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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“Since the launch of SkillsFuture movement in 2014, the Government has adopted a range of approaches to evaluate the outcomes of training. We closely monitor placements for all placement-related training programmes. Since 2016, we have achieved 5140 placements via Professional Conversion Programmes, and 9554 placements via SSG's Train-and-Place programmes. The longer-term impact of training on outcomes such as employability and wages are also reviewed via longitudinal studies conducted every few years. A 2018 MTI study found that individuals who underwent Workforce Skills Qualification (WSQ) training were more employable and enjoyed a real wage premium of 5.8% in the year after training. A 2019 MTI study found that recent graduates of the SkillsFuture Work-Study post-diploma programme enjoyed a sustained wage premium of about 10% over polytechnic diploma graduates. Additionally, we conduct surveys to collect feedback from key stakeholders such as employers. In the 2019 SkillsFuture Public Perception Survey, 77% of employers indicated that SkillsFuture training programmes had helped their employees take on more responsibilities, and 75% of them felt that SkillsFuture training programmes could help their company recruit and retain valued employees. One of the ways we ensure better alignment of training to industry needs, is through training led by companies themselves. Companies such as Google, IBM and PBA Robotics have come on board the SGUnited Mid-Career Pathways Programme, to equip individuals with industry-relevant skills to boost their employability. We have also engaged SkillsFuture Queen Bee companies to train beyond their own needs and support skills upgrading for other companies in their industry and value chains, in particular for SMEs.”
“We have been closely monitoring the demand for Primary 1 (P1) places from the new housing developments in Sengkang i.e. within Fernvale, Anchorvale and Sengkang West areas. There are currently five primary schools within 1 kilometre and another 11 primary schools within 1 to 2 kilometres of Fernvale constituency. For this year’s P1 Registration Exercise, which is for the 2014 birth cohort, two out of these 16 schools have a total of about 70 vacancies remaining at the end of Phase 2C (Supplementary). For the 2015 birth cohort which will be registering in the 2021 P1 Registration Exercise, we have projected that there would be a similar number of P1 registrants as the recent 2020 P1 Registration Exercise, and thereafter, we expect demand for P1 places in Fernvale constituency to come down. We will continue to ensure sufficient places for the area around Fernvale constituency, and if necessary, will consider adjusting the P1 intake in some primary schools where needed based on the latest estimate of P1 demand.”
“As in previous years, schools formed selection panels to collectively evaluate each DSA applicant and to ensure objectivity and balance. The selection panels tapped on their experience in talent identification and exercised professional judgement to evaluate and select students who can most benefit from their development programmes. Through all of these measures, we were able to facilitate the smooth implementation of DSA this year, even amidst the COVID-19 situation.”
“In spite of the COVID-19 situation, there continues to be healthy interest in the Direct School Admission for secondary schools (DSA-Sec) this year – with about 30,500 applications, an increase from the 29,000 received in 2019. Schools have recently concluded DSA selections which were conducted via electronic modes. This ensured the safety and well-being of students and school staff by preventing the intermingling of students across schools. A common setting and standardised set of equipment at students’ own primary schools was used for the video-conferencing sessions. This was to ensure that all students would be given a fair assessment, regardless of their backgrounds. With the cancellation of the National School Games and other events due to COVID-19, indicators such as recent race timings, standings and awards were not available. Nevertheless, schools were able to make use of other sources of information, including students’ school records, information provided in their online applications as well as from video-conferencing sessions with the students. These sessions included e-interviews or tasks that enabled students to demonstrate their attributes and potential in particular areas. For example, some students were asked to imitate melodies and rhythms of varying complexity, reproduce a dance sequence, perform ball-handling and different movement skills, or create pencil sketches. With the above adjustments, schools were able to take a holistic approach to DSA selection, taking into account not only the student’s achievements and performance, but also their interest and passion for the talent area, their potential and personal qualities.”
“MOE announced in June this year that we will be equipping all secondary school students with a personal learning device by end-2021, seven years ahead of the original schedule. We are currently studying whether to extend the programme to primary school students. As part of this study, we need to better understand how the daily use of such devices might impact younger students, and improve learning outcomes. We are also looking into the concerns raised by various stakeholders about excessive screen time and digital addiction at an early age. While we study this issue, measures have been put in place to ensure that all primary school students will have access to devices for home-based learning. For example, our schools have sufficient devices that can be loaned to students who need them.”
“The National School Games (NSG) is an integral part of school life for our student athletes. Due to the COVID-19, we had to cancel NSG and other sporting events this year. MOE is monitoring the COVID-19 situation closely. We plan to resume NSG in 2021 under enhanced Safe Management Measures (SMMs) and are currently working with SportSG on the detailed parameters for the safe conduct of these Games. Key considerations would be to minimise intermingling and contact between student athletes from different schools; provide sufficient spacing at waiting areas; and to strictly adhere to personal hygiene and cleaning protocols. Modifications to some sports may also be required so that students can participate in them safely. We will announce details of the arrangements at a later date. In the meantime, schools have resumed some sports co-curricular activities (CCAs) within the current national guidelines for sports. MOE is committed to providing a holistic education for our students while ensuring that our schools remain a safe environment for learning and growth.”
