Education — Topics

7 Oct 2014

Reducing Homework Load for Students in Primary and Secondary Schools

The Ministry of Education acknowledges that homework helps students master concepts and apply skills, but emphasizes that its amount must be calibrated appropriately based on students' varying needs and abilities.
All schools have established homework policies to define objectives and regulate load, with monitoring processes such as class boards listing assignments to prevent overloading on specific days or weeks.
Schools are committed to balancing homework with students' need for family time, rest, and hobbies, using professional judgement to ensure homework remains effective and appropriate.

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7 Oct 2014

Student Suicides over Last 10 Years

Ms Kuik Shiao-Yin requested statistics and reasons behind student suicides over the past decade, along with education efforts for parents, teachers, and students to recognize symptoms and reduce stigma.
Minister Heng Swee Keat reported that suicide rates among those aged 19 and below fluctuated between 10 to 19 cases per year from 2004 to 2013, with causes including family, relationship, and mental health issues.
The Ministry of Education outlined its support systems, including school referrals, counselor interventions, and partnerships with agencies like IMH and MSF to promote mental well-being and resilience through education and community efforts.

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7 Oct 2014

Professions Covered by Workforce Skills Qualifications Framework

Ang Hin Kee asked which sectors or professions are not covered by the Workforce Skills Qualifications (WSQ) framework under the CET 2020 Masterplan, what measures ensure WSQ reaches these sectors, and whether all public sector training agencies are on the WSQ framework.
The government responded that WSQ frameworks currently cover 34 sectors across manufacturing and services, while construction and maritime sectors have existing training programs with government subsidies, and a tripartite SkillsFuture Council will be established to extend skills development beyond current WSQ frameworks.
The new SkillsFuture Council will develop sectoral manpower strategies to identify skills needs, articulate progression pathways, and help employers hire and develop workers, building on existing WSQ frameworks to support both pre-employment and lifelong training programs.

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7 Oct 2014

Promoting Better Appreciation of Singapore History in Schools

The Ministry of Education is enhancing the study of Singapore history through a new lower Secondary curriculum that begins with early beginnings in the 14th century and uses an inquiry-based approach with historical sources to foster personal relevance and empathy.
Teachers are being equipped to facilitate critical inquiry rather than just deliver content, and schools are encouraged to use external resources like museums and heritage spaces to deepen students' connection to the past.
Beyond formal curriculum, National Education Commemorative Days and SG50 projects like trails and exhibitions allow students to research, curate, and share stories about Singapore’s history, further building appreciation.

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9 Sep 2014

Applied Study in Polytechnics and Institute of Technical Education Review (ASPIRE)

The Senior Minister of State emphasized that ASPIRE is part of a holistic education strategy, linking applied learning across primary, secondary, polytechnic, ITE, and university levels to align education with industry needs and promote lifelong learning.
The debate highlighted the need for mindset change to value skills over qualifications, with the public sector leading by example through integrated career schemes and faster progression for non-graduates, while employers, especially SMEs, are encouraged to adopt training programs and sector-specific frameworks.
Members stressed the importance of industry and employer engagement, with government support schemes like SPRING's grants and WDA's training funding to help businesses invest in human capital, and calls for a taskforce to rigorously define job competencies beyond paper qualifications.

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9 Sep 2014

Applied Study in Polytechnics and Institute of Technical Education Review (ASPIRE)

The debate highlights broad support for the ASPIRE recommendations to broaden career pathways for Polytechnic and ITE graduates, emphasizing skills-based progression, structured internships, and lifelong learning to counter the societal overemphasis on university degrees.
Speakers call for significant mindset shifts among parents, employers, and the government itself, noting that the Civil Service must lead by example to ensure non-graduates are fairly recognized and rewarded based on performance and skills.
Key concerns include the need for better education and career guidance, stronger industry-education collaboration (especially for SMEs), and ensuring that vocational training is practical, respected, and leads to tangible career progression and wage improvements.
The implementation of sector-specific skills frameworks, expanded apprenticeships, and greater support for adult learners are seen as critical to making applied education a viable and respected alternative to academic degrees.

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9 Sep 2014

Availability of Qualified Infant Care Personnel

The Ministry and ECDA are expanding infant care places and addressing manpower shortages through career fairs, traineeships, and flexible training schemes for mid-career entrants and stay-at-home mothers.
A new registration management system aims to clarify true demand by identifying duplicate queues, while targeted subsidies and better site planning are used to match supply with high-need areas like Yishun and Punggol.
The core challenge is recruiting qualified infant educarers, not a lack of physical places; the government is simplifying training, offering incentives, and creating flexible work arrangements to attract and retain talent.

