Education — Topics

3 Nov 2021

Data on Reported Bullying Incidents in Primary and Secondary Schools in 2019 and 2020 and Plans to Facilitate Reporting of Bullying Cases

Member of Parliament Melvin Yong asked for specific data on bullying incidents in 2019 and 2020, including cases where the bully was expelled, cases resolved by the victim transferring schools, and plans to improve bullying reporting.
Education Minister Chan Chun Sing stated that most bullying cases are addressed through educational and restorative approaches, with disciplinary actions tailored to the severity and age of the student involved.
The Minister noted that serious bullying incidents resulting in expulsions or transfers were rare, and the Ministry does not centrally track such details.
He affirmed that students are taught safe reporting channels and that all reported cases are investigated and followed up.

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3 Nov 2021

Proposal to Make Changes to School Curriculum to Lessen Amount of Homework that May Exacerbate Stress and Anxiety during COVID-19 Endemic

Christopher de Souza proposed reducing homework in the school curriculum to lessen student stress and anxiety during the COVID-19 endemic.
Chan Chun Sing stated that MOE ensures homework loads remain manageable through school policies and a balanced approach that includes family time and rest.
He emphasized that keeping schools open and maintaining Home-Based Learning provided normalcy and social connections to ease anxiety.
The focus on student well-being over syllabus completion led to cancelling exams for some grades and removing certain topics from national assessments.
These measures collectively aim to support students' development and mitigate stress caused by pandemic disruptions.

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3 Nov 2021

Consideration of Prior Work and Managerial Experience in Approval for Registration as Real Estate Salespersons

The Minister explained that real estate salesperson registration requires a minimum of four GCE "O" Level passes or equivalent to ensure basic literacy for understanding property laws and safeguarding consumer interests.
He noted that assessing prior work experience against literacy standards would be highly subjective due to variations in job roles across industries and locations.
Individuals without the required qualifications can take the subsidised Workplace Literacy and Numeracy assessment, with Level 5 or above accepted in lieu of the four "O" Level passes.

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3 Nov 2021

Data on Socio-economic and Ethnic Profiles of Secondary Students and Ensuring Socio-economic Diversity in Schools

Leon Perera requested data from 2011 to 2020 on the socio-economic and ethnic profiles of secondary students, including housing type, household income, financial assistance, parental education, and race, and asked if the Ministry monitors school diversity.
Chan Chun Sing explained that secondary schools are designed to meet diverse student needs, with admissions based on academic and non-academic profiles, and that schools offer varied programmes to cater to different learner types.
He highlighted that admissions consider student choices and PSLE or DSA placements, leading to varied demographic profiles across schools, but emphasised the importance of openness to all backgrounds and opportunities for interaction.
The Ministry ensures affordability through bursaries and scholarships, reserves 20% of places in each course for non-affiliated students, and promotes interaction via co-curricular activities, values-in-action projects, and cluster-based activities.
The overall approach balances tailored education for students' needs with measures to foster diversity and cross-background interaction in schools.

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3 Nov 2021

Proportion of Students in Government-aided Schools who are Permanent Residents or International Students and with One Singaporean Parent

The Minister for Education stated that about 9% of students in government and government-aided schools are Permanent Residents and 4% are International Students.
A very small minority of these non-citizen students have at least one Singaporean parent and they do not qualify for the MOE Financial Assistance Scheme but can receive case-by-case support from their schools.
About 400 such students with at least one Singaporean parent are currently receiving support from the MOE.

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3 Nov 2021

Number of Days of Closure of and Dismissal Times at Primary Schools outside of Norms

MOE reports that aside from 12 weeks of school holidays, primary schools close an additional 12 days annually for events such as PSLE marking and parent-teacher conferences.
Schools may dismiss students earlier on the eve of events like National Day and Children’s Day, which occur four times a year.
Student care centres remain open on these non-standard closure and early dismissal days to support parents with caregiving needs.
The Ministry emphasizes minimizing curriculum loss and parental inconvenience when scheduling such closures or early dismissals.
The figures provided reflect MOE’s overall approach but do not give yearly median data over the past decade as requested.

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3 Nov 2021

Impact of Artificial Intelligence Marking for English Subject Assignments on Students' Creativity and Writing Ability

Dr Tan Wu Meng raised concerns about the AI marking system for English assignments possibly undermining students’ creativity, cadence, personality, and flair.
The Minister of State for Education clarified that the AI system is designed to complement teachers, not replace them, by providing automated feedback on basics like spelling and grammar.
The AI tool aims to free up teachers’ time to focus on higher-order skills such as creative expression, persuasiveness, and tone.
Immediate AI feedback is intended to encourage students to write more frequently and self-direct their learning, strengthening foundational writing skills.
The overall approach is to use AI as an additional tool to support teachers in developing students’ writing abilities while preserving creative development.