“To date, about 1,400 companies have participated in the SkillsFuture Work-Study Certificate, Work-Study Diploma and Work-Study Post Diploma Programmes, which were formerly known as the SkillsFuture Earn and Learn Programme. This number has steadily increased from the 34 at launch in 2015. Currently, 378 companies are on these Work-Study programmes. We do not track the attrition rate of companies, as their participation vary from intake to intake depending on their business outlook and hiring plans. An MOE survey conducted on these programmes that concluded between May 2018 and April 2019 found that 89% of the employers who participated reported that they would continue to participate in the programme. The same survey also found that 87% of the graduates were employed in a full-time permanent job six months after graduation. As of October 2019, 59% of the graduates remained with the company that trained them during the Work-Study Programme.”
“We take the quality and outcomes of SkillsFuture training seriously, and will continue to ensure that Singaporeans are well-supported in their lifelong learning journey.”
“To assess the quality of training from funded training providers, SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG) conducts surveys immediately after course completion, to gather trainee feedback on the training quality. Follow-up surveys are conducted with trainees six months after completion of the course to ascertain post-training outcomes, such as the ability to apply the skills learnt at work. 86% of the trainees surveyed in 2019 indicated that they were able to perform better at work after undergoing SSG-funded training. The survey results are taken into consideration by SSG during the funding renewal process. Additionally, SSG conducts regular checks and audits on course delivery by training providers. We share the member's view that we should focus on the outcomes of training, and go beyond input measures like course attendance and participation. This is why SSG conducts regular surveys with employers to gauge the effectiveness of SkillsFuture training programmes. These include the Public Perception Survey on SkillsFuture, which surveys employers on the impact of SkillsFuture training on the work performance of their employees. Another example is the Work-Study Programme Outcomes Survey, a programme-specific survey which measures employers' satisfaction of the programme and effectiveness of the Work-Study approach in training potential or existing employees. Certifiable skills training courses that enjoy a higher tier of funding support are examinable and need to demonstrate clear learning outcomes. Trainees who go through courses accredited under the Workforce Skills Qualification (WSQ) system are required to take competency-based assessments as part of the course requirement.”
“Examinations are meant to certify the academic achievements of candidates and are administered under a set of standardised conditions. This is to ensure a fair examination and that examination results can be compared meaningfully across candidates. For students with Special Educational Needs or medical conditions, standardised testing conditions may result in them being given an inadequate assessment of their abilities or being unable to take the examinations altogether. To cater to these candidates, the Singapore Examinations and Assessment Board (SEAB) provides access arrangements, which may range from exemption from specific components of the examination and provision of extra time, to provision of a separate room or enlarged print. When access arrangements have been granted, SEAB’s policy is to annotate on the examination certificate only when there are significant modifications of the examination. This is done to indicate factually that the candidate has taken the examination under conditions that are different from the standard prescribed conditions, and to uphold the integrity and fairness of the examination. A student's progression to secondary education will not be affected by the annotation, as school postings do not take such annotations into account.”
“MOE and Skills Future Singapore (SSG) collaborate with many stakeholders to study the impact of the SkillsFuture movement and initiatives. For example, SSG has set up the Workforce Development Applied Research Fund (WDARF) to encourage inter-disciplinary research in the area of workforce development and lifelong learning, and to evaluate the impact of Continuing Education and Training (CET) and lifelong learning policies and programmes. For future skills, SSG has also been undertaking various studies to better understand the needs of new growth areas, so that we can design more effective CET programmes. SSG works closely with many partners in such research. We will be happy to commission more detailed studies together with unions and employers in the suggested areas.”
“This year, MOE and the Autonomous Universities (AUs) have already provided more degree places, in anticipation of higher demand from students whose overseas study plans were disrupted by COVID-19. The AUs extended their application windows by two months, and made around 2,000 more offers to local applicants across a range of courses. MOE will continue to monitor the COVID-19 situation closely, including the situation overseas and the impact on travel restrictions. If necessary, we are prepared to continue to adjust the number of degree places in the AUs, taking into account the number of Singaporeans who meet admissions standards, as well as the medium to long-term national manpower demand for graduates across the different sectors of the economy.”
“Mr Speaker, students from all levels have resumed daily lessons in our schools. Lower-risk co-curricular activities or CCAs and other activities have also resumed. Likewise, the Institutes of Higher Learning or IHLs have gradually increased the number of students allowed back on campus for practicums, laboratory sessions and other classes. They are progressively allowing selected non-timetabled activities to return to campus, including project discussions and some student activities. We now have effective Safe Management Measures in place in our schools and IHLs, coupled with a system of rapid contact tracing. We have also improved capabilities to detect community cases quickly through our expanded testing regime and are exploring the monitoring of wastewater in student hostels. With these conditions in place, we are now studying ways to resume more in-person activities safely in our schools and IHLs, as the Member has suggested. These activities, together with the resumption of a wider range of CCAs and other activities, are important because we must strive to provide our students with a holistic educational experience, while keeping risks to a manageable level. MOE is working through the details and will share more in due course.”
