Denise Phua Lay Peng
Singapore
“Sir, as Singapore ages, disability and ageing will increasingly overlap. The line between disability services and elder care services will blur. Many adults with disabilities face similar challenges as seniors in varying degrees, but at a younger age.”
“But the SPED schools are run by a lot of the other professionals as well such as occupational therapists, speech pathologists, psychologists, coaches and so forth. And I ask for MOE, as it always looks at SPED educators, to also focus on this other very important group; because retention is capacity.”
“Are there other strategies that the Prime Minister will consider, like easier adoption procedures to have more people adopt, more of us Singaporeans adopting? The second is, in terms of immigration as well, to bring in people who are of the right profile and suitable profile to grow our Singaporean population?”
“Enterprise grants should include accessibility compliance requirements. Inclusion cannot rely on goodwill alone. It must be systemically built-in. And finally, move five: on strengthening intermediaries and social service agencies (SSAs). Sir, if AI is to be whole-of-society, then SSAs cannot be left behind.”
“When SSAs become AI-enabled, the most vulnerable of us benefit. In conclusion Sir, Budget 2026 sets an ambitious direction: AI ecosystems, SkillsFuture strengthening, innovation hubs such as Lorong AI and the future AI Park at one-north. Ambition is necessary, but it is execution that determines whether progress is shared.”
“I thank the Minister of State for her assurance, assuring the House that there are indeed alternative identification methods available for those who are unable to use facial recognition. Just a couple of supplementary questions. Number one, are these measures systemic and applicable for all fully digital or not fully digital banks?”
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“Sir, I rise in support of the CYPA Bill. This is an important Bill because it sets the framework to better provide for the welfare, care, protection and rehabilitation of children and young persons (CYPs) at risk in our midst. I draw my suggestions from my co-labourers and volunteers, and my experience serving the CYPs in my constituency, district and in the special needs sector I have three areas for the Ministry to consider further strengthening in order to reap better outcomes. First, to strengthen the coordination and integration of care for these children; second, to strengthen the voice of the children and young persons; and third, to strengthen the foster parents' scheme. First, strengthening the coordination and integration of care. Despite the immense many efforts by volunteers and agency staff, I found the outcomes for these children at risk and young persons at risk are often still less than ideal. It is definitely not for lack of heart and hands because I know how much each volunteer and staff care and put in. These partners on the ground have told me the following needs that, if better addressed, would surely improve the life outcomes for the young people they care for. These needs are: one, the need for a safe environment where children feel secure; where they can learn and even rest without a constant heightened feeling of fear, anxiety and disruption. Such an environment can be found in both mainstream and special schools; but much depends on the kindness of the adults in charge. In the mainstream First Toa Payoh Primary School, there is a programme called Home @ School to provide such a safe environment for after-school. In the special school Pathlight where I volunteer, the OHANA after-school programme offers such a safe setting.”
“I thank the Senior Minister of State for his response and for being always very helpful when we write in for such support. My question is this: the current access to legal aid seems to be very limited for many of our residents, especially for those who are not wealthy. Those who are very low-income should have better access. Those who are wealthy probably do not need so much of this aid. But for those who are in the average income band, this is not so. I want to know if MinLaw would be able to provide even more details on how it will assist families with such needs, especially in areas like the Letter of Administration that is required when somebody passes away, things like Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) and so forth. Is there a way, as technology advances, that we can offer more do-it-yourself (DIY) help so that "mortals" like us can actually help them sign up for some of the required legal documentation?”
“So, would MOE please consider delaying the implementation for this group and grandfathering the current Primary 1s to Primary 4s, start the new system preferably full and not conditional exemption from the 2020 Primary 1 cohort onwards? I know these are deep issues and that MOE has done a lot of thinking about this. But I ask you not to say "no" to me first, but to take the time to consider these several options and let us work together to see what is the best balanced decision for this group.”
“I thank the Second Minister for the comprehensive response. I totally understand the importance of MTL and that requests and approvals for exemption of Mother Tongue studies must not be taken lightly. But for students who are medically certified with SEN and, especially those in special schools taking the PSLE, those who are visually impaired, those who are deaf or autistic SPED students, the PSLE score is the main currency by which they are admitted, they have a chance to go to a mainstream secondary school and education. Cut-off points are still what many secondary mainstream schools use to admit these students unless one is exceptional enough to qualify for DSA. Hence, there are genuine concerns by the families and parents of these students. So, I have two supplementary questions to ask. One, to ask the Minister that if the reason for exemption is valid, is medical, then will MOE consider an exemption as an exemption with no conditions attached? To the layman, the definition of exemption is that it is not conditional and, therefore, there is no excitement of the lower score if you are exempted. There are some who actually fear that the students are further disadvantaged by putting them back into a pool after recognising all the good work that MOE has done for SEN, that we are now putting these students back into the pool to compete with the rest of the others. So, that is one. Can an exemption be an exemption with no conditions attached? The second is to do with informed choices. So, for those who are currently already in the Primary 1 to Primary 4 cohorts, so-called in-flight, the families had not made informed decisions at the time when they appealed for Mother Tongue exemption or language studies exemption, whether under the old or the new system now.”
“I want to commend the very diligent NEA ground staff and, of course, the volunteers who walk the blocks and flats with them to educate and to warn residents about dengue prevention. As the Minister mentioned, most of the mosquito-breeding habitats are inhouse. We found that, on the ground, many of the NEA staff and the volunteers are very helpless when residents refuse to let them gain entry, sometimes out of non-cooperation, but a lot is also out of fear of the fine, the stick, thinking that when they open the doors, if they would be punished. I was wondering if NEA could consider to, first, issue a severe warning, get entrance to the flat, check the premises and then, install the fine only from the second time that they visit. There is a lot of worry, fear and anxiety about someone coming to your house, inspecting your premises and then, punishing you straightaway, when you are not yet educated or aware.”
“Minister, since there is a decline in the birth cohort and classes, the number of students is actually getting fewer and fewer. How are the excess teachers deployed currently? Do they go into preschools other than the NorthLight Crest and Spectra? How are these other teachers deployed? How can they be deployed elsewhere to support an even better quality of education? My second question: there is a lot of talk about administrative duties of teachers, of educators. Can the Minister define what are administrative duties? So, if educators work with parents, partner parents or they take on duties to encourage students to come to school or work with delinquents and spending time, are those considered administrative duties? Is teaching currently defined as just being in front of the classroom or just doing the academics?”