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3 Nov 2021

Students' Low-cost Access to High-speed Internet Outside of School

The Ministry is committed to providing affordable digital access to students, with programs like NEU PC Plus and Home Access subsidizing devices and broadband for low-income households, benefiting over 20,000 such households from 2020 to 2021.
During home-based learning, schools loaned devices to students without Internet access, and free Wireless@SG is available at public spaces, while broadband speeds under subsidized programs were increased to 500Mbps in 2020 to support typical family activities.
The Ministry will continue reviewing initiatives to ensure affordable high-speed Internet access for students outside school, with eligibility criteria allowing reapplication for Home Access and NEU PC Plus programs without a limit on the number of times.

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3 Nov 2021

Continuity of School Financial Assistance when Students are Posted from One School to Another

The Ministry of Education’s Financial Assistance Scheme (FAS) is provided yearly and continues seamlessly if a student transfers schools during the school year without needing to re-apply, with applications for progressing students handled at their current school.
For students entering Institutes of Higher Learning, MOE shares a list of former FAS recipients to enable institutions to proactively offer financial support.
A resident’s concern about a retrenched parent waiting until late December to apply for school-based FAS was addressed by noting that ComCare can facilitate simultaneous assessments for financial aid, including school-based FAS, and once a student’s posting is confirmed, schools will expedite the disbursement of school-based FAS funds.

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2 Nov 2021

Initiatives to Develop Artificial Intelligence Ecosystem and Its Deployment in Singapore

The National AI Strategy targets Singapore to be an AI leader by 2030, focusing on five key projects in logistics, smart estates, education, healthcare, and border security to boost productivity and public services.
Initiatives like the Open Innovation Platform and SMEs Go Digital programme help businesses adopt AI solutions, while over $500 million has been invested in AI R&D over five years to build local capabilities.
Programs such as AI Singapore’s “100 Experiments” and PhD Fellowship, along with TechSkills Accelerator, support talent development and real-world AI deployment, aiming to place 15,500 Singaporeans in tech roles by 2026.
The government promotes responsible AI use through the Model AI Governance Framework and is developing testing frameworks for transparency, while engaging internationally to set best practices.

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2 Nov 2021

Efforts to Encourage and Normalise Mental Health Screening through Schools, Institutes of Higher Learning, Workplaces, Hospitals and Clinics

The Government uses a risk-based approach for mental health screening, focusing resources on early identification and intervention for at-risk individuals across various settings.
Community outreach teams have reached over 350,000 people and assisted more than 26,000 at-risk individuals, with over 220 GPs trained to diagnose and treat mental health conditions in the community.
Hospitals and specialist clinics screen high-risk patients during inpatient stays or appointments, with specific programmes for perinatal mental health and adolescent screening at hospitals like NUH and KKH.
In workplaces, HPB provides training to managers, HR, and employees to recognize mental health signs, with about 5,800 personnel trained as of September 2021.
Schools and Institutes of Higher Learning have systems to detect early distress in students, including trained staff, counsellors, mental health education in curricula, and peer support structures.

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2 Nov 2021

Proposal to Extend Tuition Fee Loan Scheme to More Educational Institutions under CPF Education loan Scheme

The Ministry of Education confirmed that all Approved Educational Institutions under the CPF Education Loan Scheme are covered by the Tuition Fee Loan (TFL) scheme except for two publicly-funded arts institutions: Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA) and LASALLE College of the Arts.
The Ministry is considering extending the TFL scheme to NAFA and LASALLE, while currently affected students can access Government bursaries and financial aid from the institutions.

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2 Nov 2021

Proposal to Minimise Home-based Learning to Facilitate Interactions among Students and Provide Holistic Development beyond Academic Excellence

Christopher de Souza asked the Minister for Education to consider minimising home-based learning (HBL) to enhance student interactions and support holistic development beyond academics, especially given the risks of depression and anxiety.
The Ministry of Education (MOE) acknowledged that HBL cannot fully substitute in-person schooling and noted its limitations on peer support and extracurricular activities, while emphasising efforts to maintain social connections and academic continuity through technology.
MOE is prioritising the resumption of normal school life, starting with secondary schools and above due to higher vaccination rates, and plans to gradually restore CCAs and larger school events, with a focus on safeguarding younger, unvaccinated primary students.
To support well-being and curriculum recovery, MOE cancelled 2021 year-end examinations for Primary 3 and 4 students and will continue adjusting school activities based on the evolving COVID-19 situation.

