Education — Topics

4 Nov 2019

Re-employment of Retired SAF Officers and Training for SAF Officers to Find Second Careers After Retirement

From 2017 to 2019, the SAF re-employed a limited number of retired officers in roles that do not require physical rigor, as most retire around age 50, with remuneration packages pegged to civilian jobs to compensate for shorter careers.
The SAF supports retired personnel through the Career Transition Resource Centre and the Lifelong Employability & Advancement Programme (LEAP), offering career coaching, networking, job referrals, and funded time-off for training and job searches, resulting in 80% securing jobs within six months of retirement.
SAF personnel receive transferable skills through structured training in leadership, management, HR, finance, operations research, and pedagogy, with programs aligned to Workforce Skills Qualifications (WSQ) standards and collaborations with educational institutions for professional accreditation.

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4 Nov 2019

Strengthening Singaporean Talent Pool in Local Finance Industry

The Prime Minister affirmed that building a strong local talent pool is a key priority for the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) and is detailed in the financial services Industry Transformation Map, with tripartite partners collaborating to implement strategies.
Key initiatives include reskilling professionals through the Professional Conversion Programme to redeploy them into growing roles and organizing workshops with partners like NTUC and e2i to support career transitions.
MAS launched the Technology in Finance Immersion Programme to train locals in areas like cloud computing and data analytics, while also leveraging work-learn pathways and subsidizing training to deepen specialist skills, benefiting about 21,000 individuals annually.
Efforts are underway to develop the local leadership pipeline, supporting Singaporeans through management associate programmes, overseas postings, and leadership training, with about 700 Singaporeans benefiting from 2016 to 2018.

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4 Nov 2019

Increasing Number of SkillsFuture Awards for Singaporeans Aged 40 and Above In View of Economic Slowdown

Mr Kwek Hian Chuan Henry proposed expanding SkillsFuture awards for Singaporeans aged 40 and above amid economic slowdown.
The Ministry explained that award numbers are set by sectoral agencies based on manpower and skills needs in growth sectors.
Ong Ye Kung stated that if conditions worsen, the government will consider extra measures like training, skills upgrading, and Professional Conversion Programmes to help workers stay employed or transition sectors.

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7 Oct 2019

Needy Families Paying Less Than $10 and $5 Per Child for Full-day Childcare Services and Qualifying Criteria for Comprehensive Subsidy

About 4,100 needy families pay $10 or less per month for full-day childcare, with around 2,900 of them paying $5 or less, with the remaining amount covered by the CDA First Step grant.
Eligibility for subsidies includes universal basic subsidies for all Singaporean children, higher basic subsidies for working mothers, and means-tested additional subsidies for low- and middle-income families.
Non-working mothers may qualify for higher subsidies under special approval, subject to case-by-case assessment.
Low-income families can apply for case-by-case financial assistance to cover fees after subsidies and for one-time grants to cover initial enrolment costs.
The government supports affordable preschools through fee caps and plans to increase government-supported preschool places to 80% by around 2025.

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7 Oct 2019

Foreign Instructors Conducting Classes as Work Pass Exempt Activity

Assoc Prof Walter Theseira inquired about the reasons for allowing foreign instructors to conduct classes without a Work Pass if no administrative work is done, why administrative tasks like setting assessments are excluded, and whether this exclusion can be waived to strengthen educational objectives.
The Ministry of Manpower explained that exemptions apply to short-term activities like workshops or seminars, as participants do not become part of the regular workforce, but not for permanent faculty roles involving administrative duties.
MOM requires Work Passes for foreign instructors in educational institutions if they perform administrative tasks such as setting and grading assessments, as these indicate more permanent employment.

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7 Oct 2019

Take-up Rate for Eldercarer Foreign Domestic Worker and Plans to Expand Scheme to Include People with Special Needs

The Eldercarer Foreign Domestic Worker Scheme, launched in November 2016, provides FDWs with basic eldercare training, and as of September 2019, 413 FDWs had been trained under the scheme.
Households can use the Caregivers Training Grant, an annual $200 subsidy per care recipient, to offset training costs for both eldercare and special needs care courses.
The CTG already covers courses for caring for persons with special needs, such as autism and intellectual disabilities, alongside eldercare training.
There is no explicit plan announced to expand the Eldercarer FDW Scheme specifically to include special needs training, as the CTG already supports such courses.
The debate highlights existing mechanisms to support FDW training for both eldercare and special needs care without a new scheme expansion.

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7 Oct 2019

Statistics on Return to Nursing Programme and Outreach Efforts

Over the past five years, nurses who left the public healthcare sector served an average of seven years, including those who moved to private or community care or left nursing entirely.
The Return to Nursing (RTN) scheme, enhanced to a Place-and-Train model, allows returning nurses to secure employment first, receive a salary during refresher courses, and share course costs between employers and the government.
Since the RTN programme launched in 2010, about 120 nurses have re-joined through the scheme, with approximately 400 local nurses returning to practice annually over the last decade.

