Chan Chun Sing
Singapore
“Since 2002, the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) has worked with the autonomous universities (AUs) to establish arrangements that minimise disruption to National Servicemen (NSmen) who are pursuing full-time studies up to the undergraduate level, while meeting the Singapore Armed Forces' (SAF's) operational and training needs.”
“Secondments help to build up the range of competencies and work experiences of public officers to strengthen their longer-term employment relevance and resilience. The Public Service Division's guideline to agencies is to support public officers even while they are on secondment.”
“The priority of our National Servicemen must be their military duties and operational training, to meet the Singapore Armed Forces's (SAF's) operational requirements.”
“In January 2026, I had informed this House that the Government had convened an independent committee to conduct a review of the political salary framework that was laid out in 2012. The Committee has completed the review and submitted its recommendations to the Government in April.”
“All countries seek to develop mutually beneficial partnerships, and the United States-Indonesia Major Defence Cooperation Partnership is one such example.”
“Since the Singapore Armed Forces Volunteer Corps (SAFVC) was established in 2014, over 1,500 men and women have completed training and served as SAFVC Volunteers (SVs). Presently, there are about 1,100 in-service SVs, comprising 52% male and 48% female. About seven in 10 of our in-service SVs are new Citizens or Permanent Residents.”
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“MOE works closely with MOM and economic agencies to plan the supply of degree places across different course clusters every year. The Ministry takes into account their inputs on industry demand and national manpower needs across different sectors, as well as students’ interests and aspirations. Given the rise in industry demand for tech talent, we have increased the number of places in Information & Digital Technologies (IDT) degree courses over the past 10 years. Today, on average across the Autonomous Universities (AUs), about half of the applications received are offered a place. A single applicant may put in multiple application across the AUs. The number of local IDT undergraduate places rose four-fold from 800 in 2010 to 3,100 in 2020. As a proportion of all AU places, the number of IDT undergraduate places increased from 7% in 2010 to 17% in 2020. The breakdown of the 2020 IDT intake of 3,100 places across the AUs was: 1,200 in National University of Singapore (NUS), 600 in Nanyang Technological University (NTU), about 500 each in Singapore Management University (SMU) and Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT), and about 100 each in Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) and Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS). Apart from students in IDT courses, some undergraduates in other AU courses, for example engineering, also take up tech jobs when they graduate. According to Graduate Employment Surveys conducted by the AUs in the last five years, about half of the fresh graduates employed in tech jobs did not major in IDT and they take up roles such as Software Engineer and Data Analyst. This is because the AUs have been facilitating students from various disciplines to take on IDT-related minors or second majors.”
“In line with current MOH’s medical advisories, COVID-19 vaccination is strongly encouraged for all children aged 12 to 18 who are medically eligible. Vaccination is voluntary. MOE respects parents’ decisions on whether to vaccinate their children against COVID-19. Hence, children are not included in the vaccination exercise as a default. Parents have to opt in for their children to be included, such as signing up for vaccination appointment or by informing the school with the necessary consent forms completed and submitted to the school. MOE has invited age-eligible students to get vaccinated. As parents may not always be able to get to the invitation in a timely manner, our educational institutions have, therefore, reached out to parents to ensure they are aware of the vaccination exercise, and if they need any assistance. This is to ensure that no student is unable to get vaccinated due to lack of information or support. Only parents who wish for their children to be vaccinated and require assistance need to reply to MOE. As per prevailing medical recommendations, only those who are aged 12 and above can receive the vaccination. MOE conducts checks before the invitations are made. Vaccination service providers and HPB also verify the child’s date of birth in ID (NRIC/FIN/Student Pass) on site before proceeding with vaccination.”
“Schools and Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs) will excuse students from physical activity for one week after receiving their COVID-19 vaccination, whether it is for the first or second dose. All PE and CCA teachers will check in with students before the start of these activities. We have also advised all parents and students to be mindful of any potential side effects from the vaccination. In particular, if they were to develop chest pain, shortness of breath or abnormal heartbeats, students should seek medical attention promptly. MOH and the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) have also been closely monitoring recipients of the mRNA COVID-19 vaccines. On 12 June 2021, MOH issued a circular to all registered medical practitioners to ask them to be vigilant in detecting inflammatory conditions affecting the heart muscles and outer lining of the heart respectively, when assessing patients who have been recently vaccinated with the mRNA COVID-19 vaccines. Medical practitioners are also urged to report all serious adverse reactions, including myocarditis and pericarditis, to HSA as soon as possible, so that swift regulatory actions can be taken where necessary. MOE will continue to work with MOH and HSA to closely monitor students who have experienced adverse reactions after the vaccination to ensure that suitable and appropriate care is given to these students. We will review and update our guidelines if needed, to ensure the safety and well-being of students.”
“As different diseases and viruses have different characteristics and transmission modes, we will need to tailor our response and implement the appropriate measures to keep our schools safe. Class size or school infrastructure may not be the most critical factors to deal with future pandemics of an unknown nature. What has been key, thus far, in our fight against the current COVID-19 pandemic have been various other measures, such as maintaining good personal hygiene and good ventilation in schools, and putting in place Safe Management Measures (SMMs), including daily temperature-taking and screening of students and staff for COVID-19 symptoms, regular cleaning of high-touch surfaces and disinfection of premises, wearing of masks and cohortising students to minimise inter-mingling. Increasingly, with effective and safe vaccines developed for school children, vaccination would also play a critical role in keeping our schools safe. MOE will continue to take in advice from medical professionals, adapt our pandemic strategies and introduce appropriate measures based on scientific evidence and data to enable effective teaching and learning to take place in a safe manner.”
“The outcomes have been promising, and we intend to expand to other towns and support many more students in the next two years. The M3 network, comprising MUIS, MENDAKI and MESRA, will continue to engage and support Malay/Muslim students and their families – through upstream efforts to prepare pre-schoolers and their parents for P1, to mentoring programmes to inspire and guide students to pursue higher education and seize career opportunities. Project DIAN@M3 will focus on ensuring children living in rental flats continue to get additional support for their academic and social development. So, across each stage of education, inside and outside school, we are pressing on with support for Malay students, together with other high-needs students. The progress we have made thus far gives us confidence that we are on the right track, and we will continue to ensure that Singapore remains a society of opportunities for all.”
