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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“The Public Service is committed to ensure that Government services are accessible and inclusive. As we digitalise Government services to make them more convenient for citizens to access, we are also making efforts to close the digital divide. This includes initiatives to enable digital access and help citizens learn new digital skills to transact with the Government. We have also started ServiceSG Centres to support citizens who need help with Government e-services. Since 2021, we have expanded the ServiceSG Centre network to nine centres islandwide, including two new centres that opened in October 2024 at Woodlands and Bukit Merah. There is no plan in the short term to start a ServiceSG Centre in Serangoon town. However, we will continue to plan and expand the network of centres taking into consideration factors such as the level of needs in a locality, opportunities for integration of various existing Government agency shopfronts within a locality for greater service delivery effectiveness, the availability of resources and the availability of suitable sites.”
“Currently, all secondary school students who learn Chinese Language or Malay Language can access instruction in their school. Tamil Language instruction is available in the majority of but not all secondary schools, due to the limited supply of Tamil Language teachers and the low demand in some schools. Over the past five years, the Ministry of Education (MOE) received an average of four appeals per year for secondary school transfers due to the school not offering Tamil Language. About 90% of students who study Tamil Language do so in their secondary school. The rest of the students attend lessons at one of 11 regional school-based centres, or at the Umar Pulavar Tamil Language Centre. These centres offer a rich learning environment with more learners to engage in the use of Tamil Language. MOE monitors trends in school transfer appeals related to mother tongue language availability, and factors this into our teacher recruitment and deployment. However, it is not practical to offer Tamil Language in all schools, due to the very small number of Tamil learners in some schools.”
“The Graduate Employment Survey (GES) does not collect information on the number of fresh graduates taking up employment on a contract basis. The GES’ definition of permanent employment includes contracts lasting one year or more. Between 2018 and 2023, about eight in 10 employed fresh graduates were in full-time permanent employment.”
“We want to emphasise that regardless of whether a report is made anonymously or openly, we treat the identity of the person making the report and the information provided with confidence. Every effort will be made not to reveal the identity of anyone who makes a report or give evidence in respect of any wrongful practice, to the extent feasible and permissible under the law. In addition, no officer or supervisor should retaliate against the staff or student who made the report in good faith, and those who do so may be subject to disciplinary action. If, however, an allegation is made frivolously, maliciously or for personal gain, disciplinary action may be taken against the staff or student who intentionally made the false allegation. In conclusion, MOE is committed to fostering an environment where everyone feels safe to voice concerns and provide feedback. We continuously strive to create a culture where reporting wrongful practices is seen not as an act of disloyalty, but as a vital contribution to maintain the integrity of our system.”
“Aligned with the Internal Disclosure Policy in the Public Service, the Ministry of Education (MOE) has an established process where staff can report any wrongful or doubtful practices they observe to the Permanent Secretary or the Human Resource Director via written means (for example, email). They may also approach their respective unions for representation. MOE also has clear processes in schools for students to report any wrongdoing to their teachers or school leaders. My response will focus on anonymous reports from staff (including teachers) and students. As a Ministry, we recognise staff or students may feel apprehensive when reporting wrongful practices, as they may fear potential repercussions or negative perceptions. However, to ensure the integrity of the investigation process, we require staff or students providing such reports to provide their identity for the following reasons. Clarification of details: investigations often involve complex situations that require follow-up questions or additional information from the person making the report. Without knowing the source of the report, it may be difficult or impossible to gather the necessary details to fully understand the issue. Protection against false claims: it ensures individual accountability and safeguards the integrity of our reporting system by deterring false or malicious claims. Support: it allows MOE to provide necessary support to protect and provide closure to the staff or student providing the report once the investigation is concluded. While we do consider anonymous reports based on the specificity and quality of information provided, our ability to thoroughly examine such cases may be constrained.”
“The UPLIFT Scholarship recognises the outstanding achievements of Singaporean students from lower-income families in Independent Schools (IS) and Specialised Independent Schools (SIS). To be eligible for the scholarship, students must be recipients of the Edusave Scholarship for Independent Schools, or admitted to IS/SISes through Direct School Admissions. Besides the UPLIFT Scholarship, the Ministry of Education (MOE) provides financial assistance to Singaporean students from lower-to-middle income households in IS/SISes. Students from families with a monthly gross household income of $3,000 or less, or per capita income of $750 or less, receive 100% subsidies in their fees through the Independent School Bursary, and also receive meal and transport subsidies, as well as free textbooks and school attire. Students from families with gross household income of $3,001 to $4,400 receive significant subsidies on their fees such that they only need to pay the same fees as students in Government schools. The current arrangement allows us to preserve the objectives of the UPLIFT scholarship while ensuring that all lower-income students studying in Independent Schools can have access to substantial financial assistance. MOE reviews our financial assistance schemes regularly to support deserving Singaporean students in their education journey, so that all students can access education opportunities regardless of their backgrounds.”
“This question has been addressed as part of the oral reply to Question No 1 on 4 February 2025. [Please refer to "Update on MOE's Probe into Alleged Assault on Student at Admiralty Secondary School on 7 January 2025", Official Report, 4 February 2025, Vol 95, Issue 150, Oral Answers to Questions section.]”
