David Neo
Singapore
“Take-up rates were approximately 80% of the 11,000 job taster opportunities in 2025. About 78% of the participants reported being more aware of the potential pathways to achieve their career goals.”
“From 2021 to 2025, the Office of the Commissioner of Charities received about 310 applications per year from charities wanting to obtain or extend their Institution of a Public Character (IPC) status. Within this five year period, less than 2% of the total number of applications received were rejected.”
“(In Mandarin): First of all, we Ministers have no time to watch movies. [Laughter.] (In English): But to the Member's question about the Hokkien and dialect classes, I think we work with the clan associations all the time and they are very interested in promoting their dialects, as well as all our own respective cultures, because like I s…”
“Mr Speaker, I thank the Member for her support. As I explained earlier, MCCY and MDDI are open to ideas about how can we preserve dialect cultures while upholding the importance of Mandarin, and we will continue to take in all the feedback and consider carefully the appropriate next steps on how to do this well.”
“Against such a backdrop, we take a practical and long-term view to partner with our stakeholders and invest in sports that show potential, building pathways and community participation, because we value sport and the positive benefits it brings to Singaporeans in and of itself, in addition to being ready should opportunities arise.”
“More than 1.78 million MyActiveSG+ members, comprising more than 42% of eligible Singaporean Citizens and Permanent Residents, claimed their SG60 ActiveSG credits. About 40% of them have used their credits at least once, most commonly for purchase of gym or pool passes, or booking of sport facilities, such as badminton courts.”
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“The Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY) ensures that most applications with complete and accurate information that meet eligibility criteria are processed and listed on the Culture Pass website within one month of submission. For incomplete applications, MCCY will engage the applicants and assist them accordingly. MCCY has established safeguards to ensure fair pricing, which includes ensuring pricing consistency with similar non-Culture Pass offerings. As of January 2026, the average ticket price of programmes offered under Culture Pass is around $50. Overall, these prices have remained largely unchanged compared to pre-introduction of Culture Pass. In other words, Singaporeans could use their credits for at least two programmes and discover the varied offerings by our local arts community.”
“The SG Heritage Business Scheme, administered by the National Heritage Board (NHB), recognises and supports exemplary heritage businesses that are the backbone of Singapore's cultural landscape and community anchors. These are businesses that (a) demonstrate strong community ties or impact; (b) have remained in the same site or area for at least 30 years; and (c) offer traditional trades, goods and/or services and are committed to maintaining their heritage. The scheme's initial phase was launched in the Central Area in March 2025, in view of the concentration of heritage businesses there. A total of 42 businesses has been designated to date. NHB is reviewing the parameters of the Scheme's initial phase, with a view to recognising more heritage businesses beyond the Central Area. No direct funding is disbursed under this Scheme. Instead, the scheme offers valuable support in other areas, such as branding and marketing guidance. From March 2026, NHB will also be providing tailored business consultancy under this scheme to cater to businesses' specific needs. Heritage businesses may also tap on NHB's Organisation Transformation Grant (OTG) to support transformative and innovative projects that contribute to their sustainability and long-term viability. The OTG has been awarded to 56 businesses, as of Q4 Calendar Year 2025. Heritage businesses may also tap on grants, such as Enterprise Singapore's Productivity Solutions Grant and Enterprise Development Grant, to improve their productivity, transform and enhance their long-term viability. Businesses may also wish to approach small and medium-sized enterprises centres for advisory support.”
“They give our students space to discover their passion and to contribute to their communities, and to develop into confident persons and concerned citizens. As our society evolves, so must our approach to holistic education. MOE remains committed to working closely with teachers, parents and partners across Government and the community to ensure that students continue to be able to access CCAs and that CCAs continue to nurture both the heart and mind so that we continue to shape a generation that is not just ready for work, but for life. [(proc text) Question put, and agreed to. (proc text)] [(proc text) Resolved, "That Parliament do now adjourn." (proc text)]”
“Of note also, is the Junior Sports Academy programmme for primary school students to discover their sporting strengths and interests, something that the Member has also spoken about. And yes, we will explore how to increase access to the Junior Sports Academy programme as well. The Member also spoke about availability of coaches, and as I am sure he will know, during our debate earlier this year about the Singapore Sports Council (Amendment) Bill that NROC certification is required for the safety of our student. And it is something that is very welcome by Singaporeans. I think you will have to continue to require that our coaches do possess NROC certification. While we have done much, we will continue to improve. Looking ahead, we will work across ministries, both MOE and MCCY, to continue to strengthen the role that CCAs play in nurturing the holistic development of our students. And as part of this, strengthening access to CCAs for students is a key priority, including allowing more of them their first choice and strengthening access for students from disadvantaged backgrounds. As our Prime Minister has said in his Budget Speech, "Every Singaporean, regardless of where they start in life, should have a fair chance to pursue their aspirations and realize their full potential." I believe this is no different in terms of gaining access to CCA. Mr Speaker, I thank the Member once again for his very many suggestions. It is not possible for me to reply to every single one, but I also want to thank him for recognising the importance of CCAs in our schools. CCAs are very much an integral part of our Singapore's education system and one that endeavours to develop every Singaporean into confident citizens.”
“There is also the multi-school CCA, which is another ground up initiative where schools come together to offer CCAs to students that they could not otherwise have done. I thank the Member for agreeing that we can expand these CCAs to more students and more schools so that students can get to choose and participate in their choice CCA. I will further expand on these efforts, so that students, regardless of school size, have access to quality and diverse CCA experiences. I will announce more details at the MCCY’s Committee of Supply (COS) debates later. I am also glad that the Member agrees with Assoc Prof Kenneth Goh and my discussion this morning about the need to account for potential over early selection, and our improvements and the shifts in DSA. We will continue to ensure that students from disadvantaged backgrounds are supported. Our schools, as the Member has pointed out, already bear the cost of running CCAs, including fees for instructors and equipment. Minister Desmond Lee, in his COS speech this morning, has said that students from lower-income families can tap on the MOE Opportunity Fund for learning experiences and any additional CCA expenses. We will continue to do what we need to do to make sure that students from disadvantaged backgrounds are not deprived of CCA participation because of financial reasons. CCAs are a part of a much larger educational experience that develops our students to their fullest potential. MOE also provides a range of avenues such as the art, music, and physical education curriculum and various Applied Learning Programmes and Learning for Life Programmes.”