“MOE and schools take a serious view of all bullying incidents, including cyberbullying. Schools put in place school rules and ICT policies to create safe and supportive learning environments, both physical and online. Through the Cyber Wellness lessons, students are taught to protect themselves online, as well as help their peers who have been bullied. The number of reported cyberbullying incidents remains low and stable over the past three years. When cyberbullying incidents occur, our primary approach is to help students learn from their mistakes, restore relationships and refrain from future occurrences. When the cases are reported, they are promptly investigated, and appropriate disciplinary action is taken to guide perpetrators and restore relationships with those whom they have hurt. Counselling support is also provided to victims and perpetrators. Referrals may be made to Response, Early Intervention and Assessment in Community mental Health (REACH) as well as social and community agencies for specialised support. Schools are also supported by ICT infrastructure with technologies such as network filtering of inappropriate content, network security and endpoint protection. Best practices in classroom management to encourage proper behaviours as well as security protocol against cybersecurity threats such as hijacking of online live lessons, phishing and ransomware are shared with schools. There are also resources available for parents, such as information on parental control and monitoring of students’ device usage to reduce the exposure to cyber risks.”
“The number of Government bursaries awarded to Singaporean full-time undergraduates and part-time undergraduates from Academic Year (AY) 2015 to AY2019 is shown below. The numbers have increased due to better outreach by the universities and the expanding undergraduate enrolment. The Government bursaries are available to Singaporean students who meet the income criterion – either gross household income of not more than $9,000, or per capita household income of not more than $2,250. This is estimated to cover up to the 66th percentile of households by household income. All Singaporean students who meet the eligibility criteria will be awarded the bursary, and we do not track the number of rejected applications.”
“Special attention is paid to deploy additional teachers to schools with more students with learning needs so these students can be supported through targeted interventions. Hence, PTRs will differ across schools given our needs-based resourcing approach.”
“There are two schools with about 150 remaining vacancies at the end of Phase 2C (Supplementary) in this year’s P1 Registration Exercise. This represents around 12% of total planned Primary one places in Bukit Batok. For parents who could not register their children in the popular Princess Elizabeth Primary School, they can consider other nearby schools which still have vacancies. To Mr Murali Pillai’s question on whether an additional primary school would be built to cope with the increase in demand for Primary one places in Bukit Batok HDB town, MOE is indeed carefully studying this as part of the development plans of the nearby Tengah New Town. I would like to assure the Member that we will make timely plans for any new school based on medium to long-term demand projections. For Sengkang, there are 12 primary schools, with three schools having around a total of 120 remaining vacancies at the end of Phase 2C (Supplementary) in this year’s exercise. This represents about 4% of total planned Primary one places in Sengkang. For growing areas like Sengkang and Bukit Batok, the primary schools may be fuller to provide as many places as possible to children living nearby. This is unlike more mature areas where there are fewer children to fill the schools. Nonetheless, even in Sengkang, each school has about two spare classrooms in this year’s P1 Registration Exercise. These classrooms could be used by schools to conduct small group lessons to support students’ learning. Currently, the national pupil-teacher ratio (PTR) at the Primary level is about 15. The average PTR for primary schools in Sengkang is 16. We resource our schools based on their student profile and the programmes they run.”
“MOE’s school planning objective is to ensure there are sufficient school places and school resourcing to support all Singaporean school-going children, at both the national and regional levels. We annually review to ensure that the number of Primary one places across the country and in each residential area are sufficient for the current and projected population. We also take into account planned future housing developments in each residential area, with the objective of ensuring that every eligible Singaporean and Singapore Permanent Resident (PR) child has access to a place in a primary school reasonably near to their home. Generally, around 98% of Singaporean and Singapore PR children are able to obtain a place in a primary school of their choice, or a primary school within two km of their residence. The proportion remains similar in this year's exercise. Even after Phase 2C (Supplementary), we will still have vacancies to facilitate all remaining children into a school generally not far from their home. In Bukit Batok and Sengkang, for example, there have been new housing developments, some recently completed while others are in different stages of construction, to be completed over the next few years. MOE carefully reviews the demand and supply situation in these areas not just for the coming year but also projects this for the next several years. This is to enable us to make timely plans to build new schools should there be a sustained increase in demand over the medium to long-term, or consider making year-by-year intake adjustments for some of the schools in these areas to meet the projected demand. In Bukit Batok, there are six primary schools, and as a whole, there are sufficient primary school places in the area.”
“The Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs) have been conducting the Graduate Employment Survey (GES) annually to monitor the employment outcomes of their graduates six months after graduation. The Committee for Private Education (CPE) started coordinating a similar GES with the Private Education Institutions (PEIs) since 2014. In general, the longer after graduation the survey is conducted, the more difficult it is to reach out to graduates who are already working and secure a sufficiently high response rate to ensure that the findings are robust. Nonetheless, MOE recognises the value of tracking longer-term employment outcomes beyond the initial six months, and therefore recently conducted a pilot with the Polytechnics last year to survey graduates who graduated five years ago. We will progressively extend this approach to the Autonomous Universities and ITE. For the PEIs, they have found it challenging to obtain response rates for the existing GES conducted six months after graduation that are comparable to those for the IHLs, as some of their graduates have declined to participate or are uncontactable. We will continue to reach out to them. Academics who are interested in diving deeper into the GES data can get in touch with MOE, and we will work with them on how the data can be used for research that can shed light on the trends and bring broader benefits to our society.”
