Education

• Dennis Tan Lip Fong questioned the relevance of the PSLE's academic rigour, including rote memorisation, in preparing students for an AI-driven economy and fostering a love for learning.
• The Senior Minister of State for Education, Dr. Janil Puthucheary, responded that the PSLE assesses core concepts and critical thinking, and does not emphasize rote learning.
• Dr. Puthucheary highlighted that schools incorporate co-curricular and applied learning programs to develop 21st Century Competencies, including collaboration and inventive thinking.
• Tan raised concerns about the integration of inquiry-based and collaborative learning in all schools, especially those serving lower-income communities, and inquired about comparative studies with other education systems.
• Dr. Puthucheary assured that inquiry-based learning is a core skill for educators and that there is ongoing collaboration and learning from other education systems to improve teaching methodologies.

• The percentage of challenging questions in the 2025 PSLE papers for each main subject is approximately 15%, and these questions are based on the primary school syllabus.
• Challenging questions require students to apply knowledge in novel contexts, but do not necessitate knowledge beyond the curriculum.
• The Ministry of Education ensures accessibility for all students, including those without private tuition, by using age-appropriate language and scaffolding in question design.
• Higher order thinking skills, necessary for answering challenging questions, are taught within the formal education system and are not solely reliant on private tuition.
• The inclusion of challenging questions aims to accurately assess the abilities of students who can handle them, rather than serving as a sorting mechanism based on resources for tuition.

• The debate focused on addressing high stress levels among teachers in Singapore, as highlighted by the OECD TALIS 2024 study, with various members asking about measures to support teachers' mental health and well-being.
• Concerns were raised about the low proportion of younger teachers and their intention to leave the profession, prompting discussions on recruitment and support for beginning teachers.
• The Minister for Education outlined several initiatives to reduce teachers' non-instructional duties, including the use of technology and AI, increased staffing support, and flexible work arrangements to help manage workload.
• Members emphasized the need for ongoing monitoring of teacher workload and the importance of creating a supportive environment for educators, including better communication with parents.
• The Minister acknowledged the complexity of teaching today and reiterated the commitment to improving teachers' work-life balance while ensuring that educational reforms benefit students.

David Hoe questioned the Ministry of Education regarding the relevance of specialized schools like Crest and Spectra Secondary Schools in light of full subject-based banding. Desmond Lee affirmed that these schools provide a specialized curriculum designed for students who prefer hands-on learning and remain relevant due to their unique offerings. Students in these schools can take certain subjects at G2-level based on their aptitude and interests. Additionally, these specialized schools receive enhanced resources, including increased funding and favorable teacher-to-student ratios to support their educational programs.

Cai Yinzhou asked about the proportion of local workers in sea-based fish farms who are graduates from local Institutes of Higher Learning or Continuing Education and Training programmes related to aquaculture, as well as their employment status in funded farms. Grace Fu noted that the Singapore Food Agency does not track data on graduates from these institutions who work in sea-based fish farms or those employed by farms receiving funding under the Agri-Food Cluster Transformation Fund.

Wan Rizal requested information from the Home Affairs Minister regarding police activations for suicide risk over the last five years, including age breakdowns, average response times, officer training proportions, and post-incident partnerships. K Shanmugam explained that the police do not track the number of such activations but aim to respond within 15 minutes to suicide-related incidents. All frontline officers receive training to handle various incidents, including a Mental Health Awareness Course to recognize and engage with individuals facing mental health issues. The police collaborate with resources like DART and the Crisis Negotiation Unit for complex cases and have protocols for referring individuals to mental health professionals, such as the Crisis Response Team from the Institute of Mental Health.

Alex Yam asked about the effects of training more religious leaders overseas on Singapore's social fabric, collaboration with religious organizations to uphold multicultural values, and measures to enhance social cohesion while respecting religious freedom. David Neo emphasized the importance of religious leaders in promoting care, compassion, and navigating issues within Singapore's multicultural context. He stated that commitment to social harmony is essential for both locally and overseas-trained religious leaders, highlighting local training initiatives like those at Trinity Theological College and MUIS. Programs promoting social mixing and mutual understanding among communities, such as Racial and Religious Harmony Circles, were also mentioned as vital for fostering trust and cohesion.

Assoc Prof Jamus Lim questioned the rationale behind the Joint Admission Exercise for junior colleges (JCs), specifically regarding the order of allocating students to JCs without considering their eligibility for preferred streams. Desmond Lee clarified that students specify their intended Arts or Science course when applying, and they are allocated to the JC and course based on whether they meet the relevant cut-off points. In some cases, JCs may advise students to change subject combinations if they anticipate difficulties, citing an instance from 2025 where a student faced such an issue.

Diana Pang Li Yen asked the Minister for Education about incentives and guidelines for schools to open facilities for community use, as well as support mechanisms for principals. Desmond Lee stated that the Ministry of Education partners with Sport Singapore and the People's Association to promote community access to school facilities outside school hours, with approximately 180 school fields and 220 indoor sports halls currently available. He noted that 90% of government schools participate in the Dual-Use Scheme (DUS), which simplifies the booking process and minimizes administrative burdens for schools. The Ministry will continue to support community access to school facilities while encouraging proper care of these facilities by users.

