Intan Azura Mokhtar
Singapore
“Chairman, in Malay, please. (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Minister or Minister of State Zaqy, what are the plans for MENDAKI's Tuition Scheme to ensure that our children are ready for a more dynamic environment and also to seize opportunities to excel in various areas apart from academic excellence?”
“For instance, they can work a few days a week in the office and a few days from home so that they can still work full-time, fulfill their work obligations but can reduce commuting time and yet have the opportunity to meet with colleagues and interact with them face-to-face in the office for that much needed social interaction.”
“I thank the Senior Minister of State for the answers. It is heartening to know that the numbers have dropped over the years, from 2009 to 2019, over a period of 10 years. However, 2,800 is still quite a large number every year for enforcement acts to catch recalcitrants.”
“I thank the Senior Parliamentary Secretary for the answer. So, 19,000 diabetes cases each year. Does the Ministry of Health (MOH) have the numbers as to what are the causes of the diabetes cases, whether it is through direct sugar intake or is it through other foods, such as high starch content?”
“Mr Speaker, the first question I have is for the Minister for Health. Do we have enough healthcare workers and professionals to help manage patient cases in NCID and the hospitals in this period of heightened healthcare alert seeing to the increased demand and work stresses on them?”
“It is related to schools. Are there any specific or additional measures in schools, particularly for preschoolers and primary school children who may not always be aware or practise proper personal hygiene as we try to educate Singaporeans in this?”
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“Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker, for the opportunity to speak on this Bill. I stand in support of this Bill, which seeks to provide more extensive protection and better and fairer provisions for young persons up to the age of 18 in their best interests. First, I would like to speak on clause 4 which amends section 4 of the Act. I support replacing "emotional injury" with "emotional harm". "Injury" tends to suggest that the abuse is rather tangible or explicit and is visible, while "harm" is more all-encompassing and suggests that while it may not necessarily be visible, the damage the abuse has caused is much more far-reaching and may manifest itself in ways other than that which is visible. There are cases where parents or guardians, in their fervour to bring out the best in their children, end up subjecting the child to emotional abuse or acts of degradation that erode the child’s feeling of self-worth, self-esteem or overall well-being. Some parents see their scoldings and nagging or even acts of punishment as necessary acts of discipline for their children. Where and how do we draw the line? And when do the authorities step in? Do we intervene when a member of public complains? Or do we wait until a significant adult in the child’s life, such as a school teacher or an adult relative, takes notice and informs the authorities? Or do we need to wait until the child who is a victim of emotional or mental abuse speaks up or seeks help? I seek clarification from the Ministry as to where and how do we draw the line with regard to a child or young person being in need of care or protection, as well as when do the authorities step in.”
“Mr Speaker, I thank the Minister of State for sharing the data regarding employment of persons with disabilities. I just have two supplementary questions. Firstly, would the Ministry consider extending even more incentives, such as enhanced corporate tax relief for employers, or even instituting some form of affirmative action to ensure that they employ PwDs or those with special needs. Secondly, would the Ministry also consider setting up a one-stop portal to help PwDs and special needs gain employment? That is, the Ministry consolidates all the job vacancies from different employers so that PwDs know that there is a one-stop portal that they can go to, to look for employment or even training opportunities; likewise, for the employers to do so.”
“Relating to the Opportunity Fund that the Member asked, all non-AOP preschool operators, including not-for-profit and faith-affiliated kindergartens, can tap on the Preschool Opportunity Fund. It essentially is to support their enrolled children from less advantaged or at-risk backgrounds. Nevertheless, we feel that kindergartens continue to play a very important role in offering preschool programmes to parents who do not need full-day care for their children. Currently, we are reviewing the preschool subsidies to ensure that every child has access to affordable and quality preschool education. I would like to thank the Member for the suggestion. We will take that into consideration and we will provide an update on the review when it is completed.”
“I thank the Senior Parliamentary Secretary for the reply. I am assured that there are sufficient subsidies and grants available for both students and staff in the preschool sector. I do recognise that AOPs, POPs and Ministry of Education (MOE) Kindergartens (MKs) are there to help and expand the preschool sector and ensure that there is quality education. However, kindergartens run by faith-based organisations do serve a specific segment of our society, particularly parents who are looking for certain value-based systems that they want to enrol their children in. So, I hope that the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) would also consider expanding the Kindergarten Fee Assistance Scheme (KiFAS) to all children, regardless of which preschool centre or kindergarten that they enrol in, very much like how the Edusave accounts are made available to primary school and secondary school students, regardless of which school they enrol in. Can I also clarify that the Opportunity Fund is available even to students who are enrolled in kindergartens run by faith-based organisations? Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim: Sir, I thank the Member for the supplementary questions. Indeed, the preschool sector remains diverse, comprising commercial, not-for-profit, faith-affiliated and MOE-run preschools, each with their own value propositions. And with these, parents continue to have choice in selecting a suitable preschool for their children. KiFAS, at this moment, is provided to support lower- and middle-income families in the AOPs and MKs which are generally fee-controlled. So, this, as the Member mentioned earlier, is part of our strategy to provide parents with quality and affordable kindergarten places.”
“I thank the Minister for the reply. It is heartening to know that 2,000 have been placed in preschool centres since we started this. What are the target numbers that we are looking at in order to fill the demand in our preschool sector? My second question is, in terms of salary and professional development, are we going to review that, so that while they are still in-service, they can continue to undergo professional development programmes that can be overseen under the Adapt and Grow initiative?”