“The institutes of higher learning (IHLs) have been leveraging on technology to support students’ learning. During the Circuit Breaker period, they had to shift all learning online for all students. Post Circuit-Breaker, online learning has continued at varying levels, alongside the resumption of some in-person classes. While the change in delivery mode over the past six months has brought about cost savings on some fronts, there are also many areas of increased costs. For example, institutions incurred costs to enhance existing IT systems and facilities, purchase new tools to support online learning, and develop new learning resources to cater to the significantly higher demands for online teaching. Additional costs were also incurred due to safe management measures and enhanced cleaning and disinfection, which will continue to be incurred in the new normal. A significant portion of the IHLs’ running costs are due to manpower costs. The academic and non-academic staff in each institution are working even harder than usual, to review and adjust their curriculum and teaching, and mitigate the disruptions to practicals, overseas exchanges and internships in order to ensure that students continue to learn uninterrupted, in a different but meaningful way. IHL staff have also stepped up efforts to help graduates with career guidance and support for their job searches. Notwithstanding all of these cost considerations, MOE and the IHLs have decided to freeze the tuition fees this year in light of the difficult economic situation. We will continue to review tuition fees annually with the IHLs, to ensure that fees reflect changes in the cost of delivering education, while keeping them affordable for Singaporeans.”
“We recognise the importance of coding in our young people, especially in this digital age. But programming languages can change and become outdated over time. So it is important to focus on the underlying skills such as computational thinking, problem solving, logical reasoning and data handling. These underlying skills are developed through the learning of subjects, particularly mathematics and science. At the same time, we have worked with IMDA to expose all students to basic coding and technology through the 'Code For Fun' programme. With a broad base of exposure to basic coding, and with a strong foundation in the underlying skills, students will be able to easily pick up and learn new programming languages as they progress through different stages of their education.”
“Such a sanction can be lifted when an assessment is made that this is no longer necessary, for instance when no charges are pressed against the student. The universities also take action for student misconduct that takes place off-campus that they are made aware of, such as in this recent case of the NUS student. In such instances, they may rely on Police investigations as additional sources of information and subject the student to the disciplinary process and sanctions once sufficient details become available to them. Third, campus security measures in place include round-the-clock security personnel who carry out regular campus-wide patrols, and increased CCTV surveillance. Students are able to call campus security should they feel at risk, at any time. Finally, in response to the question from Dr Tan Wu Meng, the AUs do take reference from the professional bodies' ethical codes and guidelines for practitioners in deciding on the disciplinary sanctions or assessing the fitness of the student to continue with his studies. The approach taken is guided by the AU’s Code of Conduct, statutes and regulations, and Board of Discipline processes. The students’ disciplinary records may also be taken into consideration when they apply to be registered practitioners.”
“Several members have asked about the Autonomous Universities' (AUs) efforts to safeguard campus safety in cases where their students have been accused or convicted of offences involving violence. Members are likely referring to the recent conviction of a student at the National University of Singapore (NUS), who assaulted his ex-girlfriend in an off-campus incident in 2019. First, all the AUs have a Code of Conduct or equivalent, which students are expected to uphold at all times. These Codes stipulate the fundamental principles and ethos expected of students as members of the University community. They span a wide range of expected behaviours, including personal, professional and academic integrity, respect for others, respect for the rule of law and campus policies, to name a few. Students are educated on these, including the need to respect others, manage boundaries and engage in appropriate behaviours. They are each responsible for contributing to a safe and secure campus environment. Second, when students commit a breach of their AUs’ Code of Conduct, they are subject to disciplinary sanctions. Such breaches include offences such as assault. AUs may impose a range of disciplinary sanctions, such as suspensions or expulsions, supervised community work and mandatory counselling. If the case involves a victim who is a student in the same university, a No-Contact Order can be put in place, where the student offender is prohibited from contacting or being in the vicinity of the victim throughout the remaining period of their studies in the university. Any student under police investigation and who is assessed to pose a danger to any member of their campus community may also be required to stay away from campus temporarily.”
“We will also grow SkillsFuture Work-Study Programmes into a mainstream pathway by 2025 so that more students can benefit from learning opportunities both in the workplace and the classroom. For mid-career workers in their 40s and 50s, we will provide them with additional help to refresh their skillsets, so that they can seize new job opportunities amidst economic restructuring. Our educators too must embrace this mindset of continuous learning. We will support them in their professional development through SkillsFuture for Educators (SFEd). SFEd provides a roadmap for all teachers to strengthen their practice in six areas: assessment literacy, differentiated instruction, inquiry-based learning, e-pedagogy, CCE, and support for students with special educational needs. In the midst of crisis, we are seizing opportunities to reshape our education system for the longer term, and to accelerate improvements in the way we teach and learn. In partnership with parents, employers, and community, we will help Singaporeans to learn for life and learn from life. We will continue to uplift our people and expand opportunities for progression, as part of our overall efforts to build a more fair and just society.”