“Over the past two decades, the school landscape has evolved significantly to better support the educational needs of our students. Besides building new primary schools in growing towns, the Ministry of Education (MOE) also moved all primary schools from double session to single session and reduced class sizes at the Primary 1 and 2 levels to 30 per class. We also merged and relocated schools as well as reduced the intake of some schools, in line with the falling cohort size and demand in that area. In recent years, MOE has been making changes to the Primary 1 Registration Framework. For example, from the 2018 Primary 1 Registration Exercise, children who were enrolled in the MOE Kindergarten located in the primary school became eligible for Phase 2A2 to facilitate their transition into that primary school; and from the 2022 Primary 1 Registration Exercise, we ring-fenced more places for Phase 2C and combined Phases 2A1 and 2A2 into a single Phase 2A. These changes were made to allow more children without prior connections, that is, children whose parents or siblings need not have studied in the school, a higher chance of gaining admission to the school at the Primary 1 Registration Exercise. Therefore, to the Member's question, it would not be relevant to try to make links between one move and changes in balloting patterns over 20 years.”
“The SkillsFuture Work-Study Programmes are co-developed and co-delivered by the Institutes of Higher Learning through classroom training and companies through on-the-job training. Take-up for these programmes has increased steadily over the years. The number of trainees enrolled in SkillsFuture Work-Study Diploma programmes offered by the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) increased from 500 in 2021 to around 1,300 in 2024, while those enrolled in SkillsFuture Work-Study Degree programmes offered by the Autonomous Universities increased from 300 in 2021 to around 800 in 2023, which is the latest year of complete data. SkillsFuture Work-Study Programmes offered by ITE and the polytechnics require participating employers to hire and train the students in the programme. Based on our recent surveys, around seven in 10 graduates stayed with the company that hired and trained them. Employers participating in SkillsFuture Work-Study Programmes can receive grants of up to $15,000 for each eligible trainee whom they hire and train. We will continue to monitor and review the take-up of SkillsFuture Work-Study Programmes among individuals and companies, including whether the employer incentive is sufficient to support on-the-job training costs incurred.”
“With MOE's encouragement, some affiliated schools have also tightened the Affiliate Minimum Requirements that affiliates must meet to be eligible for priority to the school, facilitating greater access for non-affiliated students. For each year since the 2021 Secondary 1 Posting Exercise, about half of the Secondary 1 cohort of the affiliated secondary schools are from non-affiliated primary schools, with the remaining half from their respective affiliated primary schools. The difference in cut-off points between affiliates and non-affiliates varies depending on the Posting Group. For Posting Group 3, the average difference is about seven points. For Posting Groups 2 and 1, the average difference is smaller, at two and one point respectively, as the ranges of cut-off points in these posting groups are narrower than for Posting Group 3. The median mirrors the average for all three Posting Groups. While this may be the current balance that we have established for now, we will continue to adjust and make further refinements, as time goes by and circumstances change, so that we can achieve the right balance for the future.”
“In Singapore, our goals in education are to spark the joy of learning in students, help them realise their potential and build the foundations for them to be active, contributing members of society. This is why we have a variegated education landscape that offers our students a range of school options catering to their diverse interests, needs and strengths. Affiliated schools contribute to one part of this landscape, with their long history and distinctive school culture. In achieving this balance, we acknowledge that there are competing policy tensions. First, we want to right-site our students based on their individual strengths and interests. Now, with Full-Subject Based Banding across our secondary school system, including affiliated schools, we are better able to achieve this today than before. Second, we recognise that there are some educational merits to school affiliation. For example, the affiliation policy provides schools with a long history and distinctive culture with the opportunity to consistently imbue their school values, ethos and culture into their students over a longer period. Third, we want to ensure that our society remains open and cohesive; not closed and fractured. This starts in our schools. Even as we support the building of school culture, values and tradition, this must not come at the expense of social cohesion and what we stand for as a nation. This is why we have evolved our education system over time, as our society matures and faces greater risk of becoming more stratified. One example was when the Ministry of Education (MOE) required affiliated secondary schools to reserve 20% of places for non-affiliated students, when there was none before, from the 2019 Secondary 1 Posting Exercise.”
“All faculty members of Yale-NUS College hired before August 2021 have been offered positions at the National University of Singapore. About 40% have accepted the offer to date and this proportion may increase as some are still considering their offers.”
“This question has been addressed as part of the oral reply to Question Nos 2 to 7 at the Sitting of 8 January 2025. [Please refer to "Addressing Survey Findings Which Showed Decline in English Literacy Skills amongst Older Workers and Average Scores for Adaptive Problem-solving", Official Report, 8 January 2025, Vol 95, Issue 149, Oral Answers to Questions section.]”
“The Ministry of Education (MOE) takes a firm stance against substance abuse. In schools, students learn about Singapore's laws and regulations concerning illegal substances, their harmful consequences and new developments to be mindful of. Students are taught to recognise impulsive and addictive behaviours and are equipped with skills for self-control and managing negative peer influences. Schools share resources with parents to raise awareness of the consequences of substance abuse and strategies to support a substance-free lifestyle. MOE also works closely with the Central Narcotics Bureau and the Health Promotion Board on preventive education and enforcement. This includes collaborations to raise awareness among students, parents and social service agencies of the illegality and harms of any new or emerging substances. When schools are informed of substance abuse cases, including those identified by social service agencies, they work with enforcement and social service agencies to rehabilitate the students and support their well-being.”
