Lawrence Wong
Singapore
“Sir, we will provide more information. I see the value of getting Ministries to put out more information, to share more about how their resources are being used and what outcomes they have achieved.”
“Sir, I agree fully with Mr Azhar that human capacity, human capital is critical. In fact, I would say the long-term potential of Singapore, how far we go really depends on us being able to maximise our human potential. That is key and that is why we have long invested in education. And it is not just about the investments.”
“Sir, we have been maintaining that commitment of 1% for some time now. I do not think it is about saying that we just have to do more and spend more. As many have highlighted, we want to ensure good outcomes from our R&D spending as well. So, we will continue if the outcomes are good.”
“This has never been the case. Temasek, when it started, was always very clear about its mandate from the very beginning – commercial, not doing national service, focused on commercial outcomes.”
“Sir, the MOF economists when they look at fiscal projections use Government's forecast of the economy, which is also published. We would typically use the mid-point of the range and then, of course, because these are in nominal terms, you have to factor for that. And the projections are done on those basis.”
“Sir, I was relieved that Mr Loh said he only has one question, but he asked the most difficult question. To answer the question, we will continue to monitor cost of living across all segments of society.”
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“That is between 10% to 20% of curriculum time, depending on the level. So, it is a meaningful and important part of the curriculum. And every Secondary school student will own a Personal Learning Device – a laptop or tablet – to support Blended Learning by the end of the year. The key motivation for doing this is to give our students more flexibility to chart their own learning and to equip them with important skills, like initiative, discipline and self-management. Besides curriculum coverage, HBL days will also include dedicated time for student-initiated learning, where students can explore areas of personal interest outside the curriculum, like learning a foreign language or musical instrument. And we hope this will fuel our students’ intrinsic motivation to learn, and help them discover their interests and passions. Beyond HBL and Blended Learning, our teachers are also transforming the in-class learning experience, to be more inquiry-based and experiential. Last week, I visited Lakeside Primary School, which is piloting the use of immersive technology to enhance learning. I joined a Primary 5 class for their Science lesson on the human respiratory system. Very relevant in the pandemic, as all of us know. We put on virtual reality (VR) goggles, we examined a pair of lungs up close in a VR environment and learned about how the lungs function. It was wonderful to see how engaged the students were – they were enjoying themselves, they were curious, and asking many questions and excited about learning. And that is just one example of the kind of holistic teaching and learning that our schools are engaged in today. And we will continue to find new ways to ignite our students’ curiosity and support their development into self-directed and passionate life-long learners.”
“So, we take a practical approach. In schools, our teachers actively look out for these traits in our students. We also participate in international benchmarking studies. And what is encouraging is that our students do outperform their peers in some areas, like cross-cultural skills and dispositions, and collaborative problem solving. Of course, there is also room to improve in other areas, like adapting to new challenges and the preparedness to embrace failure. So, we have made progress but there are some areas where we can do better and we will continue to do more to emphasise 21CCs throughout the entire education journey. In schools, one important approach is through Character and Citizenship Education, or CCE. We are progressively rolling out a new curriculum for CCE that will equip our students with the competencies to be more future-ready. The revised curriculum will further anchor our students on strong values, teach them to appreciate diverse perspectives, strengthen their mental resilience and make them more cyber-savvy. CCE will not just be delivered through dedicated lessons. But it will also be interwoven more deliberately throughout school lessons and activities, as part of the everyday school experience. And Minister of State Sun Xueling will provide more details later in her speech. We are also learning from our experience with Home-Based Learning, or HBL, and are incorporating Blended Learning strategies in schools – where students learn not just in classrooms, but also at their own pace at home, enabled by technology. In particular, we will schedule HBL as a regular feature of the curriculum. We will introduce around two days of HBL a month in Secondary schools, and it can be slightly more for Pre-University.”
“And that is why we have been making bold changes in our education system to move away from the over-emphasis on grades and examination results and to nurture a generation of students who enjoy learning and are not bogged down by chasing every last mark. As Mr Patrick Tay said just now, we want our system to be ready, relevant and resilient. So, we continue to improve, to learn from other systems and to try out new approaches. Whatever changes we make, we do so carefully and thoughtfully, not just blindly copying others, but making sure there are genuine benefits and value. Today, let me share about three of MOE's priorities over the coming years: first, to equip our students with competencies and skills beyond book knowledge; second, to support learning through multiple diverse pathways and throughout life; third, to uplift our students and ensure they develop to their fullest potential, regardless of starting point. 4.00 pm Let me start with how we are developing in our students a broader set of foundational skills and core competencies needed to thrive in today’s fast-changing world. This is something several Members spoke about earlier, including Ms Denise Phua, Mr Leon Perera and Ms Hazel Poa, and I agree with them that it is important to develop these skills. The competencies that matter for success in the real world go well beyond academic abilities. They include skills like effective communication and teamwork, creativity and innovation, curiosity, resilience and grit. We often call these 21st Century Competencies, or 21CCs, and we are committed to strengthening the teaching of such life skills across our education system. It is not so easy to test or develop KPIs for such skills. The outcomes are not always easily measured, and must be observed over time.”