“Through multiple pathways in our education system, we will cater to the diverse strengths and aptitudes of students. We want to embrace a wider spectrum of skills and talents, and not just focus narrowly on academic achievements. From 2021, the Primary School Leaving Examination will have wider scoring bands to reduce the overly fine differentiation of students. By 2024, streaming will be phased out and Full Subject-Based Banding will be implemented across secondary schools. This will offer students more opportunities to pursue subjects at a level suited to their strengths and interests. We will also expand our post-secondary progression pathways for students with different aptitudes and skills. By 2030, all Institute of Technical Education (ITE) graduates will have a range of opportunities to upgrade beyond a Nitec over the course of their careers, according to their interests and learning needs. To cater to their different interests and learning needs, we will continue to increase the number of places in ITE's Work-Study Diplomas and full-time Higher Nitec programmes, as well as the number of places for working adults in full-time Polytechnic diploma programmes. We will also further expand the adoption of Aptitude-Based Admissions across our six Autonomous Universities. As part of SkillsFuture, our immediate priority is to support the efforts of the National Jobs Council in creating jobs, traineeships, and training opportunities. Our IHLs will continue to ramp up their capacity for continuing education and training, and in particular, increase their range of industry-relevant modular courses to support lifelong learning.”
“We will create fresh opportunities for students of different backgrounds to interact and build bonds with one another. Students from different schools will also come together for inter-school activities like combined team co-curricular activities, the MOE-Outward Bound Singapore Challenge Programme, and Values-in-Action programmes. Disruptions due to COVID-19 have opened up new opportunities to reimagine teaching and learning. Building on our experience with home-based learning, MOE will make blended learning an integral feature of the curriculum from next year. As part of our National Digital Literacy Programme, we will accelerate the roll out of personal digital learning devices to all secondary school students by end-2021. A key part of education has always been to inculcate social responsibility and resilience in our students. A refreshed Character and Citizenship Education (CCE) curriculum will be progressively rolled out in all schools, to give added focus to mental health and cyber wellness education. In secondary schools, teachers will engage students in regular discussions on contemporary issues and equip them with critical thinking skills to navigate such issues. To prepare students for the future workplace, our IHLs will expand efforts in inter-disciplinary learning. Students can look forward to more broad-based common core curricula and access to electives, as well as new industry-relevant degree programmes that integrate knowledge from different disciplines. We also aim to give students more room to decide on their academic specialisations by introducing more common entry programmes in the Polytechnics and giving University students more time to declare their major.”
“The Ministry of Education (MOE) strives to provide every Singaporean with opportunities to achieve their fullest potential. We will ensure education remains an effective social leveller, by giving every child access to quality education, and multiple pathways throughout life to pursue their aspirations. Education remains the best way for us to sustain and strengthen social mobility. With COVID-19's disproportionate impact on the disadvantaged, we are redoubling our efforts to make sure no child is left behind. We will give every child a good start in life, regardless of their backgrounds. By 2025, we will operate at least 60 MOE Kindergartens. We will also deepen support for students with special needs – by strengthening educators' professional competencies in both mainstream and Special Education (SPED) schools, as well as opening new SPED schools and upgrading current ones. Through the Uplifting Pupils in Life and Inspiring Families Taskforce (UPLIFT), we will deepen school-community partnerships to support vulnerable students and engage their families. More Singaporeans will be able to benefit from the recently-enhanced MOE Financial Assistance Scheme and Government bursaries for students in Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs). At the same time, we will continue to support all students holistically. We strive to foster the joy of learning in our students, so that Singaporeans are equipped not just with knowledge and skills, but also with the spark to pursue their passion and fulfil their potential. To achieve this, we will strengthen our team of Teachers, Allied Educators, and Education and Career Guidance Counsellors, and extend more resources for students with greater needs.”
“Our parks and nature areas have remained open for the public to exercise throughout the circuit breaker period, with safe distancing measures in place. Besides deploying NParks officers as safe distancing ambassadors and enforcement officers on the ground, we also use mobile applications, robots, and drones to conduct crowd monitoring and ensure safe distancing. These allow NParks to track visitorship in real time and respond promptly to crowding. Visitors can also access real-time updates on visitorship online, so that they can exercise at uncrowded parks near their homes. Some facilities, such as car parks, food and beverage outlets, playgrounds, fitness corners, fishing areas, and certain beaches have been closed to allow for safe distancing and to prevent gathering in groups. We plan to gradually re-open these facilities in Phase 2 of the post-circuit breaker period with the necessary precautions. NParks will continue to study the measures taken by other countries as we reopen these facilities, and consider adopting additional safe management measures where relevant.”
“The Housing and Development Board (HDB) does not provide window grilles as a standard feature in its flats, whether sold or rental, as not all households require them. Flat owners who require window grilles, such as families with young children, can purchase them readily from the market, selecting from the range of options available based on their design preferences and budget. For HDB rental tenants, HDB will install window grilles for windows facing the external facade at no cost upon request. Tenants may approach HDB if they wish to have window grilles installed.”
“Spalling concrete is a result of natural wear and tear due to the corrosion of steel reinforcement bars embedded in concrete floor slabs. The corrosion is caused by moisture and acids in the concrete which can build up over time. Spalling concrete can be minimised through surface maintenance such as regular painting of the ceiling. If ceiling surfaces are regularly maintained, and any spalling concrete is detected early, spalling concrete is usually minor and can be easily repaired. For sold flats, flat owners are responsible for the maintenance of the interior of their flats. We encourage flat owners to regularly inspect their ceilings for signs of spalling concrete, and to undertake the necessary maintenance and repairs. In the last three years, Housing and Development Board (HDB) received a yearly average of 10 reported cases of spalling concrete per 1,000 sold flats, and 23 reported cases of spalling concrete per 1,000 rental flats.”