“I thank the Minister of State for the reply. Lately, I have had the opportunity to meet up with parents of children with special needs. And the common refrain among them, especially those whose children are 18 years old and above, is that they are not able to get full placement for their children in the DACs, that means, from Monday to Friday. More often than not, it is always two to three days a week, and then what happens for the remaining two or three other days? It means they have to take leave to take care of their children. I am just wondering whether MSF would have plans to coordinate better among the DACS and the Sheltered Workshops with oversight from MSF so that the parents can be assured of full placement for their older children from Mondays to Fridays. Another supplementary question, Mr Speaker, is that whether there are plans to have a more integrated approach for education and training for children with special needs, starting from preschool all the way to work-readiness training that can be overseen by a few Ministries – MSF, the Ministry of Education (MOE) and MOM – together.”
“I also do understand that having the proposed Academic and Research Advisory Panel which provides general oversight and counsel on matters related to academic or research work or publications or even these Specific Subject Matter Expert Committees to preside over academic or research work or publications in specific disciplines may both require much time for deliberation and review and which may be an expense to speed and efficiency, compared to a directive decided by the Minister. However, efficiency and speed alone should not be our only goal. There must also be vigour and objectivity. Mr Speaker, notwithstanding the concerns and suggestions I have raised, I support the Bill.”
“We are confident that as long as you practise academic integrity and are able to support our academic or research arguments with data, we will still have academic freedom to carry on our academic research work and still publish our work. I believe this Bill is not a life sentence for academics. Nonetheless, in light of the above arguments, may I seek the Minister’s assurance, for the record, that academics and researchers can continue to enjoy academic freedom as long as they demonstrate academic integrity in our work or publications, and that we will not always need to make appeals for our work that may discuss data or information that may run counter or even dispute facts or data owned or shared by Government Ministries or agencies? In addition, may I suggest that an Academic and Research Advisory Panel be set up to review academic or research work or publications that may be deemed to publish "false statements of facts"? This may be similar to the Singapore Medical Council that reviews medical practices and practitioners. The purpose of the Academic and Research Advisory Panel is to have oversight and decide on academic or research work or publications that would otherwise need to be put up as appeals to the Courts. Hence, long-drawn Court appeals that may result in high costs or extended appeal durations, can be avoided. While I understand that academic and research work and publications can traverse a wide array of disciplines, the Academic and Research Advisory Panel is meant to provide general oversight and counsel on matters related to academia or research work and publications. Specific Subject Matter Expert Committees can be convened to preside over academic or research work or publications in specific areas or disciplines.”
“To what extent will POFMA allow academic freedom to continue to exist? Having argued for academic freedom, I must also put forth the following argument, that academic freedom cannot exist without academic integrity. What is academic integrity? It is essentially the moral code or ethical policy of academia, a term coined by Don McCabe. Academic integrity includes the avoidance of cheating or plagiarism, ensuring honesty and rigour in academic research and publishing. This means that the work we publish must be based on data that has been honestly and rigorously collected without tampering for any specific agendas or purposes. And in upholding academic integrity, we academics and researchers need to ensure that we do not propagate false information. To elaborate, there is a need to ensure we do not propagate disinformation or misinformation, both referring to false information. Disinformation is known false information that is deliberately spread or propagated so as to deceive others. Misinformation, on the other hand, is a little bit more difficult to determine. While misinformation also propagates false news or information, often times, people who propagate misinformation may not always realise the news or information is false, hence the propagation of false information may not always be deliberate – just misinformed. Hence, there may be instances where false information is propagated without the deliberate intent to stir controversy or prejudice public opinion. Here, if I may address the point raised by the hon Member Leon Perera. Many academics that I know are not worried about the curtailment of academic freedom from this Bill.”
“However, we must recognise that these numbers are only based on those reported. There are incidents and instances that go unreported. Hence, the data available may not always reflect what is real and what is experienced. Research studies conducted by academics that deep dive into the psyches and experiences of individuals, not just through quantitative data or quantifiable information, but through rich qualitative data, such as engaged interviews and discussions, observations, ethnography, phenomenological approaches or through the use of grounded theories, have usually revealed much more than what quantitative data collection methods are able to show. There are times where these much richer qualitative data may counter or even dispute quantitative data that is much more easily and quickly reported or captured, but which only scratch the surface of most people’s psyches or experiences when it comes to complex issues, such as discrimination, for example. As a result, these academics or researchers who then publish their work and qualitative data which may counter or dispute the data owned and shared by Government Ministries or agencies, do we then conclude these academics or researchers as having published "false statements of facts" because they do not support the data or facts owned and shared by the Government Ministries or agencies? Illustrating yet another example: we may have an academic or researcher who publish their work where because of the research methods employed or because of the statistical modelling tools applied, the data generated may not be the same as that owned or shared by the Government Ministries or agencies, do we then also conclude these academics or researchers have published "false statements of facts"?”
“(In English): Mr Speaker, while I will not speak on specific clauses of this Bill, I wish to speak on the Bill in general in my capacity as an academic and faculty member in one of our local autonomous universities. Substantial discussions have been made in the academic circle on the impact of this Bill, once enacted, on academic freedom. If I may loosely quote the definition of "academic freedom" from Brittanica: "Academic freedom, is the freedom of teachers and students to teach, study and pursue knowledge and research, and without unreasonable interference or restriction from current laws, institutional regulations or public pressure." Academic freedom is highly valued by academics because it allows us to carry out our research work, ask questions, collect relevant data, write and share our opinions, and critique freely and openly, without fear or favour. It is, essentially, the lifeblood of academia and research work. Hence, I fully understand the concerns among my fellow academics on the impact of POFMA on academic freedom. There have been, and will continue to be, instances where the work or paper we publish may contain some "statements of facts" which may be deemed to be false, and which may contradict data available or shared by Government Ministries or agencies. Let me illustrate with an example – the issue of discrimination – whether in schools, the workplace or in public services. Current data by Government Ministries, such as MOE or MOM, may show that there is little to no incidents of discrimination in schools or workplaces. Even if there are, swift and decisive actions are taken to quell such instances of discrimination and allow current laws to deal with the perpetrators. The numbers may be small and the incidents may appear well under control.”
