Desmond Lee
Singapore
“The Leadership, Enrichment, Achievement, Participation and Service (LEAPS) 2.0 is a framework for recognising student participation and achievement in secondary school co-curricular programmes.”
“The Ministry of Education (MOE) is mindful of the impact that rising temperatures may have on our students, teachers and officials taking part in the National School Games. Matches are scheduled only after students have had the time to train and become progressively more heat acclimatised.”
“As shared in Parliament in March 2026, the proportion of students with special educational needs (SEN) in mainstream schools has remained stable, at around 7% of the overall student population. This stability is observed across both primary and secondary schools.”
“The Ministry recruits and assesses applicants based on merit and suitability for the teaching profession, regardless of gender. We look for individuals with a passion for teaching, a belief in the potential of every child, and who possess the values and character to make a positive difference in students' lives.”
“Over the past five years, an average of 750 teachers resigned from the Education Service annually, representing a resignation rate of around 2%.”
“MOE has also progressively strengthened open access within the Primary 1 Registration Framework through Phase 2C, which is open to students regardless of whether they have prior connections to the school. MOE had increased the number of reserved Phase 2C places from zero to 20 in 2014; and from 20 to 40 in 2022.”
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“It was not enough to do well; you had to do better than your peers. And this would affect how you were streamed and posted to secondary school. Over time, we have moved away from this. We want to ignite our students' curiosity and spark their creativity so that they develop a love for learning that will stay with them even after they complete school. We want to give our students the space to learn and grow at their own pace instead of chasing every last mark or competing with their peers. We removed exams for Primary 1 and 2 to give young pupils two test-free years, and removed mid-year examinations from all levels. We did away with PSLE T-scores and grading on a curve, and introduced Achievement Level (AL) bands with grading based on a student's level of mastery in a subject. We introduced multiple pathways to support students with various interests and strengths. The DSA allows students to gain admission through a wide range of talents, including sports and the performing arts. We also implemented Full Subject-Based Banding in our secondary schools to give students more flexibility to learn subjects at a pace and rigour suited to their strengths and needs. We want to cultivate in our students the right attitudes and dispositions beyond just pursuing academic excellence through our Character and Citizenship Education (CCE) curriculum and co-curricular activities (CCAs), students develop values and 21st Century Competencies. They learn to collaborate with one another, build teamwork, develop leadership. We look out for students who may need more support.”
“But among her many accomplishments at this young age, what she is proudest of is her work with Owena, the alumni association of the therapeutic group home for children that she was formerly in. As a pioneer member and leader, she organises activities and offers emotional support to current residents. Though still a young adult herself, she is already eager to help build a better world for the generation after hers. Azalea's journey shows us that not everyone takes the same path to success, and success can mean different things to different people. It is about finding the right path for yourself. And this is what our education system must continue to uphold: providing pathways for our children to flourish, no matter their starting point, supporting them to pursue their aspirations in their own time and cultivating strong values, so that they give back to society. We have been moving steadily away from a narrow meritocracy that ties achievement solely to grades and paper qualifications, towards a society that recognises that success comes in many forms. Whether in the arts, technology, sports or other fields, we want to celebrate the diverse talents of every individual and respect the contribution of every worker. This shift is not something that can happen overnight. It is a multi-year effort. Fortunately, we are not starting from scratch. We are building on an education system that has continuously evolved to stay relevant. In the past, success was largely measured in grades and paper qualifications. We focused on those in the early years because we thought they might set our children up for success. In fact, at times, the system would pit students against one another. Members would recall that the PSLE used to be graded on a bell curve.”
“What is more important is for younger Singaporeans to be agile and resilient, think critically, learn continuously, so that they can navigate a more uncertain environment. And with social issues becoming more complex, we also need to empower Singaporeans who can empathise with others and lead with kindness. Let me share the story of one of our students, Azaleagrace Teo. She also gave us her consent. Azalea's journey was not easy. She was abused by her father for years until she finally summoned the courage to confide about it in her school counsellor, who then alerted the principal and the Police. Protective Service removed her from her home and she had to move eight times between various temporary accommodations. The instability took a toll on her studies and she had to repeat her Secondary 4 year, but she did not give up. She applied for ITE's Early Admission Exercise and managed to secure a place in ITE College East. ITE was the first place that she felt safe enough to discover herself and imagine a future beyond survival. She became vice president of the Yoga Club and public relations (PR) director of the ITE Student Leaders' Forum. She was selected to speak at events where she and her classmates shared their personal stories and helped to raise $308,000 for the ITE Education Fund to help other students. Through her grit and dedication, and with the support of her peers and her teachers, Azalea eventually graduated with a perfect 4.0 GPA. Today, she is a first-year student pursuing a diploma in media arts and design at Singapore Polytechnic. This year she was one of 10 recipients of the Lee Kuan Yew Model Student Award and also received the Lee Hsien Loong Award for Outstanding All-round Achievement.”