“All veterinarians in Singapore must comply with the Code of Ethics for Veterinarians. Under the Code, veterinarians are required to take into account public safety and animal welfare in deciding on the course of treatment for an animal. The Code states that veterinarians must consider other treatment options prior to considering euthanasia. It also allows veterinarians to reject an owner's request for euthanasia, should he or she deem it inappropriate. Failure to comply with the Code can result in enforcement action being taken against the veterinarian. Mr Ng has raised several suggestions, which we will consider carefully, and in consultation with all stakeholders. In particular, NParks will continue to work with the Singapore Veterinary Association on these matters, and ensure that the Code of Ethics remains up to date with developments in the veterinary industry and international best practices. NParks will also continue to work with its partners to promote awareness of behavioural training options and rehoming avenues amongst pet owners. All parties, be it pet owners, animal welfare groups, dog trainers, or veterinarians, have duties and responsibilities regarding the adoption and euthanasia of pets. We will need everyone to do their part, even as we continue to update our regulatory rules and requirements.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker. I thank the Member for the question which is related to what Mr Singh had asked earlier too. I would say that even under the scenario of emergency procurement today, agencies do not immediately go with one vendor. So, the various agencies that are looking at all sorts of contracting procurement requirements do already today engage a few vendors – whether it is for are M&E works, whether it is for consultancy services and then they get the quotes. Even though it is not required under emergency procurement, they could have gone directly. They have already done that. They check the different quotations and then they go with a supplier. So, a range of different suppliers are already being used under today's scenario and that situation will continue.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, as I had explained earlier, we had to rely on emergency procurement given the nature of the pandemic, given the time urgency that we were at and the need to activate our facilities very quickly. Certainly, looking forward, if the situation were to stabilise and the conditions permit, agencies will consider going beyond emergency procurement to get more quotes or even to go through contracting via GeBIZ. And this would apply not just for the setting up of facilities, but for a whole range of contracting requirements that the Task Force require. But I think first and foremost, let us focus on the mission and the mission is not over, the fight is still on. So, we will do whatever is necessary to get the job done and to deal with the virus.”
“The Emergency Procurement procedure allows for tenders to be waived and for contracts to be directly awarded to vendors with the necessary experience, expertise and resources to get the job done within a short period of time. Notwithstanding the waiver of tender under such Emergency Procurement, all the agencies recognise the need for accountability in the use of public funds. All decisions for the setting up of CCFs and CRFs are, therefore, approved by the Multi Ministry Taskforce. The agencies will ensure that the quotes from the commercial partners are reasonable by comparing against market benchmarks, they will scrutinise the invoices and ensure that the works meet the standards required by the Government before processing the payments. In some cases, we have been able to get private sector companies to support the projects on a cost-recovery basis as part of their contributions to the community. The Government will continue to partner different stakeholders, including private sector companies, to ensure an effective whole-of-society response to COVID-19, while maintaining a prudent and disciplined approach in the use of public funds.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, the Government has responded swiftly to put in place a range of facilities to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. For Government Quarantine Facilities (GQFs) as well as dedicated facilities for Stay-Home Notice (SHN) requirements, we have made use of the capacity in existing Government chalets and hotels. In the case of hotels, we benchmarked the quotes provided by the hotel operators and negotiated for competitive rates, taking into account the prevailing market conditions. For Community Care Facilities (CCFs) and Community Recovery Facilities (CRFs), apart from using ready live-in accommodation like army camps and students’ residences, we also had to prepare new facilities in a very short time. We, therefore, moved quickly to fit out the Changi Exhibition Centre, the Singapore Expo, Big Box, the former ITE site at Ang Mo Kio, vacant factories and Tanjong Pagar terminal with beds and partitions and, in some cases, tentages, to quickly house the patients. And we now know from experience that I think we did all these not a moment too soon because we were able to get the capacity in place to look after quite a large number of infected patients without overwhelming our healthcare system. The contracting of hotels and the construction of fit-out works were undertaken under Emergency Procurement, as my colleague Second Minister Indranee has highlighted earlier. This is provided for under the Government Procurement Rules, where urgent purchases have to be made in a pandemic outbreak and there is insufficient time to follow the normal procurement rules.”
“The question by Ms Ong presumes that we are reducing the green and natural spaces in Singapore. But in fact, our urban plans seek to expand such spaces. In 2000, we had about 5,500 hectares of land in nature reserves, nature areas, nature parks, parks and gardens. We have increased this to 7,800 hectares today. Under the Master Plan 2019, which guides development over the next 10 to 15 years, we will add another 1,000 hectares of parks, gardens, and park connectors. We announced plans to transform Singapore from a City in a Garden into a City in Nature during the Committee of Supply debate in March 2020, including plans for a new nature park at Sungei Khatib Bongsu, and planting one million trees by 2030. We will also continue implementing innovative and practical solutions to intensify greenery and restore nature in our urban areas, to further enhance liveability for our residents. In addition, where there are any new developments close to sensitive nature areas, robust assessments are undertaken in consultation with stakeholders, to ensure that the development works are done in an environmentally sensitive manner. These efforts, together with other efforts to enhance our natural ecosystem and marine environment that provide carbon storage and sequestration, will strengthen our climate resilience. Singapore is committed to tackling climate change and meeting our pledge to peak emissions at 65 MtCO2e around 2030 in support of the transition towards a low-carbon and climate-resilient future.”