“Sir, there ought to be a more effective way of educating the public, from younger ones to older ones, on what is acceptable, what is hate and what is offensive speech, so that we attain a healthy and not an unhealthy state of restraint in society. Clarification on enforcement. If policymakers are serious about restricting hate and offensive speech to defend our racial and religious harmony that we so value, how does the Government plan to enforce this approach? There ought to be a clearer and publicised process by which violations are reported, for instance, and decisions by the Government to be consulted with the relevant stakeholder groups, such as key religious and non-key religious groups or leaders. In conclusion, Sir, I am all for restricting hate speech for the sake of racial and religious harmony in our beloved country. And just because an approach may be hard to implement does not mean that we cannot learn to implement it or apply it better. So, notwithstanding my request for clarifications, Sir, I totally and strongly support the Ministerial Statement.”
“First, on how the public will know or is educated on what constitutes acceptable, offensive and hate speech and, second, on how the Government is going to enforce the current framework to reach a healthy and not an unhealthy state of restraint. Offensive speech in the grey zone. As the Minister has rightly pointed out, speech comes in a spectrum and does not fall into neat categories. Whilst it is easier to identify hate speech, offensive speech is not so. I agree with the Minister that an absolutist approach of the two extremes of either totally banning or totally allowing all forms of hate and offensive speech is not wise. But this leaves a grey zone which sits varying degrees of offensive speech. Whether action is taken against the speaker depends on, as the Minister has shared, the degree of offensiveness of the words and the likely impact in terms of the platform of delivery, the occasion and the reach. In this framework of "it depends" guided by "commonsense", how can an understanding be achieved with the typical Singaporean, with the man in the street, so as not to cast any unnecessary fear or any unhealthy self-censorship in society? Where does one, for example, draw the line in debating or discussing issues, such as abortion, infidelity, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) issues, which, to some, are rooted in religious principles and, to other people, are just secular discords based on how liberal or how conservative one is? Where is the line between public discourse and platforms, such as private WhatsApp group chats? Should Singaporeans be advised to err on the side of caution to avoid any potentially offensive speech that can stir racial and religious harmony that may just go viral? So, these are clarifications that need to be addressed.”
“The Watain leader's confirmation that he totally encourages, I quote, "any kind of terrorist acts committed in the name of Watain" runs counter to what SG Secure is trying to promote. Also, the unapologetic and blatant anti-Christian views expressed on many occasions by the Watain's frontman calling all his enemies "Christian sheep who don't dare to confront their enemy" and his encouragement of church burning. They are, to me, highly alarming and offensive. Even members of the Malay-Muslim community, including mosque leaders, have also expressed objections to the lyrics of the group and its derogatory views towards Christians and Jews. They, too, voiced their support for the cancellation, as confirmed in a recent Berita Harian report. It is unfortunate that, in this instance, the Government's decision was reversed so close to the event date, just a couple of days, even when it affects a small group. For that, I think an apology is due to the Watain group and the affected concert goers. But for the Government to go ahead with the concert just because it was initially approved, after knowing what it now knows or uncovered, would have been a wrong decision. Sir, two wrongs do not make a right. I, therefore, support the Minister's decision to revoke permission for the Watain concert to carry on and I hope we have learnt valuable lessons from it in the areas of better due diligence and also earlier consultations with key stakeholder groups so that future episodes can be managed more effectively. Lastly, on clarifications. I have some clarifications that I hope the Minister can address.”
“I think the current legal framework standing in sections 298 and 298A of the Penal Code, the Maintenance of Religious Harmony Act, and sections 3 and 4 of the Sedition Act is sufficient to deter offensive and hate speeches. I believe it is important for the Minister to reiterate and to confirm that this Statement is merely to establish clarity of the current provisions and approach and that no one, no Singaporean, needs to be alarmed that there are additional measures or safeguards against hate and offensive speech that threatens our harmony here. On Watain. Sir, I want to next touch on the Watain episode because I think it is relevant to future similar cases. When the objection to the initially approved Watain concert was first surfaced by members of the Christian community, there were at least, I think, four factors of consideration to just let the concert go ahead. One is the right of choice for people to choose; second is the freedom of expression; the third is, I guess, the reluctance of the state to be perceived as overly paternalistic and also the reality, the tactical reality, that the concert was already given the go-ahead by IMDA and cancellation would cause inconvenience to and displeasure of the organisers and the attendees. However, as more information was uncovered on the group, it became clear that revoking the concert licence to perform was a valid move and there are good reasons for this. The track record of Watain and its nonchalance towards acts of terrorism and going beyond its onstage satanic rituals into the realm of lawlessness and criminal activity are, to say the least, very disturbing.”
“Rights carry responsibilities and freedom of speech ought to be exercised with due regard to those who occupy the same living space as us. Unrestricted free speech, especially hate speech, puts a risk to the order of society. I remember what my friend, management guru Dr Stephen Covey, who is the author of the bestseller "7 Habits of Highly Effective People" once said to me. He was talking about Singapore and the issues of freedom, order and discipline during one of his trips here many years ago, and this is what Dr Covey said to me. He shared, "When I was younger, I yearned for freedom. As I grew older, I yearned for order." And then he said, "Now that I am much older, I realised that order is freedom." Indeed, the order in Singapore gives us the freedom to practise our culture and faiths. Unrestricted hate speech threatens the very order that gives us the freedom to practise our ethnic culture and religious faiths. Thirdly, even if restricting hate speech is not fully enforceable nor is proven to eradicate or reduce prejudices and discriminations, it is still important for society and the Government to make a clear stand in principle against actions that can incite violence, hatred and bigotry. For the above reasons, Sir, I support the proposition that hate speech should not be protected and ought to be restricted; and that unrestricted freedom of expression should not be supported. Next, on adequacy of the current legal framework. When the Ministerial Statement was first proposed, some of my fellow Members and I had thought that there would be new pieces of legislation introduced to further restrict hate speech for the purpose of racial and religious harmony. I am glad to know that this is not so.”