“Along the way, we may need to develop new structures, policies, standard operating procedures, data systems that enable greater collaboration and integration. But more importantly, the key ingredient powering all of this is trust, which enables us to build strong networks and relationships, especially on the ground. This is not easy. It takes time and effort to build trust and mobilise the community, but it is something that we must do. As social issues become increasingly complex and inter-connected, everyone must come on board. No one person or organisation, including the Government, has all the solutions. In our "we first" society, we must all come together to lift each person up. When we help others thrive, we grow stronger ourselves. So, we will build on this collaborative spirit with more intentionality and heart, to turn our conversations into partnerships; our partnerships into actions; and our actions into lasting meaningful change for Singapore. Mr Deputy Speaker, the second shift we are making is transforming our education system. Even as we address the pressing social issues of today, we must also look ahead and prepare the next generation for the challenges of tomorrow. Yesterday, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong outlined some of the directions that education reform will take in this term of Government to reduce the stakes of single exams, broaden the definition of success and give children the chance to discover and develop their strengths. Let me share more. In a rapidly changing world, it is no longer enough to equip younger Singaporeans with knowledge alone. In fact, the knowledge we impart today might well be outdated tomorrow.”
“For those who were struggling, the Government provided assistance to meet their basic needs. But for this future that we are building, we must, as the Prime Minister said yesterday, continue to tilt the balance to keep opportunities open at every stage of life. The Government, community, volunteers and corporate partners cannot afford to work on our own but must stand together as close partners. Over the years we have been moving in this direction. We formed, for example, the PEERS Network in 2019 as a collaboration among community partners, social service agencies and Government agencies to support rough sleepers and homeless individuals. During COVID-19, when the number of people sleeping rough went up and more were seeking shelter, this turned out to be critical. Today, after six years, the PEERS Network is still growing strong. ComLink+ as well. It was something we designed after listening to our frontliners, social workers, educators and community workers, who told us that it was not just about doing more or giving more but also about trying to do better. Earlier this year, the Ministry of National Development (MND) and MSF also formed the New Environment Action Team, a network comprising social service agencies, community groups, trade associations, corporate partners and Government agencies, which seeks to address hoarding issues in people's homes in a more holistic and sustainable manner. So, you can see we are moving away from the models of the past, where the Government and community each worked in silo. Instead, we wanted to partner Singaporeans and take a whole-of-society approach to solving problems together.”
“For children, GAF partners have also sponsored music and art classes to encourage children to pursue their interests. This is on top of existing school funds, like Opportunity Funds in our schools, that subsidise co-curricular development opportunities, even overseas learning trips, for students from lower-income households. Comlink+ involves many groups collaborating as one, to organise and coordinate help for the families, putting them at the centre of our efforts. This is a much more intense approach compared to just providing more resources. Comlink+ is an important pillar of our refreshed social compact under Forward Singapore to empower families to achieve stability, self-reliance and social mobility, and we intend to provide this form of assistance to more families. In 2019, we started piloting Comlink+ at four sites and subsequently scaled it nationwide. Currently, the programme supports around 10,000 low-income families with children and we will progressively expand this. Going forward, we will provide more comprehensive wrap-around support to uplift families. We partnered HDB to help families work towards home ownership. We will support our children across educational stages, including improving preschool enrollment and attendance, and ensuring a healthy home environment. We will also provide dedicated employment and skills assistance that better meets the needs of families. Mr Deputy Speaker, programmes like Comlink+ and KidSTART reflect something deeper. The shifts in how we, as a nation, tackle difficult social issues, such as inequality and social stratification. This is work-in-progress. In the early years of nationhood, we focused on survival and economic growth.”
“They also shared knowledge and skills on building positive parent-child interactions and monitored Sofea closely to track her developmental milestones. When Syaakirah had difficulties feeding Sofea, KidSTART quickly connected her with a nurse, who provided advice on appropriate feeding practices and milk quantities. KidSTART also provided books and toys for Sofea and her siblings to cultivate an early interest in reading and strengthen parent-child bonding. As their progress shows, Comlink+ is a uniquely Singapore way of coordinating support around the family by harnessing the collective strength of the community in a much more cohesive way to empower the family. It brings together family coaches, community partners and volunteer befrienders who proactively reach out to families to gain a deeper understanding of their needs, strengths and aspirations. They journey with the families to develop customised roadmaps that evolve with their changing needs. Our corporate partners provide valuable resources to make lasting change in the lives of families. For example, DBS Foundation has committed $30 million over three years to help fund Comlink+ Progress Packages and has also conducted financial literacy programmes for Comlink+ families. We also tap on the strengths of the community to provide Comlink+ with additional resources above and beyond what Government can provide. Through Gift a Family (GAF), for example, we invite Singaporeans, who have done well, as well as organisations, to partner and support Comlink+ families. For example, for parents, GAF partners have sponsored courses and upskilling for them, on top of SkillsFuture, so that they can get better jobs and work towards a better future for their families.”