“Internationally, in the most recent international benchmarking study, PISA, they outperformed their OECD peers in Mathematics and in 21st century competencies such as intercultural skills and collaborative problem-solving. They are also on par in Reading and Science. This puts them in good stead to thrive in the global economy. There is further room for significant progress and we have redoubled our efforts to ensure all students, including Malay students, have strong support to maximise their potential. To ensure a strong start for every child, we are scaling up KidSTART to support parents with child development and are investing significantly in quality and affordable preschool education. During their schooling years, we will give further support to help weaker students build strong foundations in literacy and numeracy with dedicated learning support programmes. Those without a conducive home environment are also supported through after-school care and engagement, with Student Care Centres in every Primary school and after-school programmes in Secondary schools. Subsidies are provided to ensure that it is affordable to those in the lowest income brackets. The Institutes of Higher Learning also work closely with MOE to ensure that our graduates are equipped with the skills to remain resilient and thrive in the future economy. After entering the workforce, graduates are encouraged to continue to upskill and reskill throughout their career journey under the national SkillsFuture movement. Beyond schools, we work hand in hand with the community to ensure that no child is left behind. For instance, the UPLIFT Community Pilot provides upstream wraparound support to disadvantaged students and their families.”
“Our education system ensures opportunities for all, with multiple pathways to help students achieve their maximum potential. We provide additional support to students who have greater academic and other needs. These efforts have supported all communities in improving their education levels. The Malay community has indeed done better over the years. Younger Malays, in particular, made significant improvements between 2010 and 2020. According to Census findings, among Malay residents aged 25 to 34, the proportion with post-Secondary or higher qualifications increased from six in 10 to eight in 10, while the proportion with University qualifications increased from one in 10 to two in 10. Similarly, there are positive trends among the more recent cohorts of Malay students. In 2019, 94% of Malay students who entered Primary 1 (P1) in 2009 progressed to post-Secondary education. This is close to the national average of 97%. The number of Malay students entering publicly-funded degree programmes in our Autonomous Universities almost doubled from 600 in 2011 to more than 1,000 last year, while that of the overall student cohort increased by about 50% over the same period. The Member also asked for the number of Malay students who failed to adhere to the 10-year compulsory education policy. Under the Compulsory Education Act, all Singapore Citizen children residing in Singapore must attend a national Primary school. Nearly all our students progress to Secondary education. In fact, for the last five years, only one Malay student from each P1 cohort did not do so. It is, therefore, not accurate to say that our Malay community has low educational levels. The Malay community has made good progress over the years.”
“There are three main types of flexible work arrangements (FWAs) offered in the Civil Service: staggered work hours, telecommuting and part-time arrangements. All civil servants are eligible for FWAs as long as the nature of their job role allows for it. Hence, we do not track eligibility per se. Public servants who have childcare and eldercare needs can discuss with their supervisors and HR department on arrangements that balance their personal needs with professional responsibilities. These can include tapping on the Civil Service leave provisions for childcare and parent care, as well as adopting FWAs suited to the nature of their job and operational context, or even discussing redeployment opportunities.”
“There are three main types of flexible work arrangements (FWAs) offered in the Civil Service: staggered work hours, telecommuting and part-time arrangements. All civil servants are eligible for FWAs as long as the nature of their job role allows for it. Hence, we do not track eligibility per se. Public servants who have childcare and eldercare needs can discuss with their supervisors and HR department on arrangements that balance their personal needs with professional responsibilities. These can include tapping on the Civil Service leave provisions for childcare and parent care, as well as adopting FWAs suited to the nature of their job and operational context, or even discussing redeployment opportunities.”
“As part of the SkillsFuture movement, we will continue to ensure that our educational pathways remain open and accessible to learners to help them reskill and upskill to seize new growth opportunities.”
“The "Census of Population 2020" report recently published by the Department of Statistics indicated that the education profile of Singapore residents has improved between 2010 and 2020. Among residents aged 25 years and over in 2020, 48% attained diplomas, degrees and professional qualifications, up from 37% in 2010. This includes diploma and degree graduates from ITE, Polytechnics, Autonomous Universities (AUs), Private Education Institutions (PEIs) and overseas universities. Even with higher education attainment levels, graduate employment rates have, in fact, remained stable over the past few years and starting wages have risen over time. Nine in 10 graduates from our Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs) who entered the labour force last year found jobs or traineeships within six months of graduation. The median gross monthly salary amongst full-time permanent employed AU graduates has risen from $3,300 in 2015 to $3,700 in 2020. To ensure that our tertiary courses provide young Singaporeans with the skills needed to access good employment opportunities, MOE works closely with economic agencies to plan the supply of diploma and degree places in our IHLs for Singaporeans. This takes into account the national manpower demand across different economic sectors, the employment prospects of graduates from various disciplines, as well as student interest. The IHLs uphold admission standards, refresh their curriculum in tandem with industry needs and closely monitor graduate outcomes as part of wider efforts to maintain quality. It is important for Singaporeans to adopt a lifelong learning mindset, even after graduation. Ultimately, it is skills that are a key determinant of wages and career prospects.”
“School Leaders, teachers, School Counsellors and Student Welfare Officers, are trained to identify and report child abuse to Child Protective Service in MSF. They look out for signs of distress in students and provide counselling and other forms of support. When there is a suspected abuse case, the School Leaders work with the School Counsellor to report to the relevant authorities and support the student sensitively. Our schools will continue to monitor and support the students and involve their parents or other agencies where relevant. Schools also engage and work with parents as they play a critical role in providing guidance to their children. Parents are provided with information on how to look out for signs of distress and to encourage their children to share their concerns with them. For teachers and staff who experienced harassment or abuse at work, they report the cases to the School Leaders, Superintendents in charge of the school or directly to MOE. Those who are psychologically or emotionally affected will be supported by professional counsellors. MOE takes a very serious view of any misconduct that may impinge on the safety and well-being of students or staff members. Every case will be thoroughly investigated by an independent unit in MOE. We will not hesitate to take disciplinary actions and, where necessary, report the case to the Police.”