“I support our Home Affairs Minister's Statement on "Restricting hate speech to maintain racial and religious harmony in Singapore" for two reasons. One, anyone who cares for Singapore will appreciate and testify that racial and religious harmony is critical to our well-being and that it must be rigorously defended. The second is this: my belief that unrestricted hate speech, especially if it turns viral, can quickly turn one racial or religious group against another and destroy the very social fabric that allows each race and religion to co-exist in harmony. I wish to make a few points on the untenability of unrestricted freedom of speech, the adequacy of the current legal frameworks and also to seek clarifications over a few concerns I have. On freedom of speech. Sir, there are some people who strongly believe that restricting any form of speech, no matter how hateful or destructive, is a curb on one's freedom of speech, one's rights. Proponents argue, "It is my right to say what I want to say. No one else should stop me and no one is even able to stop me for practical reasons." Sir, there are at least three objections against this argument. Firstly, although freedom of speech is an important value, especially in a free democracy, free speech, however, is not the only important value in society. There are other values that we honour, such as the freedom of other persons to live without intimidation and harassment; racial and religious harmony; mutual respect; anti-bullying and treating other people with dignity. Freedom of speech is important but needs to be balanced against other values and the interests of the rest of society. Secondly, each of us is a member of a larger society.”
“I am totally convinced that MCCY, sports and the Government have become very inclusive. So, I want to honour the Minister and the team for that. I have seen it myself from the sector. I am just asking for, perhaps what Ms Yip Pin Xiu has been asking, just more re-imagination to have a continuum of operational models. Some sports might be best left alone at the moment because of the nature of the game and so forth. But sports like running, even when someone is intellectually challenged, some of them may be able to run very, very fast and, together with the able-bodied athletes, can give them a run for their money. So, I thought it would be good that as funders, the Government can stretch it a bit and get the funded bodies to re-imagine it a bit so that we can all join that conversation. I am not naive to think that everything should be inclusive, or everything should be just segregated but really looking at a blend. This is really part of how Singapore is currently proceeding as well. So, for Minister's consideration.”
“Chairman, I just want to support Ms Yip Pin Xiu's re-imagining inclusive sports. I just want to ask if MCCY funds SportSG which funds the NSAs, then why can MCCY not request these agencies to be more inclusive in their visioning? We do not have to do everything now, but maybe re-imagine, and I am sure we would like them to be independent. But, surely, as funders, you can strongly suggest that they can re-imagine a bit of the vision.”
“Yes. The Minister is usually very analytical, perceptive and strategic. I want to ask the Minister what he thinks are the factors behind the dismal employment rates of persons with special needs, including for mental health in our Public Service.”
“When I was in some countries, in the public school system, for example, inclusive schools, were actually recognised. The schools who got awarded felt like they really made a difference, and I do not know if that feature or culture can be installed in the Public Service as well. It is not just having an extra headcount, it is doing something really right and doing it well and that they can be recognised and be seen as models. Organisations like NLB, MOH Holdings, Vital and so forth, they are really doing a good job, and I think we should uphold them, raise them, let them be recognised, and others in the rest of the sectors can learn from them.”
“I thank the Minister. I think we are sharing from the same side. So, I do not think it is an argument but really how far do we go. I think besides the good scheme that you have mentioned just now, I wonder if you could also install a recognition programme —”
“I am really heartened by Minister's sharing of that particular hiring scheme. I think it is one of the best kept secrets, and I want to honour the Minister for promoting that. But looking at the outcomes, which is about 300 out of more than 100,000 staff in the Public Service, I think that even the scheme must have been facing some obstacles or barriers to achieve the kind of results that we would like to see. I would like to ask the Minister to consider actually setting a target and really also honoring and recognising those agencies, leaders and peers who actually adopt inclusive employment practices to their peers. Even if the Public Service starts by saying, "It might end up as tokenism", there will be some who feel like they might as well make it worthwhile if they were doing it anyway. So, I would seek the Minister's favourable consideration to at least set a soft target.”
“Sir, I thank the Minister for his answer. I know he is also very supportive of this community. I want to take this opportunity to honour the good Public Service agencies that are very progressive and very inclusive, like the National Library Board (NLB), Vital, Ministry of Health (MOH) Holdings and so forth. They have been doing good work. I ask the Minister and the Public Service to share some of these success stories as my fellow colleague, Ms Anthea Ong, has mentioned. I want to ask if the Minister would consider putting in a more ambitious target. What we are seeing is only 300 out of more than 100,000 employees who are persons with special needs. I know the Government is generally quite allergic to quotas in this aspect, but I am hoping that at least the Public Service can set an example, a model. Perhaps install some targets, for example, 1% to 2% as a start, so that the rest of us in the country can look towards learning from what is possible. I feel strongly that when the Government puts its heart to something, it always gets done and done fairly well. So, I hope the Minister will consider my suggestion for at least a target in the Public Service to hire persons with special needs, including those with mental health.”
“It is much easier and sometimes more enjoyable to comment and criticise the system. But inputs are more realistic and balanced when the critics themselves also lend a hand at implementation, to experience and to help address the challenges of execution. Sir, there is also a need to coordinate efforts under the MasterPlan to give more impact. Take disability awareness, for instance. We have The Purple Parade under our CDC; we have the See The True Me by the National Council for Social Services; and other awareness efforts by the Disabled People's Association and many other worthy VWOs. Surely, there is a way to stitch an alliance so that the overall and sub-messages on supporting inclusion and giving can reach out to more people more impactfully. Finally, Sir, I believe there is a need to encourage specific disability groups to similarly develop their own enabling masterplans. The overarching EMP3 may be a tad too general and there are some who cannot identify nor feel a sense of ownership in these macro strategies and plans. But the overall MasterPlan is a good launchpad to have different disability groups think about their own vision, gaps, strategies, solutions and seek more partners for their efforts. Sir, the Enabling Master Plan is significant. Hence, I seek not only an update on the latest EMP3 in this House, I also ask for a more comprehensive plan, both online and face-to-face, by the Ministry to regularly review and report to the special needs community and to the rest of Singapore. Early Intervention”
“Sir, the Enabling Masterplans of Singapore are five-year plans developed by representatives from the people, public and private sectors to improve the lives of persons with disabilities or special needs in Singapore. Important changes had been introduced as a result of these Masterplans. Although much publicity has gone into releasing, especially the latest Third Enabling Masterplan (EMP3), not many people within or outside the special needs community know about it. Of those who are aware of it, many have no idea what is going on mostly, save the ad hoc good news that is coming out from the Ministry. There are good reasons why the Enabling Masterplans have to be living documents, with regular reviews, reports and communications with all its key stakeholders, including the rest of Singapore society. First, there is a need for the MasterPlan to incorporate the latest developments impacting the special needs community. Such changes may cover healthcare, housing and transport measures, for example, which provide more benefits or challenges to persons with special needs. Second, there is a need to update the Plan to take in new relevant ideas. Caring for the caregivers of persons with special needs is a good example. At the recent debate on the Parliamentary Motion on strengthening support for caregivers, I had proposed a five-step approach to support caregivers on the ground. The five steps are to identify, individualise, integrate, implement and inspect the caregiver support system. The response from the ground was favourable but how it is being considered in EMP3 is unclear. Third, there is also a need to co-opt more people and organisations to co-shape and implement much needed solutions listed in the MasterPlan.”