“The family was struggling financially and faced difficulties meeting their basic needs. Adi and Syaakirah also found it hard to supervise their children's academic progress and were concerned that the children would fall behind in school. We want to ensure that all families, no matter their circumstances, have the opportunity to thrive. And that is where Comlink+ and KidSTART come in. When the family first joined Comlink+, they needed urgent help with their daily needs. Their family coach, Ken, coordinated with community organisations, such as Willing Hearts, to give them essential groceries and milk powder. Seeing Adi's determination to provide for his family, Ken helped him enrol on the Comlink+ Progress package for employment, where the Government provides financial top-ups to those who take up Central Provident Fund (CPF)-paying jobs. As Syaakirah wanted to pursue full-time employment, Ken placed her on employment services, too. A non-profit organisation, Engineering Good, gave the family a refurbished laptop. This helped Syaakirah in her job search and allowed the children to do home-based learning. The older children have also been enrolled in the MENDAKI academic coaching programme, which they enjoy, to keep them on track academically. Ken also noticed that Akid, the family's youngest son, is passionate about playing football. He enrolled Akid in the Comlink+ Community Futsal programme run by SportCares, where he makes friends through sports. When Syaakirah was expecting her youngest child, Sofea, Ken linked her up with KidSTART. The KidSTART practitioner visited the couple at home regularly to guide them through Sofea's infancy. KidSTART equipped the family with parenting tips on health, nutrition and child development.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, I want to thank Ms Elysa Chen for that very moving and heartfelt speech. Mr Deputy Speaker, we just celebrated Singapore's 60th birthday. For a nation, 60 is young. Yet as our society matures, we face challenges on the road ahead. On the social front, we are dealing with ageing and need to guard against inequality and social stratification. Our demographics are evolving, with smaller families and more singles, and our people have higher and more diverse aspirations. We must grapple with these, even while facing strong external headwinds – geopolitical shifts, economic uncertainty, climate change and disruptions due to technology and AI. Today, I will talk about two key shifts that we are taking to prepare Singapore for this future. First, refreshing our approach to tackling difficult social issues; and second, transforming our education system. Yesterday, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong spoke about how stratification can occur and gaps in social mobility can widen as our economy grows and develops. We have seen this happen in other societies where privilege gets entrenched. So, we cannot stand still and must continually work against these forces that can fragment our society. That is why, beyond doing more through policies and programmes, we have also been focusing on how we can do better. This is especially important in our work to help lower-income families who are facing complex challenges and are seeking to break through their circumstances. Let me illustrate this through the life story of Mr Adi and his wife, Miss Syaakirah. They have consented to us sharing their journey with Members. They live in a two-room HDB rental flat and have four children. Adi is the sole breadwinner and Syaakirah, a homemaker.”
“The Ministry of Education (MOE) studies best practices on suicide prevention and intervention from other systems, consults mental health professionals and collaborates with partners to strengthen support for students in schools. MOE has tapped on the expertise and resources of relevant agencies and organisations, such as the Ministry of Health, the Institute of Mental Health and the Samaritans of Singapore (SOS), in our suicide prevention efforts. Helplines and services, such as the national Mindline 1771 and those from SOS, are made known to our teachers and counsellors. We have also involved these partners to raise the awareness of teachers and school counsellors in mental health and suicide prevention. For example, in June 2025, SOS hosted a group of MOE educators on a Learning Journey, introduced the "Be A Samaritan" programme to them. The participants found this useful in deepening their appreciation of how individuals can play a part in suicide prevention. Suicide prevention efforts are multi-faceted and involve working with many partners in different ways and with various strategies and programmes. As such, it may not be feasible to evaluate each individual programme.”
“In the 2025 Primary 1 (P1) Registration Exercise, around 400 P1 registrants, representing 1% of all registrants, were not yet registered with a school after Phase 2C Supplementary. Since parents generally prefer schools nearer to their homes, the Ministry of Education (MOE) assists by placing their children in a nearby school with available vacancies. For most of these cases, MOE was able to post them to a school within two km of their residential address. Parents may reach out to the school or MOE if they have queries.”
“The Positive Use Guide on Technology and Social Media will be made available on the Digital for Life website in the fourth quarter of 2025 as a resource for parents and youth. The Ministry of Education will introduce relevant portions of the Guide to our primary, secondary and pre-university students as part of their Cyber Wellness lessons. Pertinent guidance from the Guide will also be shared with parents and families through platforms such as Parents Gateway, Families for Life and community touchpoints.”
“This question has been addressed by written answer on 23 September 2025. Please refer to the response to Parliamentary Question No 70 for oral answer in the 23 September 2025 Order Paper. [Please refer to "Allocation of Counsellors to Schools", Official Report, 23 September 2025, Vol 96, Issue 3, Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer not Answered by End of Question Time section.]”