“No programme or structure in our education system is beyond scrutiny or re-examination. We may put back the stone after turning it over and there may well be good reasons for the stone to be there, but we will continue to pick it up again and again and we will take a closer look from time to time. In fact, since joining MOE, the question I have been asked the most is: what can I do to better prepare for a more uncertain, turbulent and volatile future? And I think many young people and their parents hope for some guidance on what course of study would give them a head-start. But, in fact, there is no "right" or "ideal" subject to choose. Whatever a student studies in school, the content knowledge will need to be constantly refreshed and updated throughout their careers. For example, many young people today want to learn how to code and that is a good thing. Today, many learn Python. A few years later, they will have to confront new apps, devices and programming languages. So, students have to be prepared to constantly upgrade themselves and take on multiple jobs throughout their lifetimes. In fact, some of the jobs they will do in the future may not even exist today. In such a world, what is more important is the ability to learn how to learn, to keep on learning and re-learning and to enjoy doing so. We want our students to read widely, ask critical questions, analyse data, formulate ideas and to communicate well. Most of all, we want them to be curious, to enjoy the learning adventure enough to do this repeatedly throughout life, discovering new wonders each time.”
“Mr Chairman, much has been said about the wide-reaching impact of COVID-19. It has forced us to question assumptions we have long taken for granted and it has changed the way we live, work, study and play. In many countries, the impact has been felt sharply by students. Schools have been closed for months; some students have not seen their teachers face-to-face for more than a year. Worse, the issue has been politicised in some places, creating sharp divisions between parents, teachers and even teacher unions. Many worry that this will impact a whole generation of children, not just struggling to keep up in their studies, but also finding it difficult later to catch up in their skills, job prospects and incomes. Fortunately, this has not happened in Singapore. We had to close schools and move to full home-based learning for a month during the circuit breaker. But for the most part, we have been able to keep schools open and ensure learning continues seamlessly. For this, we owe a debt of gratitude to all our educators for their hard work and sacrifices, their ability to adapt and respond quickly, and their dedication to keep our schools and students safe. So, I would like to put on record in this House my thanks to all our educators in Singapore. [Applause.] Beyond the immediate impact it has had on our schools, COVID-19 has added greater urgency to our "Learn for Life" movement and crystallised what our priorities are moving forward. As Ms Denise Phua said, it has given us an opportunity to re-imagine what our education system could be like in a post-COVID-19 world, and I assure her that that is something we are committed to doing. We are not constrained by legacy thinking or existing ways of doing things.”
“Around 4,000 Secondary 1 students enter the Integrated Programme (IP) each year, which is roughly 10% of the PSLE cohort. The average class size in IP schools is similar to that of other secondary schools (for IP Years 1 to 4) and JCs (for IP Years 5 and 6). IP students may obtain the GCE A-Level certificate, International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma, or NUS High School Diploma at the end of the six-year programme. About 3,300 IP students sat for the 2019 GCE A-Level examination, with similar numbers doing so in 2020. Of the IP students who sat for the GCE A-Level in 2019, more than 95% qualified for our local Autonomous Universities.”
“Through MOE Sexuality Education, students are equipped with age-appropriate knowledge and skills to maintain safe and healthy relationships, recognise risks and make informed and responsible decisions on sexuality matters. For example, in primary school, students are taught about personal safety and protection of oneself from unhealthy relationships, sexual exploitation and abuse. In secondary school and at the pre-university level, there is a greater focus on how to build healthy relationships. This includes helping students understand the importance of treating others and themselves with respect, the need to assert and respect boundaries for self and others, and the social-emotional and legal consequences if they overstep these boundaries. Students are taught to seek help from trusted adults, such as their parents, teachers and school counsellors when there is risk of their personal safety being compromised, or when they think that their peers are being exposed to violence or harmful influences. Schools also engage and work closely with parents to support their children as they play a critical role in imparting values of respect and providing guidance to their children.”
“MOE will take further action against vendors or instructors who are found to have acted in a way that compromises the safety and well-being of students, including de-registering instructors. A deregistered person will not be able to provide services to schools whether as an individual or under a vendor company. For vendors under investigation for unsafe practices, MOE may postpone or cancel upcoming activities under their existing contracts, and may hold back the award of new contracts. The safety of our students has always been of paramount importance to us. As mentioned earlier, MOE is conducting a review on the conduct of outdoor adventure learning activities. We will provide further updates when the review is completed.”
“Schools conduct risk assessments for all outdoor adventure learning activities to ensure that the risks are identified and adequately mitigated. The risk assessment examines areas such as facilities and equipment used, competence of personnel conducting the activities, safe conduct of the activity, participant readiness and the environment. When working with external vendors, schools require vendors to comply with MOE’s safety guidelines at the external site. During the activity, school staff monitor students’ well-being and check that measures to mitigate risks are implemented effectively. Upon conclusion of the activity, the Teacher IC reviews the conduct of the activity. This includes obtaining feedback from teachers and the vendor on the safety management of the activity. The findings are made available to any school staff who is tasked to organise similar activities in the future. All personnel conducting outdoor adventure activities, including external vendors, must possess relevant certifications to conduct the different activities safely. External vendors who are unable to provide such certified personnel will not be considered for the conduct of such activities. MOE has identified relevant technical certifications for the different types of activities. Instructors are also required to register with MOE before they can provide their services to schools, either as individuals or under third party vendors. MOE will assess the suitability of the applicants based on their relevant certifications, safety record and experience to conduct the activities; as well as their registration with a relevant professional body (if applicable). Successful applicants will have their MOE registration valid for a period of two years.”
“There is a whole range of processes that we have put in place to do this. First of all, oversight by the Boards which they ought to do as part of their fiduciary duties. The Boards take this very seriously. Both entities have advisory panels, as I have highlighted, and that also provides guidance and oversight. MOF itself has a review process where we meet the Board and management of Temasek on a regular basis. We get them to update us on their understanding of the overall scenario, the risks, the outlook and opportunities they can envisage over the horizon, and what kinds of investment strategies they have in mind. And then on top of all that, at the end of the day, it all comes down to the returns, and based on the risks that they are taking, the returns that they are delivering. As I have highlighted, we look at these returns not just on a yearly basis. I think that would be very short-sighted and that would be detrimental and counter-productive. We look at it on an overall basis and over a longer term. It is really rolling returns over a longer period of time, preferably over 20 years, which we do, but then we have intermediate milestones and we look at 10 and five-year periods as well. That is the ultimate test. That they are able to deliver consistently good returns over the longer term.”