“Create a mother of all SSOs with mini SSOs in the network to lead and coordinate partners, such as the FSCs, SACs, HDB, the Ministry of Education (MOE), the Public Utilities Board, Town Councils and the Community Development Councils (CDCs), using technology, data analytics and the like. Will MSF study the MSO model and adopt the relevant principles and features for a similar SSO model led by the Minister himself? Will the Ministry of Finance allocate more funds to resource a stronger social services delivery system for MSF? Supporting Single Mothers”
“As the local Member of Parliament, I hold regular daily phone discussions in a WhatsApp group chat comprising myself, my grassroots ComCare lead, the SSO General Manager, the Family Service Centre (FSC) social workers and heads of the local Senior Activity Centres (SACs). Almost daily, we discussed families in need and nudged one another to join efforts to solve the problems of families presented to us. Sir, the demand for social services in our increasingly ageing, stressful and, at times, complicated society is on the rise – challenges of the elderly lonely; the single-parent family; the widows; the orphans; families of parents who are incarcerated; abandoned parents; disabled parents; disabled children – there is just that much bandwidth that each well-meaning volunteer, Member of Parliament or social service staff can cover. There is a strong need to strengthen our current social services delivery system in anticipation of these rapidly increasing needs. The current Social Services Network delivery system needs to be extended and resourced further. 6.15 pm I would like to ask the Ministry to consider adopting features of the Municipal Services Office (MSO) model which might be relevant. MSO was started to improve the Government’s overall coordination and delivery of municipal services relating to estate management which involves currently more than 10 agencies. It is led by a Minister-level leader no less, and uses technology apps and data analytics to drive proactive problem-solving. Annual resources are invested each year into MSO to drive productivity and template solutions for recurring problems. I feel strongly that there is potential of a similar, albeit modified, MSO model in the social services landscape.”
“Will MOM resource and support the hiring of inclusion managers to work with SG Enable and disability VWOs to customise skills frameworks for suitable job families identified? Will MOM set targets to aspire major employers to up their hiring rate for PWDs? Start with a minimum 1% target for large employers with staff strengths of more than 1,000. Start with the Public Service! Will MOM provide more incentives for inclusive employers such as: one, making the SEC for PWDs a permanent feature so that employers are assured of ongoing support; and two, increasing this amount or make it an inclusivity allowance to the employer so that beyond subsidising the CPF of its workers with special needs, the employer can also pay for job coaching services? Sir, in taking a more leading active role in developing this special workforce, MOM will not only be a contributor to building a caring and inclusive society, it will also strategically enhance the employment rate of Singaporeans and help to solve the manpower crunch in our country. Workplace Safety and Health”
“Chairman, working and holding a job is an important component of a good quality of life for everyone, regardless of abilities. Whether full- or part-time, work helps pay for one's daily living and also leads to better mental health and a sense of fulfilment and dignity. In recent years, developments, such as the SG Enable unit, the Open Door Fund and SEC, have positively impacted the employment scene for persons with special needs or disabilities (PWDs). Employers, such as the United Overseas Bank, National Library Board, Starbucks, Uniqlo and others, have tapped on structured employment support services by voluntary welfare organisations (VWOs), such as the Movement for the Intellectually Disabled of Singapore (MINDS), the Society for the Physically Disabled (SPD) and the Autism Resource Centre (ARC). Kudos to them, numerous PWDs have been gainfully employed. However, the picture is not that rosy. It has been reported that in 2017, only five in 100 PWDs in Singapore are officially working, and this is quoted as one of the lowest in developed nations. Key barriers are several: one, an unwillingness of potential employers caused by stigmatisation and reluctance to redesign job processes; two, the lack of a large enough pipeline of trained PWDs upstream; and three, an inability to focus and scale by agencies, such as SG Enable, due to resource restrictions. I have the following clarifications and recommendations for MOM's consideration. What is the accountability of MOM to this special needs workforce? How can it increase the employment rate of PWDs in Singapore? How will MOM tap on its vast infrastructure and network to help them identify more suitable job families in both blue- and white-collar jobs?”
“Chairman, it is a COS session that is substantive and, at times, gamechanging, especially in the removal, scrapping of streaming. So, thank you very much Minister. I thank the Minister and his Ministry for the significant work and the often very good work that is being done. It gives me great pleasure to now beg leave to withdraw my amendment. [(proc text) Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. (proc text)] [(proc text) The sum of $12,705,098,400 for Head K ordered to stand part of the Main Estimates. (proc text)] [(proc text) The sum of $710,000,000 for Head K ordered to stand part of the Development Estimates. (proc text)]”
“And at the IHL level, because they are all quite autonomous, for the Ministry to consider resourcing and supporting them through a common platform where they can get together to share best processes and practices in order to make the efforts more effective and impactful. For your consideration, please.”
