlines.
International best practices, like Britain's teen suicide prevention strategy, are being reviewed, and Singapore's suicide rates are relatively stable and low, though further studies are underway to understand new developments.
Concerns were raised about teachers' training in handling mental health issues, with the Minister defending the current system but acknowledging the need for continuous improvement and a follow-up from the Ministry of Education.
The Minister emphasized that every suicide is tragic and called for a collective effort from parents, families, and the community to support vulnerable youths and report warning signs.

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13 Sep 2016

Accreditation of Islamic Religious Teachers under Asatizah Recognition Scheme

The Asatizah Recognition Scheme (ARS) currently recognises 1,805 Islamic religious teachers, about 80% of those providing education in Singapore, and will become mandatory from 1 January 2017 with a one-year transition period for others to qualify.
ARS is a joint effort by MUIS, PERGAS, and the Asatizah Recognition Board, with continuous professional education requirements and engagement efforts to support all religious teachers, including those in private madrasahs and home classes.
Non-ARS registered persons teaching religious education to the public may face regulatory measures, and MUIS will ensure providers only engage ARS-registered teachers while educating the public on verified lists.
Foreign religious teachers invited to give public talks in Singapore must apply for a Miscellaneous Work Pass, with MUIS working with the Ministry of Manpower to ensure they meet required standards.

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16 Aug 2016

Career Progression of Dental Surgery Assistants

The Minister stated that the National Dental Centre and Singapore Dental Association jointly run a NITEC in Dental Assisting Programme that trains 25–30 Dental Surgery Assistants (DSAs) annually, with further upskilling opportunities in infection control, patient management, and emergency care.
DSAs can progress to Senior DSAs who take on larger responsibilities such as clinic coordination and training new staff, but the government assessed that registration or licensing is not necessary as dental surgeons remain responsible for patient safety and care standards.
The Ministry of Health is open to considering further enhancements to career progression and deep skilling for DSAs as part of strategic manpower planning, while maintaining that direct patient treatment and management are not part of their role.

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16 Aug 2016

Enhancing Care-giving Options for Dementia Patients

The Ministry of Health is working to make professional caregiving for dementia patients more attractive through structured training, better pay, and awareness campaigns to grow the local workforce.
The government provides subsidies for training foreign domestic workers in dementia care, with thousands having attended relevant courses to better prepare them for caregiving roles.
A comprehensive competency framework for dementia care is being developed to define required skills and guide career development for care staff.

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16 Aug 2016

School Re-admission Assessments for Children of Returning Overseas Singaporeans

Miss Cheryl Chan asked if returning overseas Singaporeans can take school re-admission assessments at local consulates or embassies instead of traveling back to Singapore.
MOE offers multiple admission routes, including the centralized SPERS for secondary and junior college entry, which is held twice a year and is the most convenient option for most families.
For those unable to time their return with SPERS, MOE can help match children to schools with vacancies, and families can also directly approach specific schools for admission.
MOE previously explored overseas assessments but found low demand, so it focuses on ensuring fair and educationally sound placement through SPERS and other local options.
The ministry is committed to helping all returning Singaporean families reintegrate smoothly into the education system.

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16 Aug 2016

Enhancing Competency of Home Team to Tackle Online Crime

Desmond Choo questioned the Ministry for Home Affairs on how it is training Home Team officers to tackle online crimes and whether it is collaborating with the private sector to enhance detection and forensics capabilities.
K Shanmugam stated that the Singapore Police Force provides specialised training, including hands-on instruction for new officers and additional forensic training for Investigation Officers, along with the establishment of a Cybercrime Command and Cybercrime Response Teams.
The Police are engaging financial institutions and online platforms to detect and prevent scams, while also partnering with international and local organizations to strengthen cyber-forensic capabilities.

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16 Aug 2016

Mandatory Prolonged Break during June School Holidays

Melvin Yong asked for the number of schools adhering to the two-week June break guideline, a review to extend it to three weeks, and a daily limit on holiday school hours for remedial or co-curricular activities.
Ng Chee Meng confirmed all schools provide at least two weeks off in June, often more, and explained the guideline balances rest with flexibility for professional development and student needs.
He noted holiday activities like remedial classes and CCAs are planned based on student needs, but a universal hourly limit isn't practical due to varying student profiles and opt-out options.
MOE will continue monitoring schools to ensure judicious planning of holiday activities and maximize vacation time while meeting developmental needs for both teachers and students.

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16 Aug 2016

Average Teacher-Student Ratios over the Decades

The Acting Minister for Education provided average teacher-student ratios (pupil-teacher ratios) for primary, secondary, and junior college levels across several decades, showing progressive improvement from the 1970s to 2015.
Primary school ratios improved from 30 in the 1970s to 16 in 2015, secondary from 25 to 13, and junior college from 25 in the 1980s to 10 in 2015, with no data for JCs in the 1970s.
The minister noted that Singapore's ratios are comparable to OECD averages and reflect increased investment in teacher resources and customized programs for students with special needs.
The improved ratios have contributed to better educational outcomes, including extremely low dropout rates of less than 1% for secondary education.