“Mr Chairman, let me take the two questions from Mr Perera. On the first question, the translation from research to economic output, and whether or not local companies themselves are benefiting from this, this is indeed something we do track. It takes longer, understandably, because the capabilities of our local firms may not be at the same level as MNCs. So, their readiness to take research and to translate research into tangible outcomes may not quite be there. So, there is an on-going effort to transform industries to boost the capabilities of our local firms. That is one prong. But a second prong of this is through NRF's research initiatives itself, some of these get translated into local start-ups, and then these start-ups, in the nature of start-ups, not every one will succeed. Some may exit early but we certainly hope some of them, over time, will grow and be very successful companies. And because we are still relatively early in this journey, I think we do need patience. Just to give an example of a successful start-up like that which came from research in one of our universities. Members would have read about Nanofilm that was listed recently. This was a project that started from a R&D project in NTU, I think, in 1999; that long ago. And only recently, it got listed. That is the kind of gestation periods that we are talking about. We are tracking this; we are certainly wanting more translational outcomes that will benefit our economy and local firms. But I ask for patience from everyone, even as we track this effort on a continuing basis and strive for better outcomes. Second, on evaluation performance of both Temasek and GIC, the Government continually reviews the performances of these two entities.”
“Mr Chairman, I thank Mr Liang for the question. In fact, this was raised last year too, when we were in the midst of, well, we still are in the midst, of fighting COVID-19, but at the height of the pandemic last year when we had a huge outbreak. I think some Members had asked questions about the processes in which these procurements could be done quickly. I had explained then that we do have Emergency Procurement provisions in place where for such cases, there are provisions for agencies to make use of these Emergency Procurement provisions in order to buy services more promptly. And indeed, these were made use of last year during the crisis and when we had, in particular, to respond very quickly. I think since then, the situation is more stable. Processes have been put in place. Agencies are able to respond in a much more coordinated and effective manner, but we never take anything for granted because the situation is highly unpredictable and new threats, new challenges may always emerge over the horizon.”
“Mr Chairman, MOF is committed to ensuring that our overall fiscal system is fair and progressive, achieves good value-for-money outcomes, and importantly, sustainable over the long term. The Second Minister Ms Indranee will now address the other questions.”
“Finally, let me address Mr Louis Chua's questions about the Additional Buyer's Stamp Duty, or ABSD, remission for Singaporean married couples. The aim of ABSD, I think we all know, is to moderate demand and to ensure a stable and sustainable residential property market. To be effective as a measure to moderate demand for property, ABSD has to be applied consistently and to all buyers. Only one exception is made, namely that is for Singaporean married couples. A Singaporean married couple may need to change homes due to changing family needs, such as when they have children, when their children are growing up, or when the couple needs to right-size in their senior years. It is in this context that we have an ABSD concession for Singaporean married couples buying a second residential property. Under this concession, we allow Singaporean married couples to claim a refund of the ABSD paid on their second property, provided they sell their first property within six months after the purchase of a completed property, or the Temporary Occupation Permit date of an uncompleted property. For those who are purchasing a HDB flat or a new Executive Condominium, they are granted upfront ABSD remission, as Mr Chua highlighted. This is because, they are subject to HDB regulations which require them to not own another residential property and to dispose of their existing property within HDB's stipulated timeframe. There are no such regulations for private residential properties and that is the reason why for such private residential property purchases, ABSD remission is only granted upon the sale of the first property within the required timeline, unlike the case of HDB.”
“Thank you, Mr Chairman. Much obliged. I was talking about dealing with the issue of the execution of the spending of reserves. So, in terms of our fiscal framework, we have clear rules on what constitutes a draw on past reserves, but where the Government obtains the cash to pay for expenditures is a different matter. That is part of the Government's overall cash flow management. It is an operational issue and is separate from the budgeting process. For purposes of cash flow management, the Government has a range of liquidity sources it can tap on, and this would include tax revenues which come in at different times of the year, funds raised outside the Budget, like proceeds from land sales. Constitutionally they do not contribute to the Budget and do not count as Government revenues, but they are part of the cash flow that the Government receives. It also includes Government deposits which we can draw on for purposes of cash flow reasons. So, all of these cash flows are pooled together and all of the sources of liquidity are pooled together and we manage cash flow on a disciplined and integrated basis. On top of these different sources, I have highlighted earlier in this House that the Government will be issuing Cash Management Treasury Bills. This is part of the Government's ongoing efforts to expand our cash management tool kit. With regard to the specific question asked by Mr Leon Perera, to pay for expenditures in fiscal year 2020, the Government was able to tap on all available sources of cash under the tool kits which I just described. So, GIC was not put in a position where it had to liquidate investments under time pressure.”
“Schools and IHLs that have implemented peer support have observed more students actively showing care for peers going through difficulties. PSLs have also supported more classmates to seek help from teachers and counsellors, and alerted teachers when they come across peers in distress. MOE will continue to support schools and IHLs to strengthen peer support and partner the community to promote student well-being and resilience.”