“The safety of our students is of paramount importance to MOE. MOE’s Nurturing Early Learners (NEL) Framework for the pre-school sector includes guidelines for pre-school teachers to help children develop a positive self-concept, healthy habits and an awareness of safety practices. MOE is reviewing the NEL Framework to include teaching children appropriate behaviours that promote self and group safety. These include body safety awareness, how to talk about feelings and seek help from adults when they feel hurt or unsafe. The revised framework will be launched in end 2022. Currently, the topics of child abuse and neglect (including signs, symptoms and what educators should do) as well as concepts of body safety, such as identifying good/bad touch, are covered within the training content of the National Institute of Early Childhood (NIEC)’s pre-service certificate and diploma programmes. In-service teachers can also attend an ECDA-endorsed course on "Empowering Children with Body Safety Skills" conducted by Singapore Children’s Society to learn ways to teach children protective skills to prevent sexual abuse. In Primary schools, students learn about personal safety and protection from abuse through Character and Citizenship Education. They are taught how to recognise sexual abuse and harassment, skills to protect themselves both in the physical and online space, and laws that protect them. These lessons are developmentally appropriate, start from Primary 1 and are reinforced throughout their years in school. Students also learn help-seeking skills and are provided with resources and community helplines to alert trusted adults when their personal safety is compromised.”
“The private tuition and enrichment industry is diverse, with a wide range of providers and settings. This includes larger tuition and enrichment centres, as well as freelance private tutors, who may enter and exit the industry at any time. Under the Education Act, centres offering tuition or enrichment programmes to 10 or more students must be registered with MOE. As part of registration requirements, centres are required to comply with infrastructural and fire safety requirements and have a school management committee. Once registered, they are required to display their registration certificate at their premises. Tutors at these centres must also be registered with MOE. During registration, they must declare whether they have been convicted of any offence punishable with imprisonment. MOE will not register any applicant who has been convicted of such serious offences, including sexual offences. These regulations do not cover freelance tutors who offer private tuition outside of centres, for example, in homes, or agencies that provide matching services between private tutors and students. As private tuition is a commercial business, we encourage parents to exercise discretion and due diligence in engaging the services of tuition and enrichment centres, as well as individual tutors. As the Minister for Home Affairs informed Parliament in April, the Government is reviewing whether to make it mandatory for persons employed in sectors working with children to be screened for serious offences, including sexual offences.”
“MOE takes a calibrated approach to the resumption of the National School Games (NSG) to ensure the safety and well-being of our students and staff. Apart from taking alignment to the national posture and Safe Management Measures (SMMs), we also consider factors such as type of sports, the age and number of student participants, the type of venue used, as well as the level of intermingling between students from different schools. A phased resumption of the NSG would typically start with low-risk non-contact sports such as Badminton, Table Tennis, Tennis and Volleyball before higher-risk contact sports such as Basketball, Football, Hockey and Rugby are considered. These sports involve high bodily contact between student participants and therefore, carry a greater risk. Furthermore, resumption of contact sports is likely to start with older students from Junior Colleges/Millenia Institute and Secondary Schools, as most of them would have been vaccinated. For NSG 2021, 12 non-contact sports deemed to be of low risk were resumed for ‘A’, ‘B’ and Senior Divisions in the first semester. These competitions were suspended in May as we entered Phase Two (Heightened Alert) and all remaining competitions in NSG 2021 have been cancelled, given the need to minimise intermingling of students from different schools in line with the gradual resumption of student activities at the start of Term 3. MOE is continuing to monitor the public health situation closely and will work towards the safe resumption of NSG in 2022.”
“MOE’s “70-70” target aims for 70% of IHL students to participate in overseas exposure programmes, with 70% of this group participating in programmes in ASEAN, China and India (ACI). Currently, institutions have pivoted to virtual exchanges and internships where feasible, to help students acquire cross-cultural exposure and will resume these programmes once travel conditions permit. Through workplace exposure locally, students may also better appreciate the value of strong language skills in real-world contexts. Beyond schools and the IHLs, SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG) has worked with key partners to provide a range of language training and guide interested individuals to the relevant training programmes. For example, SSG works with partners which provide business language training programmes to support Singaporeans who wish to internationalise in the ASEAN region. We will continue to identify suitable training programmes based on market demand, to support Singaporeans in enhancing their employability and ability to seize economic opportunities in the region.”
“Our education system encourages Singaporeans to learn the Mother Tongue Languages (MTL) not only to remain connected to their heritage and strengthen their Singaporean identity, but also to enable them to connect with MTL-speaking communities across Asia and the world. In schools, we encourage students of different language abilities to sustain their interest to pursue MTL learning to as high a level and for as long as possible. For example, we offer the Higher MTL and MTL Elective Programmes in schools to stretch those who are capable, and make provision through Foundation MTL and MTL "B" to support those who find MTLs more challenging to still acquire basic language skills. Besides that, for those keen to learn an additional language other than their own MTL, we offer the Malay and Chinese Special Programmes, and encourage schools to conduct Conversational Chinese and Malay. The MTL Learning and Promotion Committees (MTLLPCs) also sustain students’ learning outside the class by leveraging community stakeholders’ expertise and networks. These efforts deepen our students’ engagement and interest in the MTLs, and expose them to MTL-related employment opportunities, at home and abroad. At the Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs), students can continue to learn and develop their language skills. The increased interdisciplinarity and flexibility in IHL curricula support students to pursue their interests in languages, by taking language-related modules alongside their main course of study. International exposure opportunities in IHLs, such as overseas internships, exchanges and immersion programmes, provide an opportunity for students to apply their language skills outside the classroom. These are accompanied with support in language learning.”