“To encourage students' continued participation in a broad and diverse range of non-academic activities, a CCA grading scheme, LEAPS, which the Member mentioned was introduced in 2003. The introduction of LEAPS 2.0 in 2014 also marked another step forward. It was a deliberate step to focus more on quality over quantity and to reduce the excessive competition to 'chase' down to the last point. This reflected the feedback from parents, educators and students who felt that the previous framework had been overly competitive, including some of the other things that the Member has mentioned. Nevertheless, Mr Speaker, we acknowledge the CCA landscape is not perfect and challenges remain, something that many Members of Parliament have raised over the years, including the ones that the Member has just mentioned. Let me assure the House that we will continue to review and to improve. On access, and selecting one's favourite CCAs, we are working to further widen access for students to a greater diversity of CCAs. I had a very serious conversation with the Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth about widening this access, but in case you are in doubt, that is also me. But that is the benefit of having multiple portfolios. We can bring together the strengths of different Ministries to work better for Singapore and Singaporeans. MOE and the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY), in particular Sport Singapore and the National Arts Council, are working together to share facilities and provide professional coaching across schools. Members may also be aware of the SP-CCA, the Member mentioned it as well, which enables secondary school students to pursue activities beyond what their individual schools offer.”
“A few years ago, the hockey boys from St Hilda's Secondary School trained hard for their first post-pandemic National School Games competition and they won their opening match. But hours later, they would receive crushing news. Their coach had just passed away sadly from a heart attack. The school and alumni rallied around them. Their CCA teachers, Glenn and Caleb, would check in on them every day. Team Captain Nabeel would continually remind them of their coach's belief: "Never stop fighting till the final whistle is blown". Alumni would take time off work and school to coach and train the boys. One of the alumni, Kishon, said "The team needs support now, more than ever. They are family to me. How can I abandon them in a time of need?" The team would go on to complete their games. As a tribute to their coach, the whole team wore T-shirts under their jerseys that read "For you, Coach Kader". Why do I tell this story? I tell this story because CCA is important to us and to our students. It enhances their confidence, teamwork skills, communication abilities and a sense of school belonging. Studies have shown this and these are consistent with global studies. But these outcomes are only possible because our principals, teachers, parents and students heeded our call in 1999 and made CCAs an integral part of our education. I also want to take this moment to thank our educators, parents and Members for their strong support for CCAs so that we can achieve holistic education outcomes for our students. Mr Speaker, our CCA policies have also evolved in tandem with the broader vision of education. In earlier decades, CCAs placed more emphasis on discipline and school identity. Over time, they have also become platforms for nurturing leadership and civic engagement.”
“Mr Speaker, I thank Mr Kenneth Tiong for highlighting the importance of access to CCAs in our schools and its role in social mixing, which I spoke about this morning. Other Members, like Mr Shawn Huang, Ms Mariam Jaafar, Mr Melvin Yong, Miss Rachel Ong and Mr Gerald Giam have also made similar calls in the past. Sir, education in Singapore has always been about more than just grades and academic performance. In 1966, during our early years of nation-building, then-Minister for Education Mr Ong Pang Boon identified extra-curricular activities (ECAs) as a means to inculcate moral values and a sense of national identity and pride among our youths. By the way, if you recognise the term "ECA", like me, you are probably of a certain vintage. But that aspiration has remained unchanged. We want to nurture our students holistically into people who are intellectually curious, morally grounded, physically active and socially responsible. In 1999, we reflected these aspirations and we increased its importance by renaming ECAs as CCAs. It was a simple change of a letter, but it sent a deeper message that CCAs are not "extras" or add-ons, but they are an integral part of our holistic education. Education must go beyond academics and the confines of the classroom to also foster character, teamwork and resilience. In this regard, CCAs provide authentic settings where students build character and apply values learned in the classroom – teamwork, resilience, empathy and leadership. Many of us here will recall our own school experiences or hear stories about this: friendships forged through a uniformed group, perseverance tested on the sports field or creativity sparked in a performing arts ensemble.”
“Sir, I thank the Member for his question and also thank him for his support that we really do not want our students to be specialising too early, but instead what we want to do is really to nurture the love and the interest in the sport and to discover their potential, because it is really like we discussed in this House about nurturing our students to achieve their full potential. I also wonder whether my COS speech for MCCY has somehow been leaked, so the short answer to the Member's question is yes, there is room for MOE to work more closely together with the High Performance Sport Institute, and all the national sports associations, when it comes to nurturing that love and to be able to collaborate well, use some of the existing criteria and promotion frameworks to really do more for our student athletes. So, I do not want to let the cat out of the bag too soon, but I will be elaborating a lot more in my MCCY COS speech. The short answer is yes, we will work closer to make sure that our students get better benefits.”
“Chairman, I will just address the first one on DSA. The DSA was really introduced to make sure that we offer our students more pathways. Those with different talents to have the pathway to get into the school that they want, and we are able to develop the potential for the interest that they have. And I think it is something we acknowledge, it can always constantly be improved in terms of the selection process, how we identify potential to make sure it does not escalate into an arms race. MOE continually reviews this. We have done quite a number of significant efforts in the past couple years. For example, we have uplifted students from disadvantaged backgrounds to discover and nurture their interests and talents in these areas. We talked about the Opportunity Fund. It allows them access, once again. But one of the key things that we are doing is also to change the way of selection, so, it is not so much premised on the performance at that point in time, which then requires a lot of preparation; but really to identify potential and especially, sporting potential. For example, in the Sports School now, you have multi-sport athletes and selection is based on their displayed potential to specialise subsequently in one particular sport. And then, that helps to take away that desire to overprepare and then the desire to escalate it into an arms race.”
“A student-centric education system where we learn for life together, so we can nurture every Singaporean to achieve their full potential. [Applause.]”
