Grace Fu Hai Yien
Singapore
“The Government takes a multi-pronged approach to address the disamenities from second-hand tobacco smoke. The National Environment Agency (NEA) works with Government agencies, Town Councils and community leaders to promote considerate behaviour and strengthen social norms.”
“The Government recently announced land-use changes in Lim Chu Kang to optimise our scarce land to meet our growing and evolving needs. We are at the initial planning stage and agencies are still working out the detailed development proposals.”
“Public Waste Collectors and Town Councils have trialled the collection and treatment of segregated food waste from households. However, participation rates are poor despite regular engagement and reminders.”
“The quality of incense offerings and the practice of burning incense are not regulated by law. Instead, the National Environment Agency (NEA) works with stakeholders, such as Town Councils, agencies and religious organisations, to encourage responsible burning of joss paper and incense.”
“The National Environment Agency (NEA) monitors public cleaning contractors through regular physical audits and remote monitoring, complemented by video analytics. NEA also regularly assesses the cleaning quality and outcomes of public cleaning contractors.”
“This question has been addressed in the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment’s combined answer to Question Nos 15 to 18 on the Order Paper for 7 July 2026. [Please refer to "National Recycling Rates, Plans and Targets", Official Report, 7 July 2026, Vol 96, Issue 32, Oral Answers to Questions section.]”
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“We have been involved in the regulations and in giving inputs to Police over the past many years. So I think we do have some expertise within BCA. But right now, we are concentrating where to re-deploy them, and we are building up their technical expertise as they proceed with their statutory functions. To bring the team up to speed and to build up expertise in amusement rides engineering, BCA has been attending various overseas training courses, seminars and expositions in the US as well as local technical training courses conducted by academics and experienced technical instructors. Mr Liang asked whether there are enough trained QPs and CAs so that there will be no bottleneck in regulatory process. There are currently about seven Professional Engineers in Singapore who certify rides to meet Public Entertainment Licensing Unit (PELU)'s licensing requirements. In comparison, there are 18 Registered Professionals for the 64 permanent rides in Hong Kong. Of these 18, nine of them are active. So I think this gives Members sort of a sense of the scale of the kind of people and expertise that we require here. BCA is working closely with PEB to register a larger pool of Specialised PEs with the necessary expertise. This group includes PEs with experience in related fields, such as lifting equipment, pressure vessels, railway transport and marine engineering. BCA and PEB have estimated that there are at least 20 PEBs who may qualify for selection. As for the CAs, they possess years of practical experience in assessing various aspects of amusement rides. Currently, the industry taps on two CAs to inspect rides under the SPF licensing regime. Over time, more sophisticated rides will develop.”
“The Professional Engineers Act also regulates the qualifications and conduct of Professional Engineers. As with the QPs in the construction industry, the QPs whom we will rely on to certify the safety of amusement rides, will also be expected to upload the same standards of professionalism, ethics and discipline. Next, the Ride Managers will be appointed by the Person Responsible to oversee and manage the operation and maintenance aspects of the rides. While these Rides Managers need not necessarily be directly performing their duties, they should maintain management oversight on the daily operation and maintenance of the ride. We will stipulate a set of requirements for individuals to qualify as Ride Managers in our Regulations. For a start, the Ride Manager should possess a qualification in the technical field plus some years of relevant experience or, equivalent combinations of qualifications and experience, to be assessed by the Commissioner for Amusement Rides Safety under this Bill. This will ensure that the Ride Manager is equipped with sufficient technical background and expertise to manage the ride. Mr Liang asked if the guarantor is required when the Person Responsible or Ride Manager are foreign nationals. Under the Bill, the Person Responsible and the Ride Manager, be they locals or foreign nationals, are required to discharge various statutory duties. Failure to do so properly will be an offence, and there is hence no need for a guarantor. As for BCA, it has set up a new department to take on this regulatory function, re-deploying existing staff with suitable experience and recruiting a new team of engineers with relevant expertise and qualifications. I would just like to remind the Members that we are not starting from scratch.”
“He must be a Professional Engineer (Mechanical) with stipulated years of practical experience in amusement rides engineering or related fields. To prepare our PEs for registration as a specialist PEs, BCA has arranged for experts from the US and Europe to provide technical training in amusement ride engineering. More than 20 PEs participated in the technical training session held in October 2010. The requirement for the QP to appoint and to consider the advice of the CA for major rides will also nurture and build up local specialist expertise in amusement rides. The intent is to enable our local PEs to gain sufficient experience and expertise as they work closely with the established CAs. Over time, there will be sufficient specialist PEs who can lead a team to take on the multi-disciplinary roles of a CA. Assoc. Prof. Paulin Tay Straughan has asked how we could ensure that the QP would be neutral in his assessment, given that he is engaged directly by the ride operator. Sir, under the Bill, the QP assumes statutory responsibility. This means that the QP is accountable to carry out duties to review, inspect and certify rides, as well as to ensure that rides meet prescribed standards. In addition, clause 39 of the Bill requires the independence of the QP from any professional and financial interests in the amusement ride. This approach is similar to the construction industry, which has established procedures relying on the professionalism and integrity of the QP. For example, the developer has to appoint a QP who is a registered professional engineer in the branch of civil or structural engineering to carry out the structural design and to prepare and submit structural plans for approval.”
“Sir, the fees for the various permits will depend on the category of ride. BCA will release details on the fees at a later date when the Regulations are finalised. However, BCA will endeavour to keep the fees reasonable and affordable. Some Members enquired about BCA's on-site inspection of amusement rides. Under the new regulatory regime, BCA will conduct onsite inspections before the issurance of Operating Permits for rides, and the subsequent annual renewals. During the operation of the amusement rides, BCA will also conduct ad hoc audit checks on-site as well as checks on the maintenance and operating records. Mr Liang asked about the certification and the maintenance regime for major rides. Sir, the requirements for the maintenance regime are the same for all rides, be they major or otherwise. The appointed Ride Manager must ensure that proper maintenance is carried out according to the stipulated requirements. For major rides due to the higher risk profile, we will require the QP to consider the opinion and advice of the CA when reviewing the ride design, and when he inspects and certifies the ride. Several Members have also spoken about building up expertise in amusement ride safety. This is indeed an important area, as we set up the new regulatory regime. We will ensure that the various stakeholders, like the QP, CA, Ride Manager have the required qualifications and expertise to do their jobs properly. First, the QP. The QP is a specialist Professional Engineer who will be registered by the Professional Engineers Board (PEB), in the discipline of Amusement Rides Engineering. He will have to pass an oral examination and an interview with the PEB.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, first of all, let me thank all Members who have spoken in support of the Bill. Let me first clarify that the Bill focuses on the technical safety of amusement rides within carnivals or amusement parks. There are existing legislation to regulate the amusement parks. For instance, the Singapore Police Force (SPF) will continue to oversee law and order in the parks as per any other public area. SPF will also continue to regulate public entertainment activities within the parks, which fall under the ambit of the Public Entertainment and Meetings Act (PEMA). The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) will regulate the contingency and rescue requirements for the whole park. Er Lee asked for an explanation of the procedures to assess rides before they receive an Operating Permit and the time taken for approval upon submission. BCA will put in place a mechanism whereby the ride operator and Qualified Person (QP) may consult BCA on the regulatory and submission requirements before applying for permits. This will help speed up processing as the proper documentation requirements are already met. BCA will take between two weeks and one month to approve the application, depending on the complexity of the ride. The ride operator must concurrently apply to the Singapore Civil Defence Force for a Certificate of Compliance for the Fire and Rescue Management System for the ride. BCA will endeavour to process the applications as expeditiously as possible, but not at the expense of the safety of the ride. Obviously, if the ride is a very complex one, the earlier the discussion is started with BCA, the faster it would be towards the end. Mr Liang asked whether the new framework would lead to a significant increase in cost, especially for major rides.”