“Between 2016 and 2020, around 100 undergraduate students in NUS declared and graduated with a Major in Social Work each year. SUSS launched its full-time undergraduate degree programme in Social Work in 2016 with an intake of 52, which has increased to over 80 in recent years. The first cohort graduated in 2020. Besides full-time undergraduate degrees, CET programmes such as part-time undergraduate degrees, graduate diplomas, and master’s by coursework programmes from NUS and SUSS also contribute to the pipeline of social workers. The number of graduates from such programmes is around 300 a year since AY2017.”
“Over the past five years (2016 to 2020), we have on average about 260 students (or less than 0.1% of our student population) reported to experience selective mutism in our mainstream schools. Students who are diagnosed with selective mutism by healthcare professionals are supported in the following ways in our schools: In the classroom, our teachers allow more “warm up” time to ease them into lessons, such as have them arrive early, allowing for practice time before entering into a large group. Teachers also provide them with alternative modes of responding in the classroom to encourage participation, for example, by writing or using visual cues, or using technology such as WhatsApp and Padlet. During examinations that require speaking or presentations, special accommodations can be provided so that these students are not penalised for their inhibition in speaking. The School Counsellors and Allied Educators (Learning and Behavioural Support) also support the students. They work with the parents and teachers to guide students to identify their anxiety and develop strategies to cope. Students with selective mutism also benefit from peer support. Groups of peers are commonly formed in schools to provide circles of friendship and emotional support, and provide interventions to help children face their fears and manage anxiety. Schools also tap on the Response, Early Intervention, Assessment in Community mental Health (REACH) teams to further support these students.”
“National examinations are important milestones that affect students’ educational progression. MOE and the Singapore Examinations and Assessment Board are monitoring the COVID-19 situation closely and contingency plans to manage potential disruptions are in place. To ensure the well-being and safety of candidates and examination personnel in the examination centres, Safe Management Measures and examination arrangements, similar to those adopted in 2020 national examinations, would be implemented for this year’s national examinations. Students who are tested positive for COVID-19, or who have been issued a Quarantine Order, Stay-Home Notice, or given a Leave Of Absence due to close contact with confirmed COVID-19 case(s) would not be allowed to sit for examinations. Students who miss the national examinations due to COVID-19 related reasons can apply for special consideration. All special consideration applications are assessed on a case-by-case basis and subjected to a rigorous review process. Timely updates will be disseminated to schools, parents and candidates should there be any changes to the examination arrangements.”
“To support students struggling with mental health issues, students are encouraged to seek help from their school counsellors. Schools and the Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs) encourage students to identify themselves when seeking assistance from counsellors. This allows counsellors to better help students and follow up with them, especially if the issues faced by the students are more complex. Counsellors can also better establish rapport with the students and create a safe space for them to open up. For students who prefer anonymity, there are local online portals (e.g. Tinkle Friend, eC2, SOS) available. Students are informed of these portals and encouraged to seek help if needed. In addition to these portals, some IHLs have their own counselling platforms that maintain students’ anonymity. MOE will continue to provide resources to support students in distress, destigmatise and encourage help seeking, and leverage community resources and helplines.”
“Developing an AI-enabled adaptive learning system to support teaching and learning in our schools is part of MOE’s plans under Singapore’s National AI Strategy. This approach complements the role of the teacher, who remains central to the learning experience. The system will use machine learning to tell how each student responds to learning materials and activities, and customise learning for each student. In the process, we seek to improve learning outcomes for our students, especially among the lower-progress learners. We plan to introduce the adaptive learning system in a progressive and systematic manner starting with Primary and Lower Secondary Mathematics. The system will be piloted with a few schools in 2022, so that we can glean learning points and inform our approach on more pervasive deployment. Subsequently, we will consider extending the system to other subjects and other levels. The adaptive learning system will be integrated with the Singapore Student Learning Space (SLS), our national online learning platform for schools. This will ensure that all students and teachers have easy access to the system, and allow a seamless blending of adaptive learning capabilities with the learning resources and tools in SLS.”
“Promotion is on the basis of demonstrated performance and the ability to contribute at a higher level. In addition, our HR policies support our officers’ needs, at different stages of their working life, so that they can contribute to the best of their ability. Overall, this allows us to develop the potential of our public officers and drive performance in the Public Service to meet the needs of Singapore and Singaporeans.”
“The Public Service has zero tolerance for discriminatory practices along racial, religious and gender lines. There are channels in place for public officers to raise complaints, allegations and grievances on such matters. All public agencies have an Internal Disclosure Policy which sets out the procedure for the reporting of wrongful practices, including discrimination. An officer who feels that he or she is being discriminated against in the workplace can report such incidents. Apart from making such reports internally within their own departments or agencies, officers can escalate these cases to their Permanent Secretaries. Serious offences are reported by Ministries to the Public Service Division and Public Service Commission. Every complaint will be looked into and where there is sufficient basis and information provided to establish a case, the appropriate action will be taken against the perpetrators. In the course of fact-finding, care will be taken to protect the interests and confidentiality of the complainant. Summary statistics on disciplinary cases in the Civil Service are part of the Commission’s annual report to the Parliament. Cases involving discriminatory practices are not singled out as a category in this report due to the small numbers. The Public Service does not discriminate by race, religion or gender in our HR policies. We recruit and select public officers on the basis of merit and open competition and take into account the candidates’ overall suitability, such as their skills, relevant experiences and personal attributes, against the requirements of the job roles. Pay is based on merit and performance, and we emphasise fairness and rigour in our appraisal system.”