“When students from different backgrounds share these cultural experiences together, they discover what unites us as Singaporeans. MOE schools serve as important shared spaces that provide a safe environment for students to learn respect and harmony. Students can build positive relationships with one another, regardless of race or religion. Ms Diana Pang suggested deepening interfaith education in schools. MOE agrees that it is important to support mutual understanding amongst students. This is why our schools offer balanced and age-appropriate exposure to all major religions in Singapore, through CCE and Social Studies lessons. For example, primary school students are introduced to the concept of dietary requirements, whether for health or religious reasons, by engaging in classroom activities such as planning a birthday party that is socially inclusive. Students also participate in learning journeys to heritage sites, and celebrations of cultural festivals to develop respect and sensitivity to racial and religious issues. In doing so, MOE seeks to cultivate a deeper appreciation and understanding of Singapore’s multicultural and multi-religious society amongst our students. Mr Chairman, I would like to thank all the Members once again for their very thoughtful suggestions. Much of the discussion in this debate has been about AI. And in this AI age where algorithms shape choices and technology drives us into echo chambers that pull us apart, education is one of our most human acts of connection. It teaches us empathy, critical thought, and our shared values that make us one united people. Let us work together to shape an education system that will not just make our students smarter, but also more human and more connected.”
“Let us instead take a leaf from Fuchun Primary's book and give our students the space to experience the joy of learning, growing and working together and not be in a rush to fill the curriculum with more and more things. MOE will continue to study different ways of providing a conducive learning environment to our students, while actively managing all these trade-offs. A common appreciation and love for arts and culture can also provide a common platform for Singaporeans to bond. Since 2018, as part of the formal art curriculum, Primary 4 students have the opportunity to visit art museums through our Museum-based Learning Experience. Students are exposed to Singapore’s artistic heritage, which helps them to understand our shared cultural story. When Amanda from Yew Tee Primary visited the National Gallery, she was introduced to Liu Kang's “Life By The River”. She observed that “the people in the painting lived in wooden huts but today we live in HDB flats”. In seeing how far we have come as a society, Amanda was not just looking at art, but she was connecting the dots across generations. MOE’s Performing Arts-based Learning experience, developed in partnership with the National Arts Council, builds upon students’ holistic education. Live music performances by local performing arts groups are curated for lower secondary schools as part of their music education. Students across different schools attend performances by local artists and appreciate local works at professional arts venue such as the Esplanade and the Victoria Concert Hall. Secondary 3 student Ghufayrah from Yishun Town Secondary School particularly enjoyed "Rasa Sayang" reimagined by the Singapore Chinese Orchestra.”
“As temperatures have continued to rise, and as technology evolved in recent years, we have added more, faster and quieter fans to all classrooms, coated school building exteriors with solar-reflective cool paint, and we adopted uniforms with moisture-wicking or breathable materials to combat heat and humidity. We have also implemented mixed mode cooling in school halls with a target temperature. But we are not stopping there. That is why we commissioned the study in 2020, which Mr Tiong cited, precisely to determine how best to apply mixed-mode cooling to bring about optimal thermal comfort conditions including temperatures in classrooms, while balancing other considerations such as long-term heat resilience and acclimatisation, energy consumption and impact on the environment. We are thus committed to ensuring that all students, regardless of which school they attend, have access to conducive learning environments. This includes exploring mixed mode cooling for classrooms as the science becomes clearer. I thank all the Members for their very well-intentioned suggestions. But like the trade-offs for mixed mode cooling, there are also trade-offs in our other suggestions. Members, many of us in this House have spoken about students’ and teachers’ workload and stress, and we want our students to sleep more. But we also want to double the number of PE hours, introduce entrepreneurship and inter-faith classes, and have white space Fridays. At MOE, we are very protective of our students and teachers and are always looking to lower their workload and stress levels.”
“Mr Kenneth Tiong also suggested for school classrooms to have indoor temperature standards and mixed-mode air-conditioning to facilitate learning. I will first share about MOE's current efforts in these areas, before addressing Members’ suggestions. Today, MOE schools adopt a holistic approach to encourage active and healthy lifestyles, as well as good sleep health. Primary 3 to 6 students have 2.5 hours of PE classes per week. This is comparable to most other systems internationally. Through PE lessons, students learn about healthy eating, how to exercise and the importance of cultivating good sleep habits. Beyond that, primary school students have opportunities to be active in school through the Programme for Active Learning for those in Primary 1 and 2, and CCAs from Primary 3 onwards, as well as inter-class games, unstructured play during recess and school camps. Heat mitigation measures are also adopted to tackle rising temperatures and improve thermal comfort in schools. MOE has been studying the impact of rising temperatures on learning, believe it or not, since 1989, when then-Member of Parliament Mr Chandra Das first asked if MOE would air-condition our classrooms, and the implementation timelines. Over the years, we have been careful not to rush into air-conditioning as the technology was not as energy efficient. Instead, we have relied on passive cooling solutions and we designed our schools for maximum natural ventilation and for classroom windows to be north-south facing to minimise heat transmission.”
“Students from different schools can come together, build friendships and support each other through the ups and downs of sporting experiences. Let me share about Shankarii from Zhenghua Secondary School. Through SP-CCA Athletics, she found herself training alongside Xavier from Fairfield Methodist School, and twins Jairus and Jayden from Woodlands Secondary School. What started as polite interactions during training blossomed into a supportive friendship. They began meeting for lunch, did self-study together and supported each other in their sporting and academic pursuits. Their coaches shared that their friendship has brought positive energy to every training session. When we bring students together across school boundaries, we are not just developing athletic talent. We are bringing Singaporeans together to bond over shared experiences and interests, and to learn, grow and work together. In doing so, we are nurturing relationships that will strengthen our society. We will continue to do more in this space by offering and expanding SP-CCA opportunities. Last year, we added Canoeing to the list. This year, we are introducing Hockey. MOE and the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY) are committed to providing more avenues for our students to pursue their sporting passions. This is in line with MOE’s efforts to ensure that students can benefit from regular physical activity and are supported from a well-being perspective. Mr Gerald Giam suggested to increase minimum Physical Education (PE) curriculum time in primary schools to five hours weekly, and Mr Dennis Tan proposed later school start times to prioritise students’ sleep health.”