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16 Aug 2016

Commitment of New Companies in Developing Strong Singapore Core

The Economic Development Board targets investments that align with Singapore’s competitive strengths and constraints to create good jobs for Singaporeans, having secured S$65 billion in fixed asset investments from 2011 to 2015.
The government partners with educational institutions and industry through SkillsFuture, including the Earn and Learn Programme, to equip Singaporeans with relevant skills and foster a Singaporean core in new companies.
The Fair Consideration Framework ensures companies consider Singaporeans fairly for jobs and comply with tripartite guidelines on fair, merit-based, and non-discriminatory employment practices.

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16 Aug 2016

Abuse and Harassment of Students in Orientation Programmes

The debate was triggered by reports of sexualised and abusive activities during orientation programmes at the National University of Singapore (NUS), with questions raised about existing regulations, enforcement, and accountability across tertiary institutions.
The Acting Minister outlined that NUS and other universities have rules, vetting processes, and disciplinary measures in place, but acknowledged that breaches still occur when oversight lapses, and very few complaints have been formally reported over the past five years.
NUS suspended student-organised orientation activities after recent incidents, but the Ministry supports orientation as beneficial, emphasising the need to improve safeguards while preserving its value for student bonding and personal growth.

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16 Aug 2016

SkillsFuture Singapore Agency Bill

The Bill establishes SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG) as a new statutory board under the Ministry of Education to drive lifelong learning, skills mastery, and industry-relevant training for the workforce, integrating and restructuring existing agencies like WDA and CPE.
Parliamentarians broadly supported the Bill, emphasizing the need for SSG to focus on future-proofing skills, ensuring inclusivity for all Singaporeans (including seniors, persons with disabilities, and ex-offenders), and collaborating closely with industry, unions, and educational institutions.
Key suggestions raised included expanding work-study programmes like Earn-and-Learn to mid-career workers, improving guidance for using SkillsFuture Credits, enhancing course quality and relevance, and measuring outcomes through employment and productivity metrics.

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16 Aug 2016

Singapore Workforce Development Agency (Amendment) Bill

The Bill restructures the Workforce Development Agency into Workforce Singapore (WSG) to better align workforce development with industry transformation, focusing on lifelong career support, workforce inclusiveness, and creating quality jobs for Singaporeans.
Speakers emphasized the need to address mismatches in skills, jobs, and expectations, particularly for professionals, managers, executives, and technicians (PMETs), and called for enhanced programs like Professional Conversion Programmes and Career Support Programme.
Debates highlighted the importance of partnerships between government, businesses, unions, and workers, as well as the need for flexible work arrangements, support for SMEs, and ensuring a strong Singaporean core in the workforce.

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16 Aug 2016

Abuse and Harassment of Students in Orientation Programmes

Members of Parliament asked about regulations, standardization, checks, enforcement, and disciplinary actions regarding sexual harassment and abuse during orientation programmes in tertiary institutions.
Specific inquiries were made about the number of complaints, safeguards, monitoring, resources, and the existence of civil or criminal suits related to recent incidents at the National University of Singapore.
The Acting Minister for Education was not present to answer the questions immediately, leading to the responses being provided in written form at a later stage.

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15 Aug 2016

Non-fulfilment of Scholarship Bonds by Foreign Students Graduating from NUS and NTU

Mr Ang Wei Neng asked for statistics on foreign scholarship defaulters from NUS and NTU over the past decade, how universities follow up, and the amount of uncollected damages.
The government reported that about 1% of scholars are defaulters, with another 4% being contacted to verify their bond status, while the rest are serving their bonds, on deferment, or unable to serve due to reasons like illness.
Universities contact scholars who fail to serve their bonds, remind them of their obligations, and may recover liquidated damages from them and their sureties; defaulters who do not comply cannot work or reside in Singapore.
The Ministry of Education plans to tighten and enhance processes for monitoring and enforcing scholarship bonds with all universities.

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15 Aug 2016

Role of Public Universities' Management in Administering Freshmen Orientation Camps

The Minister outlined that public universities have a clear role in vetting and overseeing student-organised freshmen orientation camps, with staff advisors and Student Affairs offices reviewing camp proposals months in advance to revise or remove any inappropriate or unsafe activities.
From 2014 to 2016, autonomous universities held approximately 120 student-organised freshmen orientation camps annually, with the National University of Singapore currently reviewing its orientation processes and the Nanyang Technological University having recently made its programmes more inclusive.
Universities will implement measures such as careful selection and briefing of student leaders and facilitators, ongoing staff oversight during camps, and enforcing Student Codes of Conduct with explicit bans and penalties to prevent future inappropriate activities.

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15 Aug 2016

International Students in Polytechnics and Universities Not Fulfilling Their Scholarship Bonds

Mr Png Eng Huat asked for annual data on international students who did not fulfil their scholarship bonds from 2010 to 2015, the timing of additional tracking measures, and improvements in default rates since enhanced efforts.
Minister Ong Ye Kung stated that there are no MOE scholarships for international students in polytechnics and highlighted that MOE has strengthened enforcement since 2014 by improving data interfaces with agencies like MOM and ICA to track scholars’ employment status.
About 1% of scholars are defaulters, with 4% being contacted to verify their bond status, while the remaining 95% are serving bonds, on deferment, or unable to serve due to reasons like illness, and default rates may fluctuate with economic conditions.

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