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9 Sep 2014

Graduate Compensation for Non-graduate Preschool Teachers

Tin Pei Ling asked if non-graduate preschool teachers, especially those at Anchor Operators, could be considered for graduate compensation based on merits, similar to moves in other sectors.
The Minister clarified that preschool teaching currently requires only a certificate or diploma, not a degree, and that ECDA is focusing on defining job competencies to improve career progression and align remuneration with performance rather than qualifications.
Tin Pei Ling expressed concern that encouraging teachers to pursue degrees might signal a shift toward requiring degrees for proper childcare, and the Minister reiterated that there is no policy requiring degrees, emphasizing that care and relationship skills are more important than formal qualifications.

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8 Sep 2014

Criteria in Consideration of Schools to be Merged or Relocated

The Minister explained that school mergers are considered based on factors like low enrolment, the need for meaningful class sizes and co-curricular offerings, the suitability of merger partners, and infrastructure capacity, with decisions made qualitatively to ensure optimal resource deployment and a good range of programmes for holistic student development.
To address the discontinuation of established schools, the Ministry emphasises that mergers allow schools to offer richer educational experiences, thereby supporting the stand that every school is a good school, while also preserving the history and heritage of merged schools through documentation and heritage corners.
Regarding "critical mass of students," the Ministry focuses on having sufficient enrolment to support meaningful class organisation, interactions, and a diverse array of curricular and co-curricular activities, rather than a fixed numerical threshold.

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8 Sep 2014

Breakdown of School and Tuition Fees Collected

Mrs Lina Chiam requested a three-year breakdown of school and tuition fees collected from primary, secondary, junior college, pre-university, polytechnic, and university students, categorized by Singapore citizens, permanent residents, and foreigners.
Heng Swee Keat explained that fees are reviewed regularly and differentiated by nationality, with total fees depending on prevailing rates and student enrolment, and provided tables detailing fees for general and post-secondary education.
For Singaporean students, the rise in fee collection is mainly due to increased enrolment in post-secondary institutions and some fee hikes, while for PRs and international students, the increase is primarily due to higher fee increments.

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8 Sep 2014

Review of Decision to Set Up Third Law School

Pritam Singh raised concerns about the relevance of a third law school given the influx of overseas law graduates and challenges fresh graduates face in securing training contracts.
K Shanmugam explained that the third law school was recommended in 2013 to address shortages in criminal and family law, focusing on mature students with relevant experience.
The school aims to meet modest demand by training 50 to 75 Singaporean students annually who might otherwise study law overseas, remaining a valuable addition to legal education.

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8 Sep 2014

Applied Study in Polytechnics and Institute of Technical Education Review (ASPIRE)

The government endorses the ASPIRE report to create multiple education and career pathways for all Singaporeans, emphasising lifelong learning and rewarding skills and performance over academic qualifications alone.
The debate stresses a tripartite approach involving employers, employees, and the government to instil a culture of mastery, where progression is built on deepening, broadening, and applying skills throughout one’s working life.
Speakers highlight the need to overcome societal mindsets that prioritise academic degrees, urging the public sector and employers to lead by example in valuing non-graduate talent and ensuring fair career progression and wages.

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8 Sep 2014

Education Endowment and Savings Schemes (Amendment) Bill

The Education Endowment and Savings Schemes (Amendment) Bill was introduced by Minister for Education Heng Swee Keat to amend the relevant Act, with the bill read for the first time and scheduled for a second reading at the next parliamentary sitting.
The amendment aims to update the Education Endowment and Savings Schemes Act (Chapter 87A of the 2009 Revised Edition) to align with current educational policies and financial schemes.
The debate focused on the procedural introduction and referral of the bill, with no substantive policy arguments or opposition raised during the first reading.
The bill will be printed and proceed to further parliamentary stages as part of the legislative process.
The amendment reflects ongoing efforts to refine educational savings mechanisms to support students and families in Singapore.

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8 Sep 2014

Clarification by Minister for Education

The Minister for Education, Mr Heng Swee Keat, made a clarification regarding the number of schools that conducted balloting.
He corrected his earlier statement, noting that the correct number was four schools, not five as previously mentioned.
The clarification was made in response to a question about the sufficiency of 40 places for Phase 2B and Phase 2C of Primary 1 registration.
The Minister apologized for the error and confirmed the correction during the parliamentary session.
The reference to the official report was cited to provide context for the clarification.