“Currently, NParks does not collect data on the cause of death of dogs, including from euthanasia. NParks will look into this as part of its ongoing efforts to ensure that establishments uphold standards of good practice in animal welfare.”
“On the third question on when the renovation works can resume, we are doing it in two steps. For the works that had already started but suspended because of the circuit breaker, we are actually going to allow that in Phase One. So, even in Phase One, so long as the firms are able to put in place the relevant safeguards and assure that the workers are safe, then for these renovation works for projects that had started earlier but were suspended because of the circuit breaker, we will accord some priority and let them resume first. For new projects, we will defer or suggest to the homeowners and contractors who are embarking on new renovation projects, that these be pushed back later. So, settle the existing, on-going ones first. But as Ms Lim said, we have indeed made the commitment that if there are any contractors who will come forward and say, "I have the workers. They are safe. I have the measures in place and I would like to be prioritised ahead in Phase One", we will be prepared to consider such cases as well.”
“Mr Speaker, let me address the questions raised by Ms Lim one by one. On the first point, we are certainly aware that there are homeowners who are impacted by the circuit breaker, having made certain transactions with the hope of moving to their new flats and now finding that renovation works have been suspended because of the circuit breaker. That is why we have a series of different measures to help these families and homeowners. One, at the start of the circuit breaker, for very minor renovation works, we gave some exemption for some of these works to be completed as much as possible, so that the homes can be made safe and people can move in quickly. It was in the first few days of the circuit breaker that we provided for such an exemption. But still, there are quite a number who could not complete the renovation works during that few days and then, these had to be suspended. For these cases, we have worked on a different set of measures. For example, number one is working to see if the transaction timelines can be pushed back; number two, checking to see if the homeowners who are impacted can move with relatives and friends; number three, working with serviced apartment operators, some of whom have agreed to offer subsidised rates for impacted homeowners and these can be offered to the homeowners who need temporary accommodations; number four, we looked at the worst case and for those who are really urgent and have difficulties, we offered interim rental flats. So, there is a range of different measures that we are doing to help these people who are impacted. We will certainly remind the agencies to be prompt and responsive to some of these appeals when they show up. We will continue to do whatever we can to assist them.”
“Mr Speaker, there is no change to the rules for the minimum rental period of six months for HDB flats and the minimum stay duration of three months for private residential properties. However, in view of the COVID-19 situation, HDB and URA have been exercising flexibility on a case-by-case basis for households who are in genuine difficulties and need temporary accommodation.”
“Mr Speaker, the Parenthood Provisional Housing Scheme (PPHS) provides an additional option for temporary housing for married couples awaiting the completion of their new HDB flats. Previously, PPHS flats were mainly in vacated blocks that were not immediately needed for redevelopment. In recent years, HDB has injected more permanent sources of flats for the scheme. HDB has 680 PPHS flats presently, of which about 550 are occupied. HDB will be adding about 200 more flats by end-2021, bringing the total supply to about 880. HDB will continue to monitor the demand and review the supply of PPHS flats, with a view to ensuring a small and steady supply of PPHS flats in the longer term.”
“We thank all essential service workers for their efforts and call upon the public to also show their support.”
“Workers performing essential services play an integral role in ensuring that critical functions remain operational during the circuit breaker period. In Town Councils, essential services include services such as conservancy and lift management. In response to the economic challenges posed by the COVID-19 outbreak, the Government has rolled out a series of support measures. These include the corporate income tax rebate, the waiver and rebate of the foreign worker levy, and the Jobs Support Scheme, where the Government co-funds up to 75% of the wages of local employees. These measures will help to stabilise businesses and minimise any impact on the livelihoods of our workers, including those in essential services. The Government has also taken steps to safeguard our essential service workers. To suppress the spread of COVID-19 at workplaces, employers are required, by law, to implement appropriate safe distancing measures. Specific to the cleaning sector, the tripartite partners have issued a joint advisory to ensure the sustainability of the sector in view of COVID-19. Amongst other measures, this advisory calls upon employers to provide suitable protective equipment, and to remunerate their cleaners appropriately, such as through increasing the wages of cleaners with higher workloads. Essential service workers with concerns about workplace safety or other employment matters can provide feedback to MOM for further follow-up. To minimise the risk of transmission amongst workers during the circuit breaker period, there has also been a reduction in the number of workers performing essential services. This could result in degradation of services, and we seek the public’s understanding on this matter.”