“To support this, students are encouraged to start their own Values-in-Action projects. Instead of just participating in school-planned community service, they design and they carry out their own projects to benefit the community. Besides developing their planning and project management skills, such projects also help build active citizenship, empathy and leadership skills in our students. Mr Azhar Othman suggested for primary and secondary schools to offer a non-examinable subject on entrepreneurship, to cultivate students who are innovative and creative. We agree that as part of a holistic education, it is important to develop an enterprising spirit and innovating mindset. Whether our students choose to become entrepreneurs or not, these qualities will help them to navigate their careers and life. This is why MOE prioritises the development of the 21st Century Competencies like critical, adaptive and inventive thinking skills. They are built through different subjects and school programmes such as Values-in-Action projects. The Applied Learning Programmes also help develop these competencies, particularly those that are focused on innovation, business and entrepreneurship. Students who want to develop specific business skillsets may also pursue subjects such as Elements of Business Skills and Principles of Accounts at upper secondary level. Beyond initiatives to build up students’ 21st Century Competencies, CCAs offer a regular platform for students to discover their interests, develop their talents and build strong character. In support of this, the Strategic Partnership CCA (SP-CCA) programme offers centralised, non-school-based CCAs to enable secondary school students to pursue activities beyond what their individual schools can provide.”
“Under the school's signature Home Skills Programme, Primary 3 students worked together to make a healthy fruit salad by applying financial literacy concepts to plan within a budget, health education principles to understand the nutritional value of fruits, and adaptive thinking to design a salad that meets the needs of their grandparents or family members. Such authentic learning experiences transform subject knowledge into purposeful application. Students used the time freed up from preparing for mid-year exams to deal with real-world problems in groups. This provided the opportunity to strengthen the 21st Century Competencies of our Primary 3 children, including adaptive thinking and practicing responsible decision-making both at school and at home. Beyond that, secondary schools and pre-university institutions have implemented Student-Initiated Learning (SIL), as a component of Home-Based Learning days. Under SIL, time is set aside for students to pursue their interests and learn outside the curriculum. The intention is to encourage students to be more curious and self-directed in their learning. As part of students' holistic development, schools develop students as active contributors and concerned citizens. Schools encourage students to speak up and provide them with age-appropriate ways to participate in decision-making. For example, some schools create official channels for students to suggest ways to better support their disadvantaged peers. Others also organise forums and townhalls where older students can discuss issues and ideas directly with the school management. 11.30 am Over eight in 10 youths find “contributing to society” and “helping the less fortunate” to be important life goals.”
“By providing students with opportunities to interact with a wider group of peers, Full SBB also helps us dissolve perceived boundaries between "them" and "us". Fahrin from Fuhua Secondary School discovered the joy of meeting new people. Through these expanded connections, he now has formed a larger and more diverse network that he can draw support from. Many of us in this House have spoken about the importance of nurturing a "we first" society, and we can start from our schools. This is where our students learn to embrace diversity and contribute in different ways. It is where our students learn to grow, understand and empathise with one another. It is where our children are instilled with our shared values. In this regard, grounding our students in core values and 21st Century Competencies is critical. Values like resilience, respect and harmony, and civic, global and cross-cultural competencies. This forms the basis for openness, so we can know, understand and empathise with one another. These values and competencies need to be lived, embodied and experienced. To Mr Shawn Huang's suggestions, MOE has implemented moves to free up space for holistic development, while reducing an over-emphasis of academic results. We want to teach less and learn more. This provides greater room for students to conduct student-led, self-directed exploration. When mid-year exams were removed, teachers from Fuchun Primary School did not use the opportunity to cover more curriculum. Instead, teachers thoughtfully designed lessons to weave in the development of 21st Century Competencies into students' learning experiences.”
“The new PSE will transform the JAE, PFP, ITE JIE, just to provide a single admissions process for graduates to apply for admission to junior colleges, Millenia Institute (MI), Polytechnics and ITE. All pathways and courses are available for selection on a single platform. Students can see all the courses that they are eligible for, and they can select and rank their choices based on their preference. Students will no longer need to keep track of various admissions exercises. To encourage students to prioritise schools and courses based on their strengths and interests, choice order will be introduced as a posting tie-breaker for the PSE in this order: citizenship, choice order, gross aggregate score and computerised balloting. Tie-breakers will be applied when two students with the same net aggregate score are vying for the last available vacancy in the course. The 2027 SEC cohort will receive their SEC results in January 2028 and apply for their post-secondary course options through this new PSE. The posting outcomes will be released by early February of the same year. We hope that this more student-centric approach will allow all our students to reach their full potential. Beyond enabling students to reach their full potential based on their unique strengths, Full SBB has also created opportunities for students to foster meaningful connections. Adam from Bendemeer Secondary School took subjects across G1 to G3 levels which gave him more opportunities to make friends from different classes. This supported his growth as a Student Leader, as he became more comfortable and confident when interacting with others. Today, Adam is in his school's student council executive committee.”
“He was offered the opportunity to take English, mathematics and sciences at G2 level at Secondary 1, and he had the flexibility to continue his other subjects at G1 level. Even as he juggled a more demanding academic load alongside rugby training, Samuel remained consistent. When he felt ready, he took on all subjects at G3, the most academically demanding subject level. With Full SBB, Samuel could learn at his own pace, and he could take ownership of his learning journey. He was not defined by labels, but he carved out his own path, on his own terms. With the right support system, every student can achieve their full potential. Samuel did well for his GCE "O" Level in 2025 and is now pursuing his studies at Temasek Polytechnic. The first Full SBB cohort will be sitting for the SEC examination in 2027. As students take more diverse subject combinations, MOE has also reviewed the admissions criteria for post-secondary pathways, as announced at MOE's Committee of Supply in previous years. We will update our posting system from 2028 and implement a new Post-Secondary Admissions Exercise (PSE). Today, GCE "N" and "O" Level graduates have to navigate multiple admissions processes. There are different application portals and timelines for various educational pathways, such as the Joint Admissions Exercise (JAE), Polytechnic Foundation Programme (PFP) Admissions Exercise and Institute of Technical Education Joint Intake Exercise (ITE JIE). As a result, students need to keep track of different application processes and timelines, which may create more uncertainty regarding their posting choices.”