“MOE is granting additional flexibility to the Autonomous Universities (AUs) to admit more students this year, to cater to applicants whose plans to study overseas have been disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. This is part of the Ministry’s broader efforts to support local students and help ensure that their education is not unduly disrupted by the pandemic. MOE is working closely with the AUs on the number of additional places to provide. The allocation of additional places across AUs and courses will take into account the size and quality of the applicant pool, student interest, employment prospects of the various disciplines, the AUs’ capacity to cater to additional students, and other relevant factors. All students must meet the admissions criteria of the AUs, which will continue to uphold their admission standards.”
“Skills Frameworks were first introduced in 2016, with 33 Skills Frameworks completed by 2019. Based on a 2019 survey of around 1,900 companies in the Industry Transformation Map (ITM) sectors, 44% of the respondents had adopted Skills Frameworks linked to the 23 ITM sectors. SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG) engages different partners to expand adoption of Skills Framework. First, SSG works with unions and trade associations and chambers, such as the Singapore National Employers Federation and the Institute for Human Resource Professionals, to run workshops for enterprises. This helps to guide enterprises to apply the Skills Frameworks for various HR needs, such as crafting job descriptions or in performance appraisal. The Skills Frameworks are also used for developing skills progression pathways under the Progressive Wage Model, in sectors such as Security and Landscape. Second, SSG partners SkillsFuture Queen Bee companies such as Kwong Wai Shiu Hospital, Sheng Siong and Prudential to reach out to Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) within their networks, and to use the Skills Frameworks to help these companies identify skills gaps and map out skills development plans. Third, to further enhance the accessibility of Skills Frameworks across companies, SSG works with HR Information system partners such as JobTech and JobKred to integrate Skills Framework content into companies’ digital workforce solutions. Through these efforts, employers can better identify their skills gaps and curate training programmes that meet their business transformation and workforce development needs.”
“As part of the national vaccination programme, MOE commenced its vaccination exercise for students on 1 June 2021. We have been encouraged by the good progress. As of 4 July 2021, over 313,000 eligible students (around 91%) have registered for their vaccination appointments, of which about 98% have received their first dose. HSA has been monitoring the adverse events (AEs) in our students, especially for the younger students. Thus far, the AEs reported are similar to those in adults and most comprise injection site pain, fatigue, headache, chills and fever, which generally resolve on their own within a few days. Likewise, the preliminary incidence rates for students appear to be fairly similar to the adult population, but it would be best to let HSA provide a detailed update to the public as part of their regular safety update on the COVID-19 vaccines. There are also a very small number of serious adverse events (SAEs) that have been reported. These SAE cases either did not require hospitalisation, or if they did, they have all since been discharged. HSA is reviewing the cases to assess if they are linked to vaccination. MOE, MOH and HSA will continue to monitor the AEs that occur, and take the appropriate actions to safeguard the health of our students.”
“The significant decline in international visitors in 2020 due to COVID-19 has impacted Singapore’s tourism businesses and precincts, including Chinatown. STB has been working closely with the Chinatown Business Association (CBA), as well as precinct stakeholders and businesses, to support businesses through this difficult time. To attract locals to visit Chinatown, STB has worked with CBA and other stakeholders on initiatives, such as Hawker Day Out, special weekend workshops, new innovative experiences, in addition to annual cultural festivities and events. STB’s SingapoRediscovers campaign, which has encouraged locals to rediscover hidden gems and new experiences in our neighbourhoods, has provided additional marketing and publicity support for these Chinatown initiatives. The SingapoRediscovers Vouchers (SRV) scheme is primarily targeted at businesses that derive most of their income from tourists – hotels, tourist attractions and tours. Thus, all Chinatown-based hotels, tourist attractions and tours which have been approved to operate may apply to participate in the SRV scheme. F&B and retail businesses can work with eligible merchants to develop bundles that qualify for the SRVs. Beyond these initiatives, it is also important to support businesses to transform the way they operate so that they remain relevant in this fast-evolving market. The Chinatown Digitalisation Initiatives help Chinatown businesses engage new customers by building their digital presence and leveraging digital solutions. This helps them drive physical and digital traffic both locally and from overseas. The scheme aims to encourage 250 businesses or 25% of businesses in Chinatown to adopt at least one of the digital initiatives by April 2022.”
“As at 30 April 2021, approximately 21,000 Singaporeans have donated their SingapoRediscovers Vouchers (SRV). The authorised booking partners have been working with various social organisations to organise Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives which utilise the SRV. To make it easier for Singaporeans to search for SRV donation listings, three of the authorised booking partners have a page which consolidates the SRV donation listings. Additionally, STB will enhance the SRV website to feature more information on the various SRV donation drives across all the five booking partners.”
“In 2019 and 2020, the take-up rate for parent-care leave among eligible civil servants was about 50% in each year.”
“Under section 5 of the Parliamentary Elections Act, persons who are eligible to vote will have their names entered or retained in the registers automatically when the registers are prepared or revised. The Registers of Electors (REs) are compiled from records of NRIC holders kept by the Commissioner of National Registration by applying the qualifying criteria as set out below: (a) is a citizen of Singapore; (b) is not less than 21 years of age; (c) is not disqualified from being an elector under any prevailing law; and (d) (i) has a Singapore residential address on his NRIC; or (ii) if he is residing overseas and has changed his NRIC address to an overseas address, has a contact address in Singapore registered with the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (also known as a Local Contact Address). For the General Elections (GEs) held in 2011, 2015 and 2020, the prescribed dates of the REs were 1 January 2011, 1 February 2015 and 1 March 2020 respectively. Table A below shows the total population of Singapore Citizens (SCs) aged 21 and above (a) as of the prescribed dates of the REs, (b) who met the qualifying criteria to be a voter and were included in the REs, and (c) the remaining SCs aged 21 and above who were not included in the REs. Further breakdown by age-bands, gender and ethnicity are in Tables B1 to B3. The Elections Department does not track the duration an individual voter has been expunged from the REs.”
