Education

Usha Chandradas expressed strong support for the budget and discussed the Culture Pass and visual arts sector, raising questions about its administration and the benefits to artists. Carrie Tan highlighted the need for a paradigm shift in education to focus on personal fulfillment and proposed changes to reduce academic pressure, also addressing declining fertility rates and the need for a narrative shift towards the joys of parenthood. Mariam Jaafar emphasized the importance of resilience in a changing geopolitical landscape and urged investment in supply chain and climate resilience, while calling for diverse and well-rounded education to empower citizens. The Prime Minister responded to various queries about fiscal policies, the rationale behind financial strategies, and the importance of balancing fiscal responsibility with the immediate needs of Singaporeans.

Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked about plans to enhance the curriculum at the National Institute of Early Childhood Development (NIEC) for supporting children with developmental needs. Chan Chun Sing responded that NIEC's training aligns with the Skills Framework for Early Childhood, which requires content on developmental needs and inclusive practices. All pre-service courses at NIEC include mandatory modules on identifying and supporting children with developmental needs. NIEC also offers in-service programmes to further educate current educators on inclusive practices and specialist roles. The institute will continue collaborating with stakeholders to keep its curriculum relevant.

• The number of participants in the ITE Work-Study Diploma programme has increased significantly from about 100 in 2018 to approximately 1,300 in 2024.
• The termination rate for WSDip trainees is low, averaging around 5%, with reasons primarily related to misconduct or poor performance.
• Trainees who believe they were wrongfully dismissed can file claims, and ITE mediates between employers and trainees before termination.
• ITE assists terminated trainees in finding new employment with other participating companies, with about 30% successfully securing new positions.
• Trainees unable to find alternative employment must withdraw from the programme.

• Miss Rachel Ong inquired about the assessment of the Circle of Friends (CoF) initiative's effectiveness in supporting students with special educational needs, including its implementation across secondary schools and differences in effectiveness among various types of disabilities.
• Chan Chun Sing responded that CoF is an evidence-based intervention where peers support students with special educational needs, and all schools have trained personnel for its implementation, though not all schools have adopted it based on individual student needs.
• An evaluation conducted by the Ministry of Education in 2023 indicated improvements in social and behavioral aspects for students with special educational needs involved in CoF, as well as enhanced empathy and responsibility among participating peers.
• The evaluation did not assess differences in effectiveness between neurodivergent students and those with visible physical or sensory disabilities.

• Ms. See Jinli Jean urged the Minister for Manpower to consider making workforce training outcomes a requirement for business grants managed by government agencies to help workers adapt to technological changes.
• Minister Tan See Leng responded that government grants already require businesses to commit to specific workforce outcomes, particularly for those linked to workforce transformation.
• Examples of grants that require commitments to worker outcomes include the Company Training Committee Grant and Enterprise Singapore’s Enterprise Development Grant, which focus on aspects like wage increments and training for existing staff.

• Ms. See Jinli Jean inquired about the training participation rates and employer-sponsored training data across different industries and company sizes in Singapore.
• Minister Tan See Leng provided statistics on the proportion of employed resident trainees receiving employer-sponsored training and shared median and average training days for various worker categories.
• The data includes own account workers, small enterprises, medium enterprises, and large enterprises, but further breakdown by industry was not possible due to insufficient observations.

• Approximately 90 out of 351 schools in Singapore currently offer Malay Dance as a co-curricular activity (CCA), but around 40 schools have discontinued it in the last five years due to changing student preferences and declining cohort numbers.
• The Ministry of Education (MOE) supports Malay dance as an important art form, engaging professional groups to provide workshops and incorporating it into the Singapore Youth Festival Arts Presentation.
• MOE promotes appreciation of Malay culture through various art forms in the curriculum, including exposure to Malay artists, community songs, and traditional music.
• Schools also implement immersive programs like the Mother Tongue Language Fortnight and collaborate with community partners to enhance students' understanding of Malay language and culture.

