Education — Topics

12 Sep 2022

Increasing Capacity of Primary Schools in MacPherson to Cater to New Residences Built

Ms Tin Pei Ling asked if the Ministry of Education will increase the capacity of Geylang Methodist School (Primary) and Canossa Catholic Primary School to cater to new residences in MacPherson.
MOE regularly reviews demand and supply trends, considering current and projected population and housing developments to ensure sufficient school places.
The Ministry has been closely monitoring P1 demand in MacPherson and adjusting yearly intakes as needed, noting there were still 90 P1 places available after Phase 2C in nearby schools.
MOE will continue to monitor trends and adjust P1 intakes if necessary to meet projected demand from new housing developments.

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12 Sep 2022

Proposal for Unused SkillsFuture Credits to be Donated to A Pool for Sharing

Ms Yeo Wan Ling asked about the percentage of unused SkillsFuture funding and proposed allowing unused credits to be pooled for sharing.
Minister Chan Chun Sing noted that as of June 2022, about 29% of eligible Singaporeans had used their credits, and credits are not transferable to encourage personal ownership of learning.
The government has provided top-ups, including a $500 credit in 2020 and an additional $500 for mid-career support, with continued subsidies for course fees.

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12 Sep 2022

Appreciating and Supporting the Well-being of Educators in Singapore

Abdul Samad highlighted recent incidents of disrespect toward teachers, advocating for stronger guidelines and empowerment for educators to handle abusive behavior from students and parents, while calling for policies to improve student discipline, work-life balance, and reduce non-teaching workload.
Patrick Tay supported recent salary adjustments but emphasized that career progression, learning opportunities, and supportive environments are crucial for retaining educators, suggesting sabbaticals, cluster-based exam preparation, and salary reviews for educators in polytechnics, ITE, and the private sector.
Minister Gan Siow Huang acknowledged the educators' contributions, outlining MOE’s measures such as flexible work arrangements, reduced administrative tasks, support for mental well-being, and collaboration with parents and unions to ensure a supportive environment for teachers.

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12 Sep 2022

Wait Times for Childcare and Infant Care Places, and Strategies for Ramping Up Capacity when Needed

The Minister of State explained that wait times for childcare and infant care range from a few weeks to months, as the system balances vacancies, parental preferences, and matching efficiency, noting that maintaining large vacancy buffers would increase costs and fees.
ECDA is on track to deliver 10,000 new full-day preschool places by 2023, with nearly half already created and additional places opened by commercial operators, while working with housing agencies to integrate preschools into new developments.
The government uses demographic and enrolment data to plan capacity, but does not use maternity appointments for planning due to insufficient lead time, and addresses surges from housing sales by extending existing centres where space and manpower allow.
A member highlighted that long travel distances to preschools add stress for families juggling multiple caregiving duties, and asked for an analysis of the costs and trade-offs of maintaining vacancy buffers to better meet parents’ location preferences.
The Minister acknowledged the importance of distance and stated that ECDA actively monitors demand and collaborates with operators to increase capacity in high-need areas, though many centres already operate near full capacity.

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12 Sep 2022

Prohibiting those Convicted of Sexual Offences and Violent Crimes from Practising as Educators or Tutors

Patrick Tay asked the Minister for Education whether those convicted of sexual or violent offences should be banned from working as educators, tuition teachers, or enrichment teachers.
The Minister confirmed that MOE does not hire individuals convicted of such offences and requires registration for tutors at centres, but noted that freelance tutors and private coaches are currently not regulated.
The government is reviewing how to strengthen screening for those working with children, including considering mandatory background checks for freelance providers, while balancing protection and second chances.
MOE urged parents to exercise caution when engaging private tutors, such as not leaving them alone with children, to ensure safety.

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12 Sep 2022

Measures to Improve Work-Life Balance Among Teachers

The Ministry of Education is streamlining administrative processes, such as electronic attendance and central purchasing, to reduce teachers' workload and allow them to focus more on student-centric tasks.
Schools are implementing flexible work arrangements, providing resources for staff well-being committees, and offering support services like counselling and workshops to help teachers manage stress.
The Ministry emphasized the importance of shared expectations with parents, encouraging respectful communication and clear boundaries to prevent unnecessary stress on teachers.
There are ongoing efforts to recruit more teachers and allied educators, improve pupil-teacher ratios, and ensure that all benefits, including salary adjustments, apply to MOE-seconded teachers in special education schools.