“Chairman, I want to direct my questions to MOE. I want to thank Minister Ong Ye Kung for finally slaying the sacred cow of streaming, and, of course, not without very good prior examination. The Minister might not want to call it "cow", but I would just call it that. Slaying it is a very bold and wise move, and I want to congratulate and commend the work of the Minister and his team. So, thank you very much for that. I want to ask if the Minister can consider also the other features that I have mentioned, for example, the Gifted Education Programme (GEP) which has been around for a while. I wonder if the Minister can comment if that is also a feature that can be examined and then relooked at. I think there is just merit to having students who are gifted academically to also mix with students who are taking subjects at G1 or the former Normal level. I believe it makes for very good social mixing. I wonder if the Minister can consider that as well. My second supplementary question is to Minister Indranee Rajah on the SPED needs support in mainstream schools and IHLs. I truly appreciate what the Minister has shared. I know that in MOE, from the Director down to the AEDs, they have done a lot of work, and I want to honour what they do as well. But there are, indeed, real genuine capacity and capability issues that are felt on the ground. I wonder if we can study the issues first and seriously look at how we can increase the number of AEDs and special needs officers, and overall support in both mainstream schools and IHLs. Also, to look at a proper skills-based training roadmap for them, because to deal with so many types of disabilities and that kind of numbers is really not easy.”
“It should develop a Lifelong Continuing Education and Training (CET) System for Persons with Special Needs that will be regularly updated and extend the curriculum framework currently used during the SPED school years with a good balance of academic, vocational and lifeskills. Skills Council. Second, appoint promising special schools with track records to set up training centres in their locations to provide the identified training solutions for SPED graduands in the major disability groups. Tap on the special schools’ existing information and communications technology (ICT) and classroom facilities and teaching workforce to facilitate the required trainings with partners from the community and industries. Start with regular part-time courses on a weekly basis. Make these CET centres financially viable through a revenue mix of Government grants, donations and fees. Third, start small with SPED school alumni members. For a start, target alumni of special schools and their family caregivers, including domestic helpers, who can help reinforce learnings after training. In conclusion, the lifelong education of every Singaporean is critical, and even more so for persons with special needs who otherwise will definitely be left behind. The cost of not training this population is going to be far higher than equipping them. Let us continue to train and equip them for life. I seek MOE’s favourable response.”
“Mr Chairman, SSG, the movement to transform Singaporeans to become self-directed lifelong learners is growing from strength to strength. However, unlike the vibrant SSG scene for the typical workforce, the lifelong learning outlook for persons with SEN is bleak. The prognosis of students exiting from the SPED pathway is not optimistic. Official school years for SPED students now end at age 18 or 21. However, the reality is that the education of these students is not complete at the age of 18 or 21. Many of these students need to be schooled in literacy and numeracy or the mainstream academics that we know. But they also need time throughout life to learn a host of skills that are often picked up more naturally by their typical peers – skills, such as self-management, home and community living, sexuality education and skills on how to navigate in a volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous (VUCA) world that is rapidly changing. 5.30 pm If we address this lifelong learning need well in a systematic and systemic manner, more of these students will take on regular or part-time employment to address the challenges of the shrinking local workforce. Even if they do not work, they can lead better quality lives requiring lesser support from others. I have three recommendations for MOE. One, set up a Skills Council for Persons with SEN. This council should comprise MOE's SSG and SPED units, SG Enable, Workforce Singapore (WSG), the Employment and Employability Institute and the top VWOs representing the major disability groups.”
“— and encourage more people to join this league. Inclusivity in Our Schools”
“Raise the capacity and recruit more AEDs and SNOs in each education institution. Raise capability by ensuring a skills-based training roadmap for all target groups to deepen their needed capabilities. Increase availability and access to more specialist support from MOE and disability voluntary welfare organisations (VWOs). And, especially for the IHLs, set up a support function at the MOE level to ensure the proper resourcing and support of these students. This function should look at the sharing of resources and best practices across all the institutions. And most important of all, MOE should actively seek out schools and institutions which are inclusive and doing good work in this area. Recognise and reward them generously —”
“Although a whole-school approach for SEN support is said to be adopted in the mainstream schools, the implementation leaves much room for improvement. The access to Specialist Support is also quite limited. Next, challenges in SEN support in IHLs. The challenges I shared in primary schools and secondary schools are multiplied in the higher institutions as the SEN support system is relatively new, and the IHLs tend to be more autonomous. Not all of them view SEN to be of priority. Some may even view it to be not integral to their mission. Unless the Government, the key funder of education, insists that SEN support is an important fundamental feature of a progressive educational system, Singapore may belong to the first-world economically but its IHLs, in this aspect, will be perceived as less than first-world. My observations in the IHLs are these. There are now inconsistent support levels in different IHLs, with different processes depending on the vision, commitment and diligence of school leaders, faculty members and SEN officers. Many of the faculty members see making a curriculum accessible as "additional work". There is also the risk of low rate of disclosure for fear of stigmatisation by the students or being bypassed in course offerings, internships or employment. There is also inconsistent structured support across these institutions in course selection, project work, internships and career guidance. There are eight recommendations I would like to make for the schools and IHLs. First, adopt a system that ensures a structured whole-school, whole-institution approach with ownership and responsibility from school leaders to all educators, and faculty members to AEDs and Special Needs Officers (SNOs), to parents and students. Make it clear.”
“Mr Chairman, Sir, one of MOE’s biggest achievements, in my book, is the enhanced support of students with special educational needs (SEN) in the mainstream schools and IHLs, through the Allied Educator (AED) Scheme and the setting up of SEN support offices in IHLs. As a volunteer, I have met many SEN professionals from primary to higher education. Many are very dedicated and put their hearts into helping their students with SEN. They are critical to ensure that our education system is an inclusive one. There are, however, challenges faced in this relatively new education support space. First, on the challenges in the mainstream primary and secondary schools. Student outcomes. As much of the focus in mainstream schools is on completing the academic curriculum, important non-academic life skills required for students with SEN, like social relationship skills and daily independent living skills, are either not covered or placed as low priority. When these foundations are not set, deficits in such skills are highly likely to present themselves as problems in higher education or at work. The capacity of AEDs is also a challenge. The number of AEDs is grossly insufficient, with an average of one to two in all primary schools. Many secondary schools do not even have any AED. Besides capacity, there is a need to systematically raise the capability and the skills of AEDs as the range of needs is diverse covering various forms of disabilities requiring varying types and degree of support. Capability of educators in general, the teachers, is also a challenge. These teachers might generally have an awareness of special needs education but usually not skilled enough in mainstream schools to handle such cases.”
