Lily Neo
Singapore
“Thank you, Mr Speaker. May I ask Minister for Health on MOH's capacity in coping with serious cases of COVID-19 in terms of adequacy in respirators and in our ICU beds. Am I correct to say that already half of NCID's ICUs are taken up? What will happen when it reaches its full capacity?”
“But even so, with the right measures of social and medical assistance in place to assist them with their daily living, they can still age gracefully in the comfort of their own homes.”
“Thank you, Mr Chairman. Yes, I will keep it short. Minister earlier said that MSF will proactively reach out to families in HDB rental homes to assist them, to possibly buy their own HDB flats. Many of these families lamented that they cannot afford it. How does the Minister plan to do it?”
“Thank you, Mr Chairman. May I ask the Minister whether there is a possibility of more widespread community spread of COVID-19? And will MOH be able to cope with this? And whether does our Government have more specific measures in place to cope with this scenario?”
“Thank you, Mr Chairman. Earlier in my speech, I asked whether there are assessments by HDB for applicants of Joint Singles Scheme (JSS) to ensure that they are free from mental illnesses and medical conditions before compelling them to stay together.”
“Many of them have lived in rental housing for more than six years and some more than 10 years. Thus, there are signs of entrenchment. What are the schemes in place and the success rate of such schemes, to assist them in looking for better options in their housing needs and to help them get out of their predicaments?”
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“Mr Chairman, the Minister yesterday announced that PA allowance would be increased by $30 a month, from $260 to $290. The Minister did not answer my two questions on whether PA allowance commensurates with inflation and whether there has been a study done to ascertain whether PA allowance serves the needs of the recipients. Sir, my single constituents told me that they needed to skip one meal a day to live on the $260 per month. And now, MCYS is going to give them $1 more a day. But, Sir, $1 a day will not be able to buy them one meal a day in any hawker centre.”
“Sir, many of the poor Singaporeans need long-term assistance. May I ask whether public assistance (PA) allowance is commensurate with inflation? Has there been any study done on the adequacy of PA allowance? Does it serve the needs of the recipients? Could MCYS review and ensure that PA recipients do not go through hardshi,p such as skipping one meal a day, just to make ends meet? Could MCYS be less stringent on the approval of PA cases in view of our widening income disparity in order to preserve our social fabric?”
“What measures are being taken to ensure that members' returns are constantly being adjusted to inflation? Does CPF have any good asset management team to get better returns on their CPF funds? Should there also be a review on the CPFRS scheme to better protect members' funds? CPF Rules”
“Sir, inter-generational cohesion is important in our ageing society and inter-generational bonding can be enhanced by encouraging seniors to take on a more active role in the family as grandparents or caregivers. The Government can assist in this area by allowing the eligibility of Workfare Bonus for grandparents to take care of their own grandchildren and not just taking care of grandchildren or fathers. I hope MOM can consider this. Central Provident Fund Sir, may I ask MOM to review the adequacy of CPF in providing the retirement needs in view of our fast ageing population? Could MOM consider implementing a mandatory universal annuity insurance scheme to ensure that old Singaporeans are self-reliant and able to provide for basic retirement needs by deducting a percentage of their CPF? The lower income families can get their CPF top-ups from the Government to participate in this insurance scheme. This scheme can be distributive in nature. This insurance gives monthly annuity payouts to Singaporeans till their ripe old age after retirement. This addresses the insecurity or retirement needs as a result of lack of savings during working life or loss of savings either due to poor management of personal funds or blown away in too short a time after retirement. The advantages of such a scheme are better economies of scale, lower premiums and higher payouts. May I ask MOM how are members' funds being invested presently and are there plans to increase the rates of returns of these investments? Is there enough transparency in the investment process and outcome and transaction costs? What measures are currently being taken to review the adequacy of the CPF in providing for the retirement needs of an ageing population?”
“Mr Chairman, Sir, I can see that MOE has challenges ahead and bold changes to be made to better hone our only resources, ie, our human resource, for a better Singapore. Therefore, I would like to wish Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam and his team here, MOS and SPS, as well as his team in MOE - I can see the Permanent Secretary here - all the best and success in their endeavours. On that note, I beg leave to withdraw my amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. The sum of $6,352,253,240 for Head K ordered to stand part of the Main Estimates. The sum of $681,257,200 for Head K ordered to stand part of the Development Estimates. Column No : 3196 Head S - Ministry of Manpower”
“Mr Chairman, earlier in my opening speech, I suggested this concept of lifelong learning and lifelong learners in a learning society. Could I seek the Minister's view on this? Does he think that this concept is appropriate in today's world and also in future context? And will he look at it with the view of maybe incorporating it in our education system?”