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2 Nov 2021

Labour Productivity Growth during COVID-19 Pandemic and Steps to Promote Entrenchment of Productivity Gains

Labour productivity grew by 1.3% in 2020 and 4.6% in the first half of 2021, as hours worked declined more sharply than output during pandemic disruptions.
The government is refreshing Industry Transformation Maps to accelerate sectoral shifts through digitalisation, innovation, internationalisation, upskilling, and job redesign.
Support for productivity includes grants like the Productivity Solutions Grant, SkillsFuture Enterprise Credit, and SME Centres providing advisory services to businesses.
The National Jobs Council and SGUnited Jobs and Skills Package have placed over 140,000 local jobseekers into roles and training to build a skilled workforce.
Continued focus on enterprise transformation, workforce training, and worker upskilling is key to sustaining productivity gains and supporting Singapore’s economic recovery.

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2 Nov 2021

Parking Charges in School during COVID-19 Pandemic and Home-based Learning Days

Teachers are required to pay for school parking even during home-based learning days, as season parking fees are not pro-rated or waived for partial use due to government accounting rules.
The Ministry of Education clarified that some teachers still commute to school during HBL to support high-needs students or conduct lessons, justifying the parking charge policy.
School season parking rates are set at market rates to comply with audit requirements and are considered reasonable compared to public parking alternatives.
The government acknowledges teachers' dedication and aims to support their well-being through appropriate career and welfare measures rather than parking waivers.
The current policy applies uniformly across all government-managed car parks, with no exceptions for days when season parkers do not use the parking space.

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2 Nov 2021

Impact of Removal of Year-end Exam for Primary 3 and 4 Students on Their Learning and Stress Levels

Lim Biow Chuan asked if MOE will study the impact of removing year-end exams for Primary 3 and 4 students and whether this change will reduce student stress.
Chan Chun Sing explained that the exams were canceled this year due to COVID-19 disruptions, aiming to help students re-adapt and support teacher focus on well-being.
MOE noted that schools still use other assessments to gauge learning and will monitor the effects on student progress and well-being.

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2 Nov 2021

Framework for Keeping Debt Levels Sustainable for Autonomous Universities in Light of NTU's Recent Bond Issue

Member of Parliament He Ting Ru inquired about the Ministry of Education's oversight and support for Autonomous Universities (AUs) issuing bonds or taking on debt, such as NTU's recent sustainability bond, and the framework to ensure debt sustainability.
Minister Chan Chun Sing explained that AUs receive substantial government funding for operations and capital costs but may borrow from capital markets for additional initiatives, with oversight exercised by their Boards of Trustees (BOTs) appointed by MOE.
He emphasized that major financial decisions, including bond issuance, require BOT or finance committee approval, with NTU's sustainability bond approved by its BOT to support corporate and sustainability goals.
The framework relies on BOT fiduciary duties for oversight, investment strategy, internal audit, and risk management to keep debt levels sustainable.
No explicit restrictions were mentioned beyond existing governance structures and approval processes for AUs' borrowing.

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2 Nov 2021

Mental Distress or Psychiatric Issues Reported by Teaching Staff in Schools and Institutes of Higher Learning

Education Minister Chan Chun Sing acknowledged increased teacher workload and stress during COVID-19, detailing measures such as workload reprioritization, flexibility in program implementation, simplified COVID-19 management protocols, and access to counselling services.
The Ministry is promoting staff well-being through initiatives like wellness ambassadors, stress management workshops, and training for peer support, while noting a rise in counselling usage among teachers since 2020.
MPs raised concerns about ongoing pressures, requested further steps to reduce non-essential workload and strengthen partnerships with unions and parents, and inquired about additional support like cost subsidies for counselling and dedicated pastoral care for teachers.

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1 Nov 2021

Training Programmes to Educate Migrant Domestic Workers from Falling Prey to Cyber Scams

Christopher de Souza asked if more training could be provided to migrant domestic workers (MDWs) to prevent them from falling victim to cyber scams.
Tan See Leng outlined existing measures, including the Settling-In-Programme (SIP) where MDWs learn about scam prevention, and regular dissemination of scam alerts and infographics in their native languages.
The Singapore Police Force (SPF) collaborates with NGOs and embassies to share anti-scam advisories and conduct talks tailored to the MDW community.
The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) will continue working with SPF, NGOs, and other partners to educate MDWs on scam prevention.
Efforts include advising MDWs not to share personal or bank details and to seek help from authorities or employers when needed.

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1 Nov 2021

Proposal to Minimise Home-based Learning and Allow Vaccinated Secondary Schools Students to Mix and Receive Support amidst COVID-19 Endemic

Christopher de Souza proposed minimizing home-based learning for vaccinated secondary school students to enable peer interaction and support, which is crucial for youth development in an endemic COVID-19 context.
The Ministry of Education emphasized keeping schools open safely, noting that prolonged home-based learning hampers learning and reduces relationship-building opportunities, but school-based learning continued for older students under strict safe management measures.
As Singapore transitions to living with COVID-19, MOE plans to resume more activities for secondary school students, including co-curricular and larger school events, with hopes to reintroduce inter-school experiences like the National School Games by next year, contingent on the national situation.

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