“Mr Speaker, thank you for the opportunity to speak on this Bill. It is a timely and important Bill that has garnered much interest and debate both in and outside of this Chamber. I understand the need for the POFMA Bill and, in essence, I support this Bill. Please allow me to first speak in Malay on the Bill. (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Mr Speaker, the need for proper public education on the impact of fake news and falsehoods from online sources cannot be understated. With easy access to online information sources, we may not always be able to distinguish between information that is true and accurate and that which is not. Although some may argue that this Bill will limit freedom of expression and access to information, not having this Bill will also curtail certain liberties, such as personal freedom or the right to a fair trial, such as when one has been wrongly accused and judged unfairly in the court of public opinion, and having many people who often exaggerate the actual situation. Hence, comprehensive and continual public education is necessary, including the education of our young, starting at home and in schools. The need for our people and for our young to be media and information literate is all the more important. Hence, I support current initiatives to do so, such as NLB's SURE (Source, Understand, Research, Evaluate) Programme, the IMDA's Silver Infocomm Junctions and the National Information and Media Literacy Framework by MCI. I did my doctorate research in information and media literacy, and I completed my work more than a decade ago. I look forward to contributing my experience in this area as a Member of MCI’s Digital Readiness Council Steering Committee. Mr Speaker, please allow me to continue in English.”
“(In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] I would like to direct my two questions to Senior Minister of State Dr Maliki Osman. First, how will COFA have an impact on our asatizahs who are already involved in the religious sector? Will they also be included? Second, may I ask for some details on PCICS? Who will confer this certificate? Will it still be the MUIS Academy? And do we have plans to involve lecturers or faculty members beyond the religious sector, as well as other practitioners, in the teaching of this certificate course?”
“Mr Chairman, can I ask my clarifications in Malay, please?”
“Sir, in Malay, please. (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] I would like to wish everyone a blessed month of Rejab. Mr Chairman, every year, a sizeable number of each cohort of our madrasah students further their studies at the university level in Islamic tertiary institutions overseas like the Al-Azhar University in Egypt and the Jordan University. Many return to Singapore after graduation to serve in our community as Islamic teachers or asatizahs. However, we recognise that there are a limited number of places for the employment of asatizahs in our mosques and madrasahs. How can we ensure that our Islamic studies graduates who return home from overseas can get the jobs they desire, do not miss any employment opportunities, and possess the skills, and are industry-ready even beyond the religious and Islamic education sector? How can we also ensure that they will continue to be strongly rooted in Singapore’s multiracial and multi-religious context, so that their knowledge, teachings and influence remain relevant to our society and are effective in guiding our community amidst a more religiously and socially diverse landscape? I would also like to seek an update on the previously announced plans for an SIC. Where are we now in terms of establishing such an institution? 11.15 am”
“Chairman, there are currently several Government-funded programmes to help companies employ, train and integrate vulnerable persons or persons with special needs or disabilities, such as the Open Door Programme, SEC, Workfare Scheme, and Disability Management Programme. I support these programmes that help make our workplaces and companies a lot more inclusive towards those who tend to be marginalised and who face challenges beyond just equal opportunities. How successful have these schemes been in hiring, training and integrating individuals with special needs or disabilities so as to help them to be financially independent and attain self-dignity? How can we build on efforts to help more individuals with special needs or disabilities to join the workforce? Could more support for employers be provided, such as corporate tax relief or wage support when they hire individuals with special needs or disabilities, or giving employer recognition to companies that do so? Could MOM also provide more incentives to such employers to help them with job redesigns that can allow for FWAs so that individuals with special needs or disabilities can work from home or work from where it is convenient for them, and where they have more time and space to adjust to their new work environments and work responsibilities? Jobs for Persons with Disabilities”
“Is there scope to revise upwards the CPF contribution rates of older workers aged 55 and above while at the same time maintaining their employability? Supporting Senior Employment”
“Chairman, the last move of the retirement age to 62 and the re-employment age to 67 was made in 2017. Since then, there have been calls to review the next steps in promoting the employment of older workers. I understand that there is an ongoing review of the retirement and re-employment ages. Can MOM share the progress of this review and whether any outcome has been arrived at? In our Parliament Sitting in February this year, we passed the combined Motions on the elderly and caregiving. In my speech in support of that Motion, I urged MOM to consider raising the CPF contribution rates for Singaporeans aged 55 and above, something which I had spoken about in this Chamber before. As a Singaporean turns 55, their CPF contribution rate is drastically reduced by 11% overall. I have asked for the CPF contribution rate to be restored to the current rate of 37% in total, for ages 55 to 60. Even if the CPF contribution rate is to be cut, it should be done progressively over several years, rather than a drastic 11% cut as you cross your 55th birthday. As more Singaporeans are marrying and having children later, at age 55, many would still be servicing their housing mortgages, supporting school-going children as well as elderly parents. While I recognise that the lower CPF contribution rates for older workers help them to remain employable, the reality is that there is already a tradeoff in terms of having saved up enough for retirement and in fulfilling their financial commitments towards housing, education and caregiving for elderly parents. At 55, many Singaporeans would still be economically active. Restored CPF contribution rates will help in paying housing loans, education or tuition fees for their children, and additional medical expenses for elderly parents.”
“Mr Chairman, I have two clarifications, one for each Minister. First, for Minister Ong, I also spoke about the School of the Arts (SOTA) and the Sports School. Since we will eventually abolish academic streams by 2024, will there be plans to eventually take students beyond just the Express stream for both SOTA and the Sports School? The second question is on Crest and Spectra. Eventually, is there still relevance for Crest and Spectra to just have N(T) students? Will they be absorbed as a mainstream school, where they can admit students from across all abilities? For Minister Indranee, just a couple of questions on SENs. Are there plans to let all pre-service teaching programmes in the National Institute of Education (NIE) to also include at least one module on teaching students with special needs? Because at this moment, I think only specific groups of pre-service teachers are trained to teach students with special needs. So, will there be plans to let all pre-service teachers be trained to manage students with special needs? And beyond just resources that are under teaching or schools, what about increasing awareness amongst students themselves? Are there plans to include awareness about students with special needs in common subjects for all students, for example, in Character and Citizenship Education lessons, so that they know how to manage classmates who have special needs?”