“The Institute of Technical Education (ITE) Progression Award (IPA) was introduced in 2024 to address the growing wage gap between ITE's Nitec and Higher Nitec graduates and diploma- or degree-holders. It provides financial support to help ITE graduates upskill to a diploma earlier in their careers and boost their savings for longer-term goals, such as home ownership or retirement. The two-step award supports ITE graduates to enrol in a diploma by providing a top-up of $5,000 to their Post-Secondary Education Account (PSEA) at the start of diploma studies and encourages them to complete their diploma with another top-up of $10,000 to the Central Provident Fund Ordinary Account (CPF OA) when they do so. Eligible ITE graduates who were already enrolled in diplomas at Ministry of Education-funded institutions as of 1 March 2024 will still receive the $10,000 OA top-up under IPA after they complete their diplomas. The IPA is part of the Government's broader suite of schemes that provide support for lifelong learning across various life stages. ITE graduates who had upgraded to diplomas before 2024 should already start to enjoy better employability and higher wages and are, therefore, not part of the target group for IPA. To support them to upskill further, there are other schemes, such as the Workfare Skills Support Scheme and the SkillsFuture Level-Up Programme, which provide financial support like training allowance during their course. Course fees are also heavily subsidised for Singaporeans at the Institutes of Higher Learning and for courses supported by SkillsFuture Singapore.”
“The core objectives of Compulsory Education (CE) are to give our children (a) a common core of knowledge which will provide a strong foundation for further education and training; and (b) a common educational experience which will help to build national identity and cohesion. Under the CE Act, Singaporean children of compulsory school age, that is, above six years and under 15 years, are required to be enrolled in national primary schools. Children with moderate to severe Special Educational Needs (SEN) that cannot be supported in mainstream schools, can enrol in Government-funded Special Education schools to meet the CE requirement. Parents may apply for their children to be exempted from CE, to be home-schooled. Children with SEN who are home-schooled may follow either the mainstream or special education curriculum, depending on their specific needs. Regardless of the curriculum, parents who apply for home-schooling would need to have the capability to teach their children effectively and provide a holistic learning environment. The Ministry of Education reviews the home-schooling criteria annually to ensure they are relevant and up to date.”
“As parents and members of the public, let us work with our teachers to be positive role models, carefully considering how we should respond in ways that are helpful and kind. By sharing and responding to information thoughtfully and respectfully, we contribute to building a wiser and more compassionate society.”
“Five, when we amplify one-sided perspectives, we should have a care if we are not being used to further the agenda of specific individuals. Providing partisan support to feuding parties would only fuel the fire and embolden the feuding parties to be even more strident. Six, retributive justice must be coupled with rehabilitative justice. Punishment alone, without due care to rehabilitate, is not in line with the long-term developmental interests of our children. Seven, hate begets hate. Respect begets respect. An eye for an eye, makes us all blind and robs us of our future and humanity. Eight, we are our children's role models. If we act like bullies, online or offline, they will too. Threatening, doxxing and being disrespectful to other children and teachers are not actions that make our children better. This is also not how we demonstrate to our children that we care for them and protect them. Nine, subverting the schools' authority, by appealing to external "higher" authorities or seeking to use the media to attack and cast aspersions on the schools and teachers, will make us all losers. Ultimately, our children will no longer respect authority. Such actions also take up the precious time and bandwidth of our teachers, at the expense of other children and parents who deserve more. Ten, when we, as adults and parents, shield our children who have done wrong from punishment, we are teaching them the wrong lessons – that they do not have to take responsibility for their actions, that someone else is always at fault or that they will always be bailed out. Let us work together and not let the unrepresentative actions of a small minority colour the perception and behaviour of our children, our parents, our teachers and our schools.”
“While a small number of parents may think the schools have not done enough in their eyes to address their grievances, we can all be confident that our teachers are taking care of the interests of all our children impartially and not just a few or selected ones. It is useful to remember that it is one thing for children to fight and quarrel. It is quite another for adults to jump in to take sides, aggravate the quarrel and detract us from guiding our children towards reconciliation and rehabilitation. In the recent incidents, school leaders were flamed online, the school was unfairly represented and the steadfast efforts of our educators to support all affected students were left unacknowledged and unappreciated. I am sure we can agree that we can and must be better than this. I understand that many of us care deeply about the well-being of our students. Compassion forms the foundation of a strong, nurturing society that we all strive to build. While MOE continues to take a firm stance against bullying, take care of our children and staff, help feuding parties to heal and guide our children in the proper ways, we, as parents and the wider society, can partner our teachers and play our part by reminding ourselves of the following: One, what we hear and see online may not be what it is. Especially when we only choose to hear and see what we want. Two, he who shouts the loudest and fastest, may not be the most innocent nor most accurate. Three, swinging the sword of vigilantism in the dark, online and in real life, always hurts the innocent ones that one may claim to protect. Four, broadcasting the extremes will normalise the extremes and encourage even more extreme behaviours.”
“Throughout this process, the school staff maintained communication with the student's family, reaching out to work with and support them. The one-sided allegations lobbed at Admiralty Secondary do not reflect the full picture. They do not do justice to the efforts that the school had made to help the student and her family in her time of need. The outcome was not something anyone wished to see happen. But the intent and efforts of the school to help the child, seeking to partner the family, should not be doubted. At this juncture, while I will not comment on the specifics of various cases, let me share some broader reflections on how we should respond as a society to these and similar ones that have arisen. When such incidents happen, some of us, including adults, may react reflexively or emotionally. The court of public opinion, with an incomplete view, then reacts and complicate an already difficult situation. MOE is particularly concerned when adults take to social media or turn up in our schools to threaten our staff, demanding action on behalf of their children and even threatening the other children. This is wrong. MOE will not tolerate such actions. We will do all that is necessary, including taking firm action in accordance with MOE's Engagement Charter and our laws, to safeguard the well-being of our staff and students while we work to counsel and discipline the students involved. While these incidents are few, they incur disproportionate amount of time and bandwidth to manage and must not be allowed to grow.”