“Having quality teachers is essential to building a strong education system. We look for teaching applicants with good subject mastery, keen interest to teach, and an understanding of what teaching entails. We also consider teacher qualities such as effective communication skills and care for students. To strengthen the recruitment pipeline for Tamil Language (TL), we adopt a multi-pronged approach. First, we begin by sparking students’ interest in the language early. Those with aptitude are encouraged to pursue it at a higher level. Second, we identify older students with strong language skills and an interest in teaching through Education and Career Guidance and avail teaching internships to them. For example, ‘A’ level students in the Tamil Language Elective Programme can participate in the Teaching Internship Programme to affirm their interest and take up relevant undergraduate degrees or diplomas that will support their aspiration to be TL teachers. Third, we proactively engage potential undergraduates, fresh graduates and mid-career professionals to raise awareness of a meaningful career as a TL teacher. Those who are suitable will be sponsored for training at the National Institute of Education to become qualified TL teachers.”
“The MInistry of Education recruits teachers with the right disposition and competencies to teach. We prioritise hiring of local teachers. However, we do recruit foreign teachers for certain subjects to supplement our local teaching workforce, if we are unable to recruit enough locals. Tamil Language (TL) is one of these subjects. For foreign applicants, apart from looking at their track record and experience, we also consider their ability to assimilate into our local school context. The number of TL teaching applications averaged about 750 annually over the past five years. About 80% of these are local applicants, with foreign applicants making up the remaining 20%. Over the same period, the success rates for local and foreign applicants were about 4% and 2% respectively. Over the same period, the success rate for local applicants was double that of foreign applicants.”
“This question has been addressed by written answer on 23 September 2025. Please refer to the response to Parliamentary Question No 96 for oral answer in the 23 September 2025 Order Paper. [Please refer to "Providing English-language Programmes Equivalent to Autonomous Universities' Mandarin Postgraduate Programmes", Official Report, 23 September 2025, Vol 96, Issue 3, Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer not Answered by End of Question Time section.]”
“The Ministry of Education (MOE) provides significant subsidies for Singaporeans in the Autonomous Universities (AUs) pursuing their first undergraduate degree. As for post-graduate by coursework programmes, programmes such as those that are required as entry requirements for certain professions such as architecture, and those that are aligned with industry needs, based on consultation with sector agencies, are subsidised by MOE. MOE will regularly review the subsidy framework for post-graduate programmes. In addition, AUs also offer post-graduate programmes on a non-subsidised basis, if they assess them to be viable. Other than MOE subsidies, most AUs offer fee rebates to Singaporeans and Permanent Residents, as well as alumni, who take up post-graduate programmes. Additional university subsidies, scholarships or study awards are also available to eligible students.”
“This question has been addressed as part of the oral reply to Parliamentary Question Nos 1 to 12 in the Order Paper for 23 September 2025. [Please refer to "Management of Bullying in Schools", Official Report, 23 September 2025, Vol 96, Issue 3, Oral Answers to Questions section.]”
“This question has been addressed by written answer on 23 September 2025. Members can refer to the response to Question Nos 108 and 109 in the 23 September 2025 Order Paper. [Please refer to "Enhancing Vape Detection in Schools and Counselling for Students Caught Vaping", Official Report, 23 September 2025, Vol 96, Issue 3, Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer not Answered by End of Question Time section.]”
“Across primary to pre-university levels, our character and citizenship education (CCE) curriculum equips students with social-emotional competencies including self-awareness, emotional regulation, relationship management to build resilience. Mental health lessons in CCE cover coping strategies, managing negative thoughts, differentiating stress and distress, and help-seeking. While mindfulness is not in the curriculum, relevant practices, such as breathing exercises and calming techniques, are taught in the CCE lessons. Outside classroom lessons, these knowledge and skills are reinforced through school experiences, such as outdoor adventure camps, co-curricular activities and daily interactions, where students apply what they have learnt in real-life situations.”
“When the National School Games (NSG) gradually resumed in 2022 after being suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic, competitions for four NSG sports were held at the Singapore Sports Hub. This year, competitions for 14 NSG sports took place at the Sports Hub. The Ministry of Education will work closely with the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth and SportSG to continue hosting a diverse range of NSG events at the Sports Hub over the next few years. This will allow future cohorts of students to experience competing at Singapore's premier sporting facility, thus inspiring them to pursue excellence in their chosen sports.”
