Education — Topics

11 Nov 2013

Student Enrolment at Popular Primary Schools

Ms Foo Mee Har asked the Minister for Education whether the capacity of popular primary schools can be increased to meet the high demand from students living within 1 km of the schools.
The Minister for Education, Heng Swee Keat, stated that the Ministry of Education balances school-specific demand with the need to maintain a good learning environment, and cannot indefinitely increase intake as it may affect all students.
He emphasized that MOE ensures sufficient school places are available for all eligible Primary One-going children in each area and focuses on making every school a good school through resourcing, facilities, and programme support.

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11 Nov 2013

Postgraduate Student Population

Assoc Prof Tan Kheng Boon Eugene requested the percentage of foreign postgraduate students at each of the four Autonomous Universities from 2008 onwards.
Heng Swee Keat stated that since 2008, approximately six out of every ten postgraduate students at these universities have been international students.
The response was provided in a parliamentary reply with reference to page 140.

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11 Nov 2013

Rotation of Experienced Teachers

Tan Su Shan proposed a rotational system for experienced teachers to reduce the labeling of "top schools," similar to the existing rotation of principals, and asked if the same principle applies to teachers.
The Minister for Education explained that MOE already deploys a mix of new and experienced teachers, uses mentoring and professional learning communities, and rotates teachers to share experiences across schools.
The Minister confirmed that top-performing teachers are often posted to different schools upon promotion, and principals have some say in teacher postings through open and closed systems, though MOE HQ ultimately decides based on school needs.

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11 Nov 2013

Primary School Students Tested beyond Syllabus Topics

Hri Kumar Nair questioned if primary schools can test students beyond the syllabus and asked for the rationale behind such a practice.
Education Minister Heng Swee Keat stated that while teachers may use external contexts to apply concepts, tests and exams should not assess content outside the syllabus, and MOE does not recommend doing so.
Nair followed up by asking if MOE is considering reducing tuition dependence by ensuring syllabi are realistically teachable within school time.
The Minister responded that the question on tuition is separate and has been addressed previously, and he declined to engage it in this debate.

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21 Oct 2013

Complaints of Child Abuse or Alleged Abuse by Teachers or Staff at Childcare Centres and Kindergartens

David Ong inquired about trends in complaints of child abuse or alleged abuse by teachers or staff at childcare centres and kindergartens, including annual numbers and the potential mandatory installation of CCTVs.
Chan Chun Sing responded that complaints are investigated and most are due to miscommunication or lapses, not wilful harm, with no upward trend in verified cases of child mismanagement between 2011 and 2012.
The Minister highlighted that CCTVs could aid security and fact verification but emphasized the importance of trust between teachers and parents, noting that professional conduct is crucial regardless of technology.
The Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) will continue reviewing standards in regulation, teacher training, centre design, and technology deployment to strengthen the pre-school system.

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21 Oct 2013

Student-Teacher Ratio in Primary and Secondary Schools

The Ministry of Education reported improved student-teacher ratios, with 1:18 in Primary schools and 1:14 in Secondary schools as of 2012, aligning with OECD averages.
Efforts to reduce ratios include recruiting about 2,500 new teachers annually and deploying resources to support low-progress learners with smaller class sizes.
Schools are equipped with Allied Educators and administrative teams to assist teachers, and technology is being used to minimize administrative duties.

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21 Oct 2013

Students Benefiting from Expansion of Edusave Scheme

The Edusave Scheme will be expanded from 2014 to cover all Singapore Citizen children aged seven to 16, including those in madrasahs, home-schooled, and studying overseas.
Approximately 300 Singapore Citizen children per cohort enrolled in madrasahs will benefit from the expanded Edusave Contributions.
Around 50 Singapore Citizen home-schooled children per cohort will now be eligible for Edusave Contributions.
Approximately 1,500 Singapore Citizen children per cohort residing overseas will gain access to Edusave Contributions under the expansion.

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21 Oct 2013

New Running Track for Cedar Girls Secondary School When Current One is Removed

Sitoh Yih Pin asked if Cedar Girls Secondary School could get a new 400-metre running track after its current one is removed in 2017.
Heng Swee Keat explained that the school had been using an old adjacent track temporarily since 1995, but this arrangement will end due to the Bidadari Estate development.
The Ministry noted that secondary schools already have standard sports facilities that meet PE curriculum needs, and schools can use community facilities like nearby stadium tracks.