“Without the full facts, let us not speculate or jump in to complicate matters further. Regarding the incident involving a former student of Admiralty Secondary who fell from height in 2023, MOE is deeply saddened by this loss and our condolences are with her family and loved ones. The causes and possible triggers for suicides are complex and multifaceted. When it happens, our school leaders seek to extend help to affected students and families and work closely with families in managing their grief. When our schools manage these situations, MOE maintains strict confidentiality and does not disclose details of the incidents or the child's family circumstances to the public out of respect for the family's privacy and in view of the sensitive nature of these matters. However, this often leaves our school leaders and teachers vulnerable to misunderstanding, leading to online attacks and abuse of our teachers and staff while they continue to exercise restraint and sensitivity to the families. Given that this particular student's case has now been made known to the public, I would like to assure Members that the school had gone above and beyond in supporting this student when she was experiencing emotional challenges. When the school was informed that the student was going through some friendship issues, the school took action to guide the affected students to resolve their differences and to reconcile. A dedicated team, comprising experienced school staff and school counsellor, extended counselling to her and facilitated restorative conversations among the schoolmates. Even after this incident, when the student experienced other challenges, the school continued to provide support and intervention over several months.”
“Regarding the alleged assault case at Admiralty Secondary on 7 January, preliminary investigations by MOE reveal that it was not an incident of bullying. An altercation happened between two new Secondary 1 students during the transition between periods. This resulted in one student striking the other on the head with a plastic water bottle, giving rise to a cut on that student's head. The Form Teacher intervened immediately on witnessing the scene and separated the students. The injured student received first aid for the cut on his head, while the school leaders called for an ambulance to convey him to hospital. Based on MOE's investigations so far, the school had acted appropriately to support the student's well-being. The school had ensured that he received medical care in a timely manner. During his medical leave, the school maintained communication with his parents, provided learning support for the child and monitored his well-being. The student has since returned to school. The school has also been assisting the Police in their ongoing investigations of the case. The student who struck the other student has been suspended, is being counselled and will face further disciplinary actions when he returns to school. The school will also facilitate the restoration of relationships between the two students when they are both back in school. The objective of these educative and restorative efforts is to help students learn and grow through these experiences. We understand the anxieties of parents whose children are or have been involved in fighting or bullying incidents, but please allow the school and the authorities to deal with the cases and carry out the necessary disciplinary and restorative actions professionally.”
“I would like my response to also address Question No 1 in today's Order Paper and a Written Parliamentary Question, which is scheduled for a subsequent Sitting. [Please refer to "Update on MOE's Probe into Alleged Assault on Student at Admiralty Secondary School on 7 January 2025", Official Report, 4 February 2025, Vol 95, Issue 150, Oral Answers to Questions section.] I invite Members to seek clarifications if need be. I will also make some broader comments on how we should handle such incidents as a society. I thank Parliamentary Members and members of the public for showing concern for the well-being of our students. The Ministry of Education (MOE) takes a serious view of any act of bullying or violence. No one should be bullied. No one wants to be bullied. No one should bully. MOE monitors these cases that are reported to or are identified by our schools, whether the incidents happen in or outside schools, online and offline. While cases of physical bullying are relatively stable and manageable, other associated issues have arisen, especially online, to compound our concerns. First, the virality of social media postings has heightened sensitivities and increased social media vigilante actions. These can normalise the extremes and hinder rehabilitative actions. Second, the unhelpful involvement of even a minority of adults can complicate the situations and compound the challenges faced in guiding our students. For Admiralty Secondary School, in the last five years, there was an average of about two incidents of bullying per year per 1000 students, both within and outside of school. This is no higher than the national average of bullying cases in secondary schools.”
“The Ministry of Education (MOE) monitors cases related to student mental health and discipline that are reported to or identified by schools. However, MOE may not have information on all cases, as some families prefer to seek help privately. We work with schools to address student well-being issues, such as bullying, and to provide support for students with suicide risks. Beyond a support network of teachers and school counsellors in every school, students have access to specialised interventions and resources in the community, such as the Response, Early Intervention and Assessment in Community Mental Health teams. Parents also play an important role to provide the necessary support and guidance to their child at home. Where there are schools with students with greater needs, MOE works closely with these schools to review their strategies and provide more targeted support where required. We will continue to update these measures so that our schools receive appropriate resources and assistance as they partner with parents to address student well-being issues together.”
“Our academically weaker students had generally performed better than their international peers in both Mathematics and Science in the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) 2023. This is largely due to the provision of dedicated and customised support for these students. The Ministry of Education (MOE) will continue to strengthen our support for students. For example, the Learning Support for Mathematics (LSM) Programme has provided targeted support since 2007 to Primary 1 and Primary 2 students who do not have the necessary numeracy foundation to access the primary Mathematics curriculum. MOE has extended the LSM to Primary 3 and 4 students progressively since 2023. We have also enhanced the resources and pedagogies used in LSM to further meet the needs of students and address their learning gaps. At Primary 5 and Primary 6, students who need more time and a slower pace of learning in Mathematics and Science can offer these subjects at the Foundation level. At the secondary level, with Full Subject-Based Banding, students can offer Mathematics and Science at the G1, G2 and G3 levels according to their level of readiness. In G1 Mathematics and Science, concepts and skills from primary levels are revisited and reinforced to cater to the need of students before moving on to new content. Continuous professional development is extended to teachers to equip them in teaching students who require additional support. MOE will continue to work closely with schools to help students across all ability profiles to learn deeply and build a strong foundation in Mathematics and Science.”