“The Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs) are committed to safeguarding our students' well-being and ensuring meaningful internship experiences for students. IHLs seek to ensure that internships, regardless of whether they are sourced by IHLs or the student, provide students with learning that is related to the students' course of study. For example, the polytechnics and the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) work closely with companies on the job scope and tasks that student interns will undertake. IHLs also provide companies with a recommended allowance range and encourage companies to offer student interns a fair internship allowance, based on industry norms. The key terms of the internship, including monthly allowance and interns' roles and responsibilities, are mutually agreed upon between the intern and company prior to the start of the internship. Students are informed of the internship terms before the start of their internships and are made aware of channels in their IHLs that they can use to raise any concerns they may have during their internships. In addition, for credit-bearing internships, that form the majority of internships that polytechnic and ITE students undertake, IHLs will assign an officer to monitor the student's learning and well-being during the internship. IHLs closely monitor student feedback to check on the quality of internships and have barred companies who provide poor internship experiences.”
“These questions have been addressed as part of the oral reply to Question Nos 1 to 12 on 23 September 2025. Members may refer to the transcript for the reply. [Please refer to "Management of Bullying in Schools", Official Report, 23 September 2025, Vol 96, Issue 3, Oral Answers to Questions section.]”
“The Ministry of Education (MOE) does provide schools with broad guidelines to support them in the placement of students in Computing. For example, schools can consider demonstrated interest in computing and a basic proficiency in mathematics as possible factors. Schools also take into account factors, such as student profile, timetabling constraints and the number of computing teachers in the school. To expand access, MOE launched a pilot programme in 2025 where students keen to take up "O" level Computing can travel to schools designated as computing centres.”
“Resources have been provided to guide teachers in the use of AI. MOE and IHLs also closely monitor developments and best practices on the use of AI in education and update our guidance to educators. The use of AI in assessment must align to learning outcomes and instil confidence that assessment outcomes reflect the intended mastery by students. This means that the use of AI is prohibited in situations that require students to demonstrate independent mastery of skills, concepts and understanding, such as in-class assignments, that requires students to independently apply what they had learnt, school-based assessment, like end-of-year examination, and national examinations that are proctored. Educators at our schools and IHLs may design homework and assessments that allow the use of AI with proper acknowledgment. In such cases, educators should clearly specify when and how students may use AI tools in their coursework and assessments and explain these decisions to students. Students are taught the importance of academic integrity and taking responsibility for their own learning. Each IHL has institutional policies governing the use of AI and its own internal disciplinary framework to address academic misconduct, including AI misuse. These policies and disciplinary frameworks are communicated clearly to staff and students.”
“My response will also address the three Parliamentary Questions on the same topic scheduled for the Sitting on and after 25 September 2025. [Please refer to "Foundational Gen AI Literacy and Skills for All Students, Teachers and Educators", Official Report, 25 September 2025, Vol 96, Issue 5, Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer not Answered by End of Question Time section.] The Ministry of Education (MOE) has communicated broad guidelines on the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in education and assessment to all MOE schools and Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs), which we expect schools and IHLs to adapt for their specific needs, and which we expect will evolve over time. Broadly, the guidance given is that: first, educators will use AI in education, blended with other approaches, when it benefits student learning; second, guardrails must be in place to mitigate the potential misuse of AI and its negative impact on learning and development; and third, the use of AI should be grounded on pedagogical considerations and age-appropriateness, such as how the brain develops. For example, children need to maintain multiple senses to engage with real-world objects and may lack the ability to discern AI output or know that AI is not human. As such, at lower primary levels, concrete learning, such as through hands-on inquiry and outdoor experience, are prioritised. The guided use of AI by students is gradually introduced under teacher supervision around middle to upper primary levels. We will continue to support students and educators at our schools and IHLs to make thoughtful use of AI. The MOE AI in Education Ethics Framework has been introduced in 2022 to guide the development and use of AI-enabled educational tools in schools.”
“Research on brain functions has enhanced our understanding of how children learn. These insights have guided curriculum design and pedagogy. Our teachers employ pedagogies informed by neuroscience, psychology and educational research. They create experiences where students learn by doing, discussing and reflecting. Assessing preschool children using neuroscience methods to match to specific pedagogies is not appropriate. While neuroscience helps us understand how the brain works, effective learning also depends on socio-emotional, cultural and other motivational factors. Young children learn best through their five senses and hands-on activities in authentic everyday settings. On artificial intelligence (AI), the Ministry of Education is already leveraging AI-enabled features in the Singapore Student Learning Space to customise the learning of mathematics and languages at the upper primary level.”