“Full SBB was implemented in 2024 for secondary schools, as part of MOE's efforts to nurture the joy of learning and develop multiple pathways to cater to the different strengths and interest of our students so they can achieve their full potential. Under Full SBB, we have done away with separate Express, Normal (Academic) and Normal (Technical) courses, and our students get to learn, grow and work together. Students have flexibility to customise their learning of individual subjects in their secondary school journey. They do so based on their individual strengths, interests and learning needs instead of keeping to a single subject level for all subjects. At the lower secondary levels, students are placed in mixed form classes to interact with classmates of different profiles and strengths. They spend about a third of their curriculum time in their mixed form classes and learn together for subjects such as art, physical education, design and technology. The Full SBB pilot has shown encouraging outcomes. Students are forming friendships and they display more positive attitudes towards peers from different backgrounds. They also have a stronger sense of belonging to their schools. Teachers also observe students taking greater ownership of their own learning. Students demonstrate stronger motivation to overcome challenges and break through limiting mindsets to pursue subjects at more demanding levels. Take Samuel, for example. He started at one of the Full SBB pilot schools, St Andrew's School, entering through Posting Group 1. He was originally disheartened because none of his friends were in the same posting group. But under Full SBB, Samuel's starting point did not define him or how he would finish.”
“When we prioritise our unity, harmony and stability, we create space for every student's holistic growth so that they can achieve their full potential, regardless of their starting point. Schools are one of the first places where children experience being in a community. Our schools offer shared experiences, which fosters our shared identity as Singaporeans. Our schools also offer the opportunity for students of different interests, talents and backgrounds to come together. Singaporeans come from many walks of life. Regardless of race, language or religion, we bring with us a diverse range of talents. We must celebrate and nurture this. Under the Forward Singapore agenda, MOE will continue to enhance our education system and schools to help every child reach their full potential and make our system more student centric. Minister Desmond Lee spoke about plans to refresh, improve and broaden access to different modalities of support. This includes refreshed support for primary school students with strengths in the academic domain, as well as expansion of the SPED school capacity. Beyond that, students who need more academic support also receive targeted intervention in schools. Support programmes are delivered in small groups using customised resources and are taught by specially trained teachers. Recent improvements include the extension of the Reading Remediation Programme to Primary 5, as well as the Learning Support for Mathematics programme to Primary 3 and 4. The Primary 3 and 4 Mother Tongue Support Programme will also be refreshed to better engage students and narrow learning gaps. Another key initiative is Full SBB.”
“Mr Chairman, this year, MOE's COS theme is "We Learn for Life Together". It reflects MOE's commitment to lifelong learning, which is salient given the rapid pace of change in technology in the world today. But there is also another interpretation – which is apt given the many conversations we have had in this Chamber about AI – that we are nurturing our students to learn to live life the way life was supposed to be lived and to live together as friends, as a community, as one united people. How do we want to nurture our students to live life? We want to help our students find meaning, purpose and the motivation to pursue growth, so they can thrive. We want our students to not be defined by their pasts but have the courage to make the most of every situation. We want our students to forge and build human connections with their friends. How do we want to nurture our students to live together? I think there is much for us to learn from our pioneers. We are all very familiar with the Singapore story. We started out as a migrant society. Our forefathers of different races and religions had to learn to live together with each other. Was there friction? Certainly. But our Pioneers overcame it, and Singapore flourished as a result. And we need to build on their spirit and values. We have heard much over this debate about how the world has changed. Against this backdrop, we need to nurture our students to be just as exceptional as our pioneers, if not more, and continue to have the same spirit and value of wanting to contribute to something bigger than ourselves. While the world builds walls, we must build bridges, starting in our classrooms.”
“The Singapore Sports School (SSP) consistently seeks to strengthen support for student-athletes who pursue high-performance sport alongside their academic development. Over the years, SSP has progressively expanded its breadth of athlete-friendly polytechnic diploma pathways. Most recently, it signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Temasek Polytechnic to offer five diploma programmes under its School of Applied Science. The programmes, available for enrolment in 2027, represents a significant milestone in expanding dual-career pathways for student-athletes as it marks the first time SSP is offering STEM-based diploma options and off-campus academic programmes. This latest development expands SSP's arrangements today to three out of the five polytechnics which provide diplomas in business and the applied sciences to meet the evolving educational and career aspirations of our student-athletes. Further, beyond the polytechnic pathways, SSP offers the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme, with flexibility for high-performing student-athletes to extend the programme to three years instead of two years to balance both their sporting and academic pursuits. The Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth and SSP will continue to work with suitable education partners to create more athlete-friendly pathways for our student-athletes.”
“The Singapore Youth League (SYL) has made good progress since its inception in 2024. Today, 6,000 boys and girls participate in the SYL. Each one of them plays an average of 30 competitive matches per year, double the number before the SYL began. It takes a whole of nation effort to develop our youths. Everyone, from private clubs and academies to youth teams, from our Singapore Premier League clubs, contributes to a strong and wide talent base, upon which our national youth teams can be built. Therefore, we work closely with these stakeholders in the ecosystem to identify talents for the Junior National Development Centre and National Development Centre.”
“The National Heritage Board (NHB) recognises the heritage and community value of kampong mosques. There have been efforts to document the history of such kampong mosques. For example, Masjid Petempatan Melayu Sembawang is featured as part of NHB's Sembawang Heritage Trail. NHB will continue to work with the Urban Redevelopment Authority to identify and assess suitable buildings, including mosques, for preservation or conservation. The assessment will take into account the heritage and architectural value of the building, intended use of the site, community interests and future development needs.”
“The Government provides accessible public fitness facilities for Singaporeans' use in our Housing and Development Board (HDB) estates, parks and ActiveSG sport centres. There are over 3,400 fitness corners installed in HDB estates, Sport-in-Precinct facilities and public parks maintained by National Parks Board. Most of the fitness corners are multi-generational fitness corners, that cater to Singaporeans of different ages. Some of these have equipment that use fixed-resistance or body weight, which make them generally easier to use. Residents can also access any of our 28 ActiveSG gyms around the island, which are well-equipped with different types of equipment, including free-weight or variable resistance machines. Some ActiveSG gyms have specialised machines that use pneumatic technology, air pressure and lever arms instead of traditional weights. These provide safe and accessible workouts for users of all abilities.”