“The decline in students' interest in learning Mathematics was observed across many participating education systems in the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) 2023, including in the higher-performing ones. Notwithstanding this decline, factors that potentially support students' interest in learning Mathematics remain robust in Singapore. Our students reported higher instructional clarity in Mathematics lessons, compared to most top-performing systems in TIMSS 2023. The proportion of students who indicated that their teachers deployed a wide range of teaching strategies to support their learning had also increased from TIMSS 2019. To develop our students' interest in learning Mathematics, the Ministry of Education (MOE) adopts age-appropriate pedagogies that are engaging, such as through games or use of technology, so that students can experience fun and success in learning. For example, learning through play is a key feature of the Learning Support for Mathematics programme for students who need more support. The curriculum also encourages hands-on activities and real-world problem-solving, enabling students to apply and deepen their understanding of mathematical concepts in authentic scenarios. MOE will continue to develop teachers' capacity and update curriculum resources to make learning more meaningful and engaging for learners.”
“All students, regardless of their SEN condition, are encouraged to exercise self-advocacy to communicate their needs and request job accommodations at the workplace, if needed. For students who offer a customised curriculum in SPED and demonstrate potential for employment, MOE also partners with SG Enable on employment support through programmes such as the School-To-Work Transition Programme. MOE has also enhanced the SPED Vocational Education curriculum to emphasise the intentional teaching of soft skills and more structured vocational guidance. Eligible students can also enrol in selected Institute of Technical Education Skills Certificate programmes and Workforce Skills Qualifications courses in SPED schools, such as Metta School and Delta Senior School. In addition, SG Enable provides incentives, such as grants, from the Open Door Programme to help employers redesign jobs for students with disabilities. We encourage more employers to be part of our whole-of-society effort and adopt an inclusive mindset to enable more young Singaporeans with SEN to enter and thrive in our workforce. With some adjustment and greater understanding, employers can benefit from the value that students with SEN bring to their work teams.”
“Students with special educational needs (SEN) are enrolled in either mainstream or Special Education (SPED) schools. For students in SPED schools, some learn the national curriculum with support and others benefit from a customised SPED curriculum. For students with SEN learning the national curriculum, the Ministry of Education (MOE) strives to have as many of them progress to post-secondary education institutions (PSEIs) as possible. Secondary and older students in mainstream schools have Education and Career Guidance Counsellors to guide them in making informed decisions about their education and career plans. Students with additional needs will receive further guidance and support from teachers and school personnel, such as SEN officers. Students in SPED schools also receive support in transitioning to PSEIs. Schools work closely with students and their families to develop an Individual Transition Plan for each SPED student, to realise their post-school goals. Presently, we have approximately 7,000 students with reported SEN enrolled across the Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs). For IHL courses that have internship requirements, students with SEN are expected to participate in them. The SG Enable IHL Internship Programme assists in matching students with disabilities to inclusive organisations in various sectors. Many of our IHLs provide internship opportunities on campus for students who may face greater difficulties securing external internships. Pre-internship, employment workshops and job matching programmes are also provided to help manage the transition of students with SEN from the IHLs to the workplace.”
“We have also observed that some graduates have received full-time permanent job offers but have rejected them for various reasons, including a perceived lack of work-life balance or the offered pay not meeting their expectations. We will continue to monitor if this trend persists and if it has a longer-term impact on graduates' employment outcomes. The polytechnics will continue to equip students with the necessary and in-demand skills and competencies by working closely with industry partners to ensure that their curriculum remain relevant and responsive to the evolving job market demands, as well as to provide quality internship opportunities for students. The polytechnics further support students by providing Education and Career Guidance as part of the curriculum, which includes resume writing and interview skills training. Those who require more support in finding a job can also tap on the career matching services and digital resources offered by Workforce Singapore's and the National Trades Union Congress' Employment and Employability Institute (e2i). For 2025, given global economic uncertainties, we will continue to monitor the situation closely together with the polytechnics and industry partners.”
“My response will cover the matters raised in the questions by Dr Wan Rizal1, Ms See Jinli Jean, Mr Leong Mun Wai2, Mr Liang Eng Hwa, Mr Pritam Singh and Ms Foo Mee Har3, which are scheduled for the Sittings on and after 4 February 2025. [Please refer to "Assessment of Employment Landscape for Polytechnic Graduates in 2025", Official Report, 4 February 2025, Vol 95, Issue 150, Oral Answers to Questions section.] If need be, I invite these Members to seek clarifications following my response. Employment rates are affected by various factors, such as the economic and labour market conditions. Some fluctuations from year to year are to be expected. More importantly, we must continue to monitor and respond to the secular trends, beyond the cyclical fluctuations, that may affect the employability of our graduates. While the labour market remained tight in 2024, with job vacancies remaining higher than pre-pandemic levels, 2024 saw lower hiring demand and fewer vacancies compared to 2023, which might have contributed to the survey findings for 2024. Based on the 2024 Graduate Employment Survey conducted by the five polytechnics, about 45% of graduates were economically active. Among this group, there was a decrease in the full-time permanent employment rate and an increase in the unemployment rate as compared to 2023. The impact was uneven across course clusters. Some course clusters, such as health sciences, and humanities and social sciences, continued to see strong employment outcomes. Graduates from course clusters, such as engineering, and information and digital technologies, had higher unemployment rates and this could be due to cyclical sectoral changes, such as the downturn in the tech sector, which also affected hiring demand.”