“After all, exemplary park management could well be the future of our tourism industry. 3.31 pm”
“I hereby put forth a request for an explanation on the standard procedure taken to assess an amusement park and its rides before it receives an operation permit and the time taken for approval upon submission. To regulate safety standards in all amusement park rides in Singapore, I strongly believe that a committee should be established and designated to standardise park management protocols in Singapore. Issues that they will tackle include ride designs, operations and maintenance, reviewing of park performances as well as conducting quality control assessments and rides testing. A similar committee in America had previously been created by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) to regulate safety standards for amusements parks. Considering that there are many amusement parks in America, each with their own management and different protocols, it was certainly a necessity. As we foresee the construction of more parks and rides in the near future, it is time to implement a similar concept to reduce future conflicts. I would like to ask if the Bill also makes it compulsory for all amusement parks and ride operators to report accidents and ride malfunctions to the authorities. This will increase the accountability of amusement parks, pressuring them to be more vigilant with their inspections and employment of safety measures. By monitoring the frequency of ride malfunctions and operating errors, the relevant authorities may also be able to better anticipate the problems and formulate long-term solutions quickly. From derailing roller coasters to ride collisions, amusement parks may be paradise in one second and hell in the next. It is absolutely essential that we adopt more preventive measures before tragedies happen.”
“Considering that stakeholders have the final say in the attractions and facilities built for the park, they must be held responsible ultimately. They must be well versed on amusement park safety so that they may be aware of what they can or cannot implement in an amusement park. He may employ professionals to help him but he should be ultimately responsible for the safety. The rest of the partners like specialist Professional Engineers and the Conformity Assessors no doubt have their respective roles to play. All these partners taking on the jobs must be well trained, well versed and carry out their duty diligently. Hopefully, these people will join our pool of local expertise on park safety which we can tap on as more amusement parks come our way or we may even be able to export our expertise overseas. I believe that the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) is already playing a big part in assessing the safety of park attractions. However, besides regulating the rides, BCA can do more by nurturing the expertise of the people involved in building and running the amusement park, from stakeholders to specialist Professional Engineers to Ride Managers. Can the Minister share with the House what has been done so far to increase expertise knowledge and professionalism on park management? Amusement parks are money-spinning ventures and can generate huge amounts of revenue and boost tourism with each day of opening. Hence, we also need to implement a smooth, red tape-free procedure that allows for efficient inspection of rides and release of operation permits without compromising the safety of amusement park goers, without unnecessarily delaying the business operation.”
“This is especially so during festive periods and even during National Day celebrations. Amusement parks are family-friendly forms of entertainment, yet they are also probable breeding grounds for serious accidents, given the potentially dangerous nature of certain rides and the involvement of young children. As amusement park rides become more commonplace in Singapore, the likelihood of related accidents will increase. It is timely that standardised regulation measures be implemented to protect the safety of our loved ones, park employees and tourists. I fully support the implementation of the Amusement Rides Safety Bill. I am heartened to note that the Bill will call for more accountability from the stakeholders. No doubt this will encourage stakeholders to take on a proactive role in ensuring the safety of their amusement parks. However, to do so, they must in the first place be equipped with the understanding of what makes an amusement park safe. More often than not, due to ignorance or an overwhelming need to spice up their rides at the expense of safety. Amusement park patrons expect the most exhilarating and wildest rides where they can let their hair down and leave all their troubles behind on a ride. A certain amount of risk or fear factor is what makes a ride appealing and memorable. To pander to consumers' needs and to compete with rivals, stakeholders and designers may challenge the norms and strive to invent out-of-the-world attractions that offer more thrill and appeal in terms of physical appearance and user experience. As an engineer, I am well aware that despite all our efforts to overcome limitations, there are safety limits that must be complied with. There are boundaries that we must not cross if we do not wish to compromise practicality and safety.”
“These include obtaining SCDF's certificate of compliance, public liability insurance and appointing a suitably qualified Ride Manager. While these existing rides may continue to operate without an Operating Permit under the Act during the grace period, the other statutory requirements cited in the Bill such as the reporting of adverse incidents and minor modifications in respect of the ride; the duty to continue to maintain the ride in a safe condition; the application for Modification Permits, penalties for offences, etc, will apply to these rides from the implementation date. Sir, BCA has studied the regulatory practices in overseas jurisdictions in Hong Kong and the three US states of California, Florida and New Jersey. BCA has also held several consultation sessions with stakeholders like ride operators and has conducted training sessions for the Professional Engineers who will certify the safety of the rides. With a more comprehensive regulatory framework for amusement rides safety in place, there will be a structured regime to ensure proper certification of rides to prescribed codes and standards, allocate responsibilities and impose penalties to govern the safety of amusement rides. This will further enhance public safety in the daily operations and throughout the life cycle of amusement rides. Sir, I beg to move. Question proposed. 3.23 pm Er Lee Bee Wah: Mr Speaker, Sir, amusement parks are tourism magnets and a social platform for families, friends and holidaymakers. The successes of local amusement parks like Universal Studios Singapore and even the rides like Singapore Flyer and Sentosa Cable Car are inspiring. At the same time, we also see springing up in our heartlands many miniature forms of parks and amusement rides from time to time.”
“Sir, we have adopted this pro-business approach, which balances safety and practicality, because we are mindful of the costs involved for some operators to engage a CA or QP, as the case may be, each time their rides are dismantled and reassembled for relocation within Singapore. Other provisions – enforcement, offences and prosecution Parts VIII and IX of the Bill contain provisions relating to enforcement, offences and prosecution. Clause 50 provides the Commissioner with powers to enter and inspect premises to ascertain whether there has been any breach of the Act. It also gives him powers to carry out investigations into adverse incident that has occurred. Clause 53 provides the Commissioner with powers to order the cessation of operation and all works, and close or require dismantling of rides that are deemed to be in dangerous condition. The Bill also provides for penalties for breaches of the Act. For example, under clauses 5, 13 and 23, it will be an offence for any person to install, modify or operate any ride without a valid permit. Transitional provisions Sir, let me now elaborate on the transitional arrangements as outlined in Part XI of the Bill. For existing rides that currently do not have a valid public entertainment licence, the operators will be given a six-month grace period, while continuing operation, to obtain an Operating Permit. For existing rides with a valid public entertainment licence, we will recognise the validity of their licences and allow them to continue to operate without an Operating Permit until the expiry date of their licences. However, all existing rides, whether licensed by SPF or not, will have to comply with some key requirements after the six-month grace period beginning on the commencement of the Bill.”