“Fair and transparent processes to select athletes to represent Singapore in competitions are important in ensuring that TeamSG athletes achieve the best results possible and more young Singaporeans continue to be inspired to pursue sports excellence. National Sports Associations (NSAs) are responsible for fair and transparent athlete selection policies. The Government does not track complaints or appeals regarding selection processes for junior athletes in NSAs. Sport Singapore (SportSG) and the Singapore National Olympic Council (SNOC) require NSAs to (i) adopt guiding principles for developing their policies; (ii) maintain clearly documented merit-based criteria that are communicated to athletes well in advance of selection processes; and (iii) submit their policies to SportSG and SNOC for review before publication to ensure they meet the required standards. These criteria focus on sporting performance and potential and does not consider socio-economic background. Athletes not selected can appeal to their NSA based on (i) new information; or (ii) concerns about the openness, transparency and fairness of the selection process. NSAs have an established appeals process featuring independent appeal committees separate from the original selection panels. This structure ensures a fair avenue for athletes to seek recourse. Where necessary, such cases can be escalated via an Alternative Dispute Resolution framework set up by SportSG to resolve disputes that cannot be resolved through the standard appeals process. Athletes who have concerns about selection processes can approach their respective NSAs, SportSG and SNOC for advice and assistance.”
“TeamSG athletes who aspire to train full-time and have performed well at major competitions or demonstrate the potential to do so are awarded Sport Singapore's (SportSG's) spexScholarship or nurtured under the spexPotential programme and given monthly stipends to support their living expenses. There are also TeamSG athletes under SportSG's spexCarding programme pursuing non-sporting full-time careers and may wish to take no-pay leave before major competitions to train full-time. We support them through the spex Grant for Loss of Wages (spexGLOW) scheme. SportSG works closely with athletes and their respective National Sports Associations on their training and competition plans. spexGLOW operates through this collaborative planning process to identify athletes who wish to take no-pay leave to train and compete before each competition campaign, assess their eligibility and needs and determine the support required. This approach ensures that all qualifying athletes who require support and apply receive spexGLOW assistance. Since 2018, we have supported 216 applications for the spexGLOW programme. At the recent 2025 SEA Games, 39 athletes who received spexGLOW support won medals. Notable medallists include Calvin Quek, who won Singapore's first SEA Games gold in 60 years in the 400-metre hurdles, and Siti Khadijah, who won bronze to become Singapore's first woman's wushu sanda medallist. Members of the silver medal-winning netball team also benefitted from the spexGLOW support.”
“The NS Square and Toa Payoh Integrated Development are currently undergoing construction and are due to be operational by 2027 and 2030 respectively. With stadium capacities of 30,000 and 10,000 respectively, we will have more options to host major international football matches and other major events. In the meantime, we have and will continue to employ innovative solutions. One example is the Asian Football Confederation Champions League Two's Final between the Lion City Sailors and Sharjah last year, when three spectator stands were added to Bishan Stadium, temporarily increasing its capacity to 10,000 and allowing more Singaporeans to cheer for our Singapore Premier League club.”
“Mr Speaker, I thank the Member for the supplementary question. I believe I know the athlete in question and actually, he was supported by our spexCarding programme, and the spexGLOW programme, which allowed him to train full-time for a specific period of time. I think to the Member's suggestion, for sure, because our focus is on helping every athlete achieve their fullest potential and therefore, we are definitely open to looking at the wider windows, different data points, but it is all with the view of how do we support our athletes better.”
“The Government does not monitor the continuity of sports participation among youths who apply for Direct Schools Admission (DSA) (Sports & Games), including those not admitted, after their schooling years. Other than DSA, SportSG and the Singapore Sports School (SSP) work closely with partners, such as the National Sports Associations (NSAs), to allow multiple entry points into the national youth and national teams. For example, NSAs can onboard talented athletes into SSP at any point in their development, as long as they meet the performance criteria. Our talent identification and development programmes cover a wide base and cater for athletes across different sports and ages. This includes the Learn-to-Play programmes, the Junior Sports Academy and the SSP's Multi Sport Academy, which offers Primary 6 student-athletes with strong movement competencies the opportunity to enrol in SSP to develop their athletic skills without the need to specialise in a specific sport. Under our Sport Excellence framework, we work closely with our carded athletes, including late bloomers, or those whose sporting performance may fluctuate for various reasons, to support their sporting and non-sporting needs so that they can stay in competitive sport for as long as they can.”
“The National Registry of Coaches (NROC), the National Registry of Exercise Professionals (NREP), and the Safe Sport Unified Code under SportSG set baseline requirements for professional certification, standard first aid and safe sport practices for coaches and exercise professionals. SportSG and public agencies that engage the services of significant numbers of coaches and exercise professionals have taken the lead to adopt these standards by engaging only NROC-registered coaches or NREP-registered exercise professionals for their programmes and initiatives. Some National Sports Associations have also done so. For example, Singapore Sailing Federation (SSF) requires all coaches at SSF-affiliated clubs, events and programmes to have full NROC membership from 1 July 2025. At this point in time, rather than mandating this, we are taking the approach to encourage private commercial entities and community groups to do so voluntarily, so that we can uplift standards for the sector together. We will continue to engage with the sector to encourage the adoption of these standards and monitor their impact on the industry and the sporting community.”
“The key is finding the right balance – supporting our youths and our vibrant arts community whilst ensuring shared spaces remain accessible and safe for all users. MCCY will continue working with agencies and partners to identify spaces that support our youths' diverse needs and interests.”