• The Minister for Education was asked about the average number of secondary school transfer appeals related to the lack of mother tongue language offerings over the past five years.
• The Ministry of Education reported an average of four appeals per year specifically for Tamil Language instruction, which is not available in all secondary schools due to limited teacher supply and low demand.
• Most students studying Tamil Language do so in their secondary schools, while others attend regional centres for additional instruction.
• The Ministry monitors trends in transfer appeals to inform teacher recruitment and deployment, but it is not feasible to offer Tamil Language in every school due to the small number of learners.

• There has been a net increase of 746 food and beverage (F&B) businesses from 2022 to 2023, indicating growth in the sector despite some closures.
• The median income for full-time employed residents in the F&B sector rose by 4.6% during the same period, reflecting positive wage progression.
• The Progressive Wage Model (PWM) was introduced in March 2023 to enhance local wages through skills development and productivity improvements.
• Companies in the F&B sector are now required to provide mandatory training under the Workforce Skills Qualification (WSQ) framework to support worker skill development.
• There is a call for a sectoral skills accreditation framework to help workers advance in their careers and wages amidst industry churn.

• The Ministry of Defence regularly surveys Singaporeans' awareness and support for Total Defence, with a recent survey indicating about 90% willingness to participate.
• Digital Defence, introduced as the sixth pillar of Total Defence in 2019, focuses on protecting against online threats like disinformation and scams.
• Initiatives such as the National Cybersecurity Campaign and workshops aim to educate various population segments on cybersecurity and resilience against cyberattacks.
• The Critical Infrastructure Defence Exercise (CIDeX) is conducted annually to enhance the cyber readiness of Singapore's Critical Information Infrastructure systems.
• MINDEF emphasizes the importance of raising digital literacy and good cybersecurity habits among Singaporeans to create a safer digital environment.

• Patrick Tay raised concerns about the need for anonymous reporting channels for staff, students, and teachers to report discrimination and sexual misconduct without fear of retaliation.
• Chan Chun Sing responded that the Ministry of Education has established processes for reporting wrongful practices but requires individuals to disclose their identity to ensure thorough investigations and accountability.
• The Ministry acknowledges the apprehension individuals may feel when reporting and emphasizes the confidentiality of reports, while also stating that retaliation against whistleblowers is prohibited and subject to disciplinary action.
• Anonymous reports may be considered, but their effectiveness is limited by the need for detailed information and follow-up questions.
• The Ministry is committed to fostering a safe environment for reporting concerns and aims to change the perception of reporting from disloyalty to a vital contribution to integrity.

• Louis Ng Kok Kwang inquired about the timeline for the pilot extension of the Development Support and Learning Support (DS-LS) Programme for differently-abled children at the nursery level and the criteria for making it permanent.
• The DS-LS Programme currently supports preschool children aged five and six with mild developmental delays and was piloted for children aged three to four in 2022.
• The Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) is reviewing the pilot's outcomes in collaboration with a consultancy team from KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital.
• Factors for evaluating the pilot's success include the effectiveness of support provided, required resources, and how the programme integrates with existing early intervention services.

• Patrick Tay proposed expanding the UPLIFT Scholarship to all lower-income students in independent schools, not just those admitted through Direct School Admissions or Edusave Scholarships.
• Chan Chun Sing explained that the UPLIFT Scholarship is currently limited to students who meet specific criteria, including being Edusave Scholarship recipients or admitted via Direct School Admissions.
• The Ministry of Education provides additional financial assistance for lower-to-middle income students in independent schools, including full subsidies for those with a gross household income of $3,000 or less.
• Students with a gross household income between $3,001 and $4,400 receive significant fee subsidies, ensuring they pay similar fees to those in government schools.
• The Ministry regularly reviews financial assistance schemes to ensure all deserving students have access to educational opportunities.