“The Commissioner of Amusement Rides Safety is also given powers to take enforcement measures to cease the operation of amusement rides if operators do not comply with the terms of the Operating Permit. Role of the SCDF The SCDF will continue to oversee the fire safety and emergency rescue requirements for rides. Part VI of the Bill and clause 36 contain provisions on the procedures for operators to obtain SCDF's certificate of compliance. Relocation of rides Part V of the Bill contains provisions regulating the relocation of rides. For rides that can be relocated, the installation requirements would be the same as permanent rides for the first installation. However, when the rides are relocated, we have decided to exercise some flexibility and require inspections and certifications during relocation works by a QP for major rides and a "Ride Manager" for other rides. Sir, I wish to reassure Members that the safety of the rides will still be of key concern, and the holder of the Operating Permit will have to give the Commissioner of Amusement Rides Safety notice in writing of the intention to relocate the amusement ride. The Commissioner may impose conditions or give directions relating to the relocation, and if he thinks that the relocated premises are unsafe or unsuitable, he may prohibit the relocation of the ride. The relocation works must also be carried out in accordance with the design and specifications and the proposed installation method, as set out in the original Installation Permit issued for the ride.”
“Clauses 6 and 24 require the appointment of a QP to review and certify the installation and modification design plans and calculations; safety assessments and tests based on prescribed requirements in the technical codes; and the approval of the Commissioner of Civil Defence for the design and plans of the fire and rescue management system of the ride. These clauses also give the Commissioner of Amusement Rides Safety powers to take enforcement measures to cease installation or modification works that are not authorised by the relevant permits. Clauses 7 and 25 require the holders of the permits to ensure that no installation or modification works are carried out except under the supervision of the QP. Finally, clauses 12 and 30 set out the duties of the QP relating to the inspection and certification of rides after installation or modification. Part III of the Bill covers the operation of amusement rides. This part introduces provisions to ensure that rides have been inspected and are certified safe for operation by a QP and, for major rides with the advice of the CA, upon completion of installation or modification. Clause 13 prohibits the operation of an amusement ride without a valid Operating Permit. It also places the fundamental duty on the "Person Responsible" to ensure that rides are in a state of good repair and safe working condition and requires that a "Ride Manager" be appointed to oversee, manage and supervise the daily routine operation and maintenance when rides are in operation. It also requires that the SCDF issue a certificate of compliance relating to the approval and certification of the fire and rescue management for rides before the Operating Permit is granted.”
“As I mentioned earlier, they provide a comprehensive assessment on amusement rides' compliance to safety standards and codes. CAs may comprise a firm or a team of professionals with the relevant technical expertise. For major rides with higher risk profile, the Bill requires a QP to appoint and consider the opinion and advice of a CA when discharging his duties under the Act. Rides that are not classified as major rides would just require certification from a QP. Statutory duties and liabilities To ensure proper accountability for the safety of an amusement ride, the Bill also places certain duties and liabilities on the "Person Responsible" for the ride. Clause 2 defines the "Person Responsible" for an amusement ride as the person who holds the Operating Permit in respect of the amusement ride or, if there is no one holding such a permit for the time being, the person who owns or otherwise has the charge, management or control of the ride. Another important stakeholder that we have introduced under the Act is the "Ride Manager". This is the person who is appointed by the operator to oversee, manage and supervise the daily operation and routine maintenance of the ride. Permits Sir, I shall now touch on the permits for rides. There will be three permits to be issued during various stages of a ride's life cycle to regulate the installation, modification and operation. Parts II and IV of the Bill cover the installation of new amusement rides and the major modification of amusement rides. Clauses 5 and 23 prohibit the installation or major modification of a ride without a valid Installation or Modification Permit respectively.”
“This definition is not intended to cover devices or systems that are designed primarily for transportation purposes such as trams, buses, trains or monorails, whether these are operated within amusement parks or not. The Bill also provides for the inclusion of amusement rides that do not strictly meet the definition, for example, bungee devices, high water slides and the Jewel Cable Car ride. We decided to include cable car as we recognise that it is also operated for amusement although it is primarily a transport device. We also took into consideration the risk profile of the ride. The Bill also allows us to exclude rides like low power, battery-operated rides for children and coin-operated devices. The administration of the new Act will come under the charge of the BCA's Commissioner of Amusement Rides Safety to be appointed by the Minister for National Development. The Bill will confer specific powers to the Commissioner to discharge his duties. Risk and safety profile Clause 2 in Part 1 of the Bill defines rides on the basis of their risk and safety profile. Rides which have a high-risk and safety profile will be classified as "Major Amusement Rides" to distinguish them from ordinary amusement rides. The risk and safety profile will be determined by factors such as the maximum height and acceleration that a patron experiences during the ride. Clause 2 also defines a Qualified Person (QP) as a person who is registered as a specialist professional engineer in the discipline of amusement ride engineering under the Professional Engineers Act. Conformity Assessors (CAs) are defined as third party inspection bodies with technical expertise to assess rides.”
“Under the new regulatory framework, we will be adopting a risk-based approach. We will cease to use the basis of whether rides are temporary or permanent. Instead, rides will be defined on the basis of their risk and safety profile. Rides which have a high-risk and safety profile will be classified as "Major Amusement Rides", to distinguish them from ordinary amusement rides. It is imperative to ensure that rides which are assessed to have a risk profile are regulated based on a higher level of safety standards. Given the larger scale and higher risk level of some rides today, we will incorporate the use of technical codes comparable with international standards to guide the safety assessment of the design and installation of these rides. We are also introducing statutory duties and liabilities of stakeholders to ensure proper accountability for safety of rides, and introducing provisions for enforcement, offences and prosecution. I will elaborate on these later. Let me now describe the key elements of the Bill which contains a total of 11 parts. Proposed scope and administration of Act First, on the scope of the Act: Part I of the Bill defines an amusement ride as any mechanised or power-driven device that is designed to carry patrons on a fixed or restricted course, or within a defined area, for the primary purpose of giving patrons amusement, pleasure, thrills or excitement, and is made available for use by the public. Examples of rides that will be regulated under the Act include roller coasters, flume rides, ferries wheels such as the Singapore Flyer, swing devices, carousels and go-karts.”