“Strong and caring peer relationships are at the heart of effective support for students in schools and Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs). This peer support culture is established through a two-pronged approach. First, through Character and Citizenship Education in schools, we seek to establish a peer support culture in every school and every classroom. All students are taught to be kind and caring, to identify their social circle of support, and recognise signs of distress. Similarly, the IHLs promote mental well-being and basic mental health literacy among students through curricular and co-curricular activities and events. Students are encouraged to provide social and emotional support to one another, and facilitate help-seeking by alerting trusted school personnel when their friends encounter difficulties. Second, schools and IHLs have established a peer support structure where student Peer Support Leaders (PSLs) are selected to take on a more active role to look out for their peers. All IHLs have established peer support structures. All schools will have a peer support structure in place by 2022. The PSLs are trained to listen actively, respond with empathy, manage conflicts, and encourage early help-seeking and positive coping strategies. Schools and IHLs also work with Health Promotion Board and other community partners to raise awareness of mental health issues. PSLs are appointed at class or school level, and can include students who volunteer for the role. These PSLs are in turn supported by teachers, staff and counsellors who regularly check in with them. Schools and IHLs actively seek feedback from students and PSLs to review and strengthen peer support efforts. Schools also monitor the quality of peer relationships and extent of help-seeking behaviour.”
“Based on the annual Graduate Employment Survey (GES) conducted by the polytechnics between 2017 and 2019, about three in four graduates who were in full-time permanent employment six months after graduation reported that their job was related to their polytechnic course. With rapid technological changes and disruptions in the economy, we should not expect that all polytechnic graduates go into or remain in jobs related to their course of study. Polytechnic courses are therefore designed to provide students with breadth of exposure, in addition to deep skills in an applied setting. The polytechnics also provide students with structured Education and Career Guidance over the course of their studies, to support each student in better understanding the industry landscape in their chosen field, and help them identify job opportunities that are aligned to their individual strengths and interests.”
“The Ministry of Education works closely with the polytechnics and manpower and economic agencies to plan the supply of places across the polytechnics, taking into account students’ interests, industry demand and national manpower needs. In 2021, Health Sciences and Information & Digital Technologies courses accounted for 20.0% of all polytechnic places, up from 16.8% in 2017, reflecting healthy industry demand, as well as students’ interests. More broadly, the polytechnics seek to strengthen students’ exposure to emerging areas, including the ones mentioned by the Member. These opportunities are not confined to students in these fields. For example, all Singapore Polytechnic students can offer electives that are relevant for growth sectors, such as the Internet of Things and Entrepreneurship, regardless of their diploma course. In addition, the polytechnics offer Continuing Education and Training (CET) courses in emerging and high demand sectors, including healthcare, medical technology, biomedical science, digital media and e-commerce. These range from full-qualification Part-time Diplomas, Specialist Diplomas, Advanced Diplomas and Work-Study Post Diplomas, to modular courses of a shorter duration.”
“Notwithstanding the benefits of the security software, there are some parents who have asked for some flexibilities in the implementation, including to disable the software after school hours. MOE’s objectives are focussed on the school environment, and on ensuring good teaching and learning outcomes in school. Hence, we will exercise flexibility, and give parents and students greater say on how they wish to use the software after school hours. This will include options to customise their own settings at home, or to turn off the software if they so prefer. MOE will provide more details on these arrangements as we progressively roll out the PLDs across all secondary schools.”
“The security software on students’ Personal Learning Devices (PLDs) only collects information required to facilitate a conducive environment for teaching and learning, and to encourage good online practices. First, the software enables MOE and schools to centrally update the devices, such as to install new learning applications or security patches. To do so, the software collects basic student information such as his or her name, school and email address. The software does not collect or track information such as identification numbers, passwords, and the location of the device. Second, the software supports teachers in effective classroom management. For example, through the software, teachers will be able to see and support the work that the students are engaging in on their devices during lessons. Third, the software helps to filter out harmful internet content. When students surf the Internet on their PLDs, the security software checks the website URL against a regularly-updated blacklist in order to block access to harmful content including pornographic and gambling-related websites or those with extremist content. In our engagements with parents, this feature of the software was something they strongly welcomed, as they were very concerned about excessive screen time, and their children’s access to inappropriate content online. Any student information collected by the software is stored in secure servers managed by appointed vendors with stringent access controls. This is in line with the Government’s personal data laws and policies to safeguard sensitive data collected by public agencies.”
“The Primary 1 (P1) Registration Framework aims to provide children with school places based on a set of transparent criteria applicable for all schools. If there are to be any changes to be made to the framework, it should be done in a consistent manner across all primary schools, and not targeted only at a sub-set of schools. We have from time to time reviewed and refined the P1 registration framework, and will continue to do so taking in public feedback and our analysis of the trends from every P1 Registration Exercise. MOE resources schools based on student enrolment, student profile, and any programmatic needs to support student learning. Our objective is to uplift all students, and to provide more support for those with greater needs. Hence schools with a higher proportion of students from disadvantaged backgrounds who need these intervention programmes will receive more resources from MOE. For example, this would include the deployment of additional teachers to help these students in the Learning Support Programmes for English, Mathematics and Mother Tongue Languages. In contrast, A/P Lim has proposed to link funding for primary schools to the number of students they receive in the Phase 2A registration. In fact, schools that attract a relatively higher proportion of students in Phase 2A can be found all over Singapore, and they attract a good mix of students from diverse backgrounds. An across-the-board cut in funding just because the school is popular in Phase 2A will end up negatively impacting the students who need more support. That would run counter to our objective of uplifting these students.”
