Education — Topics

1 Aug 2022

Education and Reskilling Programmes for Prisoners

Minister K Shanmugam stated that education and reskilling programmes for inmates are provided by the Singapore Prison Service and Yellow Ribbon Singapore, with admission based on factors like entry requirements, conduct, medical condition, interest, and remaining incarceration time.
He confirmed there is currently sufficient capacity for these programmes, and inmates not placed in them did not meet the admission criteria, rather than facing waiting lists due to capacity constraints.
Inmates serving long sentences, such as life imprisonment or 20 years or more, can access programmes if they meet admission considerations, but must have enough time left to complete most of the curriculum while still incarcerated.

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1 Aug 2022

Preventive Drug Education for Youths Travelling Overseas Given Legalisation of Cannabis Trade in Thailand

Minister K Shanmugam highlighted that cannabis use carries significant short-term and long-term harms, including cognitive impairment, mental health risks, and irreversible brain damage, and reiterated that it remains a controlled drug in Singapore.
Singapore law enforces extraterritorial jurisdiction, making it an offence for citizens and permanent residents to consume cannabis abroad, even if legally in another country.
The Central Narcotics Bureau conducts preventive education through advisories, social media, and tailored programmes for schools and youth influencers, including collaborations like the "The Adventures of Piller Parker" and "Drug Abuse, No Excuse" campaigns on platforms like Instagram and TikTok.

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1 Aug 2022

Students Unsuccessful in Getting into School of Choice in Secondary School Posting Process

The Secondary One posting process after PSLE is based on merit, choice order, and citizenship, with over 80% of students placed in a top-three choice and over 90% in one of their six choices.
Students not placed in any of their six choices are allocated to the nearest school with vacancies in an eligible course.
The debate focused on the parameters for school posting allocations and whether distance from home is a priority factor.

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1 Aug 2022

Absenteeism Rate of Preschool Children in Bottom 20% of Socioeconomic Groups by Age and Ethnicity

Mariam Jaafar asked the Minister for Social and Family Development for absenteeism rates among preschool children in the bottom 20% of socioeconomic groups, broken down by age and ethnicity.
The Minister, Masagos Zulkifli, stated that preschools are not required to submit detailed attendance records to ECDA, so the requested specific data is unavailable.
Available data from a major Anchor Operator shows lower-income children have about 10 percentage points lower attendance rates than their peers.
Programmes like KidSTART and Community Link work with preschools to support lower-income families and address barriers to regular attendance.
ECDA is collaborating with Anchor Operators to implement regular submission of attendance records for all enrolled children as part of ongoing efforts.

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1 Aug 2022

Confidentiality Maintained by School Counsellors for Students They Counsel

School counsellors are obliged to maintain confidentiality with students but must inform them of its limits, such as when there are concerns about student safety (e.g., harm to self or others), which may require communication with parents and school leaders.
Students who receive counselling are not excluded from school-based leadership opportunities if they meet the selection criteria, as these are based on multiple factors including qualities, past participation, and interest.
The Ministry of Education is raising awareness through the refreshed Character and Citizenship Education curriculum, teaching students about mental health, empathy, and how to seek help, while also disseminating information on counselling services to students and parents via various platforms.
School counsellors work closely with teachers and parents to promote positive help-seeking behaviours, assuring students that seeking counselling is a natural means of coping with mental health issues.

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1 Aug 2022

Ensuring Objective, Evidence-based and Non-discriminatory Sexuality Education in Schools

MOE regularly reviews its Sexuality Education curriculum using research, expert input, and stakeholder feedback to address public concerns and ensure it is evidence-based.
Sexuality Education teachers are specially selected, trained, and expected to exercise professionalism by not imposing personal or religious views or advancing any advocacy or political interests.
The programme is secular, aligned with Singapore’s mainstream values, and focuses on age-appropriate knowledge and skills that promote respect, empathy, and the evaluation of multiple perspectives without discrimination or stigmatisation.
Schools are committed to fostering a caring, respectful, and enabling environment that supports positive relationships and reduces harm.

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1 Aug 2022

Efforts to Support Students and Staff After Alleged Murder in River Valley High School

Schools have strengthened mental health support through more counsellors, teacher training, peer support structures, and dedicated check-in time, leading to more help-seeking behavior from students.
All schools now have peer support systems, and MOE has enhanced staff well-being with wellness ambassadors, resources, and access to a 24/7 government counselling hotline.
Security measures are regularly reviewed, with emergency drills practiced twice a year, and MOE commits to refining efforts to ensure student and teacher safety and well-being.

