Darryl David
Singapore
“Mr Speaker, Sir, just have two supplementary questions. While it is heartening to know that there have been no evidence of external influence in this case, I would like to ask if the Government does indeed keep track of possible cases that fuel the possible coordinated efforts of organisations and agencies that may not be made so public a…”
“Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. Just two supplementary questions for the Minister. The Minister mentioned earlier about the revamping of CCE. I would like to ask Minister that are there specific strategies or techniques taught to students, either within CCE or in other aspects of school, in terms of self-regulation, how to manage their emot…”
“Three clarifications, please. The first for the Minister. I suggested in my cut, Minister, about the possibility of using AI to create avatar teachers to to minimise or to positively impact the teacher-student ratio. Can the Minister share if MOE is willing to consider this?”
“I ask for leave to withdraw my cut. [(proc text) Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. (proc text)] [(proc text) The sum of $15,473,381,200 for Head K ordered to stand part of the Main Estimates. (proc text)] [(proc text) The sum of $1,185,000,000 for Head K ordered to stand part of the Development Estimates. (proc text)]”
“A dedicated AI CET centre could offer modular programmes ranging from foundational literacy to advanced applications in responsible AI governance, sector-specific problem solving and workplace integration.”
“By situating enrichment within neighbourhood schools, broadening the scope of learning beyond examinations and nurturing pathways for high-potential students, we can combine academic excellence with inclusivity and social cohesion.”
The complete record
Every one of 500 lines we hold for Darryl David, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 3 of 10.
“Mr Speaker, the subject of mental health has often been regarded as a stigmatised topic in Singapore. While the attitudes toward the mental health, especially among younger Singaporeans, are changing, it remains a topic that many people would rather not talk about. Much of this stigma could have arisen from two sources. First, as a society, Singapore has traditionally placed a high value on success as represented by academic achievements and/or material acquisition. Often, the two are linked. With academic achievement, you should end up being able to acquire more materially. While these societal measures of success are slowing changing, there is still a sizeable proportion of the population that equates academic success at every level of education and having a well-paying job, a high-flying career and material acquisition as the pinnacle of accomplishments in life. Acknowledging that one is facing mental health struggles could thus be perceived as being incongruent with these societal ideals of success and be further misinterpreted as a form of weakness or failure. Second, the general lack of understanding of what constitutes mental health could have led to a conflation between “mental health” and “mental disorders.” The distinction between the two, Sir, is important. A better understanding of the differences between them could possibly be a game-changer that might help to destigmatise the conversation around mental health. Mental health refers to a state of psycho-emotional well-being where individuals can cope with normal daily stressors, being able to lead a fruitful, productive and fulfilling life. Mental disorder, on the other hand, refers to diagnosable mental condition that affects the way people think, behave, function and interact with others.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I would like to thank the Minister for his Statement which actually answered the PQ that I had filed earlier. I just have one clarification. Whenever a complaint or an allegation is brought up and involves an internal matter, I think it is often more painful and more difficult when it comes from an external source because this leads to great stress, anxiety and awkwardness for the person making the complaint. And indeed, for those who then have to be investigated and who then have to be questioned, it can also be an uncomfortable time as well, and that could affect not just the morale but the teamwork and the esprit de corps within the team. So, I wanted to just ask the Minister if he could share whether there are measures taken to help deal with the mental and emotional stress that perhaps officers who are being investigated or being questioned are facing as a result of the complaint, such that they are able to deal with that difficult period of questioning and even after the matter has been closed as well.”
“So, we are leaders in this field. With generative AI and deepfakes opening up a new frontier on online harms, I believe that it is timely that we calibrate our approach towards online harms by taking a more serious view on them and thereby making a digital indeed, not just inclusive, but a safe space for our community. With that, I end my speech in firm support of the Motion.”
“Second, I hope that we can take a more strident position on perpetrators of online harms, bearing in mind the long-term scarring impact that such harms might have on victims. When social media platforms take down identified offensive online content, can they consider banning or restricting the offending IP address from accessing their platforms or from creating new social media accounts? Third, at present, I believe there is only one dedicated centre – SG Her Empowerment – where victims of online harms can seek assistance. Could the Government consider working with other civil society groups, especially community-based ones, to provide additional avenues for victims of online harms to seek for assistance? To further encourage victims of online harms to seek for help and to increase their confidence that actions will be taken against perpetrators, would the Government then consider with working even with social media platforms to compile an annual report of the number of online harm cases reported, the number of successful actions taken, the type of actions taken against the perpetrators and the number of convictions made in a year? I believe making these statistics and the identification even of convicted perpetrators available will give victims the assurance that their voices are being heard and actions will be taken to safeguard their online safety. Mr Speaker, Sir, Singapore has been a forerunner in tackling potential harms of the Internet. We began to take a serious view on misinformation and disinformation in 2017 when we conducted a review on our existing laws to combat fake news. When the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act was passed in 2019, we were one of the first countries in the world to pass a law tackling online falsehoods.”
“Worryingly, there are also youths who believe that women who upload images online should be accepting of negative comments; as in, it is acceptable to receive sexually explicit images even when unrequested. These beliefs are quite disturbing. The results from the two studies are telling. First, they suggest that the actual number of victims of online harms might be higher than we think because many victims are unwilling to come forward to disclose their experience because they feel that disclosure and reporting would not make much difference to their ordeals. Second, the results also suggest that not only is there a general lack of awareness about such harms, but there is also a certain level of apathy among youths on the possible repercussions arising from these harms, ironically when they themselves are more likely to be the target of such behaviours. Extending this line of argument further, the lack of awareness and being apathetic towards online harms might result in youths becoming unintentional perpetrators of such behaviours. Mr Speaker, Sir, I believe there is a need for us to stem and stop such misbeliefs among victims and youths by adopting victim-centric education and remediation. First, I would like to encourage MOE to create mandatory online learning modules for students to better understand the wrongful content nature of online harms, how their distribution and consumption will cause distress and hurt to victims and where to seek help if they are victims. Just as how some companies require their employees to complete annual mandatory e-learning exercises and quizzes on the Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA), for example, perhaps all students in Singapore above a certain age must complete the module and obtain a minimum score in the online harms quiz.”