“All in all, beyond decent wages and decent working conditions, every one of us has a role to play, including employers, in providing decent and more pleasant working conditions for our lower-wage workers. For instance, as fellow human beings, we can treat our lower-wage workers with dignity and respect and not treat them as invisible beings. We can also help make their lives a little bit easier with small acts of kindness and thoughtfulness, such as cleaning up after ourselves, disposing of our litter and not leaving our litter behind, or by returning our own trays at hawker centres or food courts. As the saying by John Ruskin goes, "A little thought and a little kindness are worth more than a great deal of money." 6.30 pm Public Rentals”
“There have been several initiatives and programmes to help our lower-wage workers, such as PWM and WIS. I am heartened that in this year’s Budget, an enhanced WIS is introduced where more of our lower-wage workers will benefit, including receiving higher maximum annual payouts. While I am heartened by the introduction of the enhanced WIS, I wonder if PWM has scope to be extended to more sectors to benefit more lower-wage workers to have better wages and better career prospects. Apart from improving wages, as a society, we should aspire for our lower-wage workers to have jobs not only with decent wages, but also decent working conditions. One example of decent working condition is the provision of proper rest areas for lower-wage and outsourced workers, such as cleaners, security officers, food and beverage service staff, and dispatch riders. Some may feel that requiring proper rest areas is a trivial request. But it is not so, not when you work mostly on your feet and the only time you get to sit and rest is during your lunch or tea breaks. The irony is that because these workers are mostly on their feet, it is somehow overlooked that they also need a place to sit and rest and experience some sense of well-being while at work. I would like to request for the Ministry of Manpower to explore if proper rest areas can be mandated for lower-wage and outsourced workers as I have shared earlier. These rest areas should be well-ventilated, well-lit and have proper tables and seats for the workers to have their meals and to rest. Other than rest areas, there must be proper lockers where personal belongings can be stored safely while they work.”
“Within our mainstream schools, our after-school care provision and programmes and collaboration with community partners are some examples of how the community has to step in and help underprivileged or low-income families of our students. However, all these need to be well-coordinated with extensive interagency support. What are some plans in supporting underprivileged or low-income families of our students? How will these plans help in minimising the gap with students from more affluent or privileged families? Uplifting Pupils in Life and Inspiring Families Task Force (UPLIFT)”
“Thank you, Chairman. It has been four years since SSG was first announced and implemented. Since then, many programmes and initiatives have been introduced to help Singaporeans hone their work-related skills as well as lifeskills that help them stay active, relevant and carry on learning for life. Our private education providers – whether it is the Private Education Institutions (PEIs) or other private organisations – have also come on board the SSG national movement and offer a slew of creative and interesting courses, both formal programmes and CET. However, several cases of fraud by private organisations and some PEIs with regard to SSG training provision have marred the perception of PEIs and other private organisations that provide SSG training or certification. Can the Ministry share updates on the SSG movement that provide options for lifelong learning, as well as updates on the measures to streamline systems and regulatory processes for PEIs and other private organisations that form part of the overall SSG movement? Supporting Underprivileged Students While we recognise the central role of the family in ensuring that our young grow up well with desirable values, and that our old can age well and live a meaningful life in their golden years, we cannot underestimate the effect of inadequate support that underprivileged or low-income families receive. This becomes more pronounced when children from underprivileged or low-income families do not have adequate family or social support and do not receive the necessary attention or love to help establish their sense of self-esteem, self-worth and the ability to trust others. Where the family is not able to step up, the community has to step in.”
“Mr Chairman, our mainstream schools are generally inclusive and made up of students with diverse abilities and backgrounds. However, we still have some mainstream schools that are specially catered for specific groups. Examples include schools meant for students who qualify for the Special Stream or Normal (T) Stream only, and schools meant for students who are gifted in sports or the arts, all with Government funding. While we understand the need for differentiated teaching and learning and ability-based pedagogies, we must strive to provide a more diverse and inclusive environment for our students to better reflect society at large. Students with special needs are usually enrolled in Special Education (SPED) schools. While our mainstream schools have made strides in admitting students with mild special needs, these numbers are still relatively low. Will MOE be able to provide more funding support and the provision of more trained teaching and support personnel, such as AEDs or subject teachers trained in Special Needs Teaching, in our mainstream schools so that they can be more inclusive towards students with mild special needs? Can classrooms in our mainstream schools be made more friendly for students with special needs, such as having barrier-free access as well as more teaching tools and resources, to support students with visual or auditory challenges? Can our curriculum also be revamped to allow for more hands-on learning and less pen-and-paper or drill-and-practice exercises, and with more outdoor learning incorporated in the main curriculum? Enhancing Special Educational Needs Resources in IHLs and ITEs”
“15 pm Some tuition centres implement rote learning and drill-and-practice methods to ensure their students can ace examinations, while other tuition centres have pre-admission tests to ensure only the most academically able students are admitted into their tuition programmes, further embellishing their tuition centre's track record. As a result, these tuition centres continue to charge premium fees for their apparent ability to produce examination top scorers. What is of concern is that students from less affluent families will not be able to afford to learn some of these examination-acing techniques and will seemingly fall behind when examination results are used as a benchmark for achievement and capabilities. For the Ministry, this is a difficult matter to address. MOE cannot ban tuition or eradicate similar practices in the private sector, which is driven by consumer demand. But what the MOE can do is to realign the focus on achievement and personal development rather than attainment alone. Admission requirements to our schools and IHLs need to continue to be reviewed and expanded to look beyond the results of high stakes examinations alone. Admission to secondary schools can incorporate student portfolios in addition to their PSLE results, while admission to IHLs should continue to look at the applicants’ community contribution, prior work experience, co-curricular involvement or leadership skills, beyond their GCE or other similar high-stakes examination results. Building Resilience among Students”
“I hope to see a student's examination transcript showing that the student has a diverse range of abilities in different subjects as well as their strengths in specific ones, and where you can, in no way, discriminate one student from another because of perceptions of their potential based on past abilities in high stakes examinations. On a related note, I would like to once again implore the Ministry to reconsider the Express stream academic requirement for students admitted into the Specialised Independent Schools, the Sports School and School of the Arts (SOTA). There are students who excel in Sports or the Arts but who may not excel in their academic studies because they do qualify for the Express Stream. They are unable to gain admission into the Sports School or SOTA. With multiple options beyond secondary school, students who qualify for the Normal Stream should be allowed to be admitted to the Sports School or SOTA where they can still carry on their educational pursuits in the Institute of Technical Education (ITE), polytechnics or through other SkillsFuture (SSG)-related pathways thereafter. We cannot judge or limit a student's abilities in one area based solely on their abilities in another area because of current limitations in our admission criteria. High Stakes Exams and Tuition Our current high-stakes examinations, such as the PSLE and the GCE "N", "O" and "A" level examinations, have led to an obsession with grades and scores, and the mistaken extrapolation of attainment to mean achievement and capabilities. As a result, there seems to be an over-reliance on tuition, sometimes guised as enrichment classes. 5.”