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1 Aug 2022

Actions Taken by SkillsFuture Singapore in light of Lapses in Disbursement of Grants

SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG) is recovering an estimated $4.22 million in overpaid grants due to inaccurate declarations and manual processing errors, and has implemented a new IT system to verify eligibility using government data to prevent recurrence.
SSG is addressing a $43 million variance in Skills Development Levy (SDL) collection from 2015-2020 through a risk-based approach, with plans to launch a new IT system by mid-next year and engage employers to reconcile and collect outstanding payments.
Accountability will be enforced, with individuals found negligent facing action, and SSG is reviewing business rules, the SDL Act, and contract terms with service providers, while working with GovTech to enhance systems and ensure grants for legitimate lifelong learning continue uninterrupted.

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5 Jul 2022

Awareness of Workers' Rights under Singapore Employment Laws

The Minister for Manpower highlighted that the Workright initiative, launched in 2012, uses education and enforcement to promote awareness of workers' rights, including roadshows, published guides, and collaborations with educational institutions.
Post-Workright surveys indicate that awareness of basic employment rights among lower-wage workers is high, at over 70%, and MOM conducts about 5,000 annual inspections to ensure compliance and educate employees.
While the government notes the NUS study's findings, it plans to incorporate them into its own surveys and outreach programs, working with tripartite partners to enhance efforts in safeguarding workers' rights.

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5 Jul 2022

Steps Taken to Professionalise Blue-collar Trades in Construction Industry for Singaporeans

The Government is leveraging the Construction Industry Transformation Map to reduce reliance on migrant workers and create higher-skilled jobs through technology like Design for Manufacturing and Assembly, which generates roles such as production managers and precision crane operators with competitive wages.
Existing programmes like the ITE Work-study Diploma and Career Conversion Programmes are being built upon to upskill students and mid-career entrants for these new technical roles in the construction sector.
The Building and Construction Authority is conducting a Jobs Transformation Map study for the Built Environment sector to identify in-demand jobs, redesign roles, and develop targeted interventions with industry partners, aiming for completion in the second half of the year.

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5 Jul 2022

Greater Pay Incentives for Counsellors Across Schools and Tertiary Institutions

Christopher de Souza asked the Minister for Education about enhancing pay incentives for school counsellors across all levels to attract high-quality professionals and maintain low student-to-counsellor ratios.
The Ministry of Education and Institutes of Higher Learning periodically review salaries to keep remuneration competitive and make market-paced adjustments.
MOE is collaborating with the Public Service Division to review salaries for counsellors under its schemes.
Beyond pay, counsellors receive professional development opportunities, including training and clinical supervision, to support retention and competency.
The overall approach aims to balance competitive compensation with professional growth to ensure effective student support.

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5 Jul 2022

Number of Schools Practising Autonomy to Adopt a Later School Start Time

Mr Yip Hon Weng asked how many schools adopt a later start time after 7.30 am and how MOE encourages this autonomy.
Minister Chan Chun Sing stated that all schools start no earlier than 7.30 am, with about one in seven Primary, half of Secondary, and most Junior Colleges starting later on at least three days a week.
Schools decide start times based on student profiles, after-school programmes, transport, and local conditions, with MOE granting autonomy to choose between 7.30 am or later.

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5 Jul 2022

International Academic Advisory Panel's Recommendations on Development of Singapore's Higher Education Landscape

Patrick Tay asked which IAAP recommendations on higher education will be adopted, how they will be implemented, and when.
The Ministry of Education affirmed IAAP’s key directions: curricula balancing core depth with multidisciplinary exposure, flexible learning pathways like stackable modules and blended learning, and industry-academic collaboration.
MOE will study and progressively implement ideas such as new partnership models to aggregate skills demand and adjust career tracks to attract industry expertise.

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5 Jul 2022

Impact of Proposed Expansion of POSB Smart Buddy Programme on Primary School Students

Tan Wu Meng inquired whether the Ministry of Education has studied the short- and long-term impacts of early exposure to e-payments on primary school children, including those with and without prior experience using physical currency, and what the results of such studies are.
Chan Chun Sing responded that MOE has partnered with DBS to implement e-payment infrastructure in all primary schools by 2025, offering cashless options alongside continued cash payments, and that a 2018 pilot study showed positive feedback on students developing financial habits like tracking spending and saving.
The Ministry emphasized that teaching money management—whether through cash or digital means—is key to preparing students for a cashless world, and it will continue to monitor and guide students in developing financial literacy.