“As the Elections Department announced on 22 January 2025, the Prime Minister has directed the Registration Officer to revise the Registers of Electors based on the prescribed date of 1 February 2025 and to complete the revision before 1 April 2025. Subject to other requirements being met, Singapore Citizens aged 21 years and above as of the prescribed date will be included in the Registers of Electors.”
“Between 2014 and 2023, Ministries and Statutory Boards collectively awarded 4,500 scholarships or an average of 450 scholarships per year. However, the total number of scholarship recipients in the system at any one time is significantly larger because each scholarship recipient takes about four years to complete their studies and then works in the Public Service to serve out their bond and beyond. The proportion of bond-breakers is low. Each year, on average, over the last 10 years, 10 scholarship recipients broke their bond during their studies and 14 resigned before serving out the full length of their bond. Scholarship recipients who do not serve out their bonds are required to repay the value of their scholarship, taking into account the number of years they have served.”
“Autonomous Universities (AUs) have the right and responsibility to implement an assessment framework for evaluating speakers at campus events. As stated in Ministry of Education's reply to a Parliamentary Question on 9 January 2024, AUs manage their own events, including deciding on invited speakers. [Please refer to "Incidents of Disinvitation of Speakers and Cancellations of Events at Autonomous Universities", Official Report, 9 January 2024, Vol 95, Issue 118, Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer not Answered by End of Question Time section.] As common spaces for learning, AUs are aware that while they should promote critical thinking and appreciation of diverse viewpoints, they must also respect Singapore's wider social norms, help students to appreciate our national interests, protect our hard-earned harmony and not ride roughshod over the sensitivities of others. Neither should AUs be used by organisations or individuals to further their agenda at our expense or in the name of academic freedom. Where necessary, the Ministry will advise the AUs to uphold these principles.”
“The Institutes of Higher Learning provide companies with a recommended allowance range that student interns should receive, based on industry-specific norms and consultations with industry partners as well as relevant sector agencies. The individual internship monthly allowance is mutually agreed upon between the intern and the company prior to the commencement of the internship. Given the wide range of internship arrangements across industries and companies, it is not practical to prescribe a minimum allowance.”
“To this end, there is a wide range of SkillsFuture courses and training programmes available to suit the needs of different individuals. The outcome of continuous education and training goes beyond literacy and numeracy skills of Singaporeans. We monitor key outcomes, such as wage levels and employment rates of Singaporeans. To support Singaporeans aged 40 and above, who are at higher risk of skills obsolescence having been away from formal education longer, we introduced the SkillsFuture Level-Up Programme (SFLP) last year. By lowering the opportunity cost of learning through the SkillsFuture Credit (Mid-Career) top-up and training allowance, the SFLP seeks to support substantive mid-career upskilling or reskilling, including upgrading to a higher qualification. We encourage eligible Singaporeans to sign up for the SFLP and take up courses that help to improve their career health and employability as they grow older. We also call upon employers and unions to support their workers and members in upskilling.”
“The Members have asked what programmes or plans are in place to support Singaporean adults in improving their literacy, numeracy and adaptive problem-solving skills. As we have explained in our previous reply on 8 January 2025, Singapore has made progress across the two cycles of the Survey of Adult Skills developed by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD0 Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC). We are the most improved country for numeracy alongside Finland, while our literacy proficiency scores remained stable. Our adaptive problem-solving score was comparable to the OECD mean. Across all three proficiency domains, our young adults continue to perform at the top, above OECD average. For older adults, skills proficiencies are lower compared to younger adults, similar to the finding in the majority of countries. [Please refer to "Addressing Survey Findings Which Showed Decline in English Literacy Skills amongst Older Workers and Average Scores for Adaptive Problem-solving", Official Report, 8 January 2025, Vol 95, Issue 149, Oral Answers to Questions section.] Natural skills atrophy and technology obsolescence, which are also observed in other developed economies, reinforce the importance of our national lifelong learning agenda through our national SkillsFuture movement. We must re-double our efforts to get Singaporeans to continuously sharpen their capacity to learn, absorb new information and acquire job-specific skills. Besides literacy, numeracy and adaptive problem-solving skills measured by OECD's PIAAC survey, there are other skills, such as soft skills and vocational skills, that are important for our local workforce to stay relevant.”
“The safety and well-being of students are of utmost importance to schools. Teachers check on their students' well-being regularly, such as during termly check-in and daily interactions. Additionally, teachers are trained to use the Ministry of Social and Family Development's Sector-Specific Screening Guide to assess any suspected case of child abuse and neglect in consultation with their school leaders, counsellors and student welfare officers. Schools report suspected abuse cases to the National Anti-Violence and Sexual Harassment Helpline and provide ongoing monitoring and support for affected students. Through Character and Citizenship Education lessons, students learn about personal safety and self-protection, and are taught to seek help from trusted adults when their personal safety is at risk.”