“The Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY) works with partners to provide accessible spaces for youths to pursue their interests and activities, including youth arts activities. These include dance spaces that can be booked at no cost at six ActiveSG Sport Centres and at open space locations equipped with full-length mirrors in The Kallang precinct, as well as open spaces at *SCAPE for community use. Under the SG Youth Plan, MCCY is also redeveloping Somerset Belt as a youth precinct that supports youth aspirations and empowers them to shape the space into something to call their own. The National Arts Council (NAC) also works with partners to unlock suitable spaces for artists and arts groups, including young and budding artists, to enable access to spaces that support the different stages of their artistic needs, from creation to rehearsals to presentation. For example, under the Super 24 Training Grounds initiative, NAC, in collaboration with Singapore Mass Rapid Transit and O School, activated three mass rapid transit (MRT) stations as accessible rehearsal spaces for Super 24 dance competition participants. Similarly, initiatives, such as ArtsEverywhere@CDC, activate community spaces, such as community centres, to provide arts groups and practitioners with performance opportunities to reach new audiences in the heartlands. The underground linkway connecting Bayfront MRT station to Gardens by the Bay is privately owned and managed by Marina Bay Sands. With regard to the use of public spaces for cultural and community activities, we consider factors, such as accessibility, safety, impact on other users and the intended purpose of the space.”
“As of 1 January 2026, over 1.1 million Singaporeans have registered for the scheme. Almost $10 millon credits have been utilised by more than 136,000 Singaporeans, with over 46,000 Singaporeans having spent their $100 credits. Youth participation is strong, with youths (18 to 35 years) accounting for half of the credit usage, whilst adults (36 to 54 yrs) represent 33% and seniors 17% of users. Encouragingly, nine in 10 credit users express willingness to engage with cultural offerings beyond the Culture Pass programme. Credit utilisation varies across programme categories, with live events commanding the largest share at 42%, followed by workshops at 23%. Tours and talks account for 16% of usage, whilst festivals represent 11% and exhibitions 8%. As of 1 January 2026, only 33 out of 742 events recorded zero pass redemptions. To encourage Singapore Citizens to support Singapore's arts and heritage programmes, the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY) will continue add to the list of Culture Pass programmes. We have also broadened the scheme to support the purchase of SingLit books (1 March 2026) and local film screenings (7 November 2025), which would offer more choices to citizens and support our local authors and filmmakers. In addition, MCCY has been partnering National Youth Council, the People's Association, the Agency for Integrated Care and other community partners to outreach and raise awareness of the Culture Pass and promote participation.”
“The Public Entertainments Act provides the regulatory frameworks for public entertainment and arts entertainment. These frameworks ensure that the performances and works staged uphold public interest and, at the same time, that public safety, public order and community norms are preserved. In the case of busking, the Public Entertainments (Exemptions) Order requires prospective buskers to apply for a Letter of Endorsement (LOE) from the National Arts Council (NAC), in place of a Public Entertainment License or Arts Entertainment License. Through the LOE regime, NAC maintains oversight of the quality of busking activities and manages the use of designated busking spaces in land-scarce Singapore. NAC works with venue owners and authorities to designate locations suitable for busking activities, so as to enhance vibrancy without causing local disamenities. This framework has worked well in helping to prevent and pre-empt disagreements among buskers, as well as between buskers and different community groups, over the use of space. Community groups who are interested in busking at NAC-designated busking locations may apply for an LOE through auditions with NAC. NAC will continue to work with venue owners to review the list of designated busking locations.”
“SNOC also organises the annual Singapore Sports Awards to recognise outstanding NSA athletes, coaches and officials, raising the profile of sports within the community. I encourage NSAs to tap on these avenues of support offered by SportSG and SNOC. Together, we can build a stronger, professional sporting ecosystem where NSAs have the capabilities to develop athletes, engage communities and achieve sporting excellence.”
“The Government recognises the vital role that National Sport Associations (NSAs) play in Singapore's sporting ecosystem. SportSG and the Singapore National Olympic Council (SNOC) collaborate through several key initiatives to develop NSAs' capabilities. First, in governance and professionalisation. Since 2021, SNOC's affiliation criteria require NSAs to adopt governance principles recommended by SportSG. SportSG and SNOC have also worked arrangements with select NSAs, whereby both agencies second personnel to these NSAs to support capability building in governance and administration. Second, in athlete development. SportSG offers NSAs access to the High Performance Sport Institute's expertise, such as sport science support, and world-class training facilities. SNOC complements this with their Major Games preparation programmes, setting qualifying standards and coordinating specialised training to further enhance our athletes’ sporting performance. Through the SNOC Athletes' Commission, NSAs are encouraged to appoint athlete representatives to help NSAs create more athlete-centric policies. Third, in coaching excellence. CoachSG, set up by SportSG, conducts coach development programmes, such as SG-Coach, and administers the National Registry of Coaches to raise coaching standards and professionalism. With funding from the International Olympic Committee (IOC), SNOC complements SportSG's efforts by running Olympic Solidarity Programmes to provide annual training and upgrading seminars for coaches and officials. Fourth, in community engagement. SNOC runs the Singapore Olympic Academy which delivers Olympic education programmes to schools, helping NSAs connect with youth and educational institutions.”
“From 1 March 2026, those with mobility challenges can enjoy local literary arts without having to travel.”
“As of 1 January 2026, over 1.1 million Singaporeans, out of three million eligible Singaporeans, have registered for the scheme. More than $9.8 million of Culture Pass credits have been utilised by more than 136,000 Singaporeans, with over 46,000 Singaporeans having maxed out their $100 credits. Encouragingly, nine in 10 credit users express willingness to engage with cultural offerings beyond the Culture Pass programme. Citizens are unable to transfer unutilised SG Culture Pass credits among their family members. However, citizens can use their SG Culture Pass credits to purchase tickets for others, including friends and family members, as long as the total cost remains within their available credit balance. The Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY) continues to work on enhancing the accessibility of the arts and heritage programmes under Culture Pass in a number of ways. First, MCCY is working with partners, such as the Agency for Integrated Care (AIC) and People's Association, to help citizens, including seniors who face constraints, so that they can participate in Culture Pass offerings. For instance, MCCY has made special arrangements with AIC to bring eligible arts events to nursing homes, so that residents who face mobility challenges may use their Culture Pass credits to enjoy local arts events. Second, MCCY will continue to ensure sufficient accessible events so that those with disabilities may enjoy these programmes. Since the launch of the Culture Pass programme, we have included over 70 cultural events with accessibility friendly provisions, that cater to persons with disabilities. Third, the scheme has also been expanded to include the purchase of local books.”