“To enhance students’ overseas exposure and strengthen their understanding and appreciation for our region, MOE’s "70-70" initiative aims for 70% of local institutes of higher learning (IHL) students to have some form of overseas exposure, and 70% of these students to have exposure to ASEAN countries, China or India (ACI). In view of the ongoing pandemic, the IHLs have temporarily suspended all overseas placements and exchanges to ensure the safety and well-being of our students. In lieu of overseas trips, the IHLs are leveraging virtual platforms to promote educational exchanges and conferences. Some have also offered remote internships with overseas partner institutions and companies. In Academic Year 2020, more than 13,400 such opportunities were available for our IHL students. These help to provide students with opportunities to interact with peers and companies overseas and strengthen their cross-cultural skills while remaining in Singapore. "70-70" remains MOE’s long-term aspirational target for overseas exposure opportunities for our IHL students. MOE will continue to monitor the global COVID-19 situation closely, and work with the IHLs to explore when we can safely resume these programmes overseas. The IHLs will continue to tap on various sources of funding to support such initiatives, including the Enterprise Singapore (ESG)’s Global Ready Talent Programme (GRT), which provides up to 70% of funding support for overseas internships in ACI countries.”
“Mr Speaker, on behalf of the Ministry of Education (MOE), let me first express my deepest condolences to Jethro’s parents, family members and loved ones. Jethro and his class were involved in an activity at the adventure facility in SAFRA Yishun, which is operated by Camelot Pte Ltd. This is an annual activity that the school has been undertaking for its students since 2017. We are unable to comment on the specifics of the incident as the cause of Jethro’s death is still being investigated by the Police. MOE is also undertaking its own review on the conduct of height-based outdoor education. We will share the findings and recommendations when the review is completed. Meanwhile, all such activities will remain suspended.”
“MOE’s financial assistance schemes are available to eligible Singaporean students studying in government and government-aided schools, specialised schools, independent schools and special education schools. In addition, fees for the four national examinations (i.e. PSLE, GCE N-Level, O-Level, and A-Level) are waived for all Singaporean students studying in these schools. Students not enrolled in these schools and who require financial support can approach their nearest Social Service Office or other community organisations for assistance.”
“We note that the Member had asked a similar Parliamentary Question in October 2020. Our assessment remains unchanged in that the existing primary schools in the vicinity of Brickland constituency have sufficient places to serve residents, and therefore we have no plans to build a new primary school there. Nevertheless, we would like to assure the Member that MOE regularly reviews the number of primary schools nationally and by residential areas to ensure that there are sufficient school places for our students. If and when we have made a firm decision to build a new school, we will provide sufficient advance notice to the public on the likely timeline for the opening of the new school.”
“MOE is committed to ensuring that there are sufficient school places for all Singapore Citizen (SC) and Singapore Permanent Resident (SPR) school-going children. We review the allocation of Primary One (P1) places annually to ensure that the number of places in each residential area is sufficient for the current and projected population. The 2015 birth cohort which will be registering in the upcoming 2021 P1 Registration Exercise is projected to be similar to the recent years’ cohort sizes. We would like to assure the Member that there would be sufficient places for all local school-going children, and where we need to make local adjustments to provide localised additional P1 places in certain primary schools, we will do so. Similarly, we review the number of teachers for each school annually to ensure that all schools have sufficient teachers for their projected student enrolment.”
“MOE regularly reviews the number of primary and secondary schools nationally and by residential areas to ensure that there are sufficient school places for our students. There are five primary schools within one kilometre and another 11 primary schools within one to two kilometres of Fernvale. Posting of secondary school students is based on merit, and MOE plans for secondary schools at a broader, regional level. There are currently more than 20 secondary schools in the north-eastern part of Singapore where Fernvale is. In our planning for building of new schools, whether for primary or secondary schools, we will need to do a careful study of the medium to longer-term demand for places and our plans for existing schools in the area. When we have made a firm decision to build a new school, we will provide sufficient advance notice to the public on the likely timeline for the opening of the new school.”
“MOE currently uses the 360-degree feedback tool more as a developmental tool for leaders to gather feedback from people in their working circles on their leadership qualities and working styles rather than an appraisal tool. The feedback helps them to understand their strengths and developmental areas and motivates them to improve.”
“MOE, like the rest of the Civil Service, adopts a system of relative ranking. Depending on how well the teachers have performed in relation to their peers in the same substantive grade, they can be given C-, D, E grade at any stage in their career and across all age bands. We are unable to provide more details as these are employer-sensitive information. The Ministry closely monitors teachers who are weaker performers. Their supervisors will follow up with these teachers to guide them on their areas for improvements and help them with their professional growth and development. Teachers who have shown consistently good performance and are assessed to be ready to take on a higher level job may be considered for promotion. Hence, weaker performers with C- grades would typically not be considered for promotion until they demonstrate consistently good performance, in line with the Civil Service’s practice. This is to ensure that they are able to contribute at the promoted substantive grade. However, if there are exceptional cases, special consideration will be given on a case-by-case basis. Teachers can apply for Professional Development Leave to facilitate their continuous learning and deepen their knowledge and skills relevant to teaching. Professional Development Leave is typically taken by teachers to pursue undergraduate or postgraduate studies, or short-term professional development activities. Although teachers with C- grade are not eligible for Professional Development Leave, they continue to have access to relevant in-service training programmes, such as those courses to improve on their content mastery and pedagogy, which they would need to carry out their professional duties.”