“Some of these conditions relate to the safety of the ride while others relate to law and order issues. In terms of safety, the operators must fulfil the licensing conditions which include ensuring that the ride is certified safe for use by a conformity assessment body; that employees are trained and familiar with safety procedures; and that safety and rescue support measures are in place. In addition, SPF differentiates amusement rides on the basis of whether they are permanent or temporary. For permanent rides, such as "Enchanted Airways" and "Revenge of the Mummy" found at Universal Studios Singapore, SPF requires the operator to ensure that the ride is certified safe for use by a Conformity Assessor (CA). CAs are third party inspection bodies with technical expertise to provide a comprehensive assessment on amusement ride compliance to safety standards and codes. For temporary rides on the other hand, such as those found at pasar malams and carnivals, SPF does not require operators to apply for a licence, provided that they meet certain conditions. For instance, the carnival ride equipment has to be certified safe for use by a registered professional engineer. Other conditions include those relating to operating hours; the rides must be operated within a barricaded area; and that there should not be an element of gambling or betting. We have observed that some of the temporary rides at our pasar malams or carnivals have a rather high risk profile as they move patrons as high as 30 metres above the ground. I am told this, I have not tried it myself but my staff tells me that it is happening now. Some even rotate the patrons through 360 degrees. Other high-risk profile rides involve controlled free falls and travel at high speeds.”
“These include: the design of the supporting structures; electrical, mechanical systems and safety harnesses; the construction and erection; compliance with safe operating procedures; regular checks and maintenance; and emergency procedures. Under SPF's licensing regime, different agencies are responsible for different dimensions of amusement rides safety, using different pieces of legislation *Cols. 2599-2602 pertaining to safety. For example, there is the Building Control Act on building safety; the Workplace Safety and Health Act on worker safety; and the Fire Safety Act on fire safety in buildings. These laws do not provide an appropriate framework to tackle the multiple dimensions of amusement rides safety. With these considerations in mind, my Ministry has jointly reviewed the existing licensing approach with the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Ministry of Manpower, and the Ministry of Trade and Industry. The new regulatory framework will focus primarily on safety as the primary motive for regulating amusement rides. We need a more structured and comprehensive regulatory framework to ensure that rides are designed, installed, operated and maintained according to recognised international safety codes and standards. For the new regulatory approach, the BCA will be the lead agency and is supported by the SCDF to regulate amusement rides safety. Key features of new regulatory approach Let me now briefly touch on the key features of the new regulatory approach and how it differs from the current licensing regime under PEMA. Currently, SPF issues a Public Entertainment Licence and imposes several licensing conditions on the ride operators to be fulfilled in operating the rides.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time." Mr Speaker, Sir, allow me to first set the context for the Bill and explain the rationale for the new regulatory framework for amusement rides. The amusement ride industry in Singapore is fairly small, with about 20 companies operating about 60 permanent rides and 40 relocatable rides. In recent years, the industry has witnessed significant changes with the development of large scale theme parks like Universal Studios Singapore and the use of larger and more complex relocatable rides like those found at events such as the Annual River Hongbao Carnival. Today, the Singapore Police Force (SPF) regulates amusement rides through its Public Entertainment Licensing Unit (PELU) under the ambit of the Public Entertainment and Meetings Act (PEMA). Under PEMA, a Public Entertainment Licence is required to operate amusement centres, amusement parks or funfairs. SPF seeks the input of other agencies such as the Building and Construction Authority (BCA), the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) and SPRING Singapore before issuing the licence. Sir, historically, this licensing approach stems from law and order concerns over the operation of these amusement parks or centres. The situation is different today and calls for a review of the licensing approach. While law and order concerns are still valid, there should be greater emphasis on our regulatory approach to enhance public safety in amusement rides, especially when there are increasingly more complex and sophisticated rides. The safety of amusement rides covers several dimensions.”
“As I have mentioned, the well-being of our teachers and pupils is really our utmost concern. We do not, as a matter of governance, dictate the school operating hours, but from time to time we periodically do a survey of actual operating hours. And we do that quite frequently to ensure that the workload of teachers is manageable and sustainable and, also, the well-being of our students is not forgotten. So, while we do not, as a matter of rule, dictate the hours, we would like to facilitate and allow the schools to have the autonomy to plan around their resources and needs. But we do keep an eye on this issue. UNFILLED JOB VACANCIES IN SERVICES SECTOR 21. Mr Teo Siong Seng asked the Minister for Manpower whether his Ministry will consider reviewing the foreign worker policies in view of the latest official statistics revealing a record number of job vacancies left unfilled for a protracted period especially for rank-and-file workers and in the services sector.”
“This will apply to Permanent Residents as well. EXPLOITATION OF WORKERS DURING FESTIVE PERIODS 11. Dr Ong Seh Hong asked the Minister for Manpower (a) whether the attempt by an employer to penalise its staff who take sick leave during Chinese New Year is against any law; and (b) what more can be done to protect the interest of workers in Singapore against unreasonable exploitation especially during festive periods.”
“One such adjustment was the recent introduction of the new Expressway Familiarisation Ride Course, which aims to give new motorcyclists the confidence of interacting with faster moving traffic along expressways before they take to the roads on their own. The Traffic Police also works with the community and LTA to conduct regular road safety campaigns to instil safe driving habits in motorists and routinely conducts enforcement blitzes as part of the ongoing enforcement effort to deter errant driving behaviour. When incidents do occur on our expressways, the Expressway Monitoring and Advisory System (EMAS) enables LTA to respond swiftly. LTA monitors traffic conditions on expressways round the clock through a network of EMAS detection and surveillance cameras. When incidents are detected, LTA despatches strategically positioned tow trucks and LTA Traffic Marshals to the scene within eight and 15 minutes to control traffic and to clear the roadway as soon as possible. Relevant traffic advisories are also displayed on electronic signboards along our expressways to help motorists make informed decisions about their route and avoid the congested areas if they choose to. These measures help to minimise undue delays and inconvenience to expressway users. We urge all motorists to drive cautiously on our expressways, and to act safely and to be considerate at all times.”
“There are certain terms and conditions that HDB will also have to fulfil as lessor of the place, so we have to respect the terms to be fair to the operator. TRAFFIC-DISRUPTING MISHAPS ON EXPRESSWAYS 14. Dr Lim Wee Kiak asked the Minister for Transport with a daily average of 100 traffic-disrupting mishaps on the expressways (a) what are the main reasons for the occurrences of these mishaps; (b) what measures are being taken to reduce them; and (c) what is the Land Transport Authority (LTA) doing to ensure that traffic flow is not unduly disrupted when such mishaps occur. The Second Minister for Transport (Mrs Lim Hwee Hua) (for the Minister for Transport): Sir, based on LTA’s records for the year 2010, an average of 100 incidents take place daily on our expressway network. These are mainly vehicle breakdowns, which number around 60 to 70 daily and traffic accidents at around 30 to 40 daily. Depending on the time and location, it is not necessarily true that all these incidents result in traffic disruption. The Traffic Police investigates traffic accidents involving injuries. Based on these records, those that occur along expressways are commonly caused by motorists who fail to adhere to safe driving practices, such as keeping a proper lookout for surrounding vehicles and exercising due consideration when changing lanes. Improving motorist behaviour and inculcating a safe motoring culture to reduce the incidence of traffic accidents requires a multi-pronged approach. Beginning with the training and certification of new drivers and riders, the Traffic Police works closely with driving schools to ensure that learner drivers and riders become competent, responsible and safe road users. Syllabuses are fine-tuned if necessary to remain relevant.”