“The Ministry of Education and our Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs) regularly review the curriculum in our schools and IHLs to ensure students develop the competencies and skills needed to thrive in the future economy. This is done in consultation with stakeholders, such as sector agencies and industry representatives, to ensure that the curriculum is responsive to latest developments and issues, emerging trends and industry needs. In addition, the IHLs’ academic staff have various opportunities for industry exposure, such as through industry attachments and projects, to maintain their industry currency. For schools, the curriculum for each subject is typically reviewed around once every six to eight years. However, in cases where there are fast-changing developments, for example, Artificial Intelligence (AI), we have added AI literacy into the development of students' digital literacy and technological skills within the curriculum and co-curriculum. Sustainability is a theme that has been incorporated into subjects, such as the Science and Humanities syllabi, providing students with a strong foundation to access related subjects at a higher level. As for our IHLs, the Institute of Technical Education and polytechnics conduct reviews of curricula at the course and module levels annually, with more in-depth institutional reviews of curricula and delivery of courses conducted around every three years. These reviews are informed by feedback from industry including their academic advisory committees and other partnerships. Similarly, the Autonomous Universities conduct regular reviews of their course curricula through their academic advisory boards every two to five years, with more frequent reviews for courses in sectors that are more fast-changing.”
“For both the periods (i) 1995 to 2009 and (ii) 2010 to 2024, the mean and median annual resignation rates of teachers have been around 2% to 3%. We expect the resignation rate for 2025 to remain around this range.”
“From 1995 to 2009, the median length of service was five to nine years. From 2010 to 2025, the median length of service was 10 to 14 years1.”
“MOE and IHLs will continue to monitor employment outcomes of fresh graduates and work closely with industry partners and sector agencies to align curricula with industry needs and provide students with the opportunities to deepen their learning through internships and industry projects.”
“IHLs have also expanded their offerings of interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary courses, which allow students to gain exposure and apply their skills to multiple sectors and domains. Second, the IHLs have strengthened industry partnerships for students to keep abreast of the latest industry developments, deepen their learning and gain working experience. Internships or industry attachments are already a graduation requirement for the polytechnics and Institute of Technical Education, and for most undergraduate programmes at the Autonomous Universities. Students also have the opportunity to work on industry projects as part of their curriculum, including through the Centres of Innovation and Centres of Excellence. Third, the IHLs' curriculum helps students to learn about AI and equips them with baseline digital literacy and AI competencies to navigate an AI-pervasive world. Students also learn how to use AI within their disciplines and industries, and IHLs integrate industry-relevant AI tools into courses and partner with industry to create hands-on AI learning environments where appropriate. Fourth, the IHLs have increased curricular focus on helping students learn beyond AI by developing key competencies like critical thinking, interpersonal and collaboration skills, as well as the ability to work across cultures. These competencies are critical in equipping graduates with skills that can bring value beyond AI itself, and that they effectively navigate the workplace and be resilient in responding to future trends and changes.”
“The Government closely monitors the employment outcomes of fresh graduates and workers through (a) the Ministry of Education's (MOE's) Graduate Employment Survey (GES) conducted six months after graduation, and (b) the Ministry of Manpower's Labour Force Survey. The employment rates of fresh graduates six months post-graduation have remained broadly stable over the decade, with some year-to-year fluctuations due to economic cycles and cyclical changes at the sector level. Median salaries for fresh graduates have continued to rise year-on-year, increasing by 3% to 5% in 2024. The long-term unemployment rate of younger workers under 30 years has remained low at between 0.6% to 1.2% between June 2024 and June 2025. Notwithstanding the current global and economic uncertainty, the employment rates of the 2025 graduating cohort as of June 2025 remained comparable to the 2024 graduating cohort at the corresponding time last year. That said, many undergraduates and fresh graduates may be concerned about their job prospects in the current economic climate, and their employability given how rapidly new technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI) are reshaping industries and jobs. The Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs) seek to align their curriculum with evolving industry needs, including through exposing students to industry-focused applications of AI. First, IHLs regularly review their curriculum and course offerings in consultation with sector agencies and industry partners. Where appropriate, IHLs partner industry to design, deliver, assess and certify curriculum. For example, under Nanyang Polytechnic's Professional Competency Model, two AI-related diploma courses directly involve industry in all four aspects.”
“This question has been addressed as part of the oral reply to Questions Nos 1 to 12 on 23 September 2025. [Please refer to "Management of Bullying in Schools", Official Report, 23 September 2025, Vol 96, Issue 3, Oral Answers to Questions section.]”
“The Ministry of Education will provide an oral reply to this Parliamentary Question (PQ), together with other PQs which have been filed on this topic, at the next available opportunity. [Please refer to "Guidelines Encouraging Responsible Use of Artificial Intelligence in Schools", Official Report, 24 September 2025, Vol 96, Issue 4, Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer not Answered by End of Question Time section.]”
“Today, the SkillsFuture Credit (Mid-Career) of $4,000 can be used only for training fees and cannot be used to offset professional examination fees, as our key focus is to encourage take-up of substantive training among mid-career Singaporeans. We have extended the SkillsFuture Credit base tier, which comprises the opening credit of $500 and a one-off top-up of $500 in 2020, to cover about 360 examination-only certifications. These certifications are recognised by the industry and supported by the relevant public agency overseeing the sector. We will continue to review how the SkillsFuture Credit can support industry-relevant training and certifications.”