“To-date, SSG has partnered 221 SkillsFuture Queen Bee companies. These companies are selected based on their industry standing and ability to influence companies operating in their business networks. Examples of SkillsFuture Queen Bee companies include Bosch Rexroth, IBM, Kwong Wai Shiu Hospital and Prudential, for the manufacturing, information and communications technology, community care and financial services sectors. SkillsFuture Queen Bee companies receive different forms of support, depending on the skills interventions that they deliver to the sector. For example, companies like Bosch and IBM are funded to deliver training of emerging and in-demand skills in their respective sectors. SSG also provides funding support to companies like Kwong Wai Shiu Hospital and Prudential to hire "Skills Managers" to identify skills gaps and formulate skills solutions for other companies in their value chains such as the EagleWings Group to help their workforce pick up new skills and bridge skills gaps under the Prudential SME Skills Accelerator Programme. Our partnerships with the SkillsFuture Queen Bee companies have expanded opportunities for companies, especially SMEs, to upskill their workforce with emerging skills to support enterprise transformation efforts. Since July 2019, more than 400 companies have benefitted from the skills development programmes delivered by the SkillsFuture Queen Bee companies, of which 93% are SMEs.”
“MOE builds students’ understanding and empathy for peers with special educational needs (SEN) or persons with disabilities (PWDs) in the following ways. First, all teachers are equipped to use inclusive practices in their classrooms and CCAs to grow their students’ understanding of SEN and their ability to play, learn and work with peers with SEN. This is done through pre-service and in-service training as well as mentoring by experienced colleagues. Second, Character and Citizenship Education (CCE) lessons emphasise care and respect for all. Students learn not to stereotype and instead, to appreciate each other’s strengths and needs. Older students develop Values in Action (VIA) initiatives under their teachers’ guidance. An example of a VIA at Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) saw students creating activities for MINDS Training and Development Centre (Clementi) and interacting with the trainees one afternoon a week over a six-week period. Third, as part of CCE, by 2022, all schools will have peer support structures to promote a culture where students are sensitive to the needs of others including their peers with SEN. For students who need more structured help, Allied Educators in Learning and Behavioural Support will form groups of peers to provide circles of friendship and emotional support. Finally, through Satellite Partnership, a long-term sustained relationship between a mainstream and Special Education (SPED) school, we enable all students to develop mutual understanding and respect. For example, students from Cerebral Palsy Alliance Singapore School not only taught students at Tampines-Meridian Junior College how to play Boccia but also joined them in community outreach projects.”
“Every student diagnosed with gender dysphoria is different, and their treatments are individualised. Instead of compiling preferred gender pronouns for all students, MOE will support each student diagnosed with gender dysphoria on a case-by-case basis, working with the parents concerned, as well as medical professionals.”
“Schools in three pilot areas – Woodlands, Kreta Ayer and Boon Lay – refer students with emerging signs of absenteeism to an UPLIFT Town-Level Coordinator (TLC) based at the Social Service Office (SSO), who will assess the problems faced by these students and their families and refer them to appropriate agencies, local programmes and resources, such as drop-in centres and family befriending. For students with chronic absenteeism or drop out eventually, MOE taps on partners such as the SSOs, FSCs, Self-Help Groups and SSAs to continue supporting them. For example, they may be referred to the Enhanced STEP-UP Programme where appointed Social Service Agencies (SSAs) engage the student to support their continued education.”
“The number of secondary school students who are absent from school for more than half the school year has remained low at around 3 per 1000 students for the past three years. About one-third of them discontinue their schooling despite all efforts by schools to encourage them to return. Students become long-term absentees due to a combination of reasons, such as personal and family circumstances, desire to earn an income rather than study, negative peer influence outside of school, difficulties coping with studies, resulting in loss of motivation to continue schooling. Schools put in place early identification and intervention processes to support long-term absentees. Form teachers and School Counsellors reach out to students with irregular school attendance to understand and address their challenges, and Student Welfare Officers conduct home visits and work with Family Service Centres (FSCs) to engage parents in order to encourage the student to return to school. Early upstream intervention is critical, to strengthen students' engagement and sense of belonging to school, to prevent occasional non-attendance from becoming long-term absenteeism. Secondary schools have set up after-school programmes, which focus on befriending and mentoring, strengthening peer relationships and self-management skills, and utilising interest-based activities to engage students. Under UPLIFT (Uplifting Pupils in Life and Inspiring Families Taskforce), MOE collaborates with the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) to address absenteeism issues early, through a mixture of school and community-based support.”
“SSG shares its Job-Skills insights with PEIs, so they have a better understanding of market changes and demands and raise the quality and relevance of their offerings.”
“SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG) conducts and publishes the Private Education Institution (PEI) Graduate Employment Survey (GES) annually. The PEI GES examines the employment and wage outcomes of graduates enrolled in full-time bachelor’s level External Degree Programmes (EDPs) at PEIs, six months after graduation. The objective of the GES is to provide individuals with more information in their decision-making when considering PEI programmes. Between 2017 and 2019, graduate employment outcomes of PEI EDP graduates have remained relatively stable. On average, overall employment rate has hovered around 80%, and full-time permanent employment rates at close to 50%. Median gross monthly salary has ranged from $2650 to $2800 over the past three years (Table 1). Under the Private Education Act administered by SSG, PEIs are required to meet baseline standards in areas such as corporate governance, quality of provisions and information transparency to protect the interest of students, in order to operate. Teachers deployed at PEIs are also required to have minimum qualifications and years of relevant working experience for the course, module or subject that they are teaching. However, SSG does not review or endorse PEIs and their programmes for academic quality or market relevance. The onus remains on PEIs to work with industry, and regularly review their curriculum and course offerings so that students attain industry-relevant skills. For certain programmes, such as nursing and early childhood education, PEIs would have to obtain prior accreditation from the relevant regulatory bodies to ensure their courses meet the needs of the sector.”