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7 Oct 2019

Measures to Attract Students and Healthcare Professionals to Specialise in Geriatric Medicine

Minister Gan Kim Yong explained that measures to attract students and healthcare professionals to specialise in geriatric medicine and related fields include early exposure during medical training, increased specialist training positions, and additional allowances for geriatric medicine specialists.
The number of training positions for geriatric medicine, rehabilitation medicine, and palliative medicine more than doubled from 11 to 23 between 2013 and 2019.
A local training programme in Geriatric Pharmacy started in 2016, having trained three pharmacists so far and aiming to train another nine in the next three years.
Hospitals conduct in-house structured courses and offer an Advanced Diploma in Nursing (Gerontology), with 497 nurses having undergone this diploma in the last seven years.
The effectiveness of these measures is reflected in the increased training capacity and participation numbers, though ongoing efforts are needed to meet the demands of Singapore's ageing population.

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7 Oct 2019

Age Profile of Scam Victims and Plans to Conduct Outreach Efforts with Schools and Institutes of Higher Learning

The Minister for Home Affairs, K Shanmugam, outlined that e-commerce scam victims are mostly below 35 years old, while credit-for-sex scam victims are typically young adults aged 20 to 30 and internet love scam victims are often middle-aged between 30 and 50 years old.
China officials impersonation scams, which previously targeted all age groups evenly, have recently focused more on young adults below 30 years of age, with no particular age group especially vulnerable to loan and investment scams.
The Police are collaborating with the National Crime Prevention Council to raise public awareness on scams, including outreach to schools and institutes of higher learning through initiatives like the "Young Police Buddy" program for primary school students and anti-scam make-a-thons for tertiary students.
These efforts aim to engage younger demographics in scam prevention, leveraging creativity from students to design solutions for issues like e-commerce scams.
The overall approach involves tailored outreach based on the age profiles of scam victims to effectively address different scam types across various age groups.

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7 Oct 2019

Regulating Care-giver Training Programmes

The government, through agencies like the Agency for Integrated Care, manages and regulates training programmes for both professional and informal caregivers to ensure they are relevant and led by qualified instructors.
There are various subsidized training options for healthcare professionals, social service staff, and family caregivers, including short courses, diplomas, and grants like the Caregivers Training Grant, which offers a $200 annual subsidy.
Over 40,000 caregivers have used the Caregivers Training Grant since 2013, and the government will continue to review and expand training support for caregivers of the elderly and persons with special needs.

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7 Oct 2019

Increase Places for Tertiary Studies and Postgraduate Programmes In View of Economic Slowdown

The Ministry of Education plans tertiary places based on long-term national manpower needs rather than short-term economic changes.
SkillsFuture Singapore offers modular Continuing Education and Training programmes across sectors to support workers during economic downturns.
If conditions worsen, the government will increase support for workers through these training programmes to help them gain relevant skills and transition to growth areas.

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7 Oct 2019

Reports of Bullying or Aggression against Students with Disabilities or Special Needs

Dr Intan Azura Mokhtar raised questions about the number of bullying or aggression cases against students with disabilities or special needs in primary and secondary schools over the past five years, the corrective actions taken against perpetrators, and the follow-up care and counselling provided to victims.
Minister Ong Ye Kung stated that the Ministry of Education treats all bullying incidents seriously, with reported cases remaining low and stable, and that prompt investigations, disciplinary actions, and counselling support for both victims and perpetrators are undertaken.
The Ministry involves parents to reinforce behavioral expectations, teaches values and respect through Character and Citizenship Education and Social Studies, and promotes peer support systems and a positive school culture to encourage reporting and sensitivity towards students with special needs.

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7 Oct 2019

Sexual Harassment or Assault Cases in Mainstream Schools

Dr Intan Azura Mokhtar requested statistics on sexual harassment or assault cases in mainstream schools over the past five years, broken down by victim age, and details on available victim-care or counselling programmes.
Education Minister Ong Ye Kung noted that while precise classification is difficult due to case sensitivity, the number of such cases has been consistently low, and principals ensure victims receive timely, empathetic support.
Schools provide counselling through school counsellors who assess victims’ psycho-emotional needs and offer interventions or referrals, while collaborating with parents, agencies like Child Protective Service, and community mental health services.
Upstream education in schools includes teaching students about personal safety, sexual abuse and harassment, self-protection online and offline, relevant laws, and encouraging them to seek help from trusted adults.

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7 Oct 2019

Subsidies for Dyslexic Students who Take Basic Chinese Programme at Dyslexia Association of Singapore

Miss Cheryl Chan asked whether subsidies can be provided for dyslexic students taking the basic Chinese programme at the Dyslexia Association of Singapore (DAS) and the reasons if not.
The Ministry of Education (MOE) supports DAS primarily for its evidence-based Main Literacy Programme but does not fund other programmes like Chinese, Mathematics, or Speech and Drama.
MOE notes that research on dyslexia in different languages, especially Mother Tongue Languages (MTL), is still developing and it monitors findings to adopt effective interventions.
MOE provides additional support for students with MTL difficulties in schools, including a focus on listening and speaking in early primary years and a Mother Tongue Support Programme for Primary 3 and 4 students.
After Primary 4, students with persistent MTL difficulties can opt for Foundation MTL in Primary 5 and 6, and MTL "B" in Secondary school and Junior College.