“The World Economic Forum has recently developed a Topology of Online Harms that had provided a more nuanced breakdown of such harms, examining them from content production, distribution, consumption and whether such harms took place through interactions with others – contact-based – or were through behaviours facilitated by technology, which is more based on conduct. I believe there is a need for us to adopt a similar approach to classify online harms in Singapore in a more nuanced manner, so that we can build a more robust regulatory framework on online harms, implement target-based upstream preventive education in schools and communities to inoculate as we educate Singaporeans, especially women and children, against online harms and provide victim-centric downstream remediation support by working with civil societies and other groups to offer accessible legal and non-legal assistance. Mr Speaker, Sir, a recent study by RySense, Sunshine Alliance for Action and MCI highlighted that almost 50% of the sample have experienced some form of online harm – not surprisingly, with women less likely to feel safe online and feeling more likely to be targets of online harms. What is worrisome is the unwillingness of victims to seek remediation with the top three reasons being: (a) the belief that perpetrators will not be brought to justice due to anonymity of the Internet; (b) ineffectual reporting channels of social media platforms; and (c) victims not knowing what to do. Separately, in a report titled "10 Online Harm Myths" published by SG Her Empowerment, women between the age of 25 and 34 are more likely to suffer from online harms and a good portion of youths believe that online harms are less serious than offline ones and would stop once you go offline.”
“Online harms are notoriously nebulous and regulating them is difficult because, although they are undesirable and morally questionable, many of them are not, strictly speaking, illegal. For instance, how do we define and regulate trolling, cancel campaigns and the issue of body shaming online? Different people would understand and interpret them somewhat differently, depending on whether they are engaging those activities or are on the receiving end of such behaviours. These online behaviours, although not illegal, can cause severe mental distress, emotional anguish and diminish the self-worth of victims, even causing victims to experience physical harm if left unchecked over prolonged period. I believe there is an urgent need to tackle these non-illegal but distressful online harms since they are more likely to happen on a day-to-day basis on social media platforms, thereby impacting a wider community, and are harder to detect and act on than overt online dangers such as terrorism propaganda, child sexual abuse and other exploitation materials. I would like to speak now on having a more nuanced topology on online danger and online harms. Overt online danger such as terrorism propaganda, sexual exploitation and abuse, threats to racial and religious harmony and public health are entirely different from online harms such as cyberstalking, body shaming, unwanted sexual attention, trolling and cancel campaigns. So, bundling them together within the same topology of undesirable online content could sometimes risk obfuscating the nature and impact of these online harms, potentially reducing the efficacy of remedy or remedial actions that can be undertaken.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the Motion today, "Building an Inclusive and Safe Digital Society", is a very broad one. Indeed, we have heard views approaching this topic from many different angles. In my capacity as Deputy Chairman of the GPCs for Culture, Community and Youth and Education, I would like to focus on the issue of online harms and the impact of online harms on two specific groups in our community – women and children. And also from an education perspective, what more can be done to help mitigate the impact of online harms through education. Although there has yet to be a universally accepted definition of what constitute online harms, this can be broadly described as online behaviour that may directly or indirectly hurt a person physically or emotionally, harmful information that is posted online or information sent to a person via electronic means. Increasingly, countries are realising the dangers of online harms and the adverse impacts they could have on vulnerable communities. The UK passed the Online Safety Bill in October 2023 to protect people, especially children, from online harms. In Singapore, we have taken active steps to mitigate the danger of online harms by introducing the Codes of Practice for Online Safety and the Content Code for Social Media Services in 2022 and also passing the Online Criminal Harms Act, as was referenced earlier in the debate, in 2023. While these codes of conducts and regulations were introduced and passed in good faith and they are laudable and much needed attempts to make online spaces safer, they are also broad strokes that probably do not adequately capture the complexities of online harms. Mr Speaker, Sir, the online world is in many ways just as if not more diverse than the offline physical world.”
“Thank you, Mr Speaker. Just a couple of questions for the Minister of State. Before that, I would like to declare my interest as being on the Exco of an anchor operator in the early childhood space. The Minister of State mentioned earlier about protocols regarding the use of CCTVs. Could I just have clarity whether or not the protocol guidelines will be given by ECDA and then the various operators will be allowed to come up with their own protocols following these guidelines? Or will ECDA be prescriptive of the guidelines and expect the operators to actually follow those guidelines in detail? The second question is: I understand that perhaps in MOE schools, they also have CCTVs that are being used and I am assuming that MOE would have protocols with regard to when and how such CCTVs will be used and accessed when parents come and request for them. Would ECDA consider consulting or engaging with MOE to find out what the protocols there are and perhaps apply them in their guidelines, be it prescriptive or just general guidelines, to the operators in the early childhood space?”
“I thank the Assoc Prof for the clarification. I do not consider "wiggle" a bombastic word at all. I found it as a word, if I may say and with all due respect, a little bit odd for it to be used in a Parliament setting. So, not bombastic at all. If I may clarify my amendment in the context of the point that was made by Assoc Prof Jamus Lim, Madam, the point I was making was that, when you use the term "sporting success" or success in the context of sports, very often, it is easy to construe that in the context of tangible achievements via winning medals, achieving success in competitions, achieving qualification for major games. But the point that we have made or we have heard today, indeed, from both sides of the House, is that sport, sporting activities serve multiple purposes. There are many goals that one can aspire for and aspire to reach. And while no doubt, one element – and I stress again, just one element – of success in sports would be achievement in games or in competitions or so on. The very fact that we have agreed that sports play and function in multiple roles in our community, our society, would go to show that it is not just about that word "success", but about achieving our goals with regard to sports.”
“Perhaps, I could get some clarification on what that actually means, Madam.”