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2 Aug 2022

Inflow of Foreign Manpower to Address Shortage of Infant Care Teachers

The Ministry is addressing the infant care teacher shortage by expanding local training initiatives, such as career fairs and conversion programmes, to attract mid-careerists and others into the field.
Foreign manpower is already permitted within existing quotas to supplement the workforce, with less than a quarter of certified early childhood educators being foreigners and a small portion in infant care.
ECDA allows up to 50% of infant care staff to be allied educators or helpers to widen the manpower pool, while also working to improve retention through better career paths and working conditions.

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2 Aug 2022

Training Programmes Under SG Enable to Employers Hiring Individuals with Special Needs

Christopher de Souza questioned whether SG Enable's training programmes for employers include guidance on assuring individuals with special needs about their job competence.
SG Enable's programmes, such as the HIRE Workshops and Open Door Programme, provide comprehensive training on managing and integrating employees with disabilities, including feedback and performance review skills.
The Enabling Academy offers additional resources and toolkits to support employers in disability-inclusive hiring, focusing on building confidence and competency for both employers and employees.

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2 Aug 2022

Data on Outstanding Skill Development Levy Collections Owed by Companies

Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim requested a breakdown of outstanding Skills Development Levy collections owed by companies, separated into public versus private companies and multinational corporations versus small and medium-sized enterprises, and asked whether companies in arrears could access SkillsFuture Credits.
SkillsFuture Singapore explained that variances in SDL payments can arise from actual underpayments or updated employee data, and they are engaging affected employers with all public sector employers having paid in full.
SSG noted it cannot yet provide a breakdown of private companies as the engagement process is ongoing, and clarified that companies cannot access SkillsFuture Credits on behalf of their employees for training purposes.

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2 Aug 2022

Resumption of Schools' Outdoor Adventure Programmes and Trips

Dr Wan Rizal asked whether schools and Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs) have resumed overseas outdoor adventure programmes to strengthen students' mental resilience.
Minister Chan Chun Sing stated that local outdoor adventure learning programmes, such as camps for Primary and Secondary schools, have already resumed.
Overseas trips and outdoor adventure programmes are being gradually resumed, taking into account travel advisories and guidelines.
These overseas visits may include outdoor adventure, experiential learning, and other exchange activities.
The response highlights that schools and IHLs offer both local and overseas opportunities to build student resilience.

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2 Aug 2022

Investigation into Discriminatory Statements by Hwa Chong Institution School Counsellor

Ms Hazel Poa asked the Minister for Education about the duties retained by the Hwa Chong Institution staff involved in discriminatory content and the safeguards to prevent recurrence.
Mr Xie Yao Quan inquired about the timeline for concluding investigations into the counsellor's discriminatory statements and whether any affected students had sought help.
Chan Chun Sing stated the counsellor was suspended pending investigation, the school assured that the views did not represent it, and processes are being reviewed to align with MOE guidelines.

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2 Aug 2022

Infant Care Capacity Taken Up and Ways to Spread Demand to Available Places

There are over 12,000 licensed infant care places, with about 9,700 (80%) currently taken up.
The Early Childhood Development Agency plans to add 1,000 more infant care places in 2022, mainly through Anchor Operators alongside new HDB developments.
To address high demand in popular areas like Punggol, larger preschools are being developed in community premises and vacant state land to serve wider catchments.
Parents are encouraged to consider preschools in adjacent neighbourhoods, near workplaces, or close to grandparents' homes to spread demand.
The Ministry urges broader consideration of preschool options to better align demand with available capacity across different areas.

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1 Aug 2022

Independent Investigation and Review of Hiring Practices of Professors at Autonomous Universities

Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim requested the Ministry of Education to consider an independent investigation into professor hiring practices at Autonomous Universities.
Chan Chun Sing affirmed that Autonomous Universities already have rigorous due diligence processes, including multi-level reviews and verification of credentials through referees, third parties, and networks.
He added that universities verify candidates' publications with journals and publishers and will act on new information, such as rescinding offers or terminating employment.