“I, therefore, seek the Ministry's consideration to examine, diagnose and consider slaying the five sacred cows I have mentioned today – Streaming, GEP, Competitions, PSLE and Tuition. [(proc text) Question proposed. (proc text)] Subject-based Banding”
“There are other ways of conducting formative and summative assessments at any age, in any interval. The Government can carry out the change in a safe manner by allowing for a cluster of pilot schools with an opt-in option for those who believe that it is time for an alternate system. We can refer to the best, such as the Yun-Ku school set up by Alibaba founder Jack Ma. Finally, on Tuition. MOE should not ignore this elephant in the room and be resigned to this shadow $1 billion education industry. The tuition industry is more nimble and responsive to the needs of its customer base and MOE can learn from them. MOE has started its own online learning platform to increase the access of good learning resources to all. But new online on-demand tutoring platforms have already started in the tuition industry. I believe that if MOE puts its heart to it, it can find ways by which it can take on the tuition industry and remove the excesses of the over-reliance on tuition, especially for students who do not need it.”
“So, let us take reference from models, such as the Malcolm-Baldridge Quality Assuarance Schemes, which does not put a cap to the number of winners, but is a system that welcomes as many as possible who can meet the bar of excellence. Next, on PSLE, the fourth sacred cow, which was delivered in 1960. PSLE has been around since 1960. Sir, views even amongst educators, including school leaders, continue to be split over whether it should remain. Even with the latest removal of exams in Primary 1 and Primary 2 and some transitional years, parents and others in society are not blind to the fact that there is still a high-stakes exam at the end of six years of the primary school education. So, there are good reasons why we should seriously pilot a 10-year through train system from Primary 1 and slay the PSLE sacred cow: (a) it removes the unnecessary step of prematurely sorting children through a high-stakes exam at the age of 12, many of whom are still developing; and (b) removing PSLE frees up substantive PSLE preparation time which are often hot-housing time to crunch a few selected academic subjects, such as English, Mathematics and Science, which do not reflect a holistic education. Abolishing PSLE will provide real space to provide students to become the curious, agile and more self-directed learners that the future economy needs. Removing PSLE will also release some of the self-inflicted pressure and stress in students, families and teachers who have to choose between educating, learning or teaching to the test. Removing PSLE will also remove a reason to feed the ever-growing tuition industry. Sir, I disagree with Ministry's stand that PSLE is important to "gauge how students have done".”
“This is not the first time that MOE has done away with streaming and labelling. In 2004, MOE decided to merge the EM1 and EM2 steams and, in 2008, announced that the EM3 academic stream will be scrapped. I, therefore, recommend that streaming be abolished and replaced by SBB for both academic and non-academic subjects. Next, the second sacred cow – Gifted Education Programme (GEP). I think it should be scrapped if SBB can be introduced. What is the point if academically gifted children only mix amongst themselves or with the academically strongest? Why do we not provide natural settings to let them interact and appreciate one another and other people unlike themselves? GEP should be abolished and students who excel in specific subjects or learn differently can be clustered in subject-banded academic programmes that suit them. For other subjects, such as Physical Education, Co-Curricular Activities (CCA), let the GEP candidates mix with their peers. It will make them better leaders and better human beings. The third sacred cow I ask for examination is the MOE's "best teacher/best student/best school" Competitions. In the spirit of raising and celebrating as much excellence as possible, MOE should review the underlying principles and workings of the "Best Teacher", "Best School" and "Best Student" type of recognition schemes. If we are aiming for every school, indeed, to be a good school in its own right and for as many excellent educators as possible, then these schemes should be reviewed. For instance, there are so many great educators out there – more than 30,000 of them – and selecting one or a few of them as the best is not only a challenging task. It does not do justice to the good work of MOE.”
“Chairman, I beg to move, "That the total sum to be allocated for Head K of the Estimates be reduced by $100". Chairman, I applaud the Ministry of Education (MOE) for the many changes it has made to better our education system. For such a time as this, when disruptions come fast and furious, we have no time to waste to ensure that our education system will, indeed, deliver the self-directed, self-motivated lifelong learners we need for not just a good economy, but also for a caring and inclusive society. What would our education system look like if we were designing it from scratch? What are the sacred cows that should be examined, modified or slain, if no longer relevant? I wish to talk about five cows today, namely, Streaming, Gifted Education Programme, Competitions, the Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) and Tuition. 5.00 pm First one, on Streaming. Jack Neo, in his 2002 movie, "I Not Stupid", one of the highest-grossing local films, revolved around the lives of three students in the then EM3 academic stream, showing the ill-effects of labelling. Then, the negative effects of streaming were affirmed again by a 2018 social experiment video "Regardless of Class" hosted by Senior Minister of State, Dr Janil Puthucheary. In it, youths from the Integrated Programme, Normal (Academic) and Normal (Technical) streams shared frankly, sometimes painfully, how they perceived each other due to the labelling. [Deputy Speaker (Mr Lim Biow Chuan) in the Chair] Sir, doing away with streaming does not equate to putting everyone in the same class for every subject, ignoring the need for each to learn at their own pace and own method. Far from it. One good solution is Subject-based Banding (SBB) and MOE has done it and shown good results from it.”
“For Government to invest in and nurture VWOs with good track records and help them build social enterprises and other revenue-earning arms to reduce their dependence on Government grants and donations. Create platforms similar to the enterprise model that we see in the economy side, such as VWOs Go Digital!, Scale Up VWOs!, VWO Co-Investment Fund or even VWOs Go Regional! There is no reason why this sector cannot be more entrepreneurial and why they cannot spawn a MacDonalds' chain of sorts to create many more jobs for the differently-abled. There is no reason why they cannot set up e-commerce sites with plug and play solutions to market and distribute its own services and products. There is no reason why VWOs cannot start regional businesses offering much-needed training in social services, consulting services and disability management, for instance. And since there is no way that the Government will be able to fund all the needs, it must find ways, like it does for the SMEs, to strengthen its VWO partners so that they, too, can be more financially independent and continue to be a strong service partner to the Government. In conclusion, Sir, Budget 2019 is a comprehensive and sensible Budget. Will Budget 2019 make any major difference to the transformation of our country's business and social service sectors? I believe the devil is in the details and the key is in the execution. And I hope the Minister will consider some of my inputs. Sir, I strongly support the Budget.”