“Yes, Madam, yes. I would like to ask, Madam, through you. Earlier, Assoc Prof Jamus Lim mentioned the word "wiggly" in reference to one of my proposed amendments. Again, I do not quite understand what "wiggly" is supposed to mean. Could I have a clarification from Assoc Prof Jamus Lim? Or did I hear him wrongly? I believe the word "wiggly" or —”
“Thank you, Mdm Deputy Speaker. Assoc Prof Jamus Lim's speech is always interesting because it is peppered with a lot of words, platitudes and so on —”
“Also, our broader objectives of sports are to help athletes reach their maximum potential and also to broaden participation in sports, rally our communities, foster national pride and cohesion, or even just about being the best version of yourself that you can be. As I tell my daughter, it is not about winning the medals, it is about improving your personal best every time you go into the pool. All of us, we have got to have that personal best – amateur sportsmen, professional sportsmen – and I believe that we should, therefore, proceed along these lines. Madam, I propose that the debate of this amendment take place concurrently with the debate on the main topic. I look forward to support for this amendment from my colleagues, also from the Workers' Party, too. Mdm Deputy Speaker, I beg to move.”
“The first point on inserting "including" before "at the 32nd Southeast Asian Games and the 12th ASEAN Para Games" recognises that any celebration of accomplishments of our athletes and para-athletes goes beyond these games, and I think Members in this House would agree with me. So, we ought to recognise their accomplishments at other major competitions, not just the Asian Games, ASEAN Para Games, Olympics and Paralympics, but also single-sport competitions at the regional and world levels, which are, really, what we have been talking about. Many Members here have been talking about many other sports, beyond the traditional sports and many competitions even, beyond the Olympics, Paralympics, Asian Games, SEA Games and so on. The next point, Madam, is in relation to deleting "undertake a" and inserting "continue its". This recognises the continuing nature of reviews and goal-setting for our high-performance sports and our sports system, regardless of any Motion raised. Regular reviews of policies and goals are a key feature of our system. So, I would like to propose that we continue all these reviews and all these assessments for the overall benefit of our sporting ecosystem. The final point is in relation to deleting "clear, achievable goals for sporting success" and inserting "our goals in sports". The original Motion mentioned just one of several objectives, for example, goals for sporting success, where the last limb can be construed as being about medals or qualifications for international tournaments. I think success should be measured beyond just that one particular quantitative marker.”
“Thank you, Mdm Deputy Speaker. I beg to move, Madam, the following amendments: (a) In line 1, after the words "athletes and para-athletes", to insert "including"; (b) In line 3, to delete "undertake a" and insert "continue its"; and (c) In line 4, to delete "clear, achievable goals for sporting success" and insert "our goals in sports". Let me please explain the proposed amendments, Madam, with your leave.”
“Yes, Madam. Could I have the assistance of the Clerks to distribute the copies, if Madam gives the go-ahead?”
“Yes, Madam. [A copy of the amendment was handed to Mdm Deputy Speaker.]”
“For instance, hon Members Ms Poh Li San and Dr Wan Rizal spoke about the broader objectives of high-performance sports, which are to help our athletes achieve their best potential. And Ms Poh also alluded to the proactive approach towards a sporting ecosystem and how regular reviews are institutionalised as part and parcel of the NSAs’ partnership with SportSG. In this light, Mdm Deputy Speaker, with your permission, may I humbly, therefore, propose an amendment to the Motion?”
“As the body responsible for grooming Team Singapore athletes for their sport, the NSAs play an important role to help our athletes develop coping mechanisms and ways to practise self-care. Madam, it is also important to realise that elite athletes need help and support in transitioning into their post-competitive life and beyond. As such, I hope that mental and emotional wellness support and help can be made available even after athletes have retired from the competitive arena. Mdm Deputy Speaker, sport has always played a significant part in my life. Although not at the illustrious levels of our Olympian colleague Mr Mark Chay or even at the levels of former national sportsman Deputy Speaker Christopher de Souza, I have always played a variety of sports at a fairly competitive level. And my daughter, as I mentioned earlier, is continuing that family tradition as a competitive junior swimmer. I also began my professional career in sports broadcasting 30 years ago as a TV presenter for the 1993 SEA Games. It has been 30 years! And that was the SEA Games held in Singapore after almost 20 years, if Members recall. Over the many years, I have had the privilege to interact and engage with national and professional athletes, sports administrators, Government officials, corporate sponsors, international sport broadcasters – almost every stakeholder in the sports industry and the sports ecosystem. So, it is with this personal passion and professional background in mind that I feel that the present Motion, as it stands, could be a little limiting in terms of its scope. I have also noted some comments from my other Parliamentary colleagues along these lines.”
“I am heartened that Athlete Life Management is a key area of focus for SSI and the National Youth Sports Institute (NYSI). It is about integrating sports performance with key aspects of an athlete’s life and total well-being, including mental well-being. And like in education, supporting our athletes’ total well-being is an effort requiring partnership across multiple stakeholders – coaches, psychologists, National Sports Associations (NSAs) and even parents. My daughter is an active junior competitive swimmer. She is 11-plus, but, as a parent, I have already seen the kind of stresses and pressure that competitive athletes at that level go through – training six times a week, two hours per session, more than 50-60 laps each time in the pool at six in the morning, juggling their homework and so on. So, I am truly heartened and am a big advocate of making sure that we have that mental and emotional wellness support for our athletes as well, both young and the not-so-young. Ahead of major competitions, I understand SSI and NYSI assign Sport Psychologists and Athlete Life personnel to provide more dedicated psychological and mental well-being support for our national athletes. This support includes one-on-one consultations and imparting skills to athletes to manage their mental and emotional conditions. Support, Mdm Deputy Speaker, needs to go beyond major competitions. We should equip coaches and relevant personnel like sports administrators with the skills needed to proactively identify and support athletes who may be experiencing issues with their mental well-being. They should also be able to refer athletes to appropriate sources of help. We should also work with the respective NSAs to build the mental resilience of our athletes.”
