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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“Mr Speaker, let me thank Mr Louis Chua and Mr Louis Ng who have spoken in support of the Bill and the need to safeguard our GST base. Let me respond to some of their comments and suggestions. Mr Louis Chua asked about the extent of missing trader fraud in Singapore. As at 31 December 2019, more than 300 GST-registered businesses audited have been suspected to be involved in missing trader fraud in Singapore. The total GST involved is about $450 million. Now, of these 300 GST-registered businesses, IRAS has completed its audit and investigation for about 70 businesses and the GST involved amongst these businesses is about $90 million in GST. So, those have been completed. The remaining businesses are still under investigation. So, the GST at risk of loss for this category is the remaining, that is, $450 million minus $90 million, so, it is $360 million. That is where we stand today. It is not at the same scale as the EU, but we see the trends internationally. We are concerned and that is why we are putting in place these measures and I am very happy that Mr Louis Chua also supports them. Second, Mr Louis Chua also mentioned the possibility of doing an e-commerce tax and I am very happy that he supports this, too, because we will certainly look for ways to raise more revenues. We have already moved on GST for imported services and we will be looking at the GST for imported goods, too. So, that is something on our minds. This is something that is quite complex because the way to go about doing this, obviously, is to tax at source, right? When you buy something from an e-commerce platform, impose the GST at source and then you can ensure that GST applies even for e-commerce transactions. But if countries do not all impose such a tax, it is quite easy to circumvent.”
“We cannot anticipate what the scenarios will be but in the event that something were to happen that is meritorious, then indeed we will have a remission provision that can be exercised. So, whether or not the surcharge or interest on the surcharge will be remitted will depend on the facts of each case, and whether such a remission is sound. Mr Speaker, let me conclude. I think Members would agree that tax avoidance arrangements are, as I highlighted earlier, becoming increasingly creative and complicated. We need to do more to ensure that our revenue base is protected. We need to future-proof our anti-avoidance rules to ensure that taxpayers are sufficiently deterred from entering into such arrangements in the first place. That is why we are putting in place the amendments in this Bill. Mr Speaker, I beg to move. [(proc text) Question put, and agreed to. (proc text)] [(proc text) Bill accordingly read a Second time and committed to a Committee of the whole House. (proc text)] [(proc text) The House immediately resolved itself into a Committee on the Bill. – [Mr Lawrence Wong]. (proc text)] [(proc text) Bill considered in Committee; reported without amendment; read a Third time and passed. (proc text)]”
“What constitutes a tax avoidance arrangement does not change under the re-enacted section 33. In other words, the principles set out in the CIT vs AQQ case will continue to apply and will assist the Comptroller of Income Tax in practice. Second, Mr Ng asked if the examples of arrangements that are provided in IRAS' e-Tax Guide should be understood as arrangements that the Parliament should consider as tax avoidance arrangements. I should clarify, Mr Speaker, that these tax avoidance arrangements provided in the e-Tax Guide are the Comptroller's guidance to taxpayers on what he considers to be examples of tax avoidance arrangements. These examples are, in part, distilled from cases to date and are not meant to be and cannot be conclusive or exhaustive. Whether an arrangement constitutes tax avoidance will still have to depend on the facts of the case concerned and then it will go back to the provisions in the Act as well as the provisions in section 33. A taxpayer who disagrees with the Comptroller's decision may appeal to the Income Tax Board of Review and thereafter, to the Courts. Third, Mr Ng asked if the ability to remit the proposed surcharge or interest payable under this new section 33(A) is inconsistent with our stance against tax avoidance and the circumstances in which surcharge or interest may be remitted. Indeed, the proposed surcharge and other amendments to section 33, which we are proposing in this Bill, underscore our continued strong stance against tax avoidance. But we do provide an avenue in the law for the Comptroller to remit the surcharge or interest on the surcharge. But I would stress that this remission would be rarely and judiciously exercised.”
“Mr Speaker, I thank both Assoc Prof Jamus Lim and Mr Louis Ng for their comments and also for their support of the Bill. Assoc Prof Lim highlighted the different durations in the schemes for the various capital allowances and profits, and I think he also compared it with the time frame for GST. Mr Speaker, I would like to put it to the Members that there is really no basis for making such comparisons. Every scheme has to be considered on its own merit – the objective of the scheme, the time frame and then the continuous review of the scheme to ensure that it is relevant and serves its objective. That applies for each individual revenue scheme, it applies for each individual tax item and it also applies for our overall revenue base. We have to ensure that at the overall level, we have a revenue position that is sustainable in order to meet expenditures on an on-going basis, and that is what we will continue to do. On Assoc Prof Lim's comment about tax avoidance, it is an area that we continuously look at – whether or not the leakage exists and has it become more pervasive, it is hard to quantify this but we do know that tax avoidance arrangements are becoming increasingly creative and complicated. That is why IRAS indeed uses a range of analytical tools to try and detect such cases. But we also need to future-proof our anti-avoidance rules to ensure that taxpayers are sufficiently deterred from entering into such arrangements in the first place. Hence, the amendments that are being proposed here. Let me also now address specific questions by Mr Louis Ng with respect to some of these tax avoidance arrangements. First, Mr Ng asked if the existing test for ascertaining tax avoidance in the landmark CIT vs AQQ case will continue to apply. The short answer is yes.”