“There is greater challenge for children from lower-income families to participate in their education process and to level up in society. Greater effort must be put in to identify and to assist them so that they can be given a chance to compete on equal terms. Community involvement and collaboration, especially with grassroots organisations, are useful. Can MOE take a more holistic approach by considering other assistance required by these families in order to get a more conducive environment for the children? Do we have social workers that can follow up and refer these families to the relevant agencies for help? Can these children be given other assistance tutoring and mentoring to level up? Could MOE monitor these students and provide them with assistance to keep them in their right path in their primary and secondary education?”
“Sir, there are 1,100 private schools here that cater to about 420,000 local students and 72,000 foreign students. It is important that we ensure the quality of our private schools so that both local and foreign students receive quality education. The private schools are registered with MOE but, according to MOE, registration with MOE is not tantamount to accreditation or endorsement of quality of the private schools or their teaching staff. Some private education organisations have abused the "MOE-certified" tag to oversell their credibility. It is vital for our Government to set up a national accreditation body to assess and monitor the quality of private schools here to ensure the reliability and sustainability of private education institutions. Sir, we must be cognisant of the challenges ahead in making Singapore an education hub. It is counter-productive in trying to raise the capabilities, capacities and profiles of our universities and introduce new colleges, such as a liberal arts college, as recommended by the International Academy Advisory Panel, if we do not address the credibility issues of private education institutions. Could MOE also look into the need for an accreditation scheme for student agents in order to safeguard foreign students' interests, especially from rogue agencies? There must be some standardisation of student agents to ensure reliability and credibility in school placing, visa getting and accommodation.”
“Sir, could the MOE improve the drop-out rate of our students from our schools, many of them from lower-income families? Drop-outs are more likely to experience negative outcomes, such as under-employment and unemployment as well as negative consequences to society. Has there been a study done to find out the reasons of our school drop-outs? For this group, I feel that we need to take a more integrated approach to help them. In order to prevent drop-outs, are our schools equipped with the ability to identify at-risk students early? Are there programmes in place to provide extra help for at risk students? We should have comprehensive assistance to target factors, not just the schools but also families and communities, that contribute to the drop-out process. Do we have school social workers that can have the time and the ability to intervene, assist and follow up each case? The social worker assigned may also need to assess the family's needs, such as financial, social and employment, and refer them to the relevant agencies to match them with our existing available assistance schemes. This is to facilitate a more conducive home environment for these students, as well as better parental motivation to encourage their own children to stay in schools. Continued monitoring and follow-up over time are necessary to ensure success. Do we have counsellors that can provide formal counselling in personal issues along with career counselling? Could MOE also involve the community and adult mentors to assist at-risk students to achieve better success? 3.45 pm”
“We should keep it this way and adopt an inclusive approach as we learn what it means to be gracious hosts to our overseas friends. Through our school and NE programmes, our foreign students learn more about and come to appreciate Singapore's diversity and values. One such experience is the NE show, the preview of the National Day parade attended by all Primary 5 pupils. We heard of one pupil from India who was so excited and impressed by what he saw that he kept the goodie bag long after he had returned home when his family relocated. In the years ahead, there will be more opportunities both for our students to be enriched, through their interactions with people from other countries, as well as for us to enrich foreign students with happy memories of Singapore. We hope that in all cross-cultural exchanges, our students will be good ambassadors and emissaries for Singapore. Mr Chairman, let me conclude. We have a good base of practices and programmes that we can build upon. But the success of NE will depend on how well we implement the recommendations in the coming years. It will require the collective and sustained effort of all educators and the active support of parents and community networks to make the critical difference in this important endeavour to nurture young citizens who are proud to be Singaporeans, and who will rally as one people, to bring our nation forward. Special Needs Education”
“But more than skills, alumni members are important role models for our students and contribute to shaping their values and attitudes towards the school and nation. Beyond the family, the wider community, non-government organisations, community agencies and the private sector can play a part in reinforcing values and attitudes in our young towards Singapore. Interactions with the community can take numerous forms, such as dialogues with leaders from different walks of life, interviews with grandparents, sharing by veterans about their war experiences, or nurses about experience during SARS. The community can provide meaningful opportunities for our young to participate in and contribute through community work and internships. Beyond Singapore and interactions with Singaporeans, cross-cultural exchange and international exposure allow students to reflect on the differences between different cultures and countries, so that they can come to a greater appreciation of why Singapore is special. Students have shared about how going overseas on exchange programmes or community service projects have made them feel "more Singaporean". Their overseas experiences will be complemented by the increasing cultural diversity in our schools and PSEI campuses as more foreign students come to Singapore. This brings me to Dr Lily Neo's point about the integration of new immigrants. Local and foreign students interact and bond as a natural part of school life - within the classroom, through discussions and project work, and outside of the classroom, through camps and CCAs. They offer fresh perspectives on issues in classroom discussions as foreigners, and they help us understand others and ourselves better.”