“I believe that many corporate partners recognise this and do step forward to support our athletes in their professional life beyond sports, and this is critical as the shelf life of a professional athlete is relatively short compared to many other professions. I understand that it has been 10 years since the Government set up the spexBusiness Network. Today, the spexBusiness Network, within the Singapore Sport Institute’s (SSI) Sport Excellence, or spex, framework, consists of 60 corporate partners across 15 industries. These corporate partners support Team Singapore athletes during their active sports career, offering full-time or part-time or internship positions. These companies are committed to athlete-friendly work practices that support active athletes in their sporting ambitions, while helping them develop professionally and gain valuable experience at the workplace. I am heartened that the spexBusiness Network also offers support for professional development and opportunities to prepare retiring athletes for a smooth transition into a post-competition career and it would be good if the Government could provide an update in terms of how many athletes have benefited from this programme. I would like to encourage more from the corporate sector to recognise the value that our athletes can bring and join the spexBusiness Network as a partner, and also encourage the Government, as one of the biggest employers in Singapore, to see how it can be supportive of providing professional pathways for athletes during and after their sporting careers. Mdm Deputy Speaker, the pressure that our athletes face can be overwhelming. I would like to talk a little now on the provision of mental health support.”
“Mdm Deputy Speaker, sports and sporting activities can take place at multiple levels. You could have the auntie doing tai-chi daily in the park to the 30-something weekend warrior battling away with his football buddies to the elite athletes who undergo the gruelling training in the pursuit of their Olympian goal. Sporting success would thus be different things to different people. We should thus not define sporting success only by medals won or quantitative targets attained. Just as sports and sporting activities can play multiple roles in our community, such as fostering national pride and connecting or bonding people from all walks of life, we should also measure sporting success by looking at whether or not these broader goals have been met or attained via sports. In short, let us not be too narrow in defining sporting success. As an educator of more than 20 years, I have always believed in the value of a holistic education, and sports and sporting activity are a key part of a holistic education. It helps shape a person's beliefs and attitude towards overcoming challenges in life. Athletes undergo gruelling challenges in their sporting pursuits. Through these, he picks up the skills that are valuable to the corporate world. This is truly education outside the classroom. Some skills our athletes might pick up include: resilience, the ability to bounce back from failure; fortitude, the strength to keep going when the going gets tough; humility, the ability to embrace critical feedback in their continuous journey of self-improvement; and also cooperation and empathy, especially for those involved in team sports.”
“With that, I end my speech in support of the Motion of Thanks.”
“This is something that I strongly believe in and it is my hope that even as equality remains a core pillar of our democratic society, the concept of equity will become embedded not just into the core of our community, but into our consciousness as well. As the inclusion strategist Verna Miles once said, "Diversity is being invited to the party, inclusion is being asked to dance." It is not just about celebrating diversity in our community, institutions and organisations. We should also continuously endeavour to be inclusive by involving all those diverse groups and individuals in many ways and at multiple levels in genuine and open engagement. For example, in schools and institutions – I shift the focus back to education once again – let us actively promote inclusion by involving students from different backgrounds and with different capabilities too, so that they can learn how to learn and how to work together. While it is good, for example, to have dedicated schools to cater to those with special and unique learning needs, I hope that we can continue to work towards more integrative inclusive models where we can have students with differentiated learning needs studying together with those with more neurotypical backgrounds. Learning to care for your fellow student starts that journey towards developing empathy, kindness, compassion and generosity which, in turn, teaches you to care for your colleague, your neighbour and even a stranger in the future. This, I believe, will see us not only moving forward together, but doing so in a manner that reflects our commitment to being a kinder, caring and compassionate Singapore where – to echo Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong – it is less about "I", "me" and "my" and more about "we", "us" and "ours".”
“I sincerely hope that this is something that the Government can look into when formulating its Public Service leadership strategy. Mr Speaker, I believe the concept of equality is important. Indeed, it is mentioned in our nation’s pledge that we believe that our society should be a democratic one based on “justice and equality”. And I could not agree more. In this regard, equality is important and crucial, but we must also take this in a particular context because equality is about being equal in status, rights and opportunities and making sure that individuals or groups are given the same resources or rights to other opportunities. However, I think that we should also seek to embed equity as something that guides us in our journey forward as a progressive and caring community. If equality is about everyone getting the same thing, then equity is recognising that not everyone has got the same means and resources. And for us to progress as a community, we have to see how different groups and individuals are provided with what they need rather than be given the same thing as everybody else. In this regard, those in our community who need more should be given more, especially from those who can afford more. This is something that the Government has been moving progressively towards in their more nuanced and differentiated taxation and redistribution policies over the years. I would encourage not just the Government to continue with this approach but also for our fellow Singaporeans and members of our community to develop and lead their own initiatives in this area as well. If equality sets the foundation of creating an equal playing field, then equity levels out the playing field by identifying disparities to ensure that everyone has what they need to achieve success.”
“Indeed, a look around this august Chamber would be a wonderful reflection of the diversity that I am referring to. In terms of age, gender, ethnicity, religion and other demographics, I would argue that we have a good representation of different Singaporeans here. Again, while the Group Representation Constituency (GRC) policy might be criticised, I would argue that the diversity in this Chamber is a positive result of that. The one area I feel that we could do better would be to see how we can work on a greater diversity and representation in the Public Service leadership. I believe that some progress has been made over the years in terms of increased gender diversity. However, it would seem that we could do better in terms of greater ethnic diversity in Public Service leadership, especially at the senior levels. I am not suggesting, Mr Speaker, that we should resort to tokenism or to just have someone in a position because he or she is of a particular ethnicity. However, if the Government is one of our largest employers and if the senior public leaders are responsible for formulating key policies that would be responsible for taking Singapore forward into the next few decades and beyond, then I would hope there could be more ethnic diversity among the Permanent Secretaries, Deputy Permanent Secretaries, Statutory Board Chief Executives and Deputy Chief Executives, as well as other senior leaders in the Uniformed Services in a manner that would be more representative of the ethnic mix of Singapore society. Greater diversity in Public Service leadership would not just result in diverse perspectives, less groupthink and a richer quality of strategic decisions; it also introduces role models that Public Service officers of every background can relate to and look up to.”