“After an election, the Elections Department (ELD) will compile a list of voters who did not vote in the election, that is, non-voters. In accordance with section 43 of the Parliamentary Elections Act, their names will be expunged from the Registers of Electors (REs), and they can apply to ELD to restore their names, after which they will be able to vote at subsequent elections. For the General Elections held in 2011, 2015 and 2020, the number of voters whose names were expunged from the REs were 147,396, 155,155 and 111,117, which was 6.67%, 6.30% and 4.20% of the total number of eligible voters at each of these General Elections respectively. Tables A1, A2 and A3 show the breakdown of the profile by age-bands, gender and ethnicity. The number of non-voters who apply to restore their names to the REs generally spikes nearer the election period, at key exercises, such as the revision of the REs or when ELD sends notification letters to non-voters to remind them to restore their names. Hence, it would not be meaningful to present the data on a yearly basis. Of the 147,396 non-voters from GE2011, 83,100 (56%) restored their names before GE2015, and of the 155,155 non-voters from GE2015, 92,069 (59%) restored their names before GE2020. Non-voters have to provide a reason for not voting at an election when applying to restore their names to the register. As long as the non-voter has a valid reason for not voting, ELD will restore the name to the register without penalty. In the last 10 years, no citizen had to pay the penalty fee to restore his/her name to the register.”
“EDB attracted $17.2 billion in Fixed Asset Investments (FAI) in 2020 and $2.8 billion in FAI in the first quarter of 2021. Of the $62.1 billion in FAI that EDB attracted in the last five years (2016-2020), $43.3 billion (70%) was in the last three years. All the companies from the last five years have started implementing their projects as planned and will create an estimated 112,100 new jobs when completed.”
“The Government takes a serious view on the use of pressure sales tactics, especially when they are used to take advantage of vulnerable groups. The Government will continue to work with CASE and CCCS to ensure that the interests of consumers, especially our seniors, are safeguarded.”
“In the past year, the Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapore (CCCS) and the Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE) received a total of 157 reports regarding hair and beauty salons engaging in pressure sales tactics. Of these, approximately half were related to salons located in HDB heartlands. Exerting undue pressure or influence on consumers to enter into transactions involving goods or services is not allowed under the Consumer Protection (Fair Trading) Act (CPFTA). Consumers can report such practices to CASE to seek their advice and assistance in obtaining redress from suppliers. Under the CPFTA, CASE may ask a supplier who has engaged in an unfair practice to enter into a Voluntary Compliance Agreement (VCA) and cease such practices. The supplier may also be required to compensate any consumer who has suffered loss or damage as a result of the unfair practice, and also publicise the VCA. CCCS, as the administering agency of the CPFTA, is armed with investigation and enforcement powers to file for a Court injunction to restrain a supplier that persists in such unfair practices. CASE works with grassroots organisations to educate consumers on how to shop wisely for beauty-related products and services. They hold regular awareness talks for senior citizens to educate them on consumer rights and how not to fall for pressure sales tactics. Consumers can also visit CASE’s website where they will find a detailed consumer advisory and a public listing of the companies that have been known to use aggressive pressure sales tactics. In addition, CASE has worked with the industry to develop CaseTrust accreditation schemes for spa and wellness providers. These schemes are a mark of fair and ethical conduct for accredited salons.”
“The offsets will be completed by December 2021 when the final JSS tranche is be paid out to eligible firms. Firms will be given sufficient time to return in cash any outstanding balance. We estimate that there will be about 1,000 firms whose future JSS payouts will be insufficient to fully offset the excess payment. MTI, MOF and IRAS will reach out to these firms to recover the overpayment. The cash recovery sum for three-quarters of these firms is less than $10,000; the estimated median recovery sum is less than $3,500. Based on our records, no firms who received the erroneous payments have been wound up to date. Businesses that face cashflow difficulties may approach us for assistance. We will make available the option for instalment payments. Enterprise Singapore also has a temporary bridging loan programme offered by participating financial institutions. Since the incident, MTI has worked with MOF and IRAS to carefully examine and rectify the processes. Additional checks and steps have been instituted to prevent similar occurrences. The compilation of re-opening dates is no longer done manually and is now coded with rules that have been reviewed and tested. An external auditor has also been engaged to thoroughly check and verify the re-opening dates used in the computation of JSS payouts. The agencies will learn from this incident and spare no effort to strengthen processes going forward.”
“These are cases which primarily involve firms supporting CMP projects but which are not CMP firms themselves. These firms were wrongly tagged with the re-opening date of the CMP projects because their company details had been included in the project resumption application, even though they were playing only a supporting role, if at all, in the projects. For example, construction projects often require the services of machinery and equipment rental firms to support various aspects of the construction project. A machinery rental firm, which is under the SSIC code of 77330, would have been permitted to operate on 2 June, together with other firms in its class. The error occurred when the 2 June re-opening date for the firm was erroneously overwritten with the later construction project approval date, say of 1 July. This led to such firms being wrongly ascribed a longer closure period and thus allocated higher JSS payouts for the affected period, in this example of between 2 June and 1 July. Despite the urgency of time and pressure to support businesses and livelihoods, we could have done better. MTI and MOF have written to the affected businesses to inform them of the overpayments. We will do our best to ensure minimum inconvenience and disruptions. Most affected firms will not need to take any action as IRAS will automatically offset the excess amount against the businesses’ future JSS payouts. We have recovered over $250 million (68%) through automatic offsets from the affected firms’ JSS payouts in end April. We have also reached out to the larger affected firms and secured their commitment to return an additional $83 million (22%). We expect to recover another $20 million or 5% from firms’ future JSS payouts and the remaining in cash thereafter.”