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21 Oct 2013

Annual Government Expenditure on Education vis-a-vis OECD Average

The Minister stated that Singapore's education expenditure has risen by 40% over five years, reaching $10.5 billion in FY2012, which is 3.1% of GDP and over 20% of total government spending.
While OECD countries spend 4-7% of GDP on education, they allocate only about 13% of their government expenditure to it, significantly less than Singapore's proportion.
The Minister emphasized that educational outcomes, such as Singapore's top PISA rankings in 2009, matter more than expenditure levels, attributing success to teacher quality and resource deployment.
Over 95% of Singapore students advance to post-secondary education, reflecting strong foundations from basic education despite lower GDP spending compared to some high-performing countries.

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21 Oct 2013

Average and Median Household Incomes of Students Who Qualified for Direct School Admission

Janice Koh asked for the average and median household incomes, as well as housing breakdowns, for students who qualified for Direct School Admission (DSA) over the past five years.
The Minister for Education, Heng Swee Keat, stated that MOE does not track household incomes for DSA-admitted students.
He added that around 60% of DSA-admitted students over the last five years lived in HDB flats, with this proportion increasing by about five percentage points.

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21 Oct 2013

Percentage of Students Taking Mother Tongue Language at Higher Level at PSLE and O-levels

Assoc Prof Tan Kheng Boon Eugene requested the percentage of students taking each mother tongue language at the higher level at PSLE and O-levels over the last 10 years.
Heng Swee Keat stated that MOE aims to help students achieve higher proficiency in mother tongue languages if they have the ability, aptitude, and interest.
Over the past decade, the overall percentage of students offering Higher Mother Tongue at PSLE and O-levels increased, from 17.6% to 23.1% at PSLE and 16.3% to 26.9% at O-levels.
For Higher Chinese, the percentage rose from 21.6% to 27.4% at PSLE and 18.2% to 30.1% at O-levels.
For Higher Malay and Higher Tamil, similar increases were observed at both PSLE and O-levels, with Higher Malay rising from 5.7% to 7.1% at PSLE and 8.3% to 10.7% at O-levels, and Higher Tamil increasing from 15.1% to 21.4% at PSLE and 11.5% to 24.7% at O-levels.

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21 Oct 2013

Statistics on Children Exempted from Compulsory Education

Since 2003, an average of around 450 children were exempted from compulsory education annually due to special education needs, around 50 due to home-schooling, and around 300 due to enrolment in designated schools.
Students in designated schools or home-schooling must meet PSLE benchmarks; one designated school has not met its benchmark, and about one-third of home-schooled children annually did not meet theirs.
The average percentage of unsuccessful home-schooling applications for exemption has been below 1% since 2003.

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21 Oct 2013

Public Service Commission (PSC) Scholarship Awards

PSC scholarships are awarded strictly on merit with no racial quotas, and outstanding students from all backgrounds are encouraged to apply.
Between 2004 and 2013, six PSC scholarships were awarded to Malay students, including one President's-cum-Singapore Police Force Overseas Scholarship holder.
These scholars pursued diverse disciplines such as Law, Economics, Biochemistry, and Aeronautical Engineering and were deployed to various government agencies based on their training, preferences, and public service needs.

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21 Oct 2013

Protection for Student Interns

Patrick Tay asked the Minister for Education about protections for student interns from schools, ITEs, polytechnics, and universities against workplace bullying, including physical and non-physical abuse and excessive hours.
Heng Swee Keat explained that schools and PSEIs collaborate with industry partners to ensure meaningful internships and clarify company responsibilities, with students briefed on professional conduct and safety beforehand.
Student interns are given contact numbers for school personnel or assigned liaison officers to report mistreatment, and institutions may transfer students to other companies if issues persist, with officers periodically visiting to monitor welfare.
After internships, students submit reports detailing their experiences, which schools and PSEIs use to provide feedback and work with companies to improve future internship experiences.