“The terms of the White Sands New Market lease clearly stipulate that it is to be run as a wet market – it must have individual stalls operated by individual stallholders selling a variety of fresh produce. Lessees or tenants cannot unilaterally change the terms without the agreement of HDB and it is HDB’s responsibility to ensure that the terms of the tenancy are complied with. HDB recognises that the needs of residents change over time and will review the mix of the shops in HDB estates from time to time to ensure that the needs of residents are met.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, when Sheng Siong bought the White Sands New Market from the previous operator on 1st March 2010, it knew that it had bought the premises as a wet market as this was stipulated in the lease agreement. It had also confirmed with HDB in writing that it would operate a wet market at White Sands. However, until recently, Sheng Siong repeatedly submitted proposals which included supermarket features, suggesting that they were trying to operate the White Sands New Market as a supermarket. HDB had no choice but to reject these proposals as they were not in accordance with Sheng Siong’s commitment and did not meet the conditions for a wet market. To expedite the re-opening of the wet market, HDB met with Sheng Siong over 10 times to discuss their proposals and impressed upon them the urgency to submit an acceptable wet market proposal. In the meantime, in consultation with the Citizens Consultative Committee (CCC) and grassroots leaders, HDB had also introduced interim measures to meet residents' marketing needs. They include allowing the supermarket operator in Elias Mall to temporarily expand its fresh food section, securing a private wet market operator to set up some temporary marketing facilities nearby and offering free bus shuttle services to a nearby wet market. On 28th October 2010, Sheng Siong finally submitted a proposal for a wet market. After confirming that it met the basic conditions required of a wet market, HDB approved the proposal on 12th November 2010. Sheng Siong started renovation works in early December 2010, and we understand they intend to re-open the market as soon as possible.”
“Nevertheless, for popular schools which will always have more applications than places available, balloting is a fair means to determine admissions. The balloting situation this year is comparable to last year when MOE began the process of transition for primary schools to single sessions. Eighty schools or 45% of our primary schools conducted balloting in Phase 2C this year. The Member asked for the number of admissions in priority schemes before Phase 2C. The Primary 1 registration framework has very clear criteria which set out the priority for admissions. Donations by parents are not a consideration. Those admitted under the parent volunteer scheme in Phase 2B took up only 3% of all places available, or 1,337 places, spread across 77 schools. Overall, in this year’s exercise, over 98% of the children secured a Primary 1 place in their first-choice school or a school within two kilometres of their home. MOE, therefore, has no plans to alter the current registration framework which has worked well to meet the diverse needs of the schools and the applicants. Er Lee Bee Wah (Ang Mo Kio): Mr Speaker, Sir, I would like to ask the Senior Minister of State: for those who get in under Phase 2B through volunteer work, is there a minimum number of hours of voluntary work that has to be done?”
“I can appreciate the parents' involvement in their children's education. In MOE, we see that as a positive phenomenon. Having parents who are interested in how their children are being educated and brought up is important. I would just like to re-emphasise MOE's move towards holistic education. We are trying to make our education richer and more effective for our children. We are creating new and multiple pathways for children of different strengths and abilities to excel in their own areas. While parents are naturally anxious at the critical points of examination in their children's lives, we would like to assure the parents that the school system – the teachers, the leaders – has the interest of the children in their minds and will do their best to help the children. The system itself will provide sufficient pathways for their children. PRIMARY 1 REGISTRATION EXERCISE 2. Er Lee Bee Wah asked the Minister for Education in the recent Primary 1 Registration Exercise (a) how many schools have to conduct balloting in Phase 2C of the admission exercise; (b) how many children gained admission to the school of their choice through (i) the parent volunteer scheme; and (ii) their parents' donation to the school; and (c) whether the Ministry has any plan to fine-tune the current system such as giving priority to those who live within 500 metres of the school. The Senior Minister of State for Education (Mr S Iswaran) (for the Minister for Education): First, let me assure the Member and, indeed, the House, that MOE provides sufficient school places in Primary 1 to take in all students and applications in a given year. There are in fact surplus places at the end of every Primary 1 Registration Exercise.”
“Sir, I would suggest that we deal with such specific cases on a case-by-case because they are indeed very small in numbers. INTEGRATED RESORTS JOBS FOR SINGAPOREANS 12. Mr Christopher de Souza asked the Minister for Manpower how many jobs have been created by Resorts World Sentosa to date and, of these jobs, what percentage has been given to Singapore citizens.”
“Mr Speaker, similarly, I thank the Member for the timeline as well. But I would just like to explain that that is actually what the legislation is intended to do right now. Compulsory education for all children with exceptions, and exception has to be made with good reasons. As I have explained in my answer earlier, we are talking about a very small group of children each year that has not been sent to school. We question the rationale for not sending them to school but, at the same time, we also question the effectiveness of applying legislation which means putting the parents themselves to the effect of law if they intend not to send them to school. As the Member mentioned, some of these parents themselves need a lot of help and whether sending them to face the effect of law is indeed the best way to deal with this issue. I would encourage members of the society, the community to work together to help facilitate as much as possible and to encourage them to send their children to school and, from MOE's perspective, we are ready to support in terms of funding, in terms of dedicated facilities for them and, as much as possible, I think we would want to work on that basis.”
“Where there is evidence of hotels facilitating vice-related activities, the HLB will not hesitate to revoke the operating licence of offending hotels.”
“The two hotels near Upper Serangoon Road and Sireh Place were approved by URA as the sites are located within a mixed use area with shops, eateries, places of worship, among other uses. In addition, the street block fronts the busy Upper Serangoon Road and is near to the Yio Chu Kang junction. When it comes to the setting of rates, like many major cities around the world, such as Hong Kong, London, New York and Sydney, Singapore adopts a pro-enterprise approach, allowing hotels the flexibility to determine their own operating model as long as they meet the necessary requirements. The Hotel Licensing Board (HLB) recognises that some hotels charge transit rates to cater to the accommodation needs of guests, such as travellers with late connecting flights, business travellers, day trippers who wish to rest and refresh before heading home, etc. While licensing applications are common to all, hotels intending to offer transit rates are required to indicate in their applications their reasons for doing so. To ensure the safety of guests and to curb possible illegal activities, such hotels are also required to put in place appropriate security and preventive measures, for example, installing CCTVs in common areas or deploying security guards. For new hotels which are setting up in residential areas, the hotel will also be required to engage the community. The HLB, in consultation with other agencies, reviews each licence application on its merits. The two transit rate hotels at Sireh Place have gone through HLB’s licensing process and have put in place security measures, such as CCTVs and patrols. HLB works closely with enforcement agencies to monitor vice activities in the hospitality establishments and will continue to do so.”