“Our framework balances firm consequences on the one hand, with sustained support, family engagement and coordinated follow-up on the other hand, to achieve both school safety and student recovery goals. We want to provide students who make mistakes a clear pathway to rehabilitation and restoration.”
“Beyond disciplinary measures, schools and IHLs focus on guiding students to understand why their behaviour is wrong and help them take ownership of the problem. Rehabilitation is not a linear process and we seek to support students in their journey to quit vaping. Students who voluntarily seek help to quit vaping will not face disciplinary measures by schools or IHLs. To help students quit vaping, schools and IHLs offer counselling through in-house counsellors and referrals to external services, including the Health Promotion Board's (HPB's) QuitLine, National Addictions Management Services, WE CARE Community Services and Singapore Anti-Narcotics Association. For students arrested for vaping offences, schools and IHLs work with their families as well as with community partners and other Government agencies to support their rehabilitation and prevent recidivism. MOE and HPB work together to support schools and IHLs with additional resources to support staff in understanding vaping and what they can do to prevent students from vaping. For example, HPB has developed an online training module for staff to learn about smoking and vaping cessation. Besides detecting and managing vaping offences, MOE's holistic approach, includes prevention, detection and support across multiple touchpoints. Anti-vaping education is embedded in school curricula, including science, physical education and character and citizenship education, with regular assembly talks and targeted educational packages. Schools engage parents through joint HPB-HSA advisories via Parents Gateway every semester and IHLs have mandatory orientation modules and targeted outreach programmes, such as to residents in university hostels.”
“My response will address questions raised by Ms Rachel Ong and Mr Sharael Taha on the management of vaping in schools and Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs). I will also respond to questions from Ms Lee Hui Ying and Ms Valerie Lee who have filed oral Parliamentary Questions for subsequent Sittings. Our schools and IHLs use a variety of strategies to detect vaping on campus, rather than relying solely on technological solutions, like vape detectors. They have implemented detection protocols, including guidelines to recognise potential signs of etomidate abuse, and coordination with Health Sciences Authority (HSA) for swift testing of vapes suspected of containing etomidate. In addition, when schools suspect students of vaping, they will interview the students and may use nicotine test kits after notifying parents. As part of educative efforts, schools and IHLs also focus on building positive peer support networks through student-led initiatives. These foster healthy lifestyles and encourage peers to seek help from trusted adults and healthcare professionals when needed. From 1 September 2025, the Ministry of Education (MOE) has implemented baseline disciplinary measures in schools, including detention, suspension and caning for boys, alongside conduct grade adjustments. IHLs have also implemented stricter disciplinary measures, such as eviction from hostels; withdrawal of privileges, such as leadership opportunities and overseas exchanges; community service orders and fines. Recalcitrant offenders will be suspended or expelled. Schools and IHLs take disciplinary action proportionate to the severity of the offence.”
“English is the primary medium of instruction across the autonomous universities (AUs). The proportion of Mandarin-medium programmes is small, comprising less than 5% of all Postgraduate by Coursework programmes offered at AUs, and with a small student intake relative to that of all Master's programmes. Most of these Mandarin-medium programmes have English-taught equivalents or are taught bilingually. The AUs have autonomy to offer postgraduate programmes. Mandarin-medium programmes were developed in response to strong demand by both local and international students keen to seek opportunities in Mandarin-speaking markets. These programmes are open to all students.”
“Allied Educators are integral to our teaching force, comprising Special Education Needs Officers, School Counsellors, Student Welfare Officers, Outdoor Allied Educators and Allied Educators in Teaching and Learning. The Ministry of Education (MOE) has been reshaping our workforce for priority areas, like special educational needs, socio-emotional support, student support and outdoor adventure learning. MOE has, therefore, grown specific groups of Allied Educators, such as Special Education Needs Officers and School Counsellors, while scaling back on others, such as Allied Educators in Teaching and Learning. For Allied Educators in Teaching and Learning, we have been helping them to transition into roles in areas of greater need over the past nine years, through work attachments and training. Most of them have moved into meaningful alternative careers within MOE and the Public Service.”
“From 2022 to 2024, around 220 teachers on average were engaged as flexi-adjunct teachers within 12 months of leaving the Education Service. As the Flexi-Adjunct Teaching Scheme is a casual employment scheme, it is not meaningful to track the duration that teachers remain on the scheme.”
“The Institute of Technical Education (ITE) graduates can progress to a polytechnic diploma through three routes. First, applying through the Joint Polytechnic Admissions Exercise (JPAE), based on their academic results; or through the Early Admissions Exercise (EAE), based on their demonstrated aptitude and interest; or through the Direct Admissions Exercise (DAE), if they have relevant work experience. ITE graduates also have the option to progress to a diploma through ITE's Work-Study Diploma (WSDip) and Technical Diploma (TD). The success rates for ITE graduates applying to polytechnics have remained strong. One in two ITE applicants were offered a place through JPAE and one in three ITE applicants were offered a place through EAE. Of the remaining ITE upgraders who were not admitted through JPAE or EAE, about one in 10 ITE applicants secured an offer through DAE. In all, about 5,800 ITE graduates progressed to a polytechnic full-time diploma or ITE diploma programme this year. This makes up almost one in two of the ITE graduating cohort. The Government will continue to support the upgrading aspirations of ITE graduates.”