“Businesses were permitted to re-open in phases for broad classes of activities as proxied by their SSIC codes but there were also cases where MTI had to review in depth as some business entities have different lines of businesses which are not reflected in their SSIC codes. Due to the work settings where there may be a high degree of interactions amongst individuals, businesses in the Construction, Marine and Process (CMP) and the Tourism sectors had to submit applications to resume operations and each application had to be individually reviewed. MTI and the various Government agencies had to process the applications quickly so as not to delay support for firms. At the same time, there was a significant volume of more than 1.8 million applications from businesses to resume operations after the circuit breaker. Enterprise IT systems were not available to manage the circuit breaker and re-opening process. To build a new system to process the applications from firms and the corresponding re-opening dates would have required at least six months which would not be acceptable as we have to process the data in a timely manner to render financial support to firms. As such, existing systems and manual processes had to be used to grant approvals for businesses to re-open. IRAS’ regular checks on JSS disbursements detected potential anomalies in November 2020. At that time, the cause of the anomalies and the number of businesses affected were unclear as JSS computations involved data from multiple agencies including MTI, IRAS, CPF Board and MOF. It was only after thorough investigation that the cause of the anomalies was traced to the reopening dates. Let me elaborate on the overpayment cases.”
“MTI and MOF had shared in a joint press statement on 8 April 2021 that as a result of the incorrect tagging of businesses’ re-opening dates, incorrect Jobs Support Scheme (JSS) payouts were made, with about 5,400 businesses overpaid and 1,100 businesses underpaid. Together, this is about 4% of firms eligible for JSS. The median, 75th percentile and mean overpaid amount was $3,300, $11,600, and $69,000 respectively. Members will recall that this time last year, Singapore was in a circuit breaker due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Workplaces across Singapore were closed except for those providing essential services. This was unprecedented. We had never shut down the economy before. The scale and speed at which we had to do so was unprecedented. Cashflow was critical to the survival of firms and the Government responded swiftly, where, amongst various measures, the JSS was introduced and enhanced several rounds to provide wage support for firms. In particular, the Fortitude Budget introduced on 26 May 2020 provided for JSS support to be pegged at the highest tier till the dates when businesses were permitted to reopen after the Circuit Breaker ends on 2 June 2020. The JSS also provides higher support for firms in sectors that are more severely impacted, using the classification of firms based on their Singapore Standard Industrial Classification codes, or SSIC codes for short, amongst other parameters. It is unfortunate that the complexity, urgency and scale of the circuit breaker operations led to some data errors. MTI undertook the complex operations of working with multiple Government agencies to process applications from businesses to resume operations after the circuit breaker.”
“For GE2020, our 10 overseas missions, serving as overseas polling stations and registration centres, also emailed the overseas Singaporeans in their respective databases to remind them to register as overseas voters before the registration closed on the third day after the Writ was issued. I encourage all Singaporeans living abroad to register with MFA so that they can receive such relevant information and stay connected to home. For GE2020, 6,570 voters registered to vote overseas. This was 3.2% of the overseas Singaporean population as of June 2020. The figures were 3,676 voters in GE2011, which was 1.9% of the overseas Singaporean population as of June 2011 and 4,868 voters in GE2015, which was 2.3% of the overseas Singaporean population in June 2015. While more overseas Singaporeans are registering to vote overseas, ELD will continually review how we can improve access to voting for overseas Singaporeans while ensuring the integrity and secrecy of the vote.”
“Ms He Ting Ru also asked for the rationale for ceasing to process requests for restoration of names to the Register of Electors once the Writ of Election is issued and if we can extend the timeline for restoration. The cessation is required so that ELD can finalise the Registers and proceed with downstream preparatory activities, such as the printing and mailing of the poll cards and preparing the polling station registers. Finalising the Registers and making available the finalised Registers to candidates and political parties also help to ensure the integrity of the electoral system, as it makes clear to all parties and candidates who the voters in their respective constituencies are. As I have explained, ELD reminds non-voters to restore their names to the Registers of Electors as early as a few months after the previous election. As such, non-voters have more than enough time to restore their names before the next election. Ms He also asked what steps ELD takes to encourage overseas voters to register when the Registers are prepared. When the Registers are prepared or revised, ELD will also remind eligible overseas Singaporeans, via press releases, to register early as overseas voters if they wish to vote at one of the 10 overseas polling stations. For those who may not have come across the news carried by the Singapore media, ELD works with MFA and the Singapore Global Network (SGN) to reach out to overseas Singaporeans on their database. ELD also emails overseas Singaporeans even if they had registered before, to inform them to register as overseas voters with each preparation or revision to the Registers of Electors.”
“During these exercises, ELD also issues press releases to inform Singaporeans that the lists of Singaporeans eligible to vote at the next election can be inspected at various touchpoints, such as the ELD website, community centres or clubs, at ELD premises, or at Singapore overseas missions which serve as overseas registration centres. Singaporeans who are non-voters are encouraged to take the necessary steps to restore their names to the Registers. While the law does not require ELD to inform citizens directly when their names are expunged from the Registers, ELD does send notification letters to individual non-voters to remind them to restore their names to the Registers. For example, after the 2015 General Election, ELD conducted two such notification exercises in 2016 and 2019. To make it easy and convenient for non-voters to restore their names, non-voters merely have to scan a QR code in the letter to access ELD’s online services. Alternatively, non-voters can bring along the letter and apply in person at any community centre/club, at the Elections Department or at selected Singapore overseas missions. Ms He Ting Ru asked whether the Government will consider removing the fee imposed on citizens to restore their names to the Registers. As voting is compulsory in Singapore, any non-voter without a valid reason for not voting will be required to pay a penalty fee of $50. However, for those with valid reasons for not voting, ELD will restore their names without any penalty. These include studying or working overseas, on overseas vacation, on medical leave, hospitalised, bedridden, mental incapacity and so on, such that they are unable to go to the polling stations to vote on Polling Day.”