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4 Jul 2022

Take-up Rates for Various Digital Support Programmes and Ensuring Availability of Digital Learning Devices for Students

Several MPs raised questions about the percentage of students in rental flats without digital devices or internet access, the take-up rates of IMDA’s digital support programmes, and the projected timeline for reaching vulnerable households.
The Minister noted that over 90% of low-income households with school-going children have computer access, and IMDA’s NEU PC Plus and Home Access programmes supported 39,000 households from 2020 to 2022, with increased outreach through pre-qualification and collaboration with social agencies.
The government is working to streamline applications, enhance programme offerings, and strengthen inter-Ministry efforts to reduce the digital divide across income brackets.

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4 Jul 2022

Programmes to Train Seniors to Adopt Digital Services Including Making Online Purchases and Using Digital Banking Services

The Seniors Go Digital Programme, led by the SG Digital Office, has engaged over 130,000 seniors through one-to-one and group sessions, teaching them digital skills for government services, online banking, and medical bill payments via HealthHub, with about nine in ten reporting continued use of these skills.
The Mobile Access for Seniors Scheme, managed by IMDA, provides subsidised devices and connectivity to lower-income seniors, benefiting over 9,000 individuals since 2020, and is complemented by the Tech Connect programme offering one-to-one assistance at community centres.
Additional support includes the Smart Nation Digital Government Office’s online resources, the Digital for Life movement engaging private and public partners for scam and digital safety education, and integrated ServiceSG Centres offering first-stop assistance for digital government services.

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4 Jul 2022

Provision of Training and Assistance to Polyclinics and GPs to See Patients with Intellectual Disability for Basic Healthcare Treatment

Christopher de Souza inquired about the training and assistance available for polyclinics and general practitioners to treat patients with intellectual disabilities for basic healthcare needs such as flu, fever, and coughs.
The Ministry of Health ensures that medical students receive training to care for persons with intellectual disabilities as part of local undergraduate education.
MOH collaborates with the College of Family Physicians Singapore to offer a Family Practice Skills Course to enhance medical practitioners' ability to manage the physical health and behavioral concerns of these patients in primary care settings.

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4 Jul 2022

Proportion of Children Aged Four Enrolled in Preschool, Target Enrolment and Plans to Include Them in MOE Kindergartens

Mariam Jaafar inquired about the proportion of four-year-olds enrolled in preschool across income levels, the Government's target enrolment rates, and plans to include four-year-olds in MOE Kindergartens.
Masagos Zulkifli stated that in 2021, preschool participation for children aged three to four in public rental flats was 80%, slightly below the national average of 88%, and that the Government focuses on ensuring access to affordable quality preschools rather than setting specific targets.
He noted that lower-income families receive automatic eligibility for maximum subsidies and programs like KidSTART support enrolment from age three.
Regarding MOE Kindergartens, there are no plans to expand them to include four-year-olds; instead, MOE is piloting an MK-Early Years Centre model with Anchor Operators to provide preschool education from two months to six years.

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4 Jul 2022

Data on Primary 4 Students Failing One, Two or More Subjects or Passing All Subjects and Living in Public Rental Flats

Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked the Ministry of Education for the percentage of Primary 4 students living in public rental flats who failed one subject, failed two or more subjects, or passed all subjects over the past five years, and whether the ministry would collect this data if unavailable.
Chan Chun Sing provided average figures from the past five years, showing that 4.5% of students who failed one subject, 12.6% who failed two or more subjects, and 0.8% who passed all subjects live in public rental flats.
The Ministry noted that schools support struggling students through remediation and foundation-level subjects from Primary 5 to strengthen fundamentals for secondary school.

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4 Jul 2022

Data on Schools Offering Flexible Work Arrangements and Staggered Working Hours for Teachers in Past Five Years

Louis Ng asked for the number and percentage of schools offering flexible work arrangements and staggered working hours for teachers over the past five years, and whether MOE would collect such data if unavailable.
Chan Chun Sing responded that MOE provides part-time work options in all schools, with about 3.6% of teachers on part-time arrangements from 2017 to 2021.
School leaders have autonomy to implement other flexible arrangements like staggered hours or work-from-home when operationally feasible, without needing to report to MOE HQ.
MOE is committed to supporting teacher well-being through flexible work arrangements while ensuring responsibilities to students are met.
The debate highlights that while some data exists, detailed annual breakdowns by school are not systematically collected or reported by MOE.

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