“MOE also tracks a suite of mental health indicators across the system and monitors developments in other comparable systems for review and improvement. The Government is committed to improving mental health access to all, including our youths. As part of the National Mental Health and Well-being Strategy, the Government has developed the Tiered Care Model to better support individuals according to their mental health needs. For those with mild to moderate needs who can be supported in the community, we are strengthening referral pathways across schools, community-based services and hospitals to make care delivery more seamless. For students who prefer to seek help outside schools, we encourage them to turn to trusted adults at home and access community support, such as the Response, Early Intervention and Assessment in Community Mental Health (REACH) teams, national mindline 1771; or in-person services, like the Youth Community Outreach Teams (CREST-Youth) and Centre of Excellence for Youth Mental Health (CHAT) @ *SCAPE. In addition, the Ministry of Health is also looking into factors influencing youth help-seeking, including parental consent, to improve youths' access to mental health services.”
“Ms Jessica Tan1 and Mr Kenneth Tiong asked about the Government's support for students' mental health. I will address related queries raised by Dr Wan Rizal and Ms Eileen Chong who have filed Parliamentary Questions for the Sitting on or after 24 September 2025, to provide a more holistic answer. [Please refer to "Statistics on School Counsellors in Primary and Secondary Schools and Measures to Improve Early Mental Health Intervention for Students", Official Report, 24 September 2025, Vol 96, Issue 4, Written Answers to Questions section.] The Ministry of Education (MOE) is committed to supporting our students' mental well-being. We integrate mental health education into our character and citizenship education curriculum from primary to pre-university levels. Students learn essential skills for mental well-being and also ways to manage their emotions and stress. They also learn where and how to seek help and become more resilient. Every school has one or two trained school counsellors, based on needs. There are about 220 trained counsellors in our primary schools and another 220 in our secondary schools. MOE reviews our deployment of counsellors annually based on the caseload and case complexity reported by schools. Schools with greater counselling needs would be provided with additional resources, such as a second counsellor or flexi-adjunct counsellor. This needs-based staffing approach allows us to deploy resources where they are most needed, rather than applying a single staffing ratio regardless of context. Beyond the counsellors, students can access support through the ecosystem of support in schools, comprising teachers and peer support networks. The implementation is monitored at the school level, with regular engagement and support from MOE.”
“Working adults or any other students who are Singapore Citizens taking Ministry of Education-subsidised part-time undergraduate or postgraduate by research degrees in our autonomous universities can tap on Government tuition fee loans to finance their studies. They can also tap on their post-secondary education account or SkillsFuture credit. Government bursaries are also available to part-time undergraduates from lower- and middle-income families. The Central Provident Fund (CPF) Education Loan Scheme is scoped tightly to local full-time tertiary education courses conducted locally at approved education institutions, to safeguard CPF savings for Singaporeans' retirement, healthcare and housing needs.”
“We want to give all our students the opportunity to participate meaningfully in sports in our schools. This includes students who are not on official school sports teams. Our schools do this by providing opportunities for students to participate in school-based sporting competitions, such as inter-class games, and external sporting competitions, such as those organised by ActiveSG and the National Sports Associations. In 2023 alone, more than 27,000 students participated in external sporting competitions across a wide range of sports, from basketball leagues to swimming championships. Almost half of these students were not part of official school teams. These competitions provide additional platforms for students of different skill levels to compete and develop their sporting interests. We welcome school-initiated programmes, like the "Glory and Grit 7s" tournament. Schools may also adopt other approaches that serve their context better, for example, by working with sports organisations to provide more competition opportunities for students who are passionate about sports.”
“The Ministry of Education will provide an oral reply to this Parliamentary Question (PQ), together with other questions which have been filed on this topic, at the next available opportunity.”
“I thank the Member for his important point. Upstanding behaviour is not just something that our peer support leaders are trained to do. We hope our students, as a whole, will not just stand at the side, be an audience, or worse, even implicitly egg people on. So, this is really about fomenting and formulating a positive school culture and class culture, which I mentioned earlier, that is the aim of this review, to see how we can further strengthen existing efforts to create a positive school culture, not just a kind and caring culture, but one in which people speak up and make clear what is not acceptable behaviour in their midst.”
“The short answer to both is, we will study in the course of the review. For the Member's suggestions, on the first, we will also welcome members of the public, including Members of this House, if you have seen any of these sites, to also alert us, I think that will be the "all hands on deck" approach to looking after our children.”