“The home-school distance category shown on OneMap SchoolQuery is the official distance measurement that Ministry of Education (MOE) uses for Primary 1 Registration when balloting is required. When utilising the OneMap SchoolQuery function for primary schools, users are informed that home-school distance information is updated annually by June prior to the start of the year's Primary 1 Registration Exercise, which is conducted from July to August. This is to incorporate the latest changes in residential and school developments. In computing the home-school distance, the Singapore Land Authority (SLA) system uses the latest available information submitted by the Qualified Person engaged by the developer or owner of the property to the Building and Construction Authority. This approach has been consistently applied and MOE has not uncovered any "error" or "glitch" in the computation of home-school distance categories on SLA's OneMap SchoolQuery. Members of the public who have queries on updated changes in home-school distance categories can approach MOE, which will look into such cases together with the relevant agencies.”
“The Ministry of Education (MOE) provides a wide range of professional development opportunities for teachers to expose them to external work experiences. Under the Teacher Work Attachment-Plus (TWA+) programme, teachers can be attached to people, public and private sector organisations for two to four weeks. Since 2022, about 550 teachers have benefited from such attachments. In addition, MOE organises learning journeys to external organisations and themed dialogues with industry experts. Close to 6,000 teachers have participated in these sessions. Beyond TWA+, a good number of teachers have also gone on longer work attachments of two to three years through secondments to other public sector organisations. MOE welcomes those in other industries to join the teaching profession. Around one in 10 of our teachers have at least five years of prior work experience. They bring diverse industry experiences that they can share with fellow educators and students. MOE seconds a small number of teachers to the Singapore International School in Hong Kong for periods of three to five years. We also facilitate one-month teaching attachments to international schools in Singapore for around two to three teachers per year.”
“With MOE's encouragement, some affiliated schools have also tightened the Affiliate Minimum Requirements that affiliates must meet to be eligible for priority to the school, facilitating greater access for non-affiliated students. For each year since the 2021 Secondary 1 Posting Exercise, about half of the Secondary 1 cohort of the affiliated secondary schools are from non-affiliated primary schools, with the remaining half from their respective affiliated primary schools. The difference in cut-off points between affiliates and non-affiliates varies depending on the Posting Group. For Posting Group 3, the average difference is about seven points. For Posting Groups 2 and 1, the average difference is smaller, at two points and one point respectively, as the ranges of cut-off points in these posting groups are narrower than for Posting Group 3. The median mirrors the average for all three Posting Groups. While this may be the current balance that we have established for now, we will continue to adjust and make further refinements, as time goes by and circumstances change, so that we can achieve the right balance for the future.”
“In Singapore, our goals in education are to spark the joy of learning in students, help them realise their potential and build the foundations for them to be active, contributing members of society. This is why we have a variegated education landscape that offers our students a range of school options catering to their diverse interests, needs and strengths. Affiliated schools contribute to one part of this landscape, with their long history and distinctive school culture. In achieving this balance, we acknowledge that there are competing policy tensions. First, we want to right-site our students based on their individual strengths and interests. Now, with Full-Subject Based Banding across our secondary school system, including affiliated schools, we are better able to achieve this today than before. Second, we recognise that there are some educational merits to school affiliation. For example, the affiliation policy provides schools with a long history and distinctive culture with the opportunity to consistently imbue their school values, ethos and culture into their students over a longer period. Third, we want to ensure that our society remains open and cohesive; not closed and fractured. This starts in our schools. Even as we support the building of school culture, values and tradition, this must not come at the expense of social cohesion and what we stand for as a nation. This is why we have evolved our education system over time, as our society matures and faces greater risk of becoming more stratified. One example was when the Ministry of Education (MOE) required affiliated secondary schools to reserve 20% of places for non-affiliated students, when there was none before, from the 2019 Secondary 1 Posting Exercise.”
“The Elections Department (ELD) draws data, including residential addresses, from the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) to compile the Registers of Electors. Each Register, compiled by electoral division, sets out the list of voters for that electoral division. On 11 January 2025, ICA reported that there were unauthorised attempts to change residential addresses registered with ICA. ICA has since reached out to all affected individuals to verify their correct residential address and rectify this in ICA's system. As announced on 22 January 2025, the Prime Minister has directed that the Registers be updated based on the prescribed date of 1 February 2025. When the revision is completed, they will be open for public inspection for two weeks. During this inspection period, a person may submit a claim to update his particulars, including his National Registration Identity Card address, in the Register if his particulars are inaccurate. In addition, all year round, Singaporeans may check their voting status and particulars in the Registers via "My Profile" on their Singpass app and via Voter Services on ELD's website. Those who are unable to do so electronically may visit any community centre or club and ServiceSG centres or ELD's office for assistance. I strongly encourage every voter to check their voting status and particulars when the revised Registers are open for public inspection. ELD will issue a press release ahead of the opening of the Registers. If they observe any inaccuracies, they should inform ELD during the inspection period to ensure that their particulars are accurately reflected in the Registers.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, just two comments in response to Mr Singh's supplementary questions. Yes, indeed. This is always a work in progress to make sure that our courses are relevant. The skills learnt by our students are also relevant and current. We have to make sure that every year, we have to refresh the curriculum. Even if it is the same course, we have to refresh the curriculum with the industries' input, with what we sense in the market, so that we can meet the longer-term secular needs, longer-term trends beyond just a cyclical short-term trends. So, that is one thing that we do and we must continue to do. The second thing that has come through here is also, increasingly, we have what we call the Work-Study diploma or Work-Study degree. These are applied learning programmes in collaboration with the industries. This is also another strong mechanism for us to make sure that our courses are relevant and are able to meet the just-in-time demand of the industries. We hope to be able to expand the number of Work-Study programmes, because this will make it more current, not just for the pre-employment training, but also for the continuing education and training. This is the best way for us to tighten the nexus between frontier business practices and academia, so that we can churn out students with the skillsets that the industries need. We must continue on both fronts – both the work-study part, and the tight nexus between industry and the education institutions.”