“Mr Speaker, we need to understand the objectives of the different schemes. There are schemes that are provided to assist individuals, whether it is a COVID-19 Support Grant or others; and there are other schemes which are directed towards economic support. In this case, the JSS is really a broad-based wage support scheme. You may not feel the impact of it directly, but I assure you, it is extremely important to have such a scheme to ensure that companies retain their local workforce. Without such a broad-based wage support scheme, I am quite sure unemployment rates today would be far higher than they are. And we would be in a different position altogether. Having said that, circumstances will change. We are talking about a period when we had circuit breaker, when a lot of companies were impacted and we had to put in place a broad-based support scheme. We have already started to differentiate the JSS by tiers and we will continue to review to see how the JSS can be more targeted and transit also now, to a Jobs Growth Incentive, to encourage companies to create new jobs. So, these schemes will continue to be reviewed and updated. 2.00 pm”
“Thank you. We do not track the detailed breakdown of the profile of JSS beneficiaries as requested by Assoc Prof Lim. But as the JSS is a broad-based scheme to support all local employees across a wide range of businesses, the profile would mirror that of the local workforce in the broader economy. In terms of industry breakdown, based on the JSS payouts that have been made so far, which cover wages for October 2019 to April 2020, the amount of JSS disbursed to Tier 1 sectors is about $2.2 billion, benefiting 223,000 employees. Tier 1 sectors comprise aviation, aerospace, tourism, hospitality, conventions and exhibitions, and built environment. For Tier 2 sectors, which comprise arts and culture, marine and offshore, food services, land transport and retail sectors, the total JSS paid out is about $1.9 billion, benefiting 317,000 employees. For the remaining sectors, the total JSS paid out is about $12.4 billion, benefiting 1.7 million employees.”
“Sorry, Mr Speaker, I am taking Question Nos 13 and 14 together, with your permission.”
“With the roll-out of PLDs, MOE will also provide further support to schools in the following areas: Enhanced Cyber Wellness education under the revised Character and Citizenship Education (CCE) curriculum, to help students manage their use of PLDs in a safe and responsible manner; Learning resources for the development of digital literacies to enable students to develop the dispositions, knowledge and skills to thrive in the digital environment; Guides for students and parents, including tips on developing digital literacy and how parents can partner schools to support students' learning with PLDs; and Additional technical support personnel for schools to ensure a smooth digital learning experience for students and teachers.”
“The Ministry of Education (MOE) had announced earlier this year that as part of the National Digital Literacy Programme, every secondary student would have their own Personal Learning Device (PLD) by end 2021. Complemented by enhanced internet connectivity that we will provide to schools, PLDs will better support teaching and learning and develop students' digital literacies. The tender for the PLDs has just been awarded and MOE is in the process of finalising the implementation details with the vendors involved. Schools will be able to select from a range of device types in order to best meet their teaching and learning needs, as the intent is for all students in the school to be using the same PLD. We will provide more details on the roll-out of PLDs to schools by January 2021. The secondary school curriculum already incorporates the use of digital tools for teaching and learning, many of which are integrated into the Singapore Student Learning Space (SLS) platform. PLDs will complement these existing tools to enhance both in-class and home-based learning. MOE will provide schools with guidance on the effective use of PLDs. However, schools will have the autonomy to customise their integration of PLDs to better meet the learning needs of their students.”
“In any appraisal system, there will always be employees who will feel that they have done better than how they have been assessed. Over the last five years, well below 1% of the teachers would appeal against their performance grades annually. Each appeal is taken seriously and looked into carefully by the Ministry. In addition, we have put in place checks and balances to ensure the deserving officers are duly recognised for their work. For instance, to complement individual assessments by the direct supervisors, inputs from the indirect supervisors are also taken into consideration. This helps to ensure that there is sufficient objectivity, fairness, rigour and discipline in the process.”
“We also have several foreign universities who run programmes from campuses in Singapore, catering to both foreign and local students. These programmes also contribute to Singapore's attractiveness as a place for international educational exchanges, and enable our AUs to remain connected to this global education network.”
“The number of international students in our Autonomous Universities (AUs) who receive undergraduate scholarships and tuition grants form less than 10% of each intake. In addition, some international students at the undergraduate level do not take up tuition grants and pay full fees. On average over the past three years, the proportion of international students on tuition grant only, those on a combination of tuition grant and scholarships, and those who are full-fee paying stands at about 60%, 25% and 15% respectively. Recipients of tuition grant and scholarships are required to work in Singapore after they graduate as part of their bond obligations. Based on our surveys, the median gross starting salaries of international students with tuition grants and scholarships are comparable to that of undergraduates as a whole. We do not track the salaries of full-fee paying international students as a specific group. Most international students have sunk roots in Singapore. Based on the data for the graduation cohorts of 2012 to 2014, about 75% of scholarship holders and 60% of tuition grant recipients have been granted permanent residency. Around 10 to 15% of them convert to citizenship within five years of graduation. We do not track PR or citizenship status for full-fee paying international students. For those who eventually choose to leave Singapore, they continue to be part of our valuable global network, through the friendships and links forged during their studies. This is like Singaporeans who have studied in overseas universities who retain ties to their universities and countries of study when they return to Singapore. Some of our Singaporean students may also have received financial support from their overseas universities or foundations.”