“The Committee for Private Education (CPE) under SkillsFuture Singapore regulates private education institutions (PEIs). CPE utilises a two-tier regulatory regime, comprising the Enhanced Registration Framework (ERF) and the EduTrust Certification Scheme (EduTrust). All PEIs are subject to this regulatory regime. The ERF sets out the minimum standards that the PEIs must adhere to before they are allowed to operate. Registration under ERF does not constitute endorsement of the quality of the PEI. The framework seeks to ensure that PEIs meet minimum standards in corporate governance and administration, student fee protection measures, and disclosure of key information so that students can make informed choices. PEIs are also required to establish an Academic Board and an Examinations Board to oversee academic processes, and ensure that teachers meet minimum requirements in terms of academic qualifications and experience. EduTrust is a quality assurance scheme that distinguishes PEIs who, from a corporate governance and administrative systems angle, consistently maintain a high standard of quality in their provision of education services that lead to positive student outcomes. Information about which PEIs have EduTrust status is available publicly on the SkillsFuture Singapore website, and can be accessed by prospective students considering programmes at PEIs. CPE's regulatory framework does not seek to accredit the quality of PEIs' individual programmes, including diploma level programmes, given the wide diversity of offerings and subjects of study in the PEI sector.”
“MOE, like the rest of the Civil Service, has a performance management system based on relative ranking. The Member has raised a hypothetical question, but I believe his underlying concern is whether our teachers are assessed in a fair and consistent manner across schools. Let me assure the Member that every effort is made to do so and to take into account that human judgement and inputs are part of the assessment process. The performance of our teachers is assessed based on a set of competencies and expected key result areas as stipulated in the Enhanced Performance Management System (EPMS), and the supervisor uses these competences not just to assess, but to also help teachers continue their professional growth and development. The supervisor’s assessment inputs are then brought to a school ranking panel, where there is a cross-ranking process. This allows us to moderate differences in supervisors’ assessments and establish common standards of performance assessment. To better ensure consistency in how performance management is implemented across schools, our Cluster Superintendents, who oversee several schools, are present at the school ranking sessions to provide guidance and useful benchmarks on the standards for performance grading. For all C- cases, the supervisors will follow up with the teachers to guide them on their areas for improvements and help them with their professional growth and development. With the support provided, we hope these teachers will improve in their performance grade in the subsequent years.”
“In Primary Schools, the median number of Physical Sports CCA is five for both 2019 and 2020, and that of non-sports CCA is 12 in 2019 and 11 in 2020. For Secondary Schools, the median number of Physical Sports CCA is six for both 2019 and 2020 and that of non-sports CCA 15 in 2019 and 14 in 2020. There are typically more non-sports CCA than Physical Sports CCAs in schools as non-sports CCAs span a wide range of domains, from Visual and Performing Arts, Uniformed Groups to Clubs and Societies. We prefer not to single out the schools with fewer CCAs. Many of them face genuine constraints such as lower student enrolments. So it would not be fair to compare them with schools with much higher enrolments and therefore more CCAs. Instead our approach is to proactively help these schools by offering selected CCAs outside of school. This includes Strategic Partnership CCAs for Athletics and Ethnic Dance. We are studying what other measures we can undertake to help students in these schools access a broader range of CCAs, based on their interests and needs.”
“MOE does not have full data on the number of households with both Singapore citizen and non-resident children of all ages. Across all of MOE’s primary and secondary schools, and junior colleges and Millennia Institute in 2020, there are around 500 families with siblings of whom one is a Singapore citizen and the other has a different citizenship status (i.e. Permanent Resident or International Student). This number is less than 1% of the total families with at least 2 siblings that are attending these schools. Education is heavily subsidised for Singaporean students at all levels, with additional government support for those from lower-income households. The financial support provided for Singaporean students bring down the overall out-of-pocket education expenses for households. This allows the family to channel its financial resources to other needs, which could include any higher fees payable by a non-Singaporean child. Nonetheless, MOE recognises that there are non-Singaporean students with Singaporean parents, who may also be in need of support. These families can approach their schools or institutions for assistance. MOE and the institutions will assess their situation and exercise flexibility on a case-by-case basis. We will give special consideration for low-income households, so that resources are appropriately extended to those with greater needs.”
“MOE aligns our workforce arrangements for teachers and staff with the workforce advisories issued by the Multi-Ministry Taskforce (MTF), Ministry of Manpower (MOM) and Public Service Division (PSD). With the return of all students to schools on a daily basis since 29 June 2020, we will need teachers and staff to be physically present to support school operations, and to ensure that the learning of our students is not disrupted. We have put in place stringent safe management measures to ensure that schools remain a safe environment for both staff and students. The schools will exercise flexibility on work arrangement where operationally feasible. For example, school staff may be allowed to: (a) Report/leave at staggered hours if they have no lessons or duties assigned for the start/end of the school day; or (b) Work from home on a day where they have no physical classes or other assigned duties requiring their physical presence in school. In addition, schools pay close attention to school staff who may be more vulnerable to COVID-19, such as staff with underlying medical conditions or pregnancy with complications. Extra care is taken when considering their deployment. For example, they are not assigned to roles with greater exposure such as taking temperature at the school gate. We will continue to make every effort to ensure the well-being of our staff and minimise the risk of exposure.”
“We will continue to review the system after some experience with running it, and consider if further updates or refinements are needed.”