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21 Oct 2013

Use of SingPass for Primary School Online Registration

The debate focused on why single parents cannot use their SingPass for Primary 1 online registration, with a question from Lee Li Lian to the Minister for Education.
Heng Swee Keat explained that the standard registration requires both parents' documents to prove their relationship and joint decision, but single parents can register in person with proof of their marital situation.
The online system requires two SingPass entries to verify parents' identities, so single parents must register at the school with documents to confirm their circumstances and prevent disputes.
The Ministry is exploring digital solutions like the P1 Internet System for convenience but must balance verification needs for all family types.
The core concern is ensuring accurate parental consent and reducing disputes, while adapting systems to accommodate single-parent households through alternative channels.

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21 Oct 2013

Professional Development for Special Education Teachers

Denise Phua inquired about enabling special education teachers to access professional development programs from the Academy of Singapore Teachers and Academy of Principals.
Heng Swee Keat confirmed that MOE supports such opportunities, with special education teachers already able to join courses from the Academy of Singapore Teachers and participate in work attachments since 2012.
The Ministry plans to further invite special education teachers to attend teacher-led professional learning programs and will also share course information from the Academy of Principals with special education schools.

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21 Oct 2013

Study Grants for UniSIM Students

Christopher de Souza asked if the Ministry of Education can assist Singaporean students at UniSIM or SIM-administered qualifications with grants, awards, or concessionary loans, and if existing programs can be enhanced.
Heng Swee Keat explained that UniSIM, unlike SIM Global Education, receives MOE subsidies for part-time undergraduate programs similar to NUS and NTU, and Singapore Citizen students can use their Post-Secondary Education Account funds for fees.
MOE has extended the Bursary Scheme to UniSIM for part-time undergraduates with household incomes of $1,700 per capita or below, and introduced Tuition Fee Loans covering up to 90% of subsidised fees, with Study Loans for the remaining 10% for those with incomes up to $2,400 per capita.

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21 Oct 2013

Impact of Training on Workers' Wages

Dr Janil Puthucheary questioned the effectiveness of government training programmes, the number of workers receiving wage increases post-retraining, benefits for PMEs under STEP, and how training outcomes are tracked.
Acting Minister Tan Chuan-Jin highlighted that workforce training, including STEP for PMEs and WTS for lower-wage workers, is tailored with industry input to ensure relevance and support workers during economic restructuring.
Data from 2012 surveys showed that 85% of companies found WSQ training useful, 74% saw productivity gains, and 15% of trainees received wage increases, with a longitudinal study confirming higher wages for trained workers.
The government emphasises lifelong learning and will continue strengthening training systems with tripartite partners to aid job transitions and wage progression, noting non-monetary benefits like motivation and employability.

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21 Oct 2013

Teachers' Workload

The Ministry explains that while student-teacher ratios have improved, class sizes vary based on teacher deployment to support diverse student needs, such as smaller groups for foundation subjects or additional support in literacy programs.
The Ministry emphasizes that teacher quality, not just class size, is the key driver of student outcomes, citing Singapore's strong performance in international studies despite larger class sizes compared to some systems.
Teacher workload is monitored through feedback channels, and the annual resignation rate remains low at around 3%, with workload not identified as a major reason for attrition in exit interviews.

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21 Oct 2013

Concerns about Tuition for Students

Ms Tan Su Shan raised concerns that tuition exacerbates educational inequality and asked if the Ministry of Education (MOE) plans to address this, including by investing more in teachers, revamping teaching methods, and reducing student-teacher ratios.
Heng Swee Keat acknowledged that parents investing in tuition is a global trend, but emphasized MOE’s commitment to providing high-quality, equitable education through various support programmes, multiple learning pathways, and continuous teacher development.
MOE has improved pupil-teacher ratios, recruited and trained more teachers, and implemented initiatives like the Learning Support Programme and smaller classes for struggling students to ensure all learners receive adequate support.
The Minister highlighted that MOE’s efforts have shown positive results, with Singaporean students performing well internationally and disadvantaged students outperforming peers in other developed countries, though improvements are always ongoing.
MOE is enhancing teaching methods through professional development, action research, and the adoption of innovative pedagogical approaches like STELLAR and inquiry-based learning to cater to diverse student needs.

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