“The Member has mentioned residential units in the area – I would like to assure the Member that these were all considered. I would like to just explain that having a hotel in a mixed residential and commercial area, close to a residential area per se, is not the problem because we have seen in other areas where hotels are located close to residential areas and they have not been incompatible use. For example, if you look at some of the other areas where the hotels are located near to residential areas, such as Pasir Panjang or even if you look at Cuscaden, where hotels are located close to residential areas. The two groups of users have been able to live harmoniously with one another. The issue, I think, is more about how do we control the activities that are taking place in the hotel and how do we ensure that, on an ongoing basis, the operators do not use the hotels for illegal activities. HOTELS IN RESIDENTIAL ESTATES (Rationale)   9. Mdm Cynthia Phua asked the Minister for Trade and Industry (a) what is the Ministry's rationale in allowing hotels to operate in residential estates; (b) what are the reasons for allowing hourly rates at these hotels in residential estates; and (c) whether his Ministry will consider removing the hourly rates at the two budget hotels in front of the six terrace houses along Sireh Place.  The Senior Minister of State for Trade and Industry (Mr S Iswaran) (for the Minister for Trade and Industry): Land designated as "Commercial and Residential" are used or intended to be used mainly for mixed residential and commercial purposes. Subject to planning evaluation by URA, hotels may be allowed on sites designated as “Commercial and Residential”.”
“Because the Senior Minister of State has said that it is a mixed use site, but directly behind it is a residential estate. I wonder whether URA has gone down to the site to look at the character of the place.  Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien: Mr Speaker, I would like to assure the Member that URA does take a comprehensive review of the character of the vicinity and as I have mentioned in my reply earlier on, we take into consideration the sites, the existing amenities, the character of the area, as well as impact on traffic and parking. We are very aware of the impact that we may have on residents and we do consult other Governmental agencies extensively before approval is given.”
“However, to ensure that our land use plan is dynamic, URA, as the land use authority, is also prepared to consider change of use and rezoning proposals.  URA assesses such proposals, taking into account various factors such as the planning intention of the site, its compatibility with other existing land uses in the vicinity, the character of the area, and its impact on traffic and parking. URA also consults relevant Government agencies where necessary. Land designated as "Commercial and Residential" are intended to be used mainly for mixed residential and commercial purposes, while sites zoned "Hotel" are restricted specifically for hotel uses only. Hotels may be allowed on sites designated as "Commercial and Residential" where the site context is compatible with hotel uses. URA approved the establishment of two hotels near Upper Serangoon Road and Sireh Place on sites zoned "Commercial and Residential" primarily because the sites were located within a mixed use area. The immediate neighbourhood of the sites includes shops, eateries and places of worship. In addition, the street block fronts the busy Upper Serangoon Road and is near to the Yio Chu Kang junction. The hotels also provided sufficient carpark spaces within their development site based on LTA's parking provision standards.  Mdm Cynthia Phua: Mr Speaker, Sir, I would like to ask whether URA has taken into account the six residential terrace units directly behind the two budget hotels. It is really a residential estate from then on. I would also like to ask if URA has taken into account, when approving the use, the design of the two budget hotels based on the character of the space.”
“We recognise that HDB provides housing for a very wide range of occupants, including, as the Member said, permanent residents or foreign workers who require housing on a rental basis. That is the reason for us to review our rules for subletting. If you look at the longer term in the past, we have been relaxing the rules to allow more flats to be available for subletting. We believe it is an area that we need to continue to review and we will do so, and we will basically look at the total demand of housing in Singapore. CHANGE IN APPROVED LAND USE IN MASTER PLAN 2008 8. Mdm Cynthia Phua asked the Minister for National Development (a) whether he will explain the objective and purpose of the Master Plan; (b) under what circumstances can the approved land use be changed; (c) which authority approves the change in land use; (d) what is the difference between land designated as "Hotel" and land designated as "Commercial and Residential"; (e) whether he will explain the considerations that URA had taken in approving two budget hotel developments on the strip of land between Upper Serangoon Road and Sireh Place, which is designated under the Master Plan 2008 for "Commercial and Residential" use and not as "Hotel".  Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien (for the Minister for National Development): Mr Speaker, the Master Plan is the statutory land use plan that guides Singapore's development over the medium term. It details the land uses and development intensities for land parcels in Singapore. Through the Master Plan, sufficient land is safeguarded to meet various land use needs over the next 10 to 15 years. The URA reviews the Master Plan every five years to ensure that its plans are relevant to the changing economic and social needs.”
“At the same time, the fact that the SAP schools remain as top choices for parents at the PSLE level, again, I think it signifies that the future of our SAP schools and learning of Chinese is very positive and a progressive one.”
“If you put the test to most parents as to whether they would want to teach their children Science in Mandarin, for example, the decision is quite clear. I have gone through the system in Secondary 1 and 2, when I had to memorise words like, "镁 (jia), 钾 (mei )", which stand for magnesium and potassium. Do you want to go to that system again and have a good grasp of Chinese? We have gone pass that stage and there is no point reminiscing about the past when we have the traditional Chinese school. We have Nantah students who did their tertiary education in Chinese. What we really want is to focus on what we have today. We have students who are grounded in English and, hopefully, a well-grounded use of Chinese as well. Most of us here have talked about having foundation courses to help students who are poorer in subjects, like English and Mathematics. We accept that. We should accept that for Chinese as well. We should accept that the students do have different learning abilities. We do have to customise our teaching for these students. At the same time, we recognise that students are doing well and want to do more for Chinese. It is our responsibility to create that environment, and this is where we are working very hard with the Special Assistance Plan (SAP) school leaders. We are prepared to invest more in programmes to help our students in those areas. The fact that SAP students have done well – they have managed to secure scholarships from very good universities in China – Beijing University (北京大学) and Tsinghua University (清华大学), even before they have their "A" level results. It is a very good testimony of the success of our SAP schools.”
“Mr Chairman, thank you for the opportunity to clarify. We do not have a set number of words, in terms of what we will teach for Chinese "B". What we will do is to look at what is appropriate and the way that Chinese Language is being taught to this group of students. I would like to remind the Member that we are talking about 2%-5% of students that are learning Chinese and spending quite a great deal of time on this language. Our objective is not to discourage them with a very high bar, but rather hopefully, by introducing an appropriate teaching and learning method that they would have a good grasp of the basics. We hope that the end result would be that they would have a functional use of the language on a daily basis – whether it is listening to the radio, news on the TV, in the market or conversing with their colleagues in the workplace. As other Members have brought up, Singapore has a good Chinese environment, in the sense that we do hear Chinese being spoken and listened to on a daily basis. What we are hoping is that these students will feel that they are not being discouraged to learn the language. But rather that they have an interest and retain an interest, if there are opportunities in environment that allow them to continue to use the language after they have left school. We are optimistic about how we can improve the standard of Chinese. But at the same time, we have to be realistic. The Chinese community has compared the standard 10 years ago, with the standard today. The environment has changed a great deal since then. For example, we used to have the traditional Chinese schools where most of the subjects are taught in Chinese. We no longer have that environment. Is it wise for us to reverse to that system again? I do not think so.”
“Mr Chairman, we note Ms Irene Ng's suggestion and we will take that into consideration when we review the curriculum.”