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7 Oct 2019

Percentage in Each Cohort of Teachers who Have Been Offered Re-employment

About 90% of retiring teachers were offered re-employment from 2014 to 2018, with offers based primarily on performance and conduct, not affected by school mergers.
Teacher workforce numbers have remained stable over the last five years, with improved pupil-to-teacher ratios due to smaller student cohorts.
No evidence was provided of excess teachers in the system, as teachers are deployed to meaningful work amid falling birth rates.

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7 Oct 2019

Ensuring Media Literacy Council's Materials are Appropriate for Schools

Anthea Ong inquired about the Media Literacy Council's guidelines on fake news, satire, and age-appropriate materials, as well as the Ministry's overall media literacy plan including the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act.
Leon Perera asked about the printing and distribution statistics of the "Get Smart with Sherlock" booklet and requested a review of the vetting processes for such materials.
S Iswaran explained that the Council does not issue guidelines but promotes online safety and civility through its "Be Safe, Be Smart, and Be Kind" themes, and noted that the "Get Smart with Sherlock" guide was intended for adults but was distributed to 29 schools, leading to advisories for parent use and a halt in distribution.

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7 Oct 2019

Plans to Reduce Students' Reliance on Private Tuition

Mr Lim Biow Chuan and Mr Seah Kian Peng raised concerns about the high spending on private tuition and asked for studies on its causes and plans to reduce reliance, as well as about MOE teachers giving private tuition.
Minister Ong Ye Kung explained that tuition can be beneficial for students needing extra help but excessive reliance can hinder independent learning and promote an unhealthy focus on grades, countering holistic education goals.
MOE has introduced policies like expanding Direct School Admission, reducing school-based assessments, changing PSLE scoring, and implementing Full Subject-Based Banding to address over-reliance on tuition.
Surveys show only about 10% of MOE teachers give paid tuition, and MOE monitors this to ensure teachers focus on their core duties, with guidelines periodically reviewed.
Reducing tuition reliance requires a mindset shift towards holistic education and community support, with MOE promoting School-Home partnerships to help students develop self-management skills.

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7 Oct 2019

A Liberal Education and Corruption of the Youth of Singapore

Assoc Prof Walter Theseira argued that a liberal education in Singapore should not be feared for corrupting youth, but rather seen as vital for cultivating critical thinking and active citizenship, warning against overly narrow or fearful approaches to teaching contentious topics.
Ms Anthea Ong, representing youth activists, urged the government to expand civic space for dissent and advocacy, emphasizing that young Singaporeans seek genuine engagement and co-creation in policy-making rather than perfunctory consultation.
Senior Parliamentary Secretary Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim affirmed the importance of critical thinking in education while stressing that academic freedom must operate within Singapore's social norms, and that universities must balance open inquiry with responsibility.
The government response highlighted existing initiatives like Youth Conversations and the SG Youth Action Plan to engage youth, but also underscored that activism and academia must be separated in classrooms to maintain objective teaching.
The debate concluded with consensus on the value of nurturing open-minded, responsible citizens, but differing views on how much space should be granted for dissent and the practical limits of liberal education in Singapore's context.

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7 Oct 2019

Hike in Childcare Fees Following Increase in Government’s Childcare Subsidy

Dr Lim Wee Kiak asked how many childcare operators raised fees, the increase quantum, and expected savings after subsidy enhancements, to which Minister Desmond Lee responded that 330 centres (one in five) will raise fees in 2020, with a median increase of 5% or about $35, but enhanced subsidies will lower costs for most families.
Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong sought assistance for parents not benefiting from the subsidy increase, and Minister Lee clarified that enhanced Additional Subsidies apply to all eligible families regardless of childcare centre type, with financial aid available for low-income or non-working mothers meeting criteria.
Minister Lee noted that fee increases are annual occurrences due to operational costs, but government-supported pre-schools will grow to 80% of places by 2025 with lower fee caps, and subsidies will more than double annual government spending on preschools.
Dr Lim raised concerns about middle-income families with multiple children and non-working mothers, and Minister Lee explained that per capita income assessments and special approvals for caregiving needs ensure targeted support without universal subsidy equalization.

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7 Oct 2019

Reasons for Cancellation of “Dialogue and Dissent” Programme at Yale-NUS

The cancellation of Yale-NUS’s “Dialogue and Dissent” programme was due to concerns over its lack of academic rigour, exposure of students to legal risks, and the involvement of individuals with activist backgrounds that could politicize a compulsory course.
The Minister emphasized that academic freedom in Singapore’s universities must operate within the law, maintain educational missions, avoid partisan politics, and respect Singapore’s unique social and cultural context.
The decision was supported by Yale University’s independent review, which found no undermining of academic freedom, and the Minister reassured that liberal arts education remains valued, provided programmes adhere to clear principles.

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