• The spending on preschool education in Singapore increased from $1 billion in 2018 to $1.3 billion in 2023, attributed to higher enrollment in full-day childcare and inflation.
• The government has implemented various measures to enhance affordability, including basic subsidies for all Singapore Citizen children and additional subsidies for lower-income families.
• Fee caps for preschool services have been progressively reduced, resulting in a decrease in median childcare fees from $800 in 2018 to $720 in 2023.
• The household income ceiling for additional subsidies was raised from $7,500 to $12,000 in 2020, allowing more families to benefit from financial support.
• A median-income household now spends a lower percentage of their income on preschool education, decreasing from 4.9% in 2018 to 3.1% in 2023.

• The debate focused on the need to enhance the matching of training to industry skills and improve placement outcomes, particularly in light of rising unemployment among non-trainees.
• Ms. See Jinli Jean raised concerns about unemployed individuals lacking clarity on which skills to develop and questioned the government's strategies to promote skills-based hiring among employers.
• The Minister of State for Education, Ms. Gan Siow Huang, highlighted resources available through the Jobs-Skills Portal and career centers to assist individuals in identifying relevant skills and career options.
• The government is encouraging employers to adopt skills-based hiring practices to widen the talent pool and improve workforce development, supported by initiatives like Career Health SG.
• There is an acknowledgment of the need for better outreach to unemployed individuals and collaboration with various stakeholders to promote skills-first hiring across different sectors.

• Mr. Gan Thiam Poh raised a question about increasing training opportunities in artificial intelligence for Singaporean PMETs to enhance their skills and competitiveness.
• The Senior Minister of State for Digital Development and Information, Mr. Tan Kiat How, referenced previous parliamentary discussions on the government's training initiatives for workers in AI.
• The government plans to provide updates on its training efforts in AI during the upcoming MDDI Committee of Supply debate.

• Ms. Carrie Tan raised concerns about the impact of the Progressive Wage Model (PWM) on local micro businesses and inquired about tailored training programs and potential exemptions to alleviate their costs.
• The Senior Minister of State for Manpower, Mr. Zaqy Mohamad, acknowledged the challenges faced by businesses due to rising costs and highlighted government initiatives like the Workfare Skills Support and Progressive Wage Credit Scheme to support wage increases and training.
• Mr. Zaqy emphasized the importance of transforming business models and improving productivity, mentioning available grants and support for micro businesses to adapt to the PWM.
• Ms. Tan sought clarification on whether micro businesses were consulted in the design of training programs and requested an extension of credit subsidies to aid their transformation.
• Mr. Zaqy assured that the government engages with micro businesses through Industry Transformation Maps and offers various schemes to support their workforce and operational costs.

The Minister of State for Education, Ms. Gan Siow Huang, highlighted the Ministry of Education's commitment to supporting students with higher needs through various programs. Schools implement specialized academic interventions like the Learning Support Programme for literacy and numeracy in primary and secondary education. Partnerships with volunteers and self-help groups aim to provide affordable academic support, exemplified by the Collaborative Tuition Programme offering subsidized tuition for lower-income households. A correction was later issued to clarify details in her previous statement regarding the focus on primary school students.

Yip Hon Weng raised concerns regarding the potential correlation between preschoolers spending over 40 hours a week in childcare and their performance in English and Mathematics in later schooling. Masagos Zulkifli B M M stated that the Government does not track individual hours in preschool but noted a trend towards full-day childcare enrollment among parents. The Early Childhood Development Agency has initiated programs to enhance the quality of preschool education and support holistic child development, including updated learning frameworks and the Singapore Preschool Accreditation Framework (SPARK) 2.0. The Minister emphasized the critical role of parental involvement in child development and encouraged employers to foster family-friendly work environments.

Hazel Poa raised a question about whether the assault incident at Admiralty Secondary School on 7 January 2025 has prompted a review of the existing punishment and procedures for handling assault and bullying in schools. Chan Chun Sing indicated that this issue was addressed in a previous oral reply on 4 February 2025, referring to an official report for more information.