“Some of these are skills that allow them to work with other partners across different nationalities so that we can widen the market opportunities for them, so that they can pivot, not necessarily just at the beginning, but also throughout their career. So, this is how we must continue to work to make sure that our courses are relevant with industry input and at the same time, equip our people with the skills that are complementary, fungible, that they can have wider options, rather than be narrowly type-cast or siloed into specific sectors. And that is what the ASPIRE report has tried to do and will continue to progress on these fronts.”
“Having said that, the larger issue that we have to appreciate is how do we make sure that our polytechnic graduates, or for that matter, ITE graduates, and even our university graduates, can get fulfilling jobs that earn them a good salary, not just at the entry point, but also throughout their career? We have to do this on a few fronts – and this is also in response to the progress that we have made on the ASPIRE report. The first thing that we need to do, is that we need very close industry-and-polytechnic, industry-and-ITE, and industry-and-university collaborations. Because it takes us two to three years to produce a graduate and we must be able to work with the industry to forecast demand, not just in terms of numbers, but the type of skills required in a few years' time. This is by no means an easy job, because even the industry will know that in two to three years' time, the type of skillsets that are required and are most marketable may change and may evolve over time. But the first thing is for us to make sure that we work closely with the industries, the Ministry of Trade and Industry, to forecast the demand. The second thing is that in a fast-evolving world, I think nobody will be able to say, "My course will fit nicely into a particular job in two to three years' time". What we need to equip our people with are not just the skillsets of a particular job, but also adjacent competencies that allow them to pivot into what we call adjacent jobs or complementary jobs that will make them much more employable. Some of these are hard skills, some of these are soft skills.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, if I may answer the Member's questions together and put in context some of the data that has been discussed. Over time, we have seen the following trends. The first is that the number of polytechnic graduate students that are continuing further studies has increased. So, the base of the people that are going into full-time employment directly has decreased. So, this is an important point. Within the group of people who are going into full-time employment – this is what we are talking about in this particular survey – the long-term secular trend, more polytechnic graduates go on to study immediately before they enter the job market. That is, in some sense, a positive trend. Then, those who go directly into work are the remainder 45% or so, and within this 45%, that is where we get the uptick of last year, about a 5% of this 45%, in change in the unemployment. So, that is the first point. The second point to Mr Singh's question about measuring under-employment. This is not something that is easy to do because the definition of under-employment varies across different sectors and perceptions, from the International Labour Organization (ILO) to NTUC and even the Ministry of Manpower, they have different ways of trying to measure it. It also depends on who you ask. If you ask the students whether they are under-employed, I think the answer is quite different than if you ask the boss whether they think their employee is under-employed, especially for fresh graduates. So, I think there is some limitation in what we can do.”
“The polytechnics will continue to equip students with the necessary and in-demand skills and competencies by working closely with industry partners to ensure that our curriculum remain relevant and responsive to the evolving job market demands, as well as to provide quality internship opportunities for students. The polytechnics further support students by providing Education and Career Guidance as part of the curriculum, which includes resume writing and interview skills training. Those who require more support in finding a job can also tap on the career matching services and digital resources offered by Workforce Singapore's and the National Trades Union Congress' (NTUC's) Employment and Employability Institute. For 2025, given global economic uncertainties, we will continue to monitor the situation closely together with the polytechnics and industry partners.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, employment rates are affected by various factors such as the economic and labour market conditions. Some fluctuations from year-to-year are to be expected. More importantly, we must continue to monitor and respond to the longer-term secular trends, beyond the shorter-term cyclical fluctuations, that may affect the employability of our graduates. While the labour market remained tight in 2024, with job vacancies remaining higher than pre-pandemic levels, 2024 saw lower hiring demand and fewer vacancies compared to 2023, which would have contributed to the survey findings for 2024. Based on the 2024 Graduate Employment Survey conducted by the five polytechnics, about 45% of graduates were economically active. Among this group, there was a decrease in the full-time permanent employment rate and an increase in the unemployment rate as compared to 2023. The impact was also uneven across course clusters. Some course clusters, such as health sciences, and humanities and social sciences continued to see strong employment outcomes. Graduates from course clusters, such as engineering, and information and digital technologies had higher unemployment rates. And this could be due to cyclical sectoral changes, such as the downturn in the tech sector, which also affected hiring demand. We have also observed that some graduates have received full-time permanent job offers but have declined them for various reasons, including a perceived lack of work-life balance, or the offered pay not meeting their expectations. We will continue to monitor if this trend persists and if it has a longer-term impact on graduates' employment outcomes.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, may I have your permission for my response to this Parliamentary Question (PQ) to also cover matters raised in the PQs by Dr Wan Rizal1, Ms See Jinli Jean, Mr Leong Mun Wai2, Mr Liang Eng Hwa, Mr Pritam Singh and Ms Foo Mee Har3, which are scheduled for the Sittings on and after 4 February 2025. And if need be, may I invite these Members to seek clarifications following my response, please.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, we thank Ms Hazel Poa for supporting MOE's stance towards management of bullying or violence cases. As I have mentioned, these cases are few in our schools and the recidivism rate is also very low.”