“Under the new PSLE scoring system, students will be graded in wider scoring bands, known as Achievement Levels, to reduce fine differentiation at a young age, and recognise a student’s level of achievement, regardless of how their peers have done. In line with this move, we have introduced school choice order as a new tiebreaker under the Secondary 1 Posting system, to encourage parents and students to choose schools that would best suit the student’s interests and strengths. Under the new system, tiebreakers will be applied in the following order if students with the same PSLE score are vying for the last remaining place in a school: First, citizenship, which is an existing tiebreaker. Singapore Citizens have the highest priority, then Permanent Residents, and lastly International Students. Second, the new tiebreaker based on school choice order. Lastly, if citizenship status and school choice order are the same, randomised computer balloting will be used to determine who is admitted to the school. Balloting only happens when there are more students who choose the same school than there are vacancies in that school, and takes place after the tiebreakers of citizenship and choice order of schools have kicked in. This means that balloting happens only between students at the margins of admission to the same school who have the same PSLE score, citizenship and choice order of schools. Based on simulations using the performance and school choice patterns of past cohorts, we expect that about 1 in 10 students will undergo balloting. Notwithstanding, the vast majority of students will be allocated one of their six school choices, comparable to the proportion under the current T-score system. There are currently no plans to introduce further tiebreakers.”
“As each student's situation is unique, the matter must be dealt with individually. Our guiding principles are to treat these students with dignity and respect, and to provide as much support as we can to help them. I recognise how strongly some people feel about this issue. We welcome continued dialogue and feedback, and will strive to provide a supportive environment in schools to support our students holistically. Issues of gender identity have become bitterly contested sources of division in the culture wars in some Western countries and societies. We should not import these culture wars into Singapore, or allow issues of gender identity to divide our society. Ms He suggested a report to Parliament on a regular basis. Our experience dealing with such cases is that the family members themselves, especially the parents, are very uncomfortable with a public airing of their situation. We ought to respect their requests for privacy and avoid putting out information that will compromise any student or family confidentiality. Let us give the students and their families time and space to resolve matters amongst themselves, in consultation with their doctors and counsellors.”
“Mr Speaker, gender dysphoria is a clinically diagnosed condition. Medical professionals recognise that each person with gender dysphoria is different. Therefore, the treatments too are individualised. All medical treatment decisions, including the use of hormone replacement therapy, ultimately rest with medical professionals, the persons with gender dysphoria and their family. Where minors are concerned – meaning anyone below the age of 21 – parental consent is required before any hormonal treatment can commence. Such medical decisions are beyond the purview of MOE or any educational institution. MOE's focus is on the school environment and the students involved. Schools are a common space for all students regardless of their backgrounds and circumstances. We have a duty of care to every student. For students with gender dysphoria, our main focus is continuing to provide them with a conducive learning environment and to support their overall well-being. Recognising that the issues are complex and that there are diverse opinions amongst students and their parents, we strive to deal with these situations sensitively and with compassion. One particularly difficult issue is with school rules. They are in place to help students cultivate self-discipline and a sense of responsibility. But we recognise that students diagnosed with gender dysphoria and undergoing hormone therapy could face difficulties with certain school rules. Where there are valid medical grounds, schools can exercise flexibility and work out practical arrangements for these students. The schools will consult and work closely with different stakeholders, including the relevant medical professionals, the students concerned and their parents, in putting in place these arrangements.”
“The SkillsFuture Credit seeks to empower Singaporeans to take ownership of their skills development and lifelong learning. Even though the SkillsFuture Credit is used primarily to cover the fees for training and the associated assessments, we also allow SkillsFuture Credit for use on more than 200 examination-only certifications. To ensure prudent use of the SkillsFuture Credit, these certifications must be recognised by the industry, and supported by the relevant public agency overseeing the sector. Some examples are the Project Management Professional (PMP) and The Open Group Architecture Framework 9 (TOGAF 9) certifications.”
“As of August 2020, about 600,000 or 23.5% of eligible Singaporeans had utilised their SkillsFuture Credit (SFC). The 23.5% of eligible Singaporeans comprised about 9% who had fully or almost fully utilised their opening SFC of $500 and about 14.5% who had partially utilised their SFC (with remaining balances of more than $50). We have seen an increase in the utilisation over the past six months, from 22.2% in May 2020 to 24.9% in November 2020. The increase could be due to improved awareness of upskilling opportunities and stronger personal interest in upskilling to enhance one’s employability amidst the volatile jobs situation last year.”
“(proc text)] [(proc text) Resolved, (proc text)] [(proc text) "That this Parliament, in accordance with Article 144(1)(a) of the Constitution of the Republic of Singapore and section 11(1) of the Government Securities Act (Chapter 121A of the 2014 Revised Edition), resolves that the Minister for Finance be authorised to borrow, by the issue of Government Securities in Singapore under that Act, a further sum not exceeding Two Hundred and Seventy Thousand Million Singapore Dollars (S$270,000,000,000), thereby in total a sum not exceeding Nine Hundred and Sixty Thousand Million Singapore Dollars (S$960,000,000,000)." (proc text)]”
“It is something that we monitor very closely. In Singapore, the context is different because MAS uses an exchange rate policy, so, it is not constrained by zero interest rate like other central banks. Our interest rates in Singapore are determined more by global interest rates, but we monitor this very carefully. I think for now, our situation is such that we expect interest rates to remain low for quite some time until we see a broader upturn in the global economy and a normalisation of monetary policy, we do not expect to enter into negative interest rate territory. If that were to happen, yes, indeed, there will be impact on both borrowers and savers and we will study very carefully should such a contingency arise, what sort of mitigating measures we can put in place. But, for now, our baseline, or based on what we are looking at, I do not think we are entering a negative interest rate environment, but we do expect interest rates to remain low for a while, which as Assoc Prof Jamus Lim said, gives rise to the motivation to think about borrowing for projects. And like I said, that is something we are studying carefully and we will come back to this house with a fuller presentation when we are ready and have a fuller debate on it. Mdm Deputy Speaker, I think I have addressed all the questions and I beg to move. [(proc text) Question put, and agreed to.”