“It has served its purpose but it is time for us to move on and recognise that academic streaming places self-limiting beliefs on students who think they are only as good as the stream they are in. The reality is that each of us has abilities and intelligences in different areas and to different extents. Some of us excel in languages, others excel in Mathematics or the Sciences, while others excel in Sports or the Arts. However, there are still parents, employers and members of the public who believe that certain academic streams are inferior and will treat students from those streams with lower expectations, typical of what academics term the Pygmalion or Rosenthal Effect. With our recognition of the multiple pathways to the different peaks of excellence, and with the implementation of SBB for differentiated teaching and learning, and ability-based pedagogies, it is time to reconsider academic streaming and look at ways in which we can remove the academic streams and, more importantly, remove these labels that lead to self-limiting beliefs and self-fulfilling prophecies. SBB already allows students to take different subjects according to their level of competency, and this is more than sufficient, without the unnecessary labelling. I hope to see the day when a student's examination transcript and graduation certificate no longer indicate the academic stream that they were in, or if the student took the GCE "O" or "N" level examination. Instead, it will indicate the student took English and Mother Tongue languages at the Higher Level, Mathematics and Science at the Standard Level, or Humanities and the Arts at the Foundation Level, as an example.”
“Thank you, Chairman. Academic streaming was first introduced in our mainstream primary schools in 1979 and in our mainstream secondary schools in 1980 under the then New Education System as a result of the Report on MOE published in 1978, or what is popularly known as the Goh Report. It has been 40 years since we started streaming our students in schools according to their academic abilities – into Normal Bilingual, Extended Bilingual or Monolingual Streams in primary school, and the Gifted, Special/Express, Normal (Academic) (NA) or Normal (Technical) (NT) streams in secondary school. Some of us may argue that streaming is necessary and helps to ensure that teaching can be pitched appropriately to students' learning aptitudes and at a pace suited to their academic abilities. As an academic, I can attest to that utilitarian purpose of academic streaming. However, as a former secondary school teacher who taught students across the Express, N(A) and N(T) streams, I must also attest to the undesirable effects of academic streaming. I was a form teacher and a Mathematics teacher of a Secondary 3 to 4 Normal (T) class in 1999-2000. I faced difficulty in getting my students to take an interest in Algebra or Trigonometry. Between my cajoling and scolding, one of my students said to me in exasperation, "Cher, we cannot do Maths. We're Normal Tech". That broke my heart. Not because they really could not do Mathematics, but because they believed they could not. To this day, those words are still so vivid. I have spoken about academic streaming many times before in this Chamber and, each time, I have called for us to abolish academic streaming. It has been 40 years.”
“Our attitudes towards them, whether as employers, colleagues or neighbours, will determine the extent of their acceptance by society, how independent they can be and whether they will continue to have a chance to lead a normal life. (In English): In conclusion, Mr Speaker, this year's Budget is more than just dollars, incentives or programmes. It is about coming together and helping one another in ways beyond the immediate or the individual. If I may end with a quote by Cesar Chavez: "We cannot seek achievement for ourselves and forget about progress and prosperity for our community... Our ambitions must be broad enough to include the aspirations and needs of others, for their sakes and for our own." I support the Budget.”
“First, this year's Budget allocates funds and incentives that are rather generous to support entrepreneurs who are expanding their enterprise or businesses across the border, whether in Southeast Asia or globally. I hope that our entrepreneurs will seize this opportunity to explore new borders and opportunities and bring further glory to our nation. At the same time, through schemes like the "Global-Ready Talent Programme", I also hope that our young Malays will seize the opportunity to experience working overseas even though it involves some personal sacrifice by being far away from their families for a period of time. However, the experience of working overseas and the opportunity to learn about and understand foreign cultures and markets is invaluable to our young Malays who are interested in broadening their experience, viewpoints and minds. As the Malay saying goes, "If you are afraid to get your oars wet, your sampan will never make it across". Second, I welcome the extension of assistance programmes and schemes like the enhanced WIS and SEC that will help lower-wage workers as well as elderly workers. At the same time, I would also like to call on the Government to extend these assistance programmes or employment schemes to employers to encourage them to employ special needs individuals, for instance, those who have physical disabilities, autism or Down's Syndrome, as well as those who have mental health challenges. In the effort by the Government and employers to help vulnerable groups, such as those with special needs as well as those with mental health challenges, each of us has an important contribution. As a society, each of us plays a role in ensuring that the vulnerable amongst us are not left behind.”