“At Primary 3 to 6, schools are recommended to provide about five to six hours of curriculum time per week for Mathematics and 2 to 2.5 hours per week for Science. The exact amount will depend on the grade level of the students and whether the subject is offered at the Standard or Foundation level at Primary 5 and 6. The Mathematics and Science curricula are designed to allow previously learnt content to be revised and reinforced before new concepts are introduced at higher levels. The curriculum time allocated to the subjects caters for this revision and consolidation of topics learnt. The amount of curriculum time set aside for this is not hardwired but would depend on the professional judgment of teachers based on the learning pace and mastery level of their specific profile of learners. Reading is important for the holistic development of our students. The school curriculum encourages and creates opportunities for students to read widely, beyond the recommended texts. Many schools set aside time to encourage students to read for pleasure, such as by allocating one period a week within the primary English language lessons for reading. Schools also organise other activities to encourage students’ interest in reading English and Mother Tongue Language books for leisure. MOE reviews the curriculum regularly for balanced and holistic development of students. This includes ensuring sufficient time for student learning while balancing the need for them to still have time for exploration and leisure.”
“MOE has achieved our target of having a school-based student care centre (SCC) in all 185 primary schools this year, up from 170 in 2019. The provision of school-based SCC places has largely kept pace with demand. Schools monitor the demand for school-based SCC places closely, and work with the service providers to expand their capacity, where appropriate, at a pace that does not compromise programme and service quality. Enrolment in school-based SCCs has increased from 3,000 in 2012, to 25,000 in 2019, and around 27,000 this year. MOE works closely with our SCC service providers to ensure they offer programmes that promote holistic development of students, reinforce values taught by the school, and promote positive social interaction. For students with greater needs in our SCCs, schools work with community partners and the SCC service providers to further strengthen motivational support and resilience through meaningful programmes.”
“MOE also monitors the trend of sexual misconduct cases involving IHL staff and students, and the IHLs are required to provide the necessary information. In the course of addressing allegations, MOE expects institutions to be open and timely in their communications, while taking into consideration the facts of the case, the need to ensure the safety of their communities and safeguard the well-being and privacy of victims and other members of the community who are directly affected, and the need to ensure that Police investigations are not impacted. MOE will continue to work closely with the IHLs to ensure that the well-being and safety of students and staff on campus are protected.”
“Ms He has asked about training for educators on proper conduct with students. At the IHLs, all faculty and staff are expected to uphold their institutions’ respective Codes of Conduct and regulations at all times. These Codes cover expected behaviours on- and off-campus, including respect for the rule of law and for others, and personal, professional and academic integrity. As outlined in these Codes, staff must keep their relationship with students strictly professional. This is necessary to safeguard the integrity of the relationship between educators and students in support of the education mission, and ensures that staff do not place themselves in a position of conflict of interest. Staff are briefed, and reminded of these periodically. Where allegations of serious misconduct are made, the IHLs will immediately require the accused individual to stay away from campus temporarily, if they assess that the alleged offender may pose a danger to any member of their community. If the case involves a student or staff from the same institution, the IHLs may also impose a No-Contact Order to ensure that the alleged offender is prohibited from contacting or being in the vicinity of the party making the allegations. Ms He asked about regular reports of sexual misconduct on campus. A Police report is typically made for allegations of serious misconduct, and where the alleged offender is proven and charged in court, this will be a matter of public record. Separately, the IHLs also conduct their own internal investigations to determine if the alleged offender has breached their Code of Conduct. Those who do so are subject to disciplinary sanctions, including possible suspension or expulsion of students, or dismissal of staff.”
“The questions raised by Ms He Ting Ru follow the recent media coverage of the case involving a former teaching staff at the National University of Singapore (NUS) who was dismissed for being in an intimate relationship with an undergraduate, which is a clear contravention of NUS’s Code of Conduct for staff. Given the undergraduate’s allegations of sexual misconduct against the individual, a Police report was made and the investigation is underway. The Autonomous Universities (AUs) and other Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs), including our Polytechnics and ITEs, have a duty of care to their students and staff, which includes providing a safe environment for teaching and learning. MOE has been working closely with the IHLs to review and step up their efforts to tackle the issue of sexual misconduct holistically. The IHLs have enhanced efforts in four key areas: First, they have enhanced their education efforts for students and staff to educate them on respect and appropriate behaviour. These include student briefings during orientation, online modules, face-to-face workshops, and regular outreach to build awareness. Second, they have enhanced campus infrastructure, including expanding CCTV camera coverage and increasing the frequency of security patrols. Third, they have strengthened support for victims, including enhancing training for first responders and enhancing counselling services. Fourth, they have significantly strengthened their student disciplinary frameworks to impose tougher penalties for sexual misconduct. The IHLs are committed to ensuring campus safety, and will continue to regularly review and enhance their processes and measures, in consultation with their students and staff.”