“Just as Dr Robert Yap from YCL Group has risen to become an advocate for transformation in the logistics industry, more aggressive efforts ought to be made for more of such evangelists to be profiled for the rest and its industry and to harness these advocates' ideas for further industry transformation. We need more of the Robert Yaps in the other industries as well. Sir, moving even the smallest SMEs from Awareness to Affiliation to Action and to Advocacy in Singapore's enterprise transformation vision is a framework that the Government can consider. Finally, on building a caring society and the role of VWOs. Sir, it is a known fact that the demand for healthcare and other social service to assist our disadvantaged is mounting in our society. Our Finance Minister had himself shared that these needs cannot be met by the Government alone and will require the rest of the society – the village – to join in the solutioning. Besides donors, one significant partner to the Government is the VWOs. Unless they are more financially independent, much of their time will be taken up to seek funds instead of strengthening their services. So, therefore, I have three suggestions to enhance the financial independence of the VWOs so that they can provide more sustainable quality services with the Government. I propose that the Government: (a) further incentivise donors to Institutions of a Public Character by offering a 300% tax deduction provision for the Bicentennial Community Fund, similar to that implemented for SG50; (b) help VWOs further earn their own stream of incomes by allowing VWOs to invest in Singapore Savings Bonds, for instance. This is currently not permitted; and (c) invest.”
“One, aggressively identify, train and develop a special workforce comprising senior citizens and persons with disabilities; two, incentivise SMEs through higher SEC to employ these special workforce members; three, provide a buffer foreign headcount for a duration if an employer guarantees the training and employment of, say, more than 10 local staff with disadvantaged backgrounds; four, update the pool of source countries to include countries, such as Myanmar, to allow employers to fulfil the DRC; and five, adopt and execute well a four-pronged process to nurture the largest base of small and micro SMEs, the largest base of most SMEs. And the four prongs being the 4As – Awareness, Affiliation, Action and Advocacy. Many SMEs are still not fully aware of the purpose and slew of measures the Government has in store for them. That is for Awareness. Those who are aware may not be convinced of the need to change and upgrade and will need to affiliate or buy in through a more impactful and regular targeted sharing of successful transformations in their specific industries. And three, SMEs which are aware and willing to take action often find themselves burdened by daily operational demands and fires. My search on the SME Portal was interesting, but it was insufficient to develop a roadmap or action plan if I were running my own business. So, some way must be found to competently facilitate clusters of similar SMEs on a regular basis to adopt or to pluck some low-lying fruits together, such as shared services in HR, accounting and common industry-specific applications. That is for Action. Finally, Advocacy, in this four-step process.”
“Instead of broad strokes, a different tiered approach is explicitly adopted in Budget 2019 to provide different strokes of help to SMEs of different sizes. Hence, high-growth large firms get more dedicated support and account management to scale and internationalise, such as using the Scale-Up SG programme. Those in the mid-sized tier will get slightly less. And the biggest base, comprising many of the small and micro firms, are assisted through more plug and play solutions at mostly self-help platforms or the heartland SME Centres. So, very differentiated approach for different tiers. Dr Sue Ann Toh and her team, one of my grassroots, recently started Novi Health, a small firm, a medical clinic and health tech company which combines clinical care with technology-enhanced holistic solutions, to prevent and manage diabetes and other chronic conditions. Sue Ann spoke to me about her team's wish to access a roadmap and a competent Tech Coach which will likely not be available in view of her startup size and in view of our strategy of differentiated support for different tiers of SMEs. So, whilst differentiated support favouring larger SMEs makes sense as larger firms arguably give more returns to the economy and provide more jobs, all large firms themselves, however, started small, often with humble beginnings. How would the Government identify and nurture small startups which deserve a leg-up but which might be overlooked because of their being defined as a micro or small business? So, I have further suggestions to help the SMEs, for the Minister to consider.”
“As Budget 2019 continues with the latest DRC reduction to 35% in 2021, sectors likely to be hit will be in hospitality, F&B services, the arts, entertainment and other lifestyle sectors. I spoke to Mr Benedict Choa, the owner of Cube Boutique Hotel, which specialises in the capsule hotel model with its highly space-efficient yet comfortable bunk-bed accommodation in both Chinatown and the Kampong Glam vicinity. Ben, who has fully used up his foreign worker quota, primarily in the housekeeping department, has tried all means to transform his business model. He has found a new market niche in the highly space-efficient capsule hotel market. He has also automated his guest check-in system, and he took a leap with the Government agency, Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA), to install a communal dining ordering system in the Kampong Glam tourist belt. And Ben is all ready to employ any local staff willing to work if he only can find them. This manpower challenge on the ground is also faced by larger service enterprises, too. Mr Andreas Sugaimin, Senior Vice President of Human Capital and Development of Pan Pacific Hotel group, in his efforts to employ local staff, has embarked on a programme to employ persons with disabilities. Despite this, the group is still short of manpower as shift jobs in his industry continue to be unpopular amongst Singaporeans. Andreas and his team shared that the pool of willing workers from Malaysia and China is shrinking. And these are the hard truths on the ground. How does the Government encourage enterprises like Cube Boutique Hotel and Pan Pacific Hotel which are aligned with our national directions and yet still face manpower challenges? Next, on the tiered support for different tiers, different types of SMEs according to size.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, in his development and delivery of Budget 2019, our Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat, has lived up to his reputation of being both gentle and firm. This is a Budget that tries to uplift every Singaporean – the children, youths, seniors and, in particular, the MG. This is also a Budget that relentlessly pushes local enterprises and workers to step out of their comfort zone and build deeper capabilities to fend against the unforgiving disruptions caused by globalisation and technology. I would like to speak on, one, the key pillar of our economy, the SMEs, which form 99% of all local firms; and two, the key pillar of our social service terrain, the VWOs, which, together with the public agencies, jointly deliver many of the social and even healthcare services in our country. First, on SMEs, a key pillar of the Singapore economy, contributing about 50% of our GDP. In addition to creating wealth and jobs, a vibrant entrepreneurial spirit is a national asset that feeds a flourishing society. Hence, the responses by SMEs are important points of consideration in finetuning our policies or communications efforts. There are two Budget features that I would like to touch on concerning businesses. One is on the DRC or the restrictions on foreign manpower. It has been more than six years since foreign manpower dependence was tightened to drive higher productivity and redirect foreign manpower to higher tech-content businesses and also to protect the employment of our own local workers. However, whilst automation and digitalisation have helped industries, such as the construction and manufacturing sectors, the same cannot be said of the service sector.”