“Are there plans to increase the import and use of electric vehicles on our roads with similar incentives, particularly when Dyson will be setting up its electric car plants in Singapore? One final segment of this year’s Budget I wish to speak on is in building a community of care and contribution, mainly through SG Cares. I strongly support the focus on nurturing students in Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs) to give back to the community, do volunteer work and service learning, and to develop community leadership qualities. These are necessary skills and values that our youths must possess as there is a need to feel, think and act beyond the self or based on personal aspirations only. The community is ours to shape and develop, and each of us has a role to make our community one that cares for and loves all. I hope that community projects or programmes which demonstrate values-in-action will not merely be items to be ticked off on a checklist for our youths. I hope that our youths will take ownership and leadership in planning and implementing meaningful and impactful community projects that can help uplift the different segments of our community, not merely because it is an assessment or graduation requirement, but because it is something they truly believe in and want to do. At this juncture, Mr Speaker, please allow me to speak in Malay. (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] This year's Budget includes assistance for various groups and different segments of society, be it workers, employers, those who are disadvantaged, students, elderly Singaporeans and those who belong to MG.”
“Another portion of this year’s Budget in uplifting Singaporeans is to help students from less privileged families, mainly through the Uplifting Pupils in Life and Inspiring Families Taskforce (UPLIFT) initiative in schools. I support the plan to strengthen after-school care for disadvantaged students in school-based student care centres. This provision will help such students have better social support after school, whether it is in the form of help in their school work or in socio-emotional matters. However, beyond the provision of after-school care and support to these students from less privileged or disadvantaged families, are there plans to uplift each of their families as well? For instance, these could be in the form of employment assistance or employability coaching for the parents, financial planning workshops for the parents, parenting workshops to enhance parent-child bonding, and educational enrichment programmes for the children to promote personal and character development as well as the development of lifeskills. I also fully support the Budget’s focus on Ensuring a Sustainable Environment, particularly in reducing taxes for diesel cars and taxis, and providing higher rebates for diesel vehicles. However, are there plans to lower road taxes for electric vehicles and providing similar rebates for owners of electric vehicles which are much more environmentally friendly with zero carbon emissions? Countries or economies, such as Norway, Hong Kong and Iceland, are leading in the adoption of electric vehicles onto their roads, with generous incentives, such as waivers of import tax and value-added tax, reduced road tax and free parking in the city.”
“Flexiwork arrangements can provide for better employment opportunities for those with special needs and those with mental health challenges to work from home or to gradually adjust to their work environments and work commitments at a pace they are comfortable with. Being gainfully employed is a start in helping those with special needs or with mental health challenges live independently like many others, and it accords sufficient opportunities to develop that much-needed self-belief and self-dignity. However, beyond SECs or incentives for employers to hire those with special needs or with mental health challenges, as a society, we need to be more accepting of different abilities, whether as employers, co-workers or neighbours. Our personal acceptance paves the way for more of those among us who are considered vulnerable individuals to have a place in our society, be independent and have that opportunity to lead a life that is as normal as possible. Still on employment and workers, the Professionals, Managers and Executives (PMEs) is another group of employees I would like to urge the Government to continue to monitor and extend assistance to. While I support the funding for the enhanced Professional Conversion Programme (PCP) and Career Support Programme (CSP) to continue, I would like to find out how effective have our PCP, Career Trial, CSP, and Adapt and Grow Programme been in helping PMEs secure employment? Can these programmes continue beyond the next two to three years? Can they be made permanent programmes? Are there plans to introduce other programmes to further assist PMEs, and older PMEs in particular, in their employment search and careers?”
“Thank you, Mr Speaker, for the opportunity to speak on the Budget. This year's Budget is generous and provides something for almost everyone – from the employees, to business owners, the less privileged, students, Singaporeans 50 years old and above, and seniors belonging to MG. I am particularly heartened by the focus on uplifting Singaporeans in this year's Budget. The Enhanced WIS will go some way in helping even more lower-wage income earners with a higher annual payout. In addition, the Special Employment Credit (SEC) and Additional SEC will continue to help business owners employ older Singaporeans until end of 2020. We have to continue to help lower-wage as well as older Singaporeans in ensuring their incomes remain competitive and sufficient, and that they will always have opportunities to be financially independent. Here, I would like to urge the Government to extend similar assistance to other vulnerable groups who are looking to retain their self-dignity and self-worth, where they can enjoy equal opportunities to be employed, be financially independent and also contribute to our community and economy. One such group would be those with special needs and those with mental health challenges. These two groups of individuals continue to face stigmatisation and challenges in their effort to be like everyone else and in leading a life as normal as possible. The SEC and Additional SEC should also be extended in helping business owners employ those with special needs and those with mental health challenges who may need time and space to adjust to their work environments and work commitments. Hence, the support or assistance that can also be rendered to business owners or employers can be in the form of tax reliefs or wage support to allow for flexiwork arrangements.”
“Sorry. Okay, for the healthcare sector. I think it was supposed to be directed to MOM.”
“I thank the Senior Minister of State for the clarification. May I ask, other than blood tests, how else would the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) monitor possible forgery of work qualifications, academic qualifications, past work experience that may be put up by applicants, especially foreign applicants?”
“I wanted to ask about the plans that Temasek Polytechnic had for him to set up a Child Psychology Clinic within the polytechnic. Did that go through? Did he have any part in doing that and did he have any access to young children through that planned clinic? Secondly, I would urge MOE to encourage not just the polytechnics, but also across all our educational institutions, to verify the qualifications and credentials of potential employees with the institutions that confer them as well as with character referees.”