“Mr Speaker, with regard to the first question, this is an on-going process. The teachers in the classrooms continue to identify students who are weaker and who may need more help, and will pay more attention to them. This applies, of course, to their mastery of subjects, but it also applies to soft skills. For example, students that may benefit from more coaching when it comes to communication skills – that is something that the teachers would really be able to identify and they can provide more help, be it through their lessons in class or by giving them more opportunities. The importance of the 21CC, which I highlighted just now, is integral to the teaching and learning process in schools. The school leaders and educators are fully aware of this and will continue to make sure they identify students who are weaker, who will need more help and can benefit from more help. On the second point, we are also mindful that there will be students from certain backgrounds who may lack the exposure and the opportunities. That is why schools also pay a lot of attention to this segment of students to try and uplift them and provide them with more opportunities. This is work in progress. Certainly, we will continue to try to do better at this – provide more systematic uplifting programmes, more exposure, more opportunities for these students. It is a continuing process. We already allocate more resources to help these students. We make sure that there are more programmes in place to help these students and we will continue to do so. And I would say that this effort cannot be done by schools alone. We also need help from the community, we need help from industry, so that together, we can provide maximum opportunities to help students who can benefit from such help.”
“For example, students learn interpersonal and collaboration skills through both in-person group work and through the use of online collaboration tools. Even with safe management measures in place, our schools and IHLs seek to ensure that students spend sufficient time in face-to-face interactions, be it in classrooms, CCAs or other activities, so that they can benefit from a more holistic education experience. For example, schools will be allowed to further resume activities that are held outside of school and those that involve fixed inter-mingling of students across schools, during their post-exam period. IHLs have also progressively increased the number of students allowed back on campus for in-person learning. Classes and consultations, previously conducted online, are allowed to resume, with no more than 50 persons per class. MOE is taking incremental steps to resume more of such in-person activities safely in schools and IHLs. We will continue to help ensure that our students and graduates are future-ready by progressively developing their soft skills at each stage of the education journey.”
“Mr Speaker, soft skills like critical and inventive thinking, collaboration and information skills, civic literacy and interpersonal skills, are part of what educators around the world commonly term as 21st Century Competencies, or 21CC. MOE strives to develop 21CC in every student to enable them to thrive in a fast-changing and increasingly inter-connected world. These competencies are developed through both curricular and co-curricular activities. For example, through group work, students learn communication and collaboration skills and how to manage relationships with peers. In learning humanities, students develop stronger global awareness and cross-cultural understanding. In learning sciences, students are exposed to the inquiry process and inventive thinking of scientists. Beyond the classroom, co-curricular and Values-in-Action activities are platforms that enable students to deepen their mastery of 21CC through rich and authentic learning opportunities. When students progress to the Institutes of Higher Learning or IHLs, they continue to develop soft skills through their course programmes and applied learning opportunities such as industry attachments, internships and community service programmes. In addition, the IHLs are enhancing their curriculum to provide students with more multi-disciplinary and inter-disciplinary exposure. This will help broaden students’ perspectives and encourage trans-disciplinary thinking and approaches to problem-solving. Schools and institutions gauge the impact on student outcomes through regular programme reviews as well as student feedback. In recent times, with greater use of technology and digital platforms, soft skills can be nurtured through online and offline learning experiences that reinforce each other.”
“It is an on-going process, Mr Speaker, because we continue to review this. It is not a specific review that we are doing now. Constantly, we exchange notes with jurisdictions elsewhere. We look at what Assoc Prof Jamus Lim had suggested too, on what is the balance between ranking versus having more absolute measures of performance. And then we also see some of the negative experiences in other jurisdictions where sometimes if you put too much weight on one indicator, then the teachers teach to that or perform to that indicator only, and then you end up with inadvertent consequences. Like I said, there is no perfect appraisal system anywhere in the world. In the end, you have to keep on improving, reviewing, updating and being mindful of the potential downsides. So, the concerns raised by Members, that ranking and the appraisal systems that have elements of ranking can lead to the ill effects of competition, is something we are very mindful of. That is why in the way we appraise, we also look at how teachers collaborate with one another, in order to encourage that sort of behaviour.”
“Mr Speaker, as I had mentioned just now, our objective is to have a sound appraisal system that enhances teaching quality. How to go about designing this appraisal system? I think we have a system that works reasonably well, but I would be the first to acknowledge that it is not perfect. I do not think there are perfect solutions anywhere in the world. We constantly have to review and improve. Even in the system of ranking that we have today, it has evolved over the years. We, for example, do not rigidly apply performance grade quotas anymore today; we allow flexibility and deviations, so we look at different circumstances. Ultimately, when we look at a performance system, the key objective is still, as I said earlier, for the school leadership teams to be able to identify excellent teachers amongst those who are under their charge. So, there is, in that selection, some form of ranking inevitably but the purpose is to be able to identify the high performing ones so that you can nurture them and put them up for advancement, and then they can in turn be the next generation of school leaders and master teachers. We remain open with regard to new ideas and inputs on how this appraisal system can continue to be enhanced. But our objective, I think all of us here in this House share that same objective, is to have an appraisal system that is fair, enhances teaching quality and helps us to advance the next generation of school leadership so that we can continue to do the best for our students.”
“We will continue to review and improve the system, as I have said, based on feedback from all stakeholders and looking at experiences in other countries as well as best practices in other jurisdictions. Our fundamental objective is really to ensure a high quality teaching force and do the best for every child in our schools.”