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8 Sep 2014

Sufficiency of 40 Places for Phase 2B and Phase 2C of Primary 1 Registration

The Ministry reserved 40 places in each primary school for Phases 2B and 2C to ensure access for children without prior connections, which has prevented some popular schools from becoming inaccessible in later phases.
Home-school distance is already a key factor in allocation, with priority given to those living closer, but the Ministry does not plan to impose a strict distance limit for attendance due to changing student numbers and the need for critical mass to justify new schools.
The current system encourages parents to consider neighborhood schools, and many are increasingly visiting open houses to evaluate school programs, reflecting a positive response to recent policy adjustments.
The Ministry maintains a balanced approach to Phase 2B, recognizing both anecdotal concerns about volunteerism and the ongoing commitment of many parents, and emphasizes focusing on making every school a good school rather than further altering the registration phases.

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5 Aug 2014

Primary 1 School Registration under Phases 2B and 2C

Assoc Prof Tan Kheng Boon Eugene suggested reserving a fixed percentage (20%-25%) of places in all Primary schools for registrants in Phases 2B and 2C, instead of the current 40 places, to enhance open access, especially in popular schools.
Heng Swee Keat acknowledged the shared goal of ensuring accessibility without prior connections to schools and noted that MOE will monitor the impact of the current 40-place reservation before considering further changes to the P1 framework.
The debate centers on balancing open access to Primary schools through reserved places while assessing the effectiveness of the new policy before making adjustments.

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4 Aug 2014

Keeping Names of Selected Schools

Over 120 schools have been relocated in Singapore, with more than 80% retaining their original names during the move.
The Ministry of Education considers factors like school identity and community resonance when naming schools, but location-based names may be changed to avoid confusion.
MOE documents the history of schools with changed names and displays it in heritage spaces, such as Queenstown Primary School's Heritage Corner.
The ministry is open to reviving old school names for new schools when appropriate, especially those reflecting the community's commitment to education.

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4 Aug 2014

MOE's Payment of Housing Allowances to Officers

Mr Png Eng Huat asked the Ministry of Education about the $2.16 million in housing allowances paid to officers from April 2012 to December 2013, seeking details on the beneficiaries, their nationalities, and the qualifying criteria.
Minister Heng Swee Keat clarified that the allowances are only given to foreign teachers on Foreign Specialist Contracts, who are hired to fill shortages in specialized subjects like Humanities, Art, Music, and foreign languages.
These teachers come from countries such as the UK, Australia, Germany, and Japan, with an average of 46 employed during the queried period, though the number has since decreased to 31.

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4 Aug 2014

Improvements to Teaching of Chinese Language in Schools

The Ministry of Education regularly reviews and enhances Mother Tongue Language (MTL) teaching, implementing measures to boost student motivation and proficiency, such as redesigning instructional materials to use authentic contexts like advertisements and video clips to make learning more relevant and engaging.
Teaching approaches now emphasize interactive activities like group discussions, debates, and role-plays to make learning fun and develop communication skills, while technology tools like the iMTL Portal provide collaborative and personalized learning experiences with instant feedback.
MOE collaborates with parents, community partners, and organizations like the National Library Board and clan associations to create immersive out-of-school environments, including annual Mother Tongue Fortnights and programs that apply MTL skills in meaningful ways like museum guiding.
Through these efforts, MOE aims to ensure MTL remains a living language for students, promoting widespread usage and effective use of Mandarin in daily life, with ongoing reviews to sustain motivation and proficiency.

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9 Jul 2014

More Places in Polytechnics and Universities for ITE and Polytechnic Students

The government has expanded progression pathways, with ITE graduates' entry into polytechnics rising from one in ten to over one in four, and polytechnic graduates accounting for 30% of university places in 2013.
Initiatives like the Direct Entry Scheme to Polytechnic Programme (DPP), the establishment of Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) as a fifth autonomous university, and plans to raise the degree Cohort Participation Rate to 40% by 2020 are increasing opportunities.
The Applied Study in Polytechnics and ITE Review (ASPIRE) Committee is enhancing the quality of education and career prospects for graduates, emphasizing applied learning and multiple pathways, including work-study options.
The minister confirms that more ITE students are expected to progress to polytechnics, not necessarily immediately, and that SIT and UniSIM will provide affordable, applied degree options for polytechnic graduates.
The government supports diversified pathways, recognizing that upgrading can occur through work experience, professional certifications, or further studies tailored to industry needs.

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