“I thank the Senior Parliamentary Secretary for the answers. However, I find it a bit strange that the polytechnics checked the copies with the originals. So, if the original is already falsified, then you are just checking a false document against another false document. I would think that there must be a more robust process in place, where the institution that is keen on hiring should check back with the institution that conferred those certificates in the first place. On top of that, there could also be a check with character referees that a potential employee would have worked with in the past. My second question is whether Temasek Polytechnic allowed Mr Mikhy Brochez to set up that Child Psychology Clinic where he had access to exceptional children through the clinic because that was what was reported. Could the Ministry of Education (MOE) verify that?”
“Mr Speaker, we are headed in the right direction in our approach towards seniors, the elderly and elderly caregiving. However, there are still areas in which we can strengthen our policies and initiatives to ensure older Singaporeans remain active, relevant and gainfully employed, our elderly are able to get the care they need, and our caregivers for the elderly can also get the support that would make their choice to care a lot easier. I support the Motion.”
“At the moment, the Caregiver Training Grant (CTG) provides subsidies of up to $200 per eligible care recipient per financial year (FY) for the caregiver. In addition, IDAPE provides either $150 or $250 a month for each eligible caregiver of an elderly Singaporean, to cover medical bills or nursing costs, or to hire a foreign domestic helper to assist in caregiving. These are about the only two forms of assistance for caregivers of elderly Singaporeans. I believe the caregivers among us need more support as they care for their elderly parents. I would urge the Government to look into providing more financial support to the caregivers among us who have decided to care for their elderly parents beyond the CTG or IDAPE. In addition, I would urge the Government to review how more among younger Singaporeans can be enticed to pursue careers in both gerontology and geriatrics. We would need more caregivers for the elderly, more geriatrics-related rehabilitative and occupational therapy professionals, and more gerontology experts to help inform and curate public policies related to the elderly. Plans for more attractive remuneration, career progression pathways and better recognition for those who choose to have their careers in gerontology or geriatrics, need to be put in place. For a start, professional conversion programmes (PCPs) and training programmes for mid-career entrants into the gerontology, geriatrics or elderly caregiving sectors can be implemented. More importantly, I hope that, as a society, we will accord greater respect towards those who choose careers in gerontology, geriatrics and elderly caregiving because, beyond just a career, they have chosen to provide care and support towards our elders.”
“Companies, organisations and our own public service sector need to explore how job redesign can be done to ensure older Singaporeans can continue to be gainfully employed with little or no "dumbing down" of their job scopes or work contribution. MOE is a good example of a public service employer of older Singaporeans. Adjunct Teachers are employed even well into their 70s and they continue to contribute to the teaching of young students and the mentoring of younger teachers, without any "dumbing down" of their job scopes or work contribution. I hope more of our public service Ministries and agencies can do the same as MOE when it comes to employing older Singaporeans. Next, I wish to speak on caregivers for the elderly. Once again, as our population ages, there will be more seniors and elderly Singaporeans who may need care in their golden years. As we strive to help Singaporeans age actively, stay gainfully employed or remain relevant, there will be a group of elderly Singaporeans who need constant care as they lose the ability to care for themselves due to debilitating illnesses or age-related health conditions. This group of Singaporeans will need caregivers to look after them on a 24/7 basis. Some will be able to employ foreign domestic helpers or professional caregivers, while others will end up getting the care they need in nursing homes. However, there are among us those who wish to take care of our elderly parents during their golden and most vulnerable years, out of a sense of filial piety. This may not be an easy decision to make as there are opportunity costs involved, particularly in terms of income. While there are some forms of caregiver support provided by the Government, there is room for this support to be enhanced.”
“I have asked before for this CPF contribution rate to be restored to the current rate of 37% in total at age 54 and below, or, even if the CPF contribution rate is to be cut, it should be done progressively over several years, rather than a drastic 11% cut as you cross your 55th birthday. Second, I would urge the Government to increase the retirement age to 65 years old. Again, I have spoken about this matter in this House before. I gave the comparison to university faculty members on academic tenure, which is up to age 65, something that has been offered for about two decades in Singapore. I believe we can and should offer retirement only at age 65 across the board, especially when Singaporeans are living longer, marrying later, having children later, and would still need to earn a stable income even well into their 60s. The offer for re-employment should then be from 66 to 70. Companies and organisations also need to change their mindsets about having older employees continuing and still contributing at work. As I have said before in this House, older Singaporean employees have a wealth of experience, wisdom as well as institutional and historical knowledge to share, particularly with their younger counterparts, and they should be valued for this. Third, there needs to be in place sufficient policies to allow for meaningful employment of older Singaporeans. While we can acknowledge that not many Singaporeans above the age of 60 can still carry on with physically demanding or laborious work, they can contribute in capacities, such as trainers, counselors, mentors and consultants.”
“Thank you, Mr Speaker, for the opportunity to speak on this Motion on ageing, the elderly and their caregivers. As one of the last speakers, everything that needs to be said has already been said but let me share my thoughts nonetheless. As our population ages, there are many ageing-related challenges that we need to address and plan ahead for, so that we are not caught in a situation where older Singaporeans find it difficult to age actively and meaningfully, or stay relevant, and where caregivers to elderly Singaporeans find that there is insufficient support in place to help them care for the seniors living amongst us. We have begun to put in place measures to help Singaporeans age actively and meaningfully whether through legislation, such as later retirement, re-employment or employment credits for employers to employ older Singaporeans, assistance packages, such as the Pioneer Generation Package and the upcoming Merdeka Generation Package, or through community-led initiatives, such as Active Ageing Programmes or initiatives led by the Silver Generation Office. These measures are commendable and have been crafted and curated taking into consideration the concerns of both employees and employers. However, as with all things, there are still areas for improvement. For one, I would urge MOM to consider raising the CPF contribution rates for Singaporeans aged 55 and above. I have spoken about this matter in this House before. As a Singaporean turns 55, their CPF contribution rate is drastically reduced by 11% overall.”