“Mr Speaker, let me start by saying that we appreciate the work that our teachers do. Teaching is a very demanding job; it is a special calling. I know this from first-hand experience because my mother was a teacher for more than 40 years. So, let us make no pretence of it. It is demanding, and I would say it is probably more demanding now than it used to be. But it is also vitally important in bringing out the best in every child and nurturing the next generation. That is why we spare no effort in building a first-rate teaching force, high quality and dedicated. We also do our very best to support them in their work. I say this because we have to look at appraisal systems in this context. An appraisal system is meant to enhance teaching quality. Evidence around the world shows that having a good appraisal system can help in enhancing teaching quality. An OECD study said, for example, that "teacher appraisal can be a key lever for increasing the focus on teaching quality". So, that is what we have been trying to do. It is not about competition amongst the teachers, but it is putting in place an appraisal system where there is focus on quality and where the school leadership teams can continually assess their teachers, and identify the excellent teachers amongst them who can be the next generation of school leaders and master teachers. I think that is important for maintaining that quality of our teaching force and also important in being able to nurture our next generation well. We have been doing this for many years. We have an appraisal system that works reasonably well and we have, as a result of it, a strong high-quality teaching force.”
“About eight in 10 Singapore teachers reported that their schools have a collaborative school culture characterised by mutual support, shared responsibility, common beliefs about student learning and well-being, and an emphasis on innovation. 92% of our teachers also said that they can rely on one another, which is higher than the OECD average of 89%. On balance, we find that a system of relative ranking of performance still serves its purpose today. While there are ranking guidelines to adhere to, there is also flexibility for deviations, taking into consideration the performance of individual officers and specific circumstances. Nevertheless, MOE works with the Public Service Division, or PSD, to review our appraisal system periodically and has made refinements to the system over the years as our operating landscape changes. We will also continue to work with PSD to study alternative systems of performance management so that we can ensure our system remains relevant and effective. Beyond the ranking guidelines or even the system of performance management that is in place, what is important is for our school leaders to continue motivating and inspiring our teachers to stay true to their calling as educators and help our students reach their full potential.”
“Mr Speaker, MOE takes guidance from the Civil Service ranking and promotion framework for our staff performance appraisal and ranking processes. So, we adopt a system where a teacher’s performance is not just assessed by his own supervisor, but also cross-ranked with his peers by a ranking panel comprising direct and indirect supervisors. The system allows us to consistently identify and recognise stronger performing officers, while at the same time provide development opportunities to those who need more support to help them improve their performance. In addition, the system also helps to moderate differences in supervisors’ assessments and establish common standards of performance assessment. We adopt a holistic approach in assessing our teachers. They are expected to be able to deliver effective teaching and pastoral care, support students in their character development, interact well with students and contribute to the learning of fellow teachers. Our teachers are also assessed on their ability to work and collaborate with others. Apart from feedback from our School Leaders, MOE monitors key staff-related indicators like staff collaboration through our internal staff engagement surveys, and we do not find any particular concerns raised about our teachers not being able to collaborate with one another. Singapore Secondary school teachers who participated in OECD’s Teaching and Learning International Survey 2018 said that beyond performance ratings, they receive feedback that has a positive impact on their teaching practices. In fact, they reported that the teaching fraternity here has a strong collaborative and collegial culture, driven by a shared belief in collective improvement of practice.”
“Mr Speaker, with your permission, I would like to take Question Nos 11 and 12 together.”
“At the National School Games, the Singapore Youth Festival Arts Presentation and the National Day Parade, students with and without a SEN rehearse, practice and perform together. The Play Inclusive campaign, organised by SportCares and Special Olympics Singapore in partnership with MOE since 2018, also brings together student-athletes from several SPED and mainstream schools to share sporting experiences as members of the same team. In 2019, MOE partnered Outward Bound Singapore (OBS) to pilot a 5D4N Inclusive Sailing programme around the waters of OBS Pulau Ubin campus. MOE is committed to nurturing the existing Satellite Partnerships and growing new ones, so that the students can continue to learn and grow together in a more inclusive environment.”
“Today, about 80% of students with Special Educational Needs (SEN) such as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Dyslexia and Physical or Sensory Impairments are in mainstream schools. In every school, students have opportunities to learn alongside and make friends with peers who are differently abled. Students learn about inclusivity through the formal curriculum and beyond. For those who need some help, Allied Educators for Learning and Behaviour Support implement strategies to enable students to turn to their peers for friendship and emotional support. Around 20% of students with SEN, who have higher support needs, or 1.5% of all students, attend our 19 Special Education (SPED) schools. These schools are not necessarily separated from mainstream schools as they can enjoy, through the Satellite Partnership, a long-term sustained relationship with a mainstream school where there are opportunities for purposeful social interaction between the students through platforms such as joint CCA activities, recess, workshops and camps. For example, through their Satellite Partnership, students from Dunman High School and MINDS Towner Gardens School have opportunities to relate with each other through activities such as joint community service projects, arts and craft, and science activities. Students attending Canossian School or Pathlight School also join their mainstream peers for academic learning, where appropriate. Over the years, the Ministry of Education (MOE) and schools, with help from partner organisations, have sought to build inclusivity into the arts and sports calendar.”