“Through encounters and interactions with people from all walks of life and backgrounds, young and old, at home and abroad, students learn about themselves and about life as Singaporeans. The Committee thus recommends bringing the community more into schools for NE activities, and bringing more of our students out into the local community and abroad, something which Minister Tharman also touched on in his earlier reply. The family and alumni can play an important part in National Education. I spoke about the parents' role in giving our children a holistic education. Our NE Perception Study shows that where the influence of teachers declined with age, the influence of parents remained fairly constant throughout the students' schooling years. We encourage more structured and continued efforts by schools to involve parents in holistic education and NE. These are long-term investments that will yield good fruit over time. In Bedok Green Secondary, members of the Parent Support Group introduced students to dining etiquette for the different races, as part of Racial Harmony Day Celebrations. Through their efforts and involvement, students are now better able to appreciate Malay, Indian and Chinese etiquettes. So they contribute towards social cohesion and at the same time it demonstrates the role that parents can play in furthering this effort. 2.45 pm Contributions by the alumni are no less important, as they are wonderful examples of how former students can return, give back to the school and demonstrate their affection and loyalty. Top school bands like Tanjong Katong and Bukit Panjang owe much of their success to the untiring efforts of their alumni.”
“The Student Council embarked on the Blue Ribbon Project, which aimed to give students a second chance to regain certain privileges they had lost through careless behaviour. It is something that they decided they wanted to do, something that they managed to convince the school authorities. So they felt that, by working together with the authorities and by being the bridge between the authority and student body, they could do something that was meaningful and acceptable to the school population at large. Beyond the school, our student action could also involve setting up project teams to explore issues of national interest and propose ideas for improvements. One such example is the National Education (NE) Student Taskforce. It was formed by a group of JC and Polytechnic students, entirely of their own accord. They met each other through the national youth forum, they kept in touch, and when they found out that they were doing a review of National Education, they decided that they would form a group on their own to look into this issue and give us their suggestions and proposals. We listened to them. We found that they had good ideas to offer. And we co-organised two National Education symposia with them so that they could share their findings with and receive feedback and suggestions from close to 600 students from the secondary and post-secondary institutions. I believe what they have done will inspire other students to take a more active interest in national issues and find ways in which they can contribute and make their voices and views heard. The third thrust is for schools and PSEIs to enhance National Education through strengthening the school-community linkages.”
“But we are mindful that we need to find ways to make it more interesting and meaningful and we want to do so by spending more time actually on the pre- and post-CIP activities - pre-activity to help them understand the purpose of what it is that they do, and post-activity, so that they will be able to follow up and continue and find that it really leads to some real difference. I note the point from Dr Faishal about students who - I do not think they use 1-cent coin because that is not in circulation anymore but I know what he means - have been stuffing the cans, so to speak, in order to spend time doing something else. I have seen that taking place myself, and I had asked them what they did. And they did not understand the significance of what it was and why they were doing it, standing at the corner of the streets, trying to collect money for a cause they knew nothing about. I think it is important for them to understand that there are certain benefits of doing something like this, even a simple action like this of spending a few hours, standing there, trying to convince people to give some money to a good cause. It is for the students, I think, a humbling experience. And we need to continue post-activity of just collecting the coins to bring them to see how recipients can directly benefit from their efforts. I think if we spend more time doing that, it will make a difference in the attitudes that our people have with regard to some of these activities. So we will give this greater emphasis going forward. Besides CIP, student action is also about shaping school life. We had talked about what happened at Sengkang and Cedar Girls. Let me share also about Pasir Ris Secondary.”