“About 5,200 public rental households, or about 10% of all public rental households, are in rent arrears. In terms of value, about 75% of them owe less than $3,000 in rent, and in terms of duration, about half of them owe less than one year's worth of rent. The Housing Development Board (HDB) takes a compassionate and holistic approach when assisting tenants who are in arrears, and will seek to understand their individual circumstances. HDB has various assistance measures in place to help public rental households in arrears. For households whose financial circumstances have changed (e.g. household income has fallen), HDB will assist to reduce their monthly rent upon appeal. Tenants who need more time to resolve their arrears are also allowed to pay off the arrears in instalments. HDB also works closely with MSF's Social Service Offices (SSOs), and will refer households who may be in need of financial assistance to the SSOs. For tenants who prefer to move to a smaller rental flat to ease their rental burden, HDB will help to facilitate their transfer. In the last three years, HDB assisted 159 households in arrears to move from 2-room flats to 1-room flats. The vast majority of them had four persons or fewer in the household. Termination of rental tenancies is only taken as a last resort, and would not be solely due to the accumulation of rent arrears. In the last three years, there has been only one case of such termination.”
“During a heavy downpour, especially during the monsoon season, some rainwater splashing along the more open areas like lift lobbies and common corridors is inevitable. For weather protection, common corridors are provided with an extended overhang like a canopy. While this is generally adequate to minimise rainwater splashing during normal rainy days, it may not be able to fully prevent the corridor or main doors of flats from getting wet during heavy downpours accompanied by strong winds. Nonetheless, if HDB receives feedback from residents that the rainwater splashing is severe, HDB will assess the situation and, if necessary, offer to provide a rain screen, subject to SCDF's fire safety requirements being met.”
“There are currently about 2,400 lift technicians employed in Singapore. BCA has put in place various measures to attract, develop and retain lift technicians. These include introducing a progressive wage model for the industry in 2019, which sets out structured pathways for progression. BCA is also exploring the use of Remote Monitoring and Diagnostics technology to increase productivity. This will uplift the nature of the job and enable each technician to maintain a larger number of lifts. To ensure a high standard of maintenance as our lift stock continues to grow, BCA will require lift technicians to obtain either a Nitec in Built Environment (Vertical Transport) or a Certificate of Competency (CoC) in Lift Maintenance for Lift Specialist before they are allowed to maintain lifts independently. To date, more than 400 of the 2,400 lift technicians have received either the Nitec or the CoC. BCA will continue to work with ITE to ensure that there is sufficient capacity to train our lift technicians before the requirements come into effect. Once the requirements take effect, it will be an offence for lift maintenance contractors to deploy technicians without the required certification to maintain lifts independently. BCA will conduct audits on lift maintenance operations and take enforcement actions against errant contractors.”
“Mr Speaker, I would like to thank Mr Murali Pillai for the question. We are, indeed, looking at this matter. As I have mentioned just now, our first priority now is to enhance the TraceTogether app, particularly in use with the iOS phone. In fact, Apple and Google themselves have come out to talk about putting out a protocol that will be more effective when such apps are in place on their phones. So, the technical teams are working very closely with Apple and Google to enhance the effectiveness of the app. When that is done, we will certainly look at the next step, which is to see how the take-up rate of the app can be a lot more than what it is today.”
“Second, have we been communicating the reasons for these testing strategies to migrant workers and Singaporeans sufficiently? Again, the migrant workers may not be aware of why some of these strategies are being carried out. Lastly, are the strategies for testing aligned between the different dormitories? Then we have been hearing some reports that the strategies may differ, depending on who is in charge on the ground and various other operational considerations.”
“Mr Speaker, on the assignment of HDB commercial units, I think Members might recall that, some years back, HDB had actually put in place some restrictions on such transfers or re-assignment practices because there was speculative behaviour, property play and then these things led to high assignment fees which led on to these costs being passed down to residents. So, restrictions were put in place for a good reason. We will consider whether some flexibility might be extended during this time. But I think we should not lose sight of the underlying objectives and rationale for why some of these measures were put in place to begin with. I think, again, we should look at it in a broader context. There are many measures that have been put in place to help businesses, including rental rebates and measures that MOF has announced through three successive Budgets. So, let us look at this holistically to see what is the best way to help our businesses. Assoc Prof Walter Theseira (Nominated Member): Thank you, Mr Speaker. I have three supplementary questions for Minister Gan on the testing of migrant workers. Reports suggest that due to resource constraints, we are prioritising testing of and isolation of older migrant workers because of the higher health risks as well as essential services workers. The Minister has explained that earlier in the statement, I think. So, my first question is, how are we managing then the risk resulting from the fact that some of the younger workers may not be tested, detected and isolated for now while we still have these resource constraints. And I am referring here to the risk within dormitories, not so much the wider community.”
“Mr Speaker, I thank Ms Anthea Ong for her question. I am somewhat puzzled by it because the question almost presupposes that we do not want to do a review despite me saying explicitly in my speech just now that we want to. I think if you heard my speech just now, I said that we are committed to doing a comprehensive review after the crisis. It is more than just a review on dormitories. It is a review on the whole pandemic from start to finish and our response, and we are committed to learning and improving from this experience. That is what I said, so let there be no doubt that we are not wanting to do this because after the crisis is over, we will do a full review. The actual nature of it, the form of it, the timing of it – clearly, it is not possible to say it today when we are still fighting a battle for which we do not know when it will end. But after that, we are committed to doing a review, and we will announce it as and when we are ready.”