“Therefore, tracking and inspection are one of the very key steps to ensure that this systematic and systemic approach of caregiving support is done. So, in conclusion, Speaker, Sir, the role of a caregiver is a challenging one with multiple stress points. The role of a caregiver of PWDs is even more so. So, unless we further strengthen and resource this last mile of execution, using a more systemic and systematic approach, caregivers of PWDs are at high risk of giving up and, in some cases, becoming so helpless and hopeless that they would even contemplate killing their own children first before taking their own lives. For a first-world country like ours, we must never let this happen. Sir, I strongly support the Motion.”
“Some caregivers are able but not willing, and they will need engagement and coaxing to do their part. Some are willing and not able and will need to be trained and equipped. Others who are neither able nor willing will require other forms of support. Hence, we need to individualise caregiver support. Step three – integration or integrator. The need for a systems integrator, although it is a term that is usually used in the commercial sector or computer sector, it is also a term that is very useful in the social service sector. The need for a systems integrator to facilitate the case management or equipping others to integrate the various needs and solutions cannot be underestimated. The recent setting up of the physical SG Enable's (SGE's) Caregiver Space is a good start in engaging and training caregivers of PWDs and providing them with information and advisory services. However, SGE will need to be resourced much more to reach out to many more, beyond its physical premises, and to play the role of an effective integrator or to train others to be effective integrators to facilitate the systems approach I am advocating. Step four – implement. As society rapidly ages and the demand for healthcare services and caregiving rises, there will never be enough manpower to perform the roles of caregiving and caregiver support. So, we need to develop a much better coordinated web of local community support that includes neighbours, grassroots organisations, SSOs, corporate and individual volunteers that will support this unique group and their charges much more effectively. And the last step is really – inspect. The process of caregiver support is an ongoing one and needs and commitment level can change over time.”
“With that in place, the adoption of a systems approach to address the needs of this unique group of caregivers of PWDs would be very useful. Hence, I propose five steps in a systemic approach of identifying, individualising, integrating, implementing and inspecting the support process of this group of caregivers. Step one, identify. Sir, unless we know who, where and what the profile of these caregivers are, it is impossible to support at a sustainable level and add value to their lives. The attempt to develop nationwide databases of persons with disabilities and their caregivers has not been very fruitful due mostly to a lack of resolve and organisation. However, at the local neighbourhood level, it is highly possible to tap on the current services rendered by organisations, such as the Silver Generation Office, SSOs and grassroots organisations, a local infrastructure, to develop local databases to identify and locate this group of caregivers. Step two – individualise caregiver support. Every family is different in needs, abilities and fortitude. Some lack skills, money or other resources to effectively plan and organise the care for their loved ones. Some are positive and caring while others are negative and unconcerned. In our attempt to strengthen caregiver support in our country, we must beware of the cookie-cutter solutions that do not address the individual family situation. Depending on their abilities – whether in finance or skills – and willingness, the needs of these caregivers can occur on a continuum, and the level of support should be matched to those needs and their changing nature over time. Some caregivers are able and willing, and what they require are regular updates and menu of services they can tap on.”
“When Mr Lim fell ill and could not care for his son, the son was sent to IMH for a period, causing great grief to Mr Lim who pleaded for his return. Mr Lim felt he could not even afford to fall sick. Then, there is another group with whom I have had the opportunity to serve. These are parents who are able and willing to not only provide for their own children but also use their professional skills to build services and programmes in VWOs for disabled children of others. Mdm Loh Wai Mooi, a lawyer, and Mr Ho Swee Huat, a financier, and several others who are my volunteer partners in the special needs sector have been offering their legal and financial leadership expertise for years in the sector. But whoever they are, one common denominator remains. For every one of these parents I know and every parent I meet at many focus groups, all of them worry over what will happen to themselves and to their adult children when they themselves lose their mental capacity or pass on. I arrived at the conclusion that breakthroughs for these families can start only if caregivers are assured that their ageing children with disabilities will be taken care of. Hence, the Enabling Masterplan for Persons with Disabilities developed under MSF, although comprehensive and impressive in presentation, is still not known by many in the community. The 3rd Enabling Masterplan (EMP3) must help deliver and communicate better assurances and outcomes for persons with disabilities in early intervention, education, employment, financial security, healthcare and other cross-cutting issues, such as end-of-life planning. Hence, I urge the Ministry to engage, facilitate and communicate regularly to the special needs community the progress of the Masterplan and to finetune the plan as developments occur.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I rise to support the Motion to continue strengthening support for caregivers. Their needs are not insignificant. Many of them require help in navigating where to get help, where to obtain financial and workplace support, empowerment and training services. Whilst the Parliamentary Motion relates mainly to caregivers of seniors, I would like to focus on one unique group of caregivers. These are the caregivers of persons with disabilities (PWDs), mostly parents who are themselves ageing. These unique caregivers face the double whammy of dealing with (a) their own ageing and (b) the ageing of their children with disabilities. Pushed to a corner, some parents end up committing filicide or the act of murder of one’s own child. In 2014, it was reported in local news that the mother of a child with special needs threw him out of their HDB flat, causing his death. The mother, his caregiver, had developed major depression and was seized by the thought that the son was the cause of her misery. Amongst the thousands of caregivers I have met, there are some, however, who are so willing to give of themselves that they put their child’s interest way above their own. Mdm Tan, not her real name, lives in a rental flat in my estate. She has two severely disabled children in their late 30s whom she serves, lifts, feed throughout the day. The last I saw her at the house visit, she was exhausted and obviously physically challenged due to the heavy lifting that she does each day looking after her adult disabled children. Another resident of mine, Mr Lim, not his real name, in his 70s, is a single parent looking after his severely autistic son who is also in his 30s.”