“Voting is compulsory in Singapore. Voters who do not turn up to vote in an election will have their names expunged from the Registers of Electors. However, the Elections Department, or ELD in short, undertakes several measures to remind people to restore their names to the Registers of Electors if they had failed to vote. As required under the law, ELD will display the lists of non-voters for public inspection after every election. These lists can be inspected at ELD, community centres and clubs and Singapore overseas missions. Singaporeans can also check their voter status electronically via the ELD website. ELD also issues a press release on the inspection of the non-voter lists and encourage non-voters to restore their names to the Registers after every election. For example, after the September 2015 General Election, ELD issued the press release on the inspection of the non-voter lists on 15 October 2015 and reminded non-voters to apply early to restore their names to the Registers so that they can vote at future elections. General Election (GE) 2020 took place subsequently in July 2020. Thus, non-voters at the 2015 General Election or earlier elections had more than four years to restore their names to the Registers so that they are eligible to vote at GE2020. The non-voter lists for GE2020 was issued in October last year and I strongly encourage non-voters at GE2020 to restore their names early so that they can vote at the next election. The law also requires that the Registers of Electors be brought up to date not later than three years after each general election. After GE2015, and prior to GE2020, the Registers were updated and certified three times, most recently in April 2020.”
“MSF regularly reviews the ComCare schemes to ensure that the assistance given takes into account changes in the prices of essential items and feedback from stakeholders who work closely with the low-income. We will always do our best to protect our supply of essential food commodities and keep prices stable. However, these are extraordinary times and it is likely that we will continue to see volatility in the prices of food supplies and essential products due to global uncertainties, such as delays in transportation due to border controls and shortage of shipping capacity.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, in recent months, global food commodity prices have risen due to strong global demand and tight supply, with the latter caused by adverse weather conditions and restrictions on food exports by some food-producing countries. As a small and open economy that imports our essential food supplies, Singapore has been affected by these developments. To reduce the impact of rising commodity prices on groceries, we have diversified our food import sources and also provided targeted assistance to lower income households. Today, we import food from more than 170 countries. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, when many countries had to deal with food shortages, Singapore was able to ensure the continued availability of most of our fresh food supplies and key essential items. Through our deliberate efforts to diversify our import sources, we were able to keep the prices of food supplies and daily necessities competitive. Such resilience in the essential supply of our food and daily necessities is made possible also because of our excellent connectivity and commitment to keep our ports and key transport operations running even at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. To help Singaporeans cope with the increase in prices in daily necessities, the Government continues to work with cooperatives, such NTUC FairPrice, on Community Support programmes, such as the price freeze on essential items under their house brand during the period March 2019 to December 2020. For low-income and vulnerable families, the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) continues to provide ComCare Assistance to support their daily living expenses, such as food, clothing, transportation and communications.”
“As at 30 April 2021, over a million adult Singaporeans have used their SingapoRediscovers Vouchers (SRV) at least once. About two million adult Singaporeans have not redeemed their SRV. The redemption deadline has been extended to 31 December 2021 to allow Singaporeans to spread their visits throughout the rest of the year.”
“The Suez Canal was blocked between 23 and 29 March 2021 when Evergreen Marine Corp’s container vessel Ever Given ran aground in the canal. Global shipping was disrupted during the blockage. Fortunately, our multi-prong strategy of stockpiling, diversifying sources and localising production helped mitigate the impact of the blockage on Singapore. Singapore businesses drew down their buffer stock, activated alternate freight options for urgent shipments and tapped on alternate sources of supplies. Nevertheless, the longer term impact of the Suez Canal logjam has yet to play out fully. The blockage has exacerbated existing challenges in global shipping, including constraints in vessel capacity, congestions at major ports, and imbalance of containers. This will thus put more pressure on global supply chains and increase the cost of shipping in future. The Suez Canal incident is another reminder that in our interconnected world, disruptions can happen at any time and from any source, and they will be felt by the global economy, including Singapore. It is therefore imperative for all companies, to continuously prepare themselves for a more uncertain operating environment and refresh their resilience and supply chain strategies accordingly.”
“We look forward to hosting the World Economic Forum’s Special Annual Meeting in Singapore in August this year. It will reinforce Singapore’s positioning as a choice location for safe and successful world-class Meetings, Incentive Travel, Conventions and Exhibitions (MICE) events. We are working with the Forum to put in place the necessary measures to ensure the safety and security for all participants and staff, and for our community. The specific arrangements and hence, the associated costs can only be firmed up nearer the date.”
“Approximately 3% of the Singapore’s resident labour force, aged 60 and above, are full-time staff/contract workers in the Public Service. These officers are employed in a wide variety of roles across the Public Service, including teachers, operations, technical roles and corporate administration. Public Service recruitment is based on merit and not on age. Our recruitment practices are aligned with the Tripartite Alliance for Fair Employment Practices (TAFEP) guidelines. We recruit on the principle of selecting the “best person for the job”, taking into account their skills, qualifications, work experiences and personal attributes against the job that they applied too. We do not ask for a candidate’s age in our Public Service Application Form and regularly review the form in tandem with changes to TAFEP’s guidelines on fair hiring practices. Similarly, access to flexible work arrangements is not based on age. As long as their job nature allows for it, public officers of all ages can have access to flexible work arrangements such as staggered start-work hours, telecommuting and part-time work. The Public Service is committed to the employment and employability of mature workers. Besides extending our retirement and re-employment ages from July this year, one year ahead of the national schedule, we have made available career coaching and additional training across the Public Service to support our officers to adapt to changing work demands and to take up different job roles. PSD will continue our efforts to educate the leaders, supervisors and HR managers across the Public Service so that everyone plays their part in ensuring the employment and employability of our mature workers.”
“The Code of Conduct for the Leasing of Retail Premises in Singapore is an industry-led effort, developed jointly by landlords and retail tenants to increase the vibrancy, resilience and competitiveness of Singapore’s retail, food and beverage, and lifestyle sector. The Code addresses the severe challenges that this sector has faced from multiple disruptions and intense competition, especially from e-commerce. Other industries have their own unique circumstances, which may make the Code of Conduct for Leasing of Retail Premises less applicable. As announced in March 2021, the Government has accepted the industry’s recommendation to enact legislation to make compliance with the Code of Conduct mandatory for all retail tenancies in Singapore. Prior to any legislation, key landlord and tenant associations have already pledged that they will adopt the Code from 1 June this year. This is a strong foundation for the retail sector to overcome its challenges and to emerge stronger in a post-COVID-19 world.”