“This was actually an idea that was thrown up by a member of the staff and which the principal enthusiastically took up and implemented school wide. The second key thrust is to engage and empower students to make NE "come alive for our young", to use Dr Amy Khor's words, and give them a greater sense of ownership and responsibility for the future of Singapore. One of the recommendations involves reviewing Social Studies. Done well, this subject is useful for students to explore differing perspectives on issues which we face and come to their own reasoned conclusions under the guidance of their teachers. We note students’ feedback and also Members' comments that Social Studies are sometimes too focused on the examinations. So MOE will review the Social Studies curriculum to look into how it can be better taught and assessed as part of the regular syllabus review cycle. Another recommendation is for schools to provide more opportunities for greater student action. Students consulted shared that they would like a greater say in what they do and how they can best contribute. MOE will work with schools to make student-initiated CIP more pervasive at the secondary levels, as it presently is at the post-secondary levels. We have actually, in response to Ms Denise Phua's earlier point, removed the number of hours that students in post-secondary institutions have to perform for CIP. We found quite encouraging responses. As a result, a vast majority of them, well above three-quarters, have actually continued with CIP. They do so when they find it especially meaningful, and what they do makes a difference. We have no plans at this moment to increase the number of hours in secondary schools beyond the present six at the moment.”
“So MOE and NIE will together enhance teachers' knowledge and skills through professional development, starting from pre-service training. We will help them develop the art of storytelling to bring lessons to life and the art of facilitating discussions on current issues. Dr Amy Khor raised the point on the relevance of teacher training and we agree on its importance. We need to also help them access a richer variety of resources. To this end, the Committee has recommended that MOE create a one-stop online repository as part of the effort to develop and provide access to quality NE resources. And this is an online repository where all our educators will be encouraged to contribute their ideas, lessons and things that have worked for them so that we build up this database which is accessible by all our educators. To facilitate classroom discussion on current affairs at home and around the world, MOE will develop timely resource packages with think-tanks, news and Government agencies. In such discussions, we hope to emphasise that NE is relevant and develop students' interest in the world beyond the classroom. Collaboration, innovation and sharing can unlock great potential in the teaching community. There are many good ideas and practices on the ground about how to make NE more effective. Across schools, there is great scope for sharing lessons and collaborating on new and better ways to deliver NE to their students. Within schools, principals work with their teachers to foster the right school environment for new ideas to flourish. At Bendemeer Secondary School, all students who receive their NRICs go through a simple but meaningful ceremony to highlight the significance and responsibilities of being full-fledged Singapore citizens.”
“But as they moved beyond secondary into the post-secondary levels, into tertiary institutions, it is worthwhile also for them to ponder the possible future for Singapore and the trade-offs that we need to make in each of them. Mr Khaw Boon Wan talked about health and the different balances that we need to make, and these are issues that we need to do, going forward, for our students, for our young to think about them that if you want more support for those who are elderly, for the lower income, how are we going to make sure that we are able to do that and yet have a viable economy for Singapore that will ensure that we remain competitive. So there are trade-offs, there are dilemmas that we have to allow our students to ponder, confront and to think about so that they can arrive at their reasoned conclusions as to the future they want for Singapore. The outermost ring, in the case of the three main stakeholders in the NE effort, again, we will need the commitment and contributions of students, educators and the community for NE to succeed. The Committee has made 16 recommendations grouped under three key thrusts, addressing educators, students and the community, and then we highlight some of the recommendations. The first thrust is Equipping and Enabling our Educators. Our teachers and education leaders are vital because they directly determine the quality of NE our students receive and influence their values and attitudes. Emphasis must be given to deepen our educators' own convictions and ownership of NE and equip them with the skills, knowledge and resources to make the subject more engaging, again, a point that has been raised by several Members, and we acknowledge that this is important.”