“Mr Speaker, I do not have with me data on the Workfare payout, certainly not the latest periods of Workfare payouts. I will not be surprised if there are more payouts, partly because there may well be people who are in the lower income categories who will benefit from Workfare and, perhaps, more payout has been given during this period. But, certainly, because of the Workfare Special Payment, and if you pool it altogether, the Government is giving more to lower wage workers and we will continue to do so.”
“Mr Speaker, I share the concern that Ms Tan has over the difficulties that many SEPs face during this difficult period. I am sure many Members have shared similar concerns and you would have seen residents who have similar difficulties. I would encourage everyone to look at this particular requirement, not in isolation but to look at the full suite of help measures that the Government has put in place. Yes, there is Workfare Special Payment which is tied to the underlying Workfare requirement. But there are also many other help schemes in the Budget, through ComCare, through SIRS, through GST Voucher, where the help is provided more immediately and are not tied to any CPF contributions. Secondly, I take the point that the Member had suggested, that we should do more to help SEPs meet their MediSave obligations and pay their arrears through instalments. As I had mentioned earlier, the CPF Board is already doing its part to reach out to them and provide instalment plans to help these SEPs fulfil their MediSave obligations. To the extent that some of these SEPs need more time to fulfil their MediSave obligations and they extend beyond the deadline for the Workfare Special Payment, we will be prepared to consider such appeals – meaning to say, they take time to fulfil their MediSave through instalments, but then they have passed the Workfare Special Payment deadline or the Workfare deadline, we will still be prepared to consider such cases for eligibility for the Workfare Special Payment.”
“From time to time, we do review whether this is sufficient, as well as whether to simplify the P1 Registration Framework. We will keep in mind the suggestion from A/P Lim as well as from many others who have provided useful feedback and suggestions for future reviews of the P1 Registration Framework, taking into account the diverse perspectives and views.”
“Parents choose primary schools for their children based on a variety of considerations. These may include the convenience of having the younger sibling attend the same school as the older sibling, proximity to home, ties that the parents have with the school, including being alumni of the school, agreement with the school’s ethos and culture etc. Overall, the current Primary 1 (P1) Registration Framework tries to reflect these considerations, maintaining some balance between different groups of parents and their preferences through the different registration phases. MOE regularly receives feedback on many different ways to adjust these priorities. Similar to what the Member is suggesting, some have asked for changes to the home-school distance balloting categories. Others have asked that we do away with priority arrangements in favour of pure distance-based priority to allow those who live near the school a much better chance of admission. On the other hand, there have also been calls for pure random balloting, due to concerns that a focus on distance could end up benefitting families with the financial means to move nearer to their choice schools. There is no perfect system, but the current system seeks to strike a careful balance amongst different parental and community expectations, while respecting the history and legacy of many schools which started off as community initiatives. As part of MOE's move to keep every school open to children who have no prior connections to the school, we have reserved 20 places each for Phase 2B and for Phase 2C since the 2014 P1 Registration Exercise. It ensures that there is open access to all primary schools, and also provides some assurance of places for those who live near the school.”
“The relationship between English Language and mathematics competency is well established in research studies. Learning mathematics requires students to understand both the mathematical concepts and the language to express those concepts. Word problems can allow learning of mathematics to be meaningful by using real world context to help students see the relevance of mathematics. That is why word problems are widely used in mathematics education globally. Nevertheless, we recognise that overly complex word problems can cause confusion among young learners, and be a barrier to learning mathematics. Hence MOE makes a conscious effort to ensure that the language used in the national and school-based mathematics examinations is appropriate and clear. MOE also provides guidelines and conduct workshops to help schools pitch their school-based examinations appropriately. This includes managing the difficulty level and using language and context at age-appropriate levels. Managing reading load, language demand and word counts are carefully observed as part of test and examination construction. MOE will continue to guide schools in teaching and learning and ensure that mathematics word problems are appropriately pitched.”
“MOE builds new primary schools based on localised demand projections and planned housing developments to ensure that there are sufficient school places for all Singaporean children in each residential area. However, individual primary schools in the same residential area could experience different levels of subscription for places based on many factors, including parental choice. There are five primary schools within one kilometre and another nine primary schools within one to two kilometres of Brickland constituency. We are aware that there are several recently completed and upcoming housing developments in Brickland constituency and have made appropriate adjustments to the Primary 1 intake to cater to higher demand. Five out of the 14 schools had a total of about 430 remaining vacancies at the end of Phase 2C (Supplementary) in this year’s P1 Registration Exercise. Although places in South View Primary School and Chua Chu Kang Primary School were taken up by the end of Phase 2C this year, nearby Teck Whye Primary School had 88 remaining vacancies at the end of Phase 2C (Supplementary). Unity Primary School did not ballot at Phase 2C and still had 57 remaining vacancies at the end of Phase 2C (Supplementary). As the existing schools in the vicinity of Brickland constituency have sufficient places to serve residents, we have no plans to build a new primary school within the constituency. Nonetheless, MOE will continue to carefully review the demand and supply trends for the coming years and if necessary, adjust the intake for some schools in advance to meet projected demand.”
“This includes career preparatory services such as resume-writing and interview skills, and helping students match their strengths and interests to their career goals. MOE will increase the number of ECGCs to support students in their learning journey and transition to the workforce. Junior Colleges will have an ECGC each, and Secondary Schools will have one ECGC supporting two schools – up from a ratio of one ECGC to four schools today. The enhanced ECGC resourcing will be implemented in phases, from January 2021.”
