Education

2,734 debates and bills about education

6 Jul 2021

Schools to Grant Students Excuse from Strenuous Physical Activity after Each Dose of COVID-19 Vaccine and Carry Out Active Monitoring of Students' Condition Post-Vaccination

Gerald Giam asked if schools will excuse students from strenuous physical activity for at least one week after each COVID-19 vaccine dose and if active monitoring for myocarditis or pericarditis symptoms will be done.
Chan Chun Sing responded that schools and Institutes of Higher Learning will excuse students from physical activity for one week after each vaccine dose, and PE and CCA teachers will check in with students before activities.
He added that parents and students are advised to watch for side effects like chest pain, shortness of breath, or abnormal heartbeats and seek medical attention promptly if they occur.
MOH and HSA are closely monitoring mRNA vaccine recipients and have issued circulars to medical practitioners to be vigilant in detecting heart-related inflammatory conditions.
MOE will continue collaborating with MOH and HSA to monitor students with adverse reactions and update guidelines as needed to ensure student safety.

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6 Jul 2021

Consideration to Change Average Class Size or Infrastructure of Primary and Secondary Schools to Better Equip Schools to Face Threat of Current and Future Pandemics

Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim asked whether MOE will consider changing class sizes or school infrastructure to better prepare for current and future pandemics.
Chan Chun Sing responded that class size and infrastructure are not the most critical factors, emphasizing measures like hygiene, ventilation, safe management, and vaccination.
MOE will continue to adapt strategies based on medical advice and scientific evidence to ensure safe teaching and learning environments.

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6 Jul 2021

Specific Action Plans following Findings in Census of Population 2020

The Minister highlighted that the Malay community has made significant educational progress, with post-secondary qualifications rising from 60% to 80% and university qualifications doubling from 10% to 20% among those aged 25–34 between 2010 and 2020.
Malay students are entering publicly-funded degree programmes at Autonomous Universities in increasing numbers, rising from about 600 in 2011 to over 1,000 in 2020, while compulsory education compliance is near universal with only one Malay student per cohort failing to progress to secondary school over the last five years.
The government is scaling up support through KidSTART, quality preschool education, learning support programmes, after-school care, SkillsFuture upskilling, and community initiatives like UPLIFT and the M3 network to ensure all students, including Malays, can maximise their potential.

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6 Jul 2021

Measures to Manage Effects of "Credential Hyperinflation"

The Minister highlighted that the proportion of residents aged 25 and over with tertiary qualifications rose from 37% in 2010 to 48% in 2020, with graduate employment rates remaining stable and starting wages increasing over time.
The Ministry of Education works with economic agencies to align the supply of tertiary places with national manpower demand and industry needs, while institutions maintain admission standards and refresh curricula to ensure quality.
Emphasis is placed on lifelong learning through the SkillsFuture movement to help individuals reskill and upskill, as skills are the key determinant of wages and career prospects.

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6 Jul 2021

Efforts to Equip Schools, Parents and Teachers with Skills to Identify and Support Abused Students

Dr Wan Rizal asked about enhancing the Nurturing Early Learners Framework to better protect students following reports of sexual offences involving young children.
The Ministry of Education is reviewing the NEL Framework to include body safety awareness and help-seeking skills, with the revised version to be launched in end 2022, and teachers are trained to identify and report abuse.
Schools provide support to affected students and staff, engage parents on spotting distress signs, and have protocols for reporting cases to authorities and taking disciplinary action where necessary.

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6 Jul 2021

Steps to Ensure Persons with Records of Sexual Offences or Violent Crimes Do Not Work as Private Tutors

Mr Patrick Tay asked if the Ministry of Education (MOE) plans to regulate private tuition providers and what mechanisms exist to prevent individuals with sexual or violent criminal records from working as private tutors.
Chan Chun Sing explained that MOE requires registration for tuition centres with 10 or more students and for their tutors, who must declare criminal convictions; serious offenders, including those with sexual offences, are not registered, but this does not cover freelance tutors or agencies.
The government is considering mandatory criminal screening for those working with children across sectors, and parents are encouraged to exercise due diligence when engaging private tutors or centres.

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6 Jul 2021

Educational Programmes to Deal with Allegations and Incidents of Sexual Harrassment

The Ministry of Social and Family Development detailed that madrasahs incorporate sexuality education into their curriculum for students aged 13 to 16, covering topics like relationships and gender, and also offer youth engagement programmes and holiday programmes for younger students.
Madrasah staff receive training through talks and programs, including partnerships with organizations like Club HEAL, to handle allegations of sexual harassment and support students, with each madrasah having at least one trained teacher and roving counsellors available.
The Ministry of Islamic Religious Affairs works with mosques to implement anti-harassment policies and reporting procedures, with revised policies expected to be fully implemented later this year to support victims.
The Ministry emphasized that Islam teaches the equal worth of men and women, and this is reflected in madrasahs and mosques through female leadership roles and equal opportunities for both genders to serve in various appointments.
The Ministry is committed to ensuring madrasahs and mosques remain inclusive spaces where all Muslims can develop their full potential and contribute to society.

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6 Jul 2021

Reports of Sexually-explicit Online Posts Made to MUIS and MUIS' Response

Muhamad Faisal Bin Abdul Manap questioned MUIS on the timeline and response to complaints about an online poll targeting female Islamic religious teachers, the number of similar cases reported, counseling measures for suspects, and a timeline for revising moral education programs.
Masagos Zulkifli B M M stated that MUIS received complaints on 26 May 2021, offered support to victims, and lodged a police report, with investigations ongoing and no further comments until completion.
From January 2019 to June 2021, MUIS received 12 complaints of sexual harassment involving members of the asatizah fraternity as perpetrators and two reports of asatizah as victims, with no similar cases reported since the online poll.
MUIS regularly reviews the Islamic education curriculum for programs like Kids aLIVE and Teens aLIVE to address emerging issues affecting Muslim children and youths.

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6 Jul 2021

Sexuality Education in Schools as First Line of Defence Against Sexual Violence

Raeesah Khan highlighted alarming statistics on sexual assault, stressing that many victims are minors and emphasizing the need for comprehensive sexuality education to build a culture of consent, starting from preschool and extending to higher education, while addressing gaps in current curricula on consent, power dynamics, and tech-enabled offenses.
The government, through Minister Sun Xueling, affirmed its commitment to sexuality education as part of a whole-of-society approach, detailing ongoing curriculum reviews, age-appropriate lessons from Primary 1, and initiatives in Institutes of Higher Learning to teach respect, boundaries, and reporting channels.
Both speakers agreed on the urgency of reforming sexuality education to prevent sexual violence, with calls for enhanced teacher training, standardized preschool programs, and societal collaboration involving parents, tech companies, and media to support youth in navigating relationships safely.

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5 Jul 2021