“Residents in Woodlands have access to a range of public sports facilities, including the ActiveSG gym and Active Health Lab (AHL) at Woodlands Sport Centre, as well as the Woodlands Sports Pavillion which is a Sport-in-Precinct facility. The AHL offers programmes, like the Combat Age-related Loss of Muscle (CALM) programme, which targets seniors for frailty prevention, as well as programmes catering to strength training and exercise performance. In response to greater demand and positive feedback, the Woodlands AHL was recently renovated to increase capacity. It also extended its operating hours to include more weekday evenings and Sundays. This enables it to serve even more residents in Woodlands and neighbouring towns. To improve accessibility for seniors, the CALM programme has also been offered in Active Ageing Centres (AACs) which are located closer to where our seniors stay. This includes the National Trades Union Congress Health AAC at Kampung Admiralty and the Sree Narayana Mission AAC at Woodlands. More CALM runs will be held in AACs in time to come. SportSG will explore working with more AACs, as well as the People's Association and Grassroots Organisations to bring the CALM programme to more seniors in Woodlands.”
“Since the Government took over the Sports Hub in December 2022, it has become more vibrant and accessible to Singaporeans from all walks of life. In this time, The Kallang has seen more than 4,000 event days and welcomed nearly 9.5 million visitors. The Kallang Group has hosted world-class sport and entertainment events, from the Singapore Tennis Open to the Taylor Swift concerts, as well as various local community events including more than 200 National School Games and school events, and annual signature events like Harmony Fest!, Majulah Fiesta and One Countdown. The destination rebranding of the "Singapore Sports Hub" to "The Kallang" seeks to strengthen its reputation as a leading destination for sport, entertainment, lifestyle and community events in the region. We have since received positive feedback for the new name and how it honours the cultural significance deeply embedded in Singapore's sporting heritage and collective identity. This destination rebranding exercise was managed within the operational budget of The Kallang Group, with no increase to the overall operational budget provision for the Group. The Kallang Group has been prudent, leveraging planned events to amplify rebranding efforts and ensuring cost effectiveness throughout the procurement process.”
“Our national football team made history by qualifying for the 2027 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Asian Cup on merit. This is a significant achievement, and we are proud of the Lions. Today, Sport Singapore (SportSG) supports Football Association of Singapore's (FAS') efforts to develop the national football team in a number of ways. First, SportSG supports FAS for the national team's local and overseas training and competitions. Second, SportSG provides the national team access to training facilities at the Kallang Football Hub – an environment conducive for uninterrupted, high-quality training for the team. Third, SportSG provides FAS access to technical expertise, such as football performance science and coaching development. For the AFC Asian Cup in one year's time, SportSG will work closely with FAS on their plans to prepare the national team. First, SportSG will support enhanced overseas training for the national team, including an overseas centralised training camp. Second, SportSG will provide additional sports science technical support to complement the efforts of FAS. This will ensure that our national team is supported by a holistic set of sport science capabilities based on the specific needs of the team. SportSG has been and will continue to work closely with the National Sports Associations to develop high performing team sports in Singapore.”
“I thank the Member for her questions. Going by the last SEA Games, what we have observed is that our spex Scholars as well as our spex Potential recipients won half of our medals and almost nine out of 10 of every gold medal that was won, In the same way, our SSP students and alumni also accounted for about a third of our medals and almost half of our gold medals. Going by some of these measures, but like I said, medal outcome is not just the only measurement, it is also about their performance. Holistically, looking at their measurements and the way our athletes performed, as well as how they have developed in character, we are quite confident that we are in the right direction, and we have been achieving very good results and outcomes. On her second question about improving sport access, especially for children from lower-income families, last year we announced the School Sports Fiesta, which is one of those ways in which to broaden sport access to young children from all backgrounds. In this year's Committee of Supply, we will announce further initiatives and ways in which we are trying to make sure that sports is something that kids from all backgrounds can grow to love and be a part of and can benefit from.”
“Sir, I thank the Member for his question and also for his support for Team Singapore athletes. It is my understanding that SNOC has recently concluded the review. And I believe they should be ready to announce the updated Awards in due course.”
“Ultimately, the whole HPS ecosystem is designed to support the athletes and to make sure that the athletes get the best support and the best way of doing so is to continue to maintain an open communication channel and take all our feedback from the athletes seriously so that they can feel well supported and achieve the best.”
“Sir, I thank the Member for her questions. In terms of assessing the outcomes, what we are after, ultimately, it is about improvements day after day, and the athletes' ability to reach their fullest potential. When it comes to that, medals are one measurement, but how the athletes perform on the field is another one. The athlete's holistic development as a person, as an athlete, the ability to give back to the sport and to contribute to the community – these are all the different ways in which we assess the effectiveness of our programmes. Most importantly are the athletes themselves. Do they feel supported? Are they performing better? Are they becoming better people? And when it comes to whether or not there is a feedback process, our HPS ecosystem, our coaches, our support staff work very closely with all our athletes. Come down to Kallang on any given day and you can see our athletes working together with all the different support staff and that provides one channel of feedback, the daily conversations. Beyond that our athletes also work very closely through the different NSAs. We work closely with our NSA partners to get feedback from them. I regularly have conversations and lunches with our NSA presidents and the different staff to find out how our athletes are doing. Beyond that, there are also formal structures like the Athletes Commission, which organises workshops, talks to allow our athletes to have a channel to feedback and let us know about the efficacy and the effectiveness of the programmes.”
“In most cases, the breaches or gaps are due to unfamiliarity with the legislative requirements or good governance practices, or due to differences in views amongst members within the charities. The COC works with these charities and fund-raisers to tighten their governance and processes, including issuing advisories and guidance if needed. Most of our charities operate with integrity and sound governance. For the minority of cases, where there is gross misconduct or mismanagement of a charity, or where improper fund-raising activities are conducted, firmer action is taken. These include the issuance of Orders. For example, the COC issued two Orders in 2025, prohibiting certain individuals from conducting fund-raising appeals as they were either unfit to administer or had failed to ensure proper accountability of the appeals. The COC will continue to support the development of the charity sector while upholding high standards of governance that preserve trust and accountability across the sector.”