“Just as all of us have a part to play in shaping and strengthening our social compact, every stakeholder – the Government, educators, students, parents, employers – all need to work together also to ensure that we contribute to the development of students and learners who have the competencies to take on the challenges of the next phase of our nation’s development. Before I move on to the next part of my speech, Mr Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to also thank all of our educators – from our preschool educators to our primary and secondary school teachers, our polytechnic lecturers, our university academics, our trainers, those who work in continuing education – for the great work that they are doing and that they continue to do in the growth and development of our people. I would now like to move on to the second part of my speech, Mr Speaker, that talks about the trifecta of diversity, equity and inclusion, and why I feel that they are critical to Singapore moving forward. By its composition, Singapore is remarkable for its diversity. We have four major ethnic groups and Singapore’s inter-religious organisation (IRO) oversees 10 religions in our country. When you further divide the ethnic groups into sub-groups, such as the Teochews, Hokkiens, Cantonese and so on for the Chinese; or Tamils, Malayalees, Punjabis and so on for the Indians, then we truly have a rich palette of cultures not just co-existing but thriving together in peace and harmony. This is truly something unique and special and is due, in large part, to the many policies that, while not perfect, were critical and crucial in ensuring that the diverse groups in Singapore learnt to live together in one common community, especially in Singapore’s early days.”
“But what I would like to surface again for consideration is to urge the Ministry of Education (MOE) that has done great work so far in being progressive towards the PSLE and looking at different ways of scoring and so on. But I would like to urge MOE to see how they can make each Primary 6 student a final combination of coursework and their PSLE examination score. This combination of coursework and examination is already practised in many other programmes, such as the International Baccalaureate (IB), and I believe that we can apply a similar concept to the final Primary 6 students’ grade instead of making it purely about a high-stakes one-shot examination. Third, the competency of taking responsibility is a powerful lifelong concept that encourages students and learners to connect it to the ability to reflect on and evaluate their own actions in light of their individual experiences and also in their collective exposure to the world around them. Taking responsibility means that students and learners are proactive and focused in dealing with societal and environmental challenges and issues that present themselves, and the emphasis is not on waiting for “the Government” or “someone else” to do it, but to show initiative, be accountable and take responsibility in dealing with the matter at hand. In short, own it. The MOE Addendum to the President’s Address presented by Minister Chan Chun Sing talks about a “collective responsibility”, and I could not agree more with the Minister.”
“Creating new value focuses on innovation and creative dynamism of thinking on how one can apply methods, processes and techniques in real-world and practical settings to either solve existing or emerging challenges, while working towards the betterment of community and society. Our system has had a long history of taking a fairly safe and established route to attain the results that we have been judged on. Hence, the obsession in the past with 10-year series and sample examination papers to see how we would perform in terms of being able to attain a particular set of results. Students and learners who aim to create new value have got to be courageously curious and regularly push the boundaries and challenge the status quo. I believe that we can take steps in this direction by not just encouraging our students, but also our educators and even our employers, to be courageously curious as well so that they can create new value for their students, learners and employees. The ability to reconcile tensions and dilemmas sees students and learners being able to apply themselves in real-life scenarios by taking into account seemingly contradictory viewpoints and opinions and opposing concepts in formulating potential solutions to situations in the real world. Real life is messy; real life is uncertain; real life requires you to work in the grey. For our students to develop this competency, I would suggest that we increase the focus on formative assessments, such as coursework, and less on summative assessments like examinations. And let us have the courage to apply this to that mother of all examinations, the PSLE. I have made this point before at the previous Motion of Thanks to the President in 2020. Mr Speaker, Sir, I am not suggesting that we scrap the PSLE per se.”
“We live in an era where we are bombarded with information constantly and consistently. However, unless we have a way to process this information, it remains purely that – “information” that does not serve much use. Education used to be about helping to turn that information into knowledge. So, if information was just random facts, education helped transform it into knowledge, that is, the information now made some sense and it was something that we could use. However, the assumption then was that just because you knew something, you could put that knowledge to good use and actually do something. And, hence, it evolved into skills. So, now it was not so much about what you knew but what you could do. So, I believe, indeed, that one of the key objectives of education should focus on what we can do rather than on what you know. There is no point amassing degrees and certificates if you ultimately cannot perform in terms of the skills that you need to deliver. However, Mr Speaker, I would like to suggest that we should also aim to go beyond skills and to strive for the attainment of competencies as the ultimate end-goal of education. If skills are what you can do, then competencies are how you do it. And these are competencies that we should emphasise to ensure that our students, workers and people stay relevant for the future. The OECD Learning Compass 2030 has identified three “transformative competencies” that students and learners need in order to contribute to and thrive in our world and to shape a better future. These are: creating new value; reconciling tensions and dilemmas; and taking responsibility.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I rise in support of the Motion of Thanks to the President. As Deputy Chair of the Government Parliamentary Committees (GPCs) for Education, and Culture, Community and Youth, I will be focusing my speech on these areas as covered in the President’s Address. I would also like to declare my interest as CEO of an educational organisation. Mr Speaker, I become an educator more than 20 years ago because I believed, as I do strongly believe still, in the transformative power of education. Education can unlock potential; it can allow a child to transcend his or her humble beginnings to achieve success; it can inspire a mid-career switch from discouragement to determination; and it can empower a generation to believe that there is nothing that they cannot do, on account of their gender or ethnicity. Education, however, is more than just what is taught or learnt in formal, institutionalised settings. Indeed, as the writer Mark Twain once said, “Never let school interfere with your education.” For true education to be effective, we need to look at it from across all the multiple stakeholders in our society. Families, employers, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), Voluntary Welfare Organisations (VWOs), social groups and communities all have their part to play, be it via advice and guidance you would give to your child or a policy that you would implement in your organisation. So, I would argue, as we move forward into this post-COVID-19 era, an era that is probably as uncertain and unsure as any before it, that it will be the education of our society that will be crucial to Singapore’s next phase of development and that this education will not be a whole-of-Government, but rather a whole-of-community effort.”
“They let them play first, then they always have to come back. Would Minister shed some light if that is an option for some of our talented boys to go out there and carve a name for themselves and for the country as well?”