“Education and Career Guidance (ECG) is available to all students in Secondary Schools, Junior Colleges, Polytechnics and ITE. MOE’s approach to ECG is to progressively build on foundations provided in earlier education levels, to ensure that students receive relevant and timely support at each stage of their learning journey, including the transition to the workforce. In MOE schools and at the Polytechnics and ITE, ECG is delivered through an ECG curriculum complemented with access to the MySkillsFuture portal, ECG experiences and ECG counselling services. All students are introduced to the MySkillsFuture portal which provides up-to-date education and career/industry information and tools to help students understand their own interests, values, abilities, and explore education and career choices. In addition, ECG experiences, such as education talks, fairs, visits to higher education institutions and industries, help students raise their awareness and guide their education and career planning. At the Polytechnics and ITE, the ECG curriculum and out-of-classroom activities, such as industry immersion programmes, learning journeys and career talks, help students make informed career decisions, and encourage them to embrace continual upgrading and lifelong learning even after they enter the workforce. Students requiring more targeted ECG support can approach their teachers, academic staff and ECG Counsellors (ECGCs) in their educational institution for assistance and individual counselling. Through their Career Centres, the Polytechnics and ITE also offer additional career guidance services for their graduating students.”
“The SGUnited Skills programme comprises full-time training courses ranging from six to 12 months. Singapore Citizens and Singapore Permanent Residents are eligible for the programme, with the exception of fresh graduates, for whom the SGUnited Traineeships have been introduced. Training providers appointed to deliver SGUnited Skills courses are governed through contractual arrangements with SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG) and are held to specified performance standards. They are selected based on their track record with SSG in delivering sector-specific training, and their capabilities in career advisory and employment assistance. The Member asked if training places can be expanded if trainees were to self-source their own work attachments. But the issue is not just about finding work attachments. Training providers also need to ensure that the work attachments or industry projects are carefully curated and designed to be integrated with the training programme. Under the SGUnited Skills Programme, our target is to provide 20,000 funded training places across a wide variety of courses. So far, we have rolled out 13,000 places and are on track to meet the target by December 2020. We are prepared to increase the funded training places, should there be additional demand.”
“The SkillsFuture Credit seeks to empower every Singaporean to take charge of his or her own learning over the course of his or her life, even in the senior years. For this reason, we have designed the SkillsFuture Credit to be non-transferable. We recognise the need in these times to provide greater support to Singaporeans for their training needs. The Government has therefore provided a $500 top-up to all Singaporeans aged 25 and above this year, as well as an additional $500 SkillsFuture Credit (Mid-Career Support) for Singaporeans aged 40 to 60. The SkillsFuture Credit helps to offset out-of-pocket course fees, which are already highly subsidised by the Government at up to 90%.”
“Again, if the Member would like to file a separate question asking for those details – number of scholarship holders, number of Tuition Grant holders – these are data that from time to time, Members in this House have asked for and we have released those data. Likewise, if the Member would be interested in the proportion of scholarship holders who have gone on to take on Citizenship or PR, he may file a separate question and we would be happy to provide the information.”
“Mr Speaker, we are referring here to Tuition Grant holders, not to scholarship recipients. They are a different category. These Tuition Grant holders come in, they apply to the Universities; they do not need to apply for a Tuition Grant, but if they do so, they would have to serve a three-year bond. Quite separate from scholarship applicants. I do not have on hand the data on the percentage of Tuition Grant holders who go on to apply for Permanent Residence (PR) or Citizenship, for that matter. But just to make the point that Tuition Grant applicants and recipients are quite different from scholarship recipients. Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim: I thank the Minister for clarifying the distinction between the two and I apologise for the loose language. I am wondering, since he has brought up that distinction, whether it is possible to elaborate on the approximate ratio of Tuition Grant recipients versus scholarship recipients in terms of foreign students choosing to study here.”
“Mr Speaker, I thank the Member for the questions. On both questions, the answer is that the Universities look at taking in students from a range of different sources. So, they are very mindful of having a variety of nationalities. As I had highlighted earlier, these international students come in over and above the local students. When the Universities consider the applications from international students, they will look at them coming in from a range of different countries, bearing in mind that they do not want concentration from any single source and they will also look at them coming in to study in a range of different disciplines, different subjects, bearing in mind the desire for diversity across the student body and also taking into consideration the absorption capacity of the industry. These are all considerations that the Universities would take into account. Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim (Sengkang): Mr Speaker, I thank the Minister for his response. I am just curious if he could clarify the typical career path of scholarship recipients, in this case, especially in terms of the ratio of students who end up taking up Singapore Permanent Residence or Citizenship after they have completed their studies.”
“In particular, MOE works with the Universities and other public agencies to facilitate their applications for work pass arrangements here, while keeping to the Fair Consideration Framework. Flexibility is given when assessing these students’ work pass applications. The students are also given time to stay in Singapore to look for a job. Those who have genuine difficulties finding employment – be it here or abroad – may reach out to the Universities and MOE, and we will assess their situation and see how best to assist them on a case-by-case basis. We will continue to monitor the situation and adjust our approach appropriate to the economic situation and outlook.”