“MOE is currently collaborating with ITE to better understand the needs of students and the forms of support that would be most appropriate in ITE. We are also facilitating the training for ITE staff in the area of special needs education such as dyslexia and autism. Our approach towards post-secondary education is to enhance employability of our students. Instead of adopting an educational goal of keeping the students in school until 21 years old, as Ms Phua has suggested, we want to make education worthwhile for them. To this end, Metta and Delta Senior Schools are currently offering accredited vocational education programmes, in partnership with ITE and WDA respectively, so that after going through the programme, the students would graduate with certifications that will enhance their employability and help them find jobs. That is a more meaningful approach. MOE has also begun a second phase of preparing SPED students for vocational training in Metta and Delta Senior Schools. In other words, we are working upstream to look at how we can prepare students better for Metta and Delta. We will be prototyping in four SPED schools catering to students as early as 13 years of age. Sir, it is our goal to nurture the potential of all our children. Whether it is in the area of languages, independent living or employment skills for those with special needs, we want to develop them to the fullest so that our children can go as far as they can. MOE will continue to work with the stakeholders and the community to support our students, so as to give them the best possible education to prepare them for the future. ITEs to diploma, diploma to degree”
“Armed with the basic building blocks of reading, they are then guided to read books independently, and to comprehend what they have read. This method is particularly suited to the learning needs of SPED students and the results of the pilot have been very positive, with teachers observing that the students demonstrated greater interest and motivation to read, and became more attentive and focused in other lessons. Given the benefits, MOE will be rolling out the Direct Instruction programme to students with mild to moderate Intellectual Disabilities (ID) progressively at all SPED schools from 2010. We will also work with the schools to pilot other Direct Instruction programmes for oral language and writing skills. 12.45 pm As learning disabilities and the degree of severity of special needs children are on a continuum, we must continue to adopt differentiated approaches to meet the wide range of needs. Since 2007, MOE has worked with two SPED schools to prototype satellite partnerships to provide opportunities for purposeful interactions between SPED students and their mainstream peers. Moving forward, MOE intends to facilitate more partnerships between SPED schools that are co-located with mainstream schools. In 2010, Pathlight School, for example, will have a second secondary satellite site with another mainstream partner, Bishan Park Secondary. Resources such as funding and manpower will be provided to help sustain these partnerships and achieve the desired objectives. MOE specialists will also guide the schools in planning integration activities and monitor its impact on pupils. We thank Ms Denise Phua for her suggestion on providing Learning Support Professionals in IHLs and setting up an institute of Special Education modelled after the ITE.”
“The grants will be funded from the Edusave Endowment Fund, and be disbursed starting from this year. Currently, SPED students receive the Edusave Pupils Fund in Edusave accounts which they can use to pay for school fees and enrichment programmes. The schools also benefit from the Edusave Grant to pay for enrichment programmes or to purchase additional resources. With the increase in the number of SPED students taking the mainstream secondary curriculum and vocational education programmes, MOE will be revising the quanta of the Edusave Pupils Fund and Edusave Grants for these students from January 2011. Based on current rates for mainstream secondary level, the quanta will be increased from $200 to $240 for the Edusave Pupils Fund, and from $50 to $90 for the Edusave Grant. Next, I will touch on the professional support provided to SPED schools. Functional literacy is one of the key skill sets we seek to develop in SPED students, and it helps them to learn and communicate effectively, and find gainful employment. Currently, SPED schools adopt or develop their own literacy curricula. However, with limited curricular and pedagogical expertise in the schools, the quality of literacy teaching is rather varied and uneven. Since last year, specialists from MOE's Special Education Branch have been working closely with teachers in seven SPED schools to pilot a Direct Instruction reading and language programme for lower primary students with Intellectual Disabilities (ID). Direct Instruction is a clear and explicit teaching approach in which reading skills are carefully taught in a step by step manner until the child masters the skills. Students first learn the sounds of letters, and how to blend the sounds to read words.”
“There are also more opportunities for SPED school teachers to upgrade themselves professionally. To date, about 85% of SPED teachers have completed teacher training courses at NIE, eg, Diploma in Special Education, Specialist Diploma in Special Education and so on. MOE also actively helps the VWOs build and refurbish school buildings, and that is really very resource intensive. Financially, we have supported the VWOs to a great extent. We fund 95% of the construction and equipment costs of their school buildings. Ms Denise Phua highlighted the need to streamline the accountability processes. She mentioned that this is her fourth year requesting this. I am glad that we make progress at each of the COS, and good progress has been made. With the MOE-NCSS Quality Assurance Framework, which schools have begun using for self-evaluation this year, agencies have worked closely to ensure that requirements are streamlined and duplication eliminated. On recognising SPED achievement and progress, over the years, we see that more SPED students are doing well. The number of SPED students accessing the mainstream curriculum has gone up since 2007. We want to continue to motivate all SPED students to strive to do well. MOE will be providing each SPED school with a lump-sum grant to establish school-based awards for students who are Singapore citizens. As the profile of students and the type of curriculum offered across the SPED schools are very diverse, each school will have the flexibility to establish its own criteria for the awards, whether to recognise achievements, progress made in learning, development of skills, or contributions to the community. Schools will also determine the number and quantum of awards to be given out.”
“To enhance the accessibility of CL "B" instruction, MOE has established three additional zonal CL "B" centres, and will also support secondary schools with a high concentration of students weak in CL to offer school-based CL "B" lessons. At the Junior Collage/Commercial Institute level, MOE will relax the eligibility criteria, from the current "O" level E8 grade or below to D7 grade or below, to allow more students to benefit from taking "A" level CL "B". Let me now turn to the topic of Special Education (SPED). MOE will continue to oversee the educational aspects of SPED schools by providing training, professional and funding support. However, children with special needs often need support in areas such as paramedical and social support that cannot be catered for by MOE alone. This is the reason that the "Many Helping Hands" approach is required and MOE works closely with NCSS and the VWOs to enhance the quality of the SPED sector. We should continue with this tripartite partnership which has served us well. We will also continue to work closely with the hospitals and the parent support groups of the VWOs to engage parents and assist them in developing a greater understanding of their children's learning needs and experiences. I just want to clarify the point made by Mr Christopher de Souza – School of the Arts comes under MICA and that the Sports School comes under MCYS. In terms of educational aspects, we are starting to see results in SPED schools – there are more professional exchanges amongst SPED schools and with mainstream schools. SPED school leaders have buddies in the mainstream schools for professional support and they are invited to attend Cluster Board meetings and relevant cluster programmes.”
“On the contrary, these students continued to fail CL and were put off learning the language altogether. Our goal in MOE is to keep these CL "B" students interested in the language, so that instead of being discouraged for not being able to meet the requirement, they will go on to acquire a basic but functional command of the language. And with an interest in the language, we hope that they will continue using and learning the language even after they have left school. The high rate of enrolment in courses mentioned by Mr Teo Siong Seng yesterday may not be a bad thing seen in the light of life-long learning. The percentage of students taking CL "B" at "O" Level has increased from 2% to 4% between 2001 and 2009, while the percentage offering CL "B" at "A" Level has stayed around 2%, or about 250 students. Passing rate is high with over 95% for both "O" and "A" levels in 2009. In case Mr Low will draw the conclusion from the high passing rate that the standard is questionable, I have circulated a sample of an "O" level CL "B" paper. As Members can see from the sample questions, students are expected to achieve a reasonable standard in the language. Mr Low's concern that it will become an easy option for students is therefore unfounded. Many students are benefiting from CL "B". I understand that students enjoy the lessons and that in some cases, even those who have been exempted from CL are asking to join the class. The students tell us that they recognise the importance of being able to communicate verbally in CL and that the content of the CL "B" lessons is pitched at a suitable level. With more students coming from predominantly EL-speaking homes, we expect that there will be more students offering CL "B" in future.”