“Thank you, Chair. Two clarifications for Minister Edwin Tong. First clarification is on the Sports Hub. I think Minister, you talked about how we are going to have a lot more community events at the Sports Hub. I would like to ask if the Government will consider having perhaps the biggest community event of the year there, which is the National Day Parade. It was held there before. And now that the Government has taken it back, I would hope that the Government could consider holding it there on a more regular basis, perhaps, Minister. The second question has to do with the plans for the growth and development of our young footballers. It is really heartening to hear the plans that the Minister has shared. Minister, you spoke earlier about the possibility of early enlistment for some of these players. I would like to ask for consideration of going to the other end of the spectrum, which is delayed enlistment for National Service. Let me be clear, I believe very strongly that every eligible Singapore male should serve National Service, what I am suggesting, however, is, if there are talented boys in this squad and I know we have done delayed enlistment for swimmers before, whereas swimming uses an absolute standard, the question is, if we have boys who are good enough, if let us say for example, Liverpool Youth would like to sign one of our players or two of our players, and they have the chance to go on and play in the Premier League, would this be a consideration for us to allow them to pursue that path, that career, put Singapore on the map as it were? But of course, never forgetting that they have to serve their National Service liabilities, eventually in the future. I believe South Korea does this for some of their players.”
“Back in 1973, several Ministries and eight other organisations came together to jointly found the Singapore Disability Sports Council (SDSC) to encourage PwDs to take up sports as a form of rehabilitative therapy and as a means to realise their potential. Since then, various initiatives have been implemented to further encourage PwDs’ access to sports and to encourage PwDs to take up sports at a competitive level. In 2016, in conjunction with Enabling Masterplan 2, the Disability Sports Masterplan (DSMP) was launched by the Committee of Disability Sports to promote an inclusive society through sports. The DSMP had three thrusts: (a) to expand access and opportunities for participation; (b) to develop organisational and professional capabilities and (c) to build awareness and strengthen affinity. Each of these thrusts, in turn, has specific recommendations that underpin them. It has been some years since DSMP has been introduced. Can MCCY share with us the progress of these initiatives under these thrusts and the take-up rate of the various programmes? What are MCCY’s plans to further these initiatives? Are there gaps that exist in the current programmes and how does the Ministry intend to plug these gaps? Finally, one of the sub-committees of the Committee of Disability Sports is chaired by Ministry of Education (MOE). The sub-committee’s mandate is to explore how to increase participation opportunities in sports amongst students with disabilities in mainstream schools and in special education (SPED) schools. Can MCCY share perhaps how it has been working with MOE to integrate these programmes into schools, especially mainstream schools, when the needs of students are more diverse?”
“Thank you, Mr Chairman. The Singapore Sports Hall of Fame was set up in 1985 with 24 inductees to honour our top sportsmen and sportswomen. The first Hall of Fame ceremony was held in 1999, and by 2003, 50 athletes have been inducted into the Hall of Fame. A review of the induction criteria was conducted in 2003 and a critical change was made – except for Olympics and Paralympics medallists, all other athletes must have served another eight years in any sporting capacity on a national level from the time of them winning a qualifying medal to the time of their induction. The change in induction criterion resulted in a 12-year gap between the last inductee in 2003 and the next inductee in 2015. To date, based on the data provided by teamsingapore.sg, there are 57 inductees in the Singapore Sports Hall of Fame. While one could argue that a Hall of Fame inductee must be an exemplary individual, who has not only demonstrated outstanding sporting performance but also a track record of service, imposing eight years is somewhat arbitrary and rather excessive. With this criterion, an outstanding athlete, who for whatever reason, is unable to complete eight years of service will not be given the recognition he or she deserves in the Hall of Fame. Not being able to complete the mandatory eight years of service does not reduce the fact that the athlete has contributed to the local sporting scene, or the international sporting scene, for that matter. Would MCCY consider a review of the induction criteria given that the last review was almost 20 years ago? 3.00 pm Greater Inclusivity through Sport Access to sports for Persons with Disability (PwDs) has always been an important feature in Singapore.”
“The precinct has been envisaged as a one-stop destination for Singaporeans to enjoy community sports, as well as world class entertainment and events. Sports Hub is an important centrepiece in the development of the precinct and has been envisaged to serve as a focal point for international sports and entertainment events, as well as a social sporting venue for Singaporeans. The recent decision by the Government to terminate the public-private partnership with Sports Hub Pte Ltd (SHPL) is driven primarily by the need to integrate the operations of Sports Hub more closely with those of other sporting venues within the precinct so that we can achieve the sports and entertainment vibrancy that we have envisioned. I believe that Minister Edwin Tong had shared this in Parliament last year. Chairman, Singapore SG has taken over the management of Sports Hub since last year and can MCCY thus share what are the developments that have occurred since last December and also the future plans of Sports Hub, and how it will feature as part of the Kallang Alive Precinct? There have also been some concerns regarding how Sports Hub will balance the needs of different communities while operating the Sports Hub. Could the Government please share how SportsSG would balance the desire to host international sports and entertainment events at Sports Hub, while ensuring that it is still accessible to Singaporeans for community sports and also for community events as well?”
“Chairman, over the past years, numerous art spaces have been added to our cityscape. Today, we can see street art at Haji Lane, Far East Square and Joo Chiat. We have also been more experimental with different formats of art presentation, for example, iLight and Night Festival. Various interest groups have also organised their own independent art events. Each of these have added vibrancy and flavour to our cityscape, creating additional opportunities for Singaporeans to come together and enjoy art and culture. Not only that, but they also have given our art practitioners additional spaces and opportunities to explore their diverse talents and be more experimental with their art forms. Art spaces will continue to grow in importance especially in an increasingly pluralistic society where pursuits of interest can be very diverse and when our fellow Singaporeans seek different ways to express themselves creatively and artistically. Can MCCY share their intentions to provide more art spaces for our practitioners to experiment with different forms of art and art presentation? And how does the Ministry intend to inject more vibrancy into the cultural landscape by making art more accessible to Singaporeans? Most art spaces and art presentations today tend to congregate in the downtown area, with relatively fewer art spaces or experimental art presentations in the heartlands. Apart from Passion Art events, are there plans for MCCY to create permanent art spaces in the heartlands or to bring experimental art forms to the neighbourhoods so that Singaporeans can immerse in art closer to where they live? Sports Hub The Kallang Alive Precinct was first announced in 2019 as part of URA’s masterplan to rejuvenate the Kallang River.”