“So, we will continue to do more and we feel that it is each and everyone's responsibility to play a part so that we can take care of our children and also ensure that our elderly can grow and have graceful senior years in Singapore.”
“And I am very thankful to fellow Singaporeans for responding well to our campaigns, to our calls to break the silence. Because at the end of the day, it is not only about the family alone. I think we have to play a part. And many Singaporeans have come forward, including the family members. For example, I received a message from one Singaporean who shared that one of her children has this issue and it is not only about that child. It is about the issue of intergenerational family violence that had been experienced by the great-grandfather, to the grandfather and down the line until today. So, I am very happy that because of this awareness campaign, we realise that more of them are thinking, coming forward and we have been able to help many Singaporeans. Our awareness campaigns, for example, MSF's "Break The Silence" videos have been quite successful. We have more than 14.2 million views. As such, we see more and more people being aware, looking out for one another. And also, we have been training our stakeholders, educators, healthcare professionals, counsellors, as well as social workers, to sharpen their tools and how they can respond and engage those who are affected by it. We also go beyond online platforms. We engage with community whereby we go down to the heartlands to engage heartlanders, residential homes, tertiary institutions and schools, to see how we can better engage them, equip them with the necessary tools to see how they can play a part. Last year, in 2018, we reached out to about 35,000 persons in the heartlands to equip themselves to be able to address the issues.”
“Mr Speaker, I thank the Senior Parliamentary Secretary for the answer and for the data shared. The numbers are quite big. One child or one elderly victim is one too many. At this point in time, what is the extent of the effects of such abuse on, especially the young children or even the elderly victims that are held by MSF and their partners? And have the victims been able to recover from the abuse and have they managed to resume normalcy in their lives after intervention by MSF and its partners? And my second question is: how effectively have our public campaigns been in raising awareness about familial abuse, whether to children, the elderly or even to spouses, particularly in helping the general public raise the alarm on any forms of familial abuse they know of in any family that they are aware of? Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim: Sir, I thank the Member for the supplementary questions. We all feel for the victims and, in such cases, the effects are not only on the victims. The effects also go on to the carers and the perpetrators themselves. So, we look at it from a very serious perspective of how we can help the recovery stage and, at the same time, we want to focus on prevention. So, the family, community, they are the frontline, where we can help to prevent it from happening. So far, those who have come forward, that we have been in touch with, we have seen that the recovery process has been quite good although not easy, and, for some, quite slow. So, we have not only been looking at how we can engage the victims. We also engage the perpetrators and the carers to see, when the situation is better, really how the family can move forward along those lines.”
“I thank the Minister of State for the assurance that more will be done by MOM, MOH and MSF. I understand that, yes, there are leave provisions for family care and childcare. But again, this varies, depending on employers, depending on the profession that you are in. So, there are parents, working adults who face difficulties when caring for many young children and caring for a few elderly parents, not just their own parents but including parents-in-law. So, are there current arrangements by any of the MSF partners in providing short-term family care and support at the moment? My second supplementary question is whether there are any plans by MSF, working with other partners, to pilot an integrated family care drop-in centre for such short-term care and support, whether it is at our existing childcare or senior care centres, or even in our polyclinics, for instance, for those who have children with contagious or infectious diseases like Hand, Foot, Mouth Disease (HFMD) or chickenpox, or elderly parents who have pneumonia, where some amount of medical care is required?”
“Just one more question. Maybe not quite directly related to these current questions that you are managing right now. Just looking at the potential risks of such summative assessment formats such as the GCE exams, would we consider, going forward, to minimise the dependence on such summative assessment formats and look at more at how we can balance such summative exams with students' portfolios for instance. Because for the students whose exams papers are missing, they get a certain prorated grade which they feel that sometimes it is fair, sometimes it is not quite fair. But if they have a student portfolio, they know that it is their work, built up over time, that they can depend on for admission to the next entry level in their education journey.”
“Thank you, Mr Speaker. I thank the Minister for the assurance of the steps that will be taken to ensure the integrity and security of our Cambridge exam papers. While we move towards more of e-examinations and online marking, I think that will take several years. Will we consider doing entirely all of our GCE marking locally? The Minister mentioned that, yes, it will require a lot more markers and teachers, but I think we do have the capability here and would it not be easier to fly in some of the markers and auditors from Cambridge to audit the marking, rather than leaving our papers overseas where our exam papers have been taken onboard trains and that is why they were lost. Because when we do marking here, even for the PSLE papers, papers are not removed from the marking centres at all.”
“I have met my constituents at the MPS who shared stories about their husbands or wives being nabbed by CNB for taking drugs in their own homes. What is more worrying is the presence of their small children in the house, whereby the father or mother is taking drugs right in front of their children and those drugs are within easy reach to these children. Therefore, I welcome the amendments to the Act whereby clause 3 underlines the responsibility of adults in the family to ensure that our homes stay drug-free for the sake of our children. A heavier punishment will be given to those found guilty, for instance, for allowing drugs in the house to be easily reached by their children, especially those who are minors. As adults, we cannot neglect our responsibilities towards our children in shaping their habits or lifestyle, especially in instilling them with positive behaviour and helping them stay away from bad habits or addictions like drug abuse. We are the pillars of the family, and as the Malay saying goes, the sap from the leaf will trickle down its stalk, that is, children will imitate what their parents do. (In English): In conclusion, Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, the perils of drug abuse are very real, and no sufficient amount of legislative changes can fully protect our loved ones from the dangers of drugs. We still need preventive education, awareness and an abundance of love and care and continued vigilance to keep drugs at bay. Nonetheless, these legislative changes we are debating today are needed to ensure there is protection for our loved ones and that the necessary enforcement action can be taken to ensure that very protection for them. Notwithstanding the questions and clarifications I have, I support the amendments to the MDA.”