Chua Kheng Wee Louis asked about the Ministry of Education's oversight of school bus operators' operational performance standards. Desmond Lee confirmed that the Ministry sets performance requirements for bus operators serving mainstream schools, focusing on safety, reliability, and service quality. Special education (SPED) schools establish their standards in collaboration with social service agencies to address specific transportation needs. Both mainstream and SPED schools selected bus operators through a competitive bidding process, emphasizing competitive bus fares and evaluating factors like operators' track records and fleet capacity.

Yip Hon Weng raised concerns about the procedures followed by teachers during investigations of serious disciplinary incidents, such as alleged theft, and suggested the need for parental involvement to protect students from potential mental intimidation. Desmond Lee responded that schools have established measures to ensure student well-being during these investigations, including conducting interviews in safe locations with familiar staff and providing support for distressed students. However, current protocols do not mandate the presence of parents or guardians during such investigations.

Hany Soh raised concerns about businesses offering Will and Probate courses and the potential need for regulation to protect the public and the legal profession. Edwin Tong clarified that such courses are not exclusive to the legal field, but emphasized that only advocates and solicitors can provide legal advice. He advised the public to verify the credibility of course providers before enrollment and encouraged individuals seeking legal advice to consult a licensed lawyer. Additionally, he mentioned that resources for will-making can be found on the Government’s My Legacy @ LifeSG website.

Cai Yinzhou asked the Minister for Education about measures to address a child's aggressive behavior in bullying cases when the family is not willing to cooperate in intervention efforts. Desmond Lee responded that this issue was previously addressed in a written reply on 14 October 2025, and referred members to the relevant documents for more details.

Elysa Chen asked the Minister for Education about the possibility of establishing more primary schools in the Bishan East-Sin Ming region due to increasing enrolment demands and the need to reduce travel distances for students. Desmond Lee responded that the Ministry of Education regularly reviews school demand and supply, and for this region, there is currently sufficient primary school capacity within one to two kilometers. He noted that the projected increase in demand from new housing developments is balanced by a decrease in demand from older areas of Bishan. Therefore, there are no immediate plans to build new schools, as the Ministry aims to prevent oversupply and ensure a diverse range of programs. Monitoring will continue to address changes in demand.

• The Minister for Manpower outlined that all first-time migrant domestic workers (MDWs) must complete a Settling-In Programme (SIP) that includes safety training for high-risk tasks before starting work.
• The SIP training is conducted in the MDWs' native languages and is regularly updated, with the latest review occurring in May 2025.
• New employers of MDWs are required to attend an Employers' Orientation Programme that highlights their responsibilities for ensuring a safe work environment.
• Employers must sign a safety agreement with MDWs, committing to comply with safety regulations, particularly regarding cleaning high-rise windows.
• Employment agencies also provide pre-employment training for MDWs on safety practices related to common household tasks.

• The Strategic Partnership Co-Curricular Activity (SP-CCA) allows secondary students from different schools to engage in sports beyond their school's offerings.
• In 2025, there are 232 students from 86 schools participating in SP-CCAs, with an increase from 139 students from 64 schools in 2024.
• The current training venues for SP-CCAs are deemed adequate, but the Ministry of Education (MOE) is open to exploring additional locations if necessary.
• The MOE supports the initiation of cluster-based CCAs by schools to provide a broader range of activities and foster student connections.

• The Smart Facilities Management (SFM) system is designed to assist facilities management officers (FMO) rather than replace them, aiming to enhance operational efficiency in schools.
• SFM allows for real-time monitoring of infrastructure and utility consumption, facilitating data-driven decision-making and reducing manual tasks.
• The implementation includes a change management plan that involves training to upskill and reskill FMOs for the new system.
• The initiative aims to improve building performance and the overall experience for students and teachers in educational environments.

• Teachers in Singapore have reported an average of 53 working hours per week over the past five years, with approximately 14 hours dedicated to classroom instruction.
• The remaining hours are spent on essential activities such as lesson preparation, co-curricular activities, and professional development.
• The Ministry of Education has implemented initiatives to reduce administrative workload, including the use of technology and dedicated administrative staff in schools.
• Administrative work for teachers has decreased from five hours per week in 2021 to four hours per week currently.
• The Ministry plans to continue streamlining processes and utilizing technology, including artificial intelligence, to further assist teachers in managing their workload.

• Kenneth Tiong Boon Kiat questioned the Ministry of Education about the definition of bullying and its standardization across schools.
• The Ministry of Education distinguishes bullying as persistent and intentional hurtful acts, while other hurtful behaviors are categorized as one-off comments or fights.
• Schools are provided with guidelines to create discipline policies tailored to their student profiles, employing a tiered approach for disciplinary actions based on the severity of incidents.

• Patrick Tay raised concerns about the need to improve the staff-to-children ratio in MOE-run kindergartens and government-supported preschools to better support educators and parents.
• Masagos Zulkifli emphasized that current staff-to-children ratios are minimum requirements aimed at ensuring children's safety and well-being, and many institutions operate with more staff than required.
• The Ministry of Social and Family Development is implementing various measures to enhance the well-being of early childhood educators, including changes to operational requirements and professional development opportunities.
• Initiatives such as designating holidays for educators and appointing relief staff are part of efforts to improve working conditions and support educators' personal and professional needs.