“The objective of our education system is to serve the needs of Singaporeans. Places in the Autonomous Universities or AUs are planned first and foremost for Singaporeans, in line with the cohort participation target of 40%. This year, we set aside more places at the AUs, to cater to Singaporean students whose overseas study plans were disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The AUs first admit Singaporean students who are able to meet their admission standards. They then raise the bar a few notches and admit a small number of international students, over and above the local students. As such, no Singaporean is displaced from an AU because of an international student. Over the past five years, the number of international students who received tuition grant in each cohort averaged around 1,600, less than 10% of each intake. For Academic Year 2020, we are still finalising the numbers, but expect to see similar trends of less than 10%. Having some international students adds to the diversity of the overall education experience and cultivates students’ global orientation and inter-cultural skills. It also better prepares them for the future workplace, where they may have to interact with different nationalities. We will continue to review and adjust the number of international students on tuition grant in the future, taking into consideration the quality of applicants and other factors. We understand that recent graduates may face challenges finding employment in the current economic climate. Our priority remains to support locals in finding employment. However, we will also give fair treatment to tuition grant holders obliged to serve a three-year bond after graduation. These students can serve out their obligations in Singapore or overseas with Singapore-registered companies.”
“Mr Speaker, beg your pardon. I would like to take Question Nos 1 and 2 together.”
“Our schools equip students with age-appropriate knowledge and skills to understand themselves, maintain healthy relationships, and make wise, informed and responsible decisions on sexuality matters. Students learn about media influence, cyber relationships, dating and romantic relationships, and the social-emotional and legal impact of sexual behaviours. They also learn about sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the consequences and impact of STIs/HIV, and protection against STIs/HIV. The MOE Sexuality Education is reviewed regularly, taking into consideration emerging trends, local and international research, input from specialists in relevant fields and our local context. This ensures that the content is relevant and responsive to the changing attitudes of students towards sexuality matters. As parents play a significant role in sexuality education, schools also work closely with parents to support their children.”
“For students who require further assessment and intervention, our counsellors tap on community mental health professionals such as the Response, Early Assessment and Intervention for Community Mental Health (REACH) teams and Community Health Assessment Team (CHAT). All students with social-emotional needs, including those with mental health issues, will receive the necessary support regardless of their family’s financial situation. Some schools also have Student Welfare Officers (SWOs) who mentor and provide social support to disadvantaged students and we plan to further expand the pool of SWOs. Our schools and IHLs work closely with community partners and social service agencies to support students and their families in a holistic manner, as well as to promote youth mental well-being. MOE will continue to find different ways to put out information on the mental well-being of our students, and to raise public awareness. We are also mindful that students dealing with mental health issues, as well as their parents, often prefer to keep their issues and support they are receiving confidential and private. We have to respect their preferences and wishes, and find the right balance in tackling these difficult issues.”
“MOE closely monitors the state of well-being of our students and is committed to meeting their needs. As part of Mental Health Education in the Character and Citizenship Education curriculum, students learn about mental health issues, coping skills, emotional regulation and help-seeking strategies. We are also strengthening peer support in schools, encouraging students to look out for each other’s well-being and to alert an adult if their peers are feeling distressed or struggling with mental health issues. To destigmatise mental health issues, students are taught to show care, respect and empathy to all, including people with mental health issues. Discussions on related issues such as anxieties and uncertainties that students face, unhealthy expectations and social comparisons, stigma and other barriers to help-seeking also help to normalise conversations on mental health. These efforts continue in the Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs), where curricular and co-curricular mental health programmes and peer support networks seek to further raise awareness, equip students with knowledge of mental health and build resilience. As part of the eco-system of support, teachers and lecturers are trained to identify signs of distress in their students, monitor their well-being, and provide guidance and support. Counsellors also provide additional support to students who need it. Each primary school, secondary school and junior college has one to two counsellors while each polytechnic and ITE college has four to seven counsellors. The Autonomous Universities are similarly equipped with counsellors depending on their size and student profile. They are further augmented by a pool of Teacher Counsellors, Para-counsellors and Flexi-Adjunct Counsellors.”
“At Primary 1, students learn to sing the National Anthem in their Music lessons and recite the National Pledge during morning assembly. During their Character and Citizenship Education lessons, students learn that these daily actions express our loyalty to Singapore and help to develop a sense of belonging to the country. At Primary 2, students learn to recognise the National Symbols of Singapore in their Social Studies lessons. This includes knowing the different features of the National Flag and the symbolic meanings behind the colours, crescent moon and stars found on our National Flag. Students' learning in these areas is then deepened over time. For example, Music teachers would revisit the National Anthem with their students in subsequent years, to go through commonly mispronounced words and help students understand the meaning of the lyrics. Similarly, in Primary 4 Social Studies, students delve more deeply into the significance of the National Symbols. Resources such as animated videos are available to support these efforts. For example, we have videos that explain to lower primary students, in an engaging way, the significance of the National Anthem as well as the meaning of each line of its lyrics, as well as the compelling story of the origins of the National Anthem and its composer, Pak Zubir Said. All these efforts ensure that students understand the significance of singing the National Anthem and reciting the Pledge daily.”
“These SkillsFuture Queen Bee companies help transfer their knowledge and impart their capabilities to employees of smaller companies, by co-creating industry-led skills and training solutions/programmes with SSG.”