“If I may draw your attention to the words which describe "Head, Heart and Hands", you will see the words Love, Appreciate and Belong describe the concept of 'Heart', Know, Think and Understand describe the concept of 'Head' and, Contribute, Create and Lead the concept of 'Hands'. These expanded outcomes are important to capture the essence of what it means to engage Head, Heart and Hands. In engaging the "Head", we want students to be actively involved in their own learning; we want them not only to know the facts but to think through issues and arrive at a deeper understanding of the challenges facing Singapore and what it means to be Singaporean. In engaging the "Heart", we want students to connect emotionally with the Singapore story; we want them to love, appreciate and feel a deeper sense of belonging to this place we call home. In engaging the "Hands", we want students to give back to society and to do their part to contribute to and create Singapore’s future and, where possible, to lead in different fields of society. The middle ring in the framework articulates the principles that underline all these recommendations - and they are ownership by all, quality and a customised approach for students. Let me give an example. A customised approach is such that as students progress from primary to secondary level, they should advance from just knowing about the basic facts about our nation's history to understanding how Singapore is evolving in the present and the current challenges confronting us, something that Members had also brought up.”
“For us in the Committee, our realisation is that for some of the older students, NE has engaged the mind sufficiently but has not warmed the heart adequately. I note the feedback that has been given that we need to do more and we recognise the need to be done to touch the heart. They are but 12 inches apart and yet the most challenging terrain to navigate and the longest distance to traverse may be that which separates the head from the heart, even though they are really only 12 inches apart. So we are mindful that, going forward, we must do more, not so much for the intellectual component but to find ways to engage them so that they feel deeply about the country, about the community and about ways in which they can contribute and give back to society. So we are in agreement that this aspect deserves more attention. Going forward, our refinements seek to give greater focus on emotional rootedness as an objective of NE. We need to refine, and not increase, our NE programmes; we have to customise them to suit our students' age, interests and inclinations. As always, we believe that the educator is the fulcrum on which our efforts and outcomes rest. To guide us in the next phase of NE, the Committee recommends the "Head, Heart and Hands" framework. You will find a copy of the framework among your handouts. It looks something like this. [Indicating]. This framework essentially builds on the current desired outcomes of "Love, Know and Lead Singapore" but stresses that there is a continuum in the engagement of Head, Heart and Hands across different educational levels, building on the affections formed and knowledge imparted at each of the earlier stages. In addition, the new framework expands on the outcomes of "Love, Know and Lead Singapore".”
“Feedback also shows that implementation of NE programmes has been uneven, resulting in differing student experiences. Students shared that while they enjoyed NE at primary school, they become somewhat sceptical of NE at the secondary school level and beyond. A good number found Social Studies, which they equated most with NE, as burdensome, boring or, worse, relegated it to 'propaganda'. This affirms the comments that Dr Amy Khor had made, calling it 'dry' and 'uninteresting', which was, I think, somewhat kinder and milder. A small minority felt that CIP was more about meeting the required number of hours than about helping others. But I would stress that this was only a minority. But where the approach has been holistic, where school leaders have thoughtfully structured programmes, where teachers have skilfully and openly engaged students, NE was well received. For these students, Learning Journeys and Social Studies opened their minds and caused them to re-examine their assumptions and deepen their understanding of the challenges we face, while CIP, they felt, empowered them to care for others and caused them to reflect on how their efforts can make a significant difference. 2.30 pm Based on the feedback also, one of the conclusions the Committee made is that the present articulation of "love, know and lead Singapore" as the respective NE outcomes for the primary, secondary, and post-secondary levels may have unwittingly led to an over-emphasis on one particular outcome at each stage to the exclusion of others. So, as students progressed from 'love' in primary school to 'know' in secondary school, the intellectual component took precedence. As students grow, we have to engage their minds in ways that do not lose touch with their hearts.”
“So, it is vital that as we prepare our young well with the skills and confidence to engage in a globalised world, we also grow their emotional attachment to Singapore, so that they continue to regard this place as home no matter how far they journey and how long they are away. It is in this context that prompted PM Lee to speak about developing "heartware and rootedness" in his National Day Rally last year and which is also the reason why there must be greater emphasis on 'emotional rootedness' as an NE objective. The Committee on National Education was set up in August last year to look into how we can enhance NE in our schools and post-secondary educational institutes (or PSEIs). The Committee was asked to look into how we can better engage our young and encourage them to shape the character and life of our society. We were mindful that the objective was not to do more NE but to make it felt more. We consulted a wide range of stakeholders - students, school and PSEI leaders, teachers, parents and community groups - close to 1,200 people in all. We asked them to share with us what worked and what did not work. Let me briefly share some of our findings. Our educational leaders, teachers, parents, students and organisations agree that NE is important and the core programmes are sound. They understand the context and necessity of NE. Over the years, these programmes have created better awareness among students of the key messages and some appreciation of the attributes that make Singapore special as a country. Students, especially those older, would like to be engaged in thinking through national issues through open and candid discussions and be empowered to give back to the community in their own meaningful ways.”