“Thank you, Chair. Just a couple of clarifications. First of all, regarding Full Subject-Based Banding (FSBB), it is heartening to hear Minister Maliki mention that students will have multiple options to take, especially in the polytechnics, from FSBB. But I have a question which is a different side of the same coin. Conversely, will some students perhaps be restricted in their options after they have finished secondary school? So, for example, if I had taken Chemistry or Maths before and I just managed to pass, then I could maybe take it still in junior college. With FSBB, if I took Chemistry or Maths at a G1 level, would I still be allowed to take it? Or would it be because I did not take it at a higher level and therefore the pathways are restricted for me if I did not take a subject at a sufficiently high enough level at G2 or G3? The next clarification is regarding EdTech. I think Minister Chan mentioned that it is good that we can access SLS anytime anywhere. As a parent of a child in Primary 6, I must say that it is a very, very useful system indeed. But while we can access it anytime anywhere, Minister, what about those students who may not have the devices to access it? I would like to ask whether, with a wonderful tool like SLS, it would be a pity if some of our students did not have the devices to access it. Are there schemes or plans to ensure that students have the device, whether it is a tablet, a mobile phone, or even a laptop, to ensure they can fully reap the rich benefits of a system like SLS?”
“I understand that these Jobs-Skills Integrators are institutions which ensure training will improve employment and earnings prospects by working with industry, training and job placement partners. I would like to ask how trade associations and chambers, unions, and training providers can be involved in this initiative. Also, specific groups of workers may also face peculiar challenges when upgrading. There could be sectors that require particular attention. How can older workers be helped to upskill while continuing to work?”
“Mr Chairman, SkillsFuture is a national initiative in Singapore that aims to equip Singaporeans with the necessary skills to succeed in a fast-changing economy as it prepares Singaporeans through a comprehension scheme involving elements such as the SkillsFuture Credit, the SkillsFuture Work-Study Programmes, SkillsFuture Series courses. While there have been developments such as the appointment of the Institute of Adult Learning (IAL) appointed by SkillsFuture Singapore, to lead the national Innovative Learning 2.0 initiative, there must also be careful selection of high-quality courses by participants so that learning becomes meaningful. I believe in July 2022, the five polytechnics signed a Memorandum of Understanding with NTUC through to elevate the quality of training and better support adult learners to adapt to the changing needs of the economy. The SkillsFuture series courses are available at an affordable cost and provide individuals with the opportunity to acquire new skills and knowledge quickly. However, course fees are only one determiner of the success of these courses in training adult learners. Can MOE provide an update on the initiatives to support continuing education, and additionally, how can we continue to build, develop, and support resilient adult learners who can be agile amidst the unpredictable economic and job environment? While we equip them with skills, can the Government also do more to help ensure that they are able to translate this new training and skills into actual jobs? Recently, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Lawrence Wong mentioned Jobs-Skills Integrators in his Budget speech.”
“The Minster for Education addressed the issue of AI and ChatGPT at a recent Parliamentary Sitting, but I would like to ask if MOE could give an update as to what it learnt from the experience of the COVID-19 pandemic in terms of EdTech and how EdTech can be harnessed and used to enhance the teaching and learning journey. Also, how will we be retraining and upskilling our educators in tech and preparing students and parents for these changes as well. Reducing Curriculum Content”
“Chairman, COVID-19 was a painful and challenging experience, but it did provide opportunities too. Technological developments in education and corresponding education technology (EdTech) had to be accelerated due to the pandemic. Digital technologies and the use of technologies to enhance and supplement conventional learning became much more prevalent. Students and teachers had to quickly pivot to home-based learning (HBL) when the COVID-19 pandemic struck in 2020 and the switch to digital learning platforms has indeed gained strength. Even as face-to-face lessons have continued now, teachers have pivoted to online learning to supplement face-to-face lessons. The use of tools like Kahoot, Mentimeter and Slido for quizzes and polls and virtual bulletin boards such as Padlet are some examples of how teachers and educators are harnessing technology for interactive and responsive learning. Currently, MOE's EdTech Plan guides the development of a technology-enriched school environment for teaching and learning. It adopts a responsive agile approach and structure to help MOE respond rapidly to technological and contextual changes to ensure the effective use of EdTech for quality teaching and learning. On the education front, AI Singapore aims to build national literacy in AI and develop EdTech through working with various classroom stakeholders and partners. Besides tech to enhance and support learning, tech advancements like ChatGPT will also impact teaching and learning too.”
“My question is: can MOE share if the "A" Levels are still relevant in today's education landscape and how it would compare to other post-secondary qualifications, such as the IB and even polytechnic diploma in terms of admissions to our Singapore universities? Access to Education”
“The "A" Level system has been the traditional academic pathway post-secondary school for majority of students who are aiming for university education. Over the last two decades, however, there have been many options that have emerged: speciality schools, Integrated Programme (IP) through train programme, International Baccalaureate (IB) and the polytechnic courses have also become more attractive and diverse. I believe that tweaks have been made to the "A" Levels over the years in 2007 under the revised curriculum. Students were allowed to select subjects from three levels, Higher 1 (H1), Higher 2 (H2) and Higher 3 (H3). Subjects are divided into knowledge skills and content-based subjects. Knowledge skills subjects include General Paper (GP), Knowledge and Inquiry and Project Work and content-based subjects divided into languages, Humanities and the arts, and Mathematics and Science. Under MOE's regulations, students sitting for the "A" Levels in a junior college (JC) are required to take at least one subject that is from a contrasting discipline. Students also take a Mother Tongue Language. In 2022, MOE announced that more places in junior colleges (JCs) will be made available for students entering with talents apart from their grades through the direct school admission (DSA) exercise from this year. The number of DSA places for non-Integrated Programme students have also gone up from 10% to 20% of the yearly cohorts at Government and Government-aided JCs, including Anderson Serangoon JC, Eunoia JC and Victoria JC. These are indeed moves in the right direction.”