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1 Aug 2022

Local Researchers and Experts Employed by NUS Infant and Child Language Centre to Conduct R&D Programmes for Malay and Tamil Languages

The NUS Infant and Child Language Centre employs one faculty member, two full-time Research Assistants, and trains three to four undergraduate locals annually, focusing on research for Malay and Tamil languages.
The Centre has collaborated with A*STAR on language acquisition studies and is open to future partnerships with community organizations like Yayasan Mendaki and SINDA when opportunities arise.
Other local universities, such as NTU's National Institute of Education, conduct ongoing research on early childhood language development in Singapore's multicultural context, including bilingual proficiency for Malay and Tamil languages.

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1 Aug 2022

Number of Fraud Cases and Amount Defrauded Since Inception of SkillsFuture Programmes

Leong Mun Wai asked about the annual expenditure and the number of fraud cases and amounts defrauded since the inception of SkillsFuture programmes.
SkillsFuture Singapore was established in 2016 and provides about $700 million in annual subsidies to individuals and companies.
Since 2016, there have been three unrelated fraud cases with a total defrauded amount of about $42 million.
One of these cases involved a criminal syndicate in 2017 that defrauded $40 million.
The Ministry of Education, through SkillsFuture Singapore, coordinates and drives the implementation of the national SkillsFuture Movement.

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1 Aug 2022

Number of Students Who Have Received Counselling on Mental Health-related Issues

Wan Rizal asked the Minister for Education about the number of students from schools and Institutes of Higher Learning who received counselling on mental health-related issues over the past two years.
The Minister responded that approximately 70 out of every 1,000 students received counselling support annually for issues like relationship challenges, anxiety, self-expectations, and family stressors.
A smaller segment of these students specifically received support for mental health-related concerns.
Increased awareness and availability of resources have led to more students seeking help for mental health in the last two years.

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1 Aug 2022

Strengthening Students' Mental Well-being and Mental Health Literacy Through Refreshed Character and Citizenship Education Curriculum

The refreshed Character and Citizenship Education curriculum, which includes a focus on mental well-being and mental health literacy, has been progressively implemented in schools since 2021 and is expected to reach all levels from primary to pre-university by 2023.
The curriculum equips students with skills to build resilience, distinguish normal stress from mental illness, and seek help, while also teaching them to challenge stigma and support peers through established school structures.
Both students and teachers have found the new lessons engaging and relevant, with teachers appreciating the professional development and resources provided to support the delivery of mental health education.

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1 Aug 2022

Removal of Punitive Implications for Teachers Receiving Lower Grades Under Performance Management System of Stacked Ranking

Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked whether MOE will remove punitive implications for teachers receiving lower grades under the stacked ranking system and, if not, why.
MOE explained that it uses relative ranking to recognize high performers with better grades and bonuses, while those struggling get lower grades and reduced bonuses, a practice also seen in the private sector.
All teachers access training and professional development, and weaker performers receive guidance from supervisors to improve; if improvement is lacking, suitability for the Education Service is assessed.
MOE stated it will continue evolving the system with feedback and teacher unions to support weaker performers while maintaining a high-quality teaching force for students' benefit.

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1 Aug 2022

Option for Parents to Register Interest in Multiple Schools in Single Application for Primary 1 Registration

Mr Don Wee proposed allowing parents to register interest in multiple primary schools within a single application during each phase, instead of being limited to one school per phase.
The Ministry of Education explained that the current policy restricts registration to one school per phase to prevent over-advantage to priority groups and ensure broader access to preferred schools.
The Ministry highlighted that in the last three P1 registration exercises, about 98% of registrants secured a place in their chosen school or one within two kilometres of their residence.

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1 Aug 2022

Class Size of Students Enrolled in TRANsition Support for InTegration Programme and Teachers Deployed Per Class

The TRANSIT programme is currently offered in 66 schools and will be available in all schools by 2026, with each school able to support up to 10 Primary 1 students.
On average, four P1 students participated in TRANSIT per school in 2022, though the question on the average, lowest, and highest class sizes was not directly answered with specific figures.
Each school has two to four teachers trained for TRANSIT, who work with Special Educational Needs Officers and other school personnel to support students in small groups and their form classes.

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