“It provides immediate feedback to students, which is important in the acquisition of aural-oral skills. Going forward, MOE intends to incorporate more ICT-based language learning into the syllabus design so that it forms a bigger proportion of the learning experience. An ICT-based language resource package constituting 10%-15% of Mother Tongue Language (MTL) curriculum for all levels will be provided to all schools. In addition, MOE intends to develop a web-based MTL portal to promote oracy learning and strengthen assessment practices for students from Primary 4 to pre-university levels. Teachers can assign oral learning tasks to students who can upload their completed product at the portal in the form of audio or video files. Through the portal, students can review their own or their peers' presentations, and teachers can grade and provide feedback to students. The portal will also be equipped with text to speech technology that automatically evaluates the student's pronunciation after the student read out a passage. This will enable students to practise and evaluate their oral presentations at their own pace and convenience. As Members can see, the potential of such an application is immense. The MTL portal will be rolled out to schools in phases starting from 2012. On the issue of CL "B", for students who face exceptional difficulties coping with the learning of CL, they would be better served by CL "B". Mr Low Thia Khiang has remarked that the CL "B" option would erode CL standards. CL "B" was introduced nine years ago, in 2001. Prior to that, students who were weak in CL were taught and tested in the same way as students with stronger CL ability. It did not work.”
“MOE will also be providing schools with a high concentration of students from EL-speaking homes with an additional CL teacher, on top of the two additional teachers all primary schools received in 2007 for the CL modular curriculum. This will allow these schools to further customise their teaching. There will be more extensive use of EL to teach students with greater needs in the learning of CL, which has proven to be a useful approach. Greater curricular support and in-service training will be provided for teachers to use the bilingual approach. A CL-EL glossary of selected vocabulary will also be developed by 2011 for students in the Chinese Language and Foundation Chinese courses. Mr Baey Yam Keng suggested incorporating contemporary Chinese culture in the syllabus and he has quoted many examples. I had to do quite a bit of research to keep up with his examples. Many teachers, I understand, do use this to enhance the learning of CL. For the new syllabus, MOE will be including in the Teachers' Guide a list of recommended materials, such as the award winning China production(漂亮妈妈 ) – "Breaking the silence", which teachers could use to make the lessons more engaging for students. So we are receptive to the suggestion of using contemporary pop culture to make teaching of Chinese more engaging and interesting to the students. With new media and technologies vastly changing the way our students acquire knowledge, there is room to leverage more on ICT tools and applications to enhance and engage students in CL learning. ICT facilitates the functional use of the language, creates an authentic setting and enables customised and active learning.”
“At the same time, we will enhance our support to schools and build up our teachers' professional expertise to prepare them for the new CL approach. We will strengthen our collaboration with the Singapore Centre for Chinese Language to step up the training of our Chinese teachers and pedagogical research. MOE will also collaborate with civil and academic institutions, such as Committee to Promote Chinese Language Learning, Promote Mandarin Council and Business China to promote Chinese language learning through Chinese-medium networking events, hence, developing a pool of bilingual and bicultural talents. *Cols. 3917-3918. 12.30 pm (In English): Mr Ong Kian Min asked for an update on changes made to the CL curriculum. The Primary modular CL curriculum has been fully implemented across all levels. Feedback from teachers has been most positive. A study by the National Institute of Education (NIE) has found that the modular approach has been effective in improving oral proficiency among students. Another study by NTU further showed that students demonstrated better character recognition using this approach. To better access the student's language ability so as to apply appropriate teaching approaches, schools today conduct banding of students for the Bridging, Core and Enrichment modules, after having observed their students' CL learning and aptitude for one semester. MOE will be collaborating with the Singapore Centre for Chinese Language to develop a diagnostic tool to assess students' oracy competence to facilitate the grouping into the different modules. The diagnostic tool, which would be developed and prototyped this year, can also be used for developmental assessment throughout the year.”
“At the same time, more able students are pursuing CL at a higher level. There is therefore a need for a more customised CL teaching framework that would recognise the different starting points of students, devise different teaching strategies to help everyone become more proficient and confident in the language, and to reach as high a level as they are able to. There are concerns as expressed by the hon. Members and the public on whether we will address the problem by lowering the standards across the board and, if not, how we will motivate high-ability students to go further. How to develop talents needed by our companies? I would like to assure Members that MOE will maintain our efforts to help everyone learn the language to as high a level as they can go. We must acknowledge differences in starting points, abilities and hence also what standards different students can attain within 10 to 12 years of education. Mr Teo Siong Seng has expressed how businesses are yearning for Chinese language talents. We will redouble our efforts and put in the resources to help those students who are able to progress as far as they can, eg, through the Special Assistance Plan (SAP) schools and the Bicultural Studies Programme (BSP). Our SAP schools are doing well and are attracting many good students who wish to benefit from a strong Chinese programme. MOE is currently considering if there is demand for an additional SAP school. Since the launch of the Bicultural Studies Programme, the student enrolment has increased every year, from 290 in 2005 to 470 in 2010. Up to 100 scholarships are also awarded each year. We will monitor and review if there is a need to expand the scholarship scheme.”
“Students also learn about our founding fathers, like Mr S. Rajaratnam, and political figures like Lim Chin Siong and Lee Siew Choh, to understand Singapore's journey towards for self-government and independence. Ms Josceline Yeo is right in saying that the quality of learning is much more important than the quantity of learning. This is, in fact, embodied in the Teach Less Learn More movement (TLLM), which seeks to bring about more effective and engaged learning. As part of TLLM, judicious reductions have also been made to the curriculum content, up to 30%, to provide teachers with more scope for innovation in their teaching, and to give students more time to take part in learning activities that would hone critical thinking and other key 21st century competencies. Ms Denise Phua asked about the sharing of online resources. MOE already has edumall 2.0, an online repository that provides teachers with digital resources. It also allows schools to share their good ICT classroom practices and lessons. In addition, school clusters have their own resource repository – i-Share – for school-created teaching and learning resources. I will next touch on the teaching and learning of Chinese Language, which several Members, like Mrs Josephine Teo, Mr Ong Kian Min, Mr Baey Yam Keng and Mr Low Thia Khiang, have spoken about. Sir, in Mandarin, please. (In Mandarin): [For vernacular speech, please refer to Appendix A*.] As Minister mentioned earlier, our approach to teaching Chinese Language (CL) must take cognisance of the diverse language abilities of our students and the increasingly varied language backgrounds. The proportion of Chinese Primary 1 students from predominantly English Language (EL) speaking homes has increased over the past five years.”