“Chairman, full Subject-based Banding (SBB) introduced in 2020 is an important element of the goal of MOE to instill in students a love of learning. An extension of MOE's 2018's SBB, it allows students to take the English Language, Mathematics, Science and Mother Tongue languages at a more demanding level at secondary 1, based on their performance in these subjects at the PSLE. From 2020 to 2024, the full SBB has been introduced to allow students to learn each subject at a level suited to their strengths, interests and learning needs. This move is also the result of positive feedback from students and parents, I believe, and teachers as well, and also indicators from the O and N-Level examinations. With the full SBB, I believe that the Express and Normal Academic streaming has been ended. Instead, students will be in mixed form classes, allowing them to engage with peers with various interests, aptitude and strengths. This will also open multiple pathways for students based on their aptitudes and interests. Can MOE provide updates on the progress of SBB? What are some of the challenges faced in SBB? Is there a plan to enhance the programme and perhaps offer other subjects in the future?”
“Let us not also forget that there is another group of Singaporeans who also deserve housing support – mid-age Singaporeans with children. I hope that the Government does not forget this group and would like the Government to consider enhancing housing support for them, especially if they would like to purchase a resale flat in a mature estate to live close to their parents so they can form that extended, larger, familial support network. In this regard, it is not just about getting support from their elderly parents to help with their own young children, but rather also to facilitating and supporting, helping their own elderly parents while managing their own young children. I hope that the Government will consider granting families with children a percentage-based grant based on the price of a resale flat if they wish to purchase a flat in a matured estate as opposed to an absolute grant as presently structured. A percentage-based grant will make resale housing more relatively affordable in mature estates and care more accessible for such families. It also would be a more equitable distribution of grants that are needs-based rather than one that is a standard amount. Of course, caveats must be put in place to ensure that this system is not abused by those who choose mature estates for their own personal preferences albeit no familial ties in the estates. However, we must recognise that there also those whose elderly parents are living in mature estates where the prices of resale flats are high – what can we do to better support these buyers of resale flats in their desire to build and develop an extended family nucleus? Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, my clarifications and suggestions notwithstanding, I conclude my speech in firm support of the Budget.”
“Women are still naturally associated with being maternal and nurturing – terms that are still not naturally associated with men. These perceptions are quite gender stereotypical and frankly, might actually be unfairly burdening women and mothers with more societal responsibilities and expectations. Can we not do more to encourage fathers to play a larger role in nurturing their children, being there for their families? Can MOE and MSF consider partnering NGOs like Dads for Life to conduct more workshops for fathers on parenting? Similarly, can MOM consider how it could work with corporations and companies to support fathers? At present, more support could be given to fathers at work. Many companies have initiatives that celebrate motherhood and have HR schemes such as flexible work scheme or part time work arrangements for working mothers. Can we not do the same for fathers? For instance, can fathers take on part time work arrangements without having to fear that such arrangements would be held against them, thus allowing fathers to play a more effective familial role without sacrificing their careers? In conclusion, Mr Deputy Speaker, I would like to touch on a final point on support for public housing. While a significant portion of this Budget is focused on providing near term support, other measures such as parenting and pro-family measures are longer term focused. One of the most crucial lynchpins to promoting parenting and pro-family measures is of course, public housing. Public housing matters have been hotly debated in this House at the recent parliamentary sessions, mostly debating on the affordability of HDB flats for young Singaporeans who wish to own their first flat.”
“I would also like to ask if the Government can consider restructuring the present childcare leave structure so that parents are entitled to tiered childcare leave until their children turn 18. At present, parents are entitled to six days of paid childcare leave until their youngest child turns seven years old. The first three days of leave are paid by employers, with the remaining three days paid by the Government, subjected to a cap of $500 per day including CPF contributions. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, the current childcare leave structure hinges on the assumption that children below the age of seven are more likely to require additional attention from their parents. I feel that we need to revisit this assumption. Any parent would tell you that a child above the age of seven requires differentiated, but no less attention, as children below the age of seven. As parents, we want to be there for our children, and with our children when they celebrate major life events and milestones, or simply just to spend time with them as they journey through life. Speaking as a parent of a 15- and 12-year-old, I can tell you, Mr Deputy Speaker, and you might agree with me, that the journey only gets more challenging and intense after the age of seven. As such, I would like to suggest that the Government consider providing at least three days of paid childcare leave for parents until their children turn 18 years old. I have also spoken before about the platforms to support the mental health and well-being of men in one of my previous speeches. Making the same point, I hope that the Government can also better support men in their fatherhood journey and to enhance their roles as caregivers to complement the roles played by mothers.”
“I am personally heartened to know that the Singapore Government, has through this Budget, further strengthened its commitment to support the majority of Singaporeans, especially those who need an additional leg up. The Enhanced GST Vouchers and the various support payouts under the Assurance Package will help to cushion some of the impact of the rising cost of living. While we can never fully mitigate the impact of the rising cost of living, especially when many of the factors that drive costs up are external to our shores, what we can do is to minimise or assuage the impact of the increased costs by providing targeted assistance. I hope that the Government will continue to support the more vulnerable communities through direct assistance such as CDC vouchers and GSTVs, and also strengthen short term assistance such as ComCare vouchers and financial assistance through the Social Services Offices. I would now like to speak about enhancing the roles of fathers and men in families. As a father, I am heartened to learn that the Government has recommended an extension of paid paternity leave from the current mandated two weeks to four weeks. While the extension is presently still voluntary, this is nonetheless a step in the right direction. At present, pro-family measures are mostly targeted at women, specifically, with tax incentives and support schemes for working mothers. In comparison, there are fewer schemes in place to encourage men and fathers to play a more active role in their families and in parenting. I would thus hope to see if more measures could be rolled out to support and enhance the role that men and fathers could play in their families over the course of their children's lives.”