“When NE was introduced in 1997, the objectives of National Education then were to develop national cohesion, the instincts for survival and confidence in our future. The concern was that our younger generation, who had not gone through the struggles of nation-building, would not appreciate or value what it was that we have in Singapore and how it was painfully wrought by the efforts of so many over the years. We infused NE in various subjects, particularly Civics and Moral Education, and introduced Social Studies. Through these, we sought to develop a greater understanding of and appreciation for Singapore' s challenges and achievements, heritage and way of life. We also introduced some common NE experiences for all students, through the Community Involvement Programme (or CIP), Learning Journeys and the commemoration of four core events, such as the Total Defence Day or the Racial Harmony Day, to help them internalise important values. Over the past decade, some key events have shocked us out of our comfort zone. The Asian economic crisis, the September 11 attack on the World Trade Centre and our own subsequent concerns over domestic and regional terrorism, and SARs come prominently to mind. We were tested and we stayed united and cohesive; we responded decisively and we emerged stronger. We must imbue in successive generations these same instinctive responses to crises. Our young will need to be resilient, have a robust sense of nationhood and the determination to stay united as one people. Over the past 10 years, we have had more opportunities for more Singaporeans to study, work and live abroad. We expect this trend to continue, going forward.”
“Sir, Singapore is trying to attract more foreign talents to increase its population. Those foreign students in our schools may be the children of new immigrants. Could MOE design schemes to enable the better integration of these children into our society for better harmony from an early age? Many of our foreign students in schools are good candidates for foreign talents here, especially those that are in universities. It will be helpful to provide some avenues to look into their social needs and to engage them with opportunities to integrate with locals. Can we be gracious hosts to foreign students in order to persuade some of them to settle down in Singapore after their graduation? In the very least, these will go a long a way in leaving them with good impressions for them to serve as our goodwill ambassadors back home. RAdm (NS) Lui Tuck Yew: Mr Chairman, as we prepare our students for a future of opportunity, we are also mindful that we need to work on strengthening their heartware and emotional rootedness to Singapore so that they will continue to regard this place as home, and will be committed to contributing towards making this a better home for future generations. Let me thank Dr Lily Neo, Dr Faishal, Dr Amy Khor and Mdm Ho Geok Choo for their interest in and questions on how National Education (NE) will be enhanced. Dr Faishal asked how we can deepen the sense of rootedness in our young to Singapore - their patriotism. Dr Amy Khor had questions on the teaching of NE, the syllabus, making NE come alive, the relevance of teacher training. These are aspects which the review of NE has covered and which I will touch on in my reply.”
“Sir, National Education should be prioritised in order to strengthen the sense of belonging or the rootedness of Singaporeans to Singapore. This is even more relevant in today's globalised world where more and more Singaporeans will live away from home either for business or for work. Therefore, could MOE enhance National Education in schools? Could there be more emphasis given to the area of rootedness or the sense of belonging of Singaporeans to Singapore? Could MOE also ensure that National Education, as a subject, is engaging and interesting to students? Could MOE ensure that National Education is implemented evenly in all our schools?”
“[For vernacular speech, please refer to Appendix A *. ] Sir, globalisation is here to stay, and our people must embrace it as best as they can in order to succeed in their endeavours. Our students today are the Singapore's future resource. How we nurture them today will determine how the country will progress in the future. May I ask the Minister whether MOE prepares our students for a globalised world? In today's economy, the world is our market. Singaporeans are especially attracted to emerging markets, such as China and India. Our people will have the added advantage to do business in these countries if they are fluent in the languages used by the people in these countries. Will MOE, riding on the advantage of our multi-ethnic student composition, prepare these students in the various Asian languages, and other languages for those who can cope? * Cols. 3237-3238.”
“Apart from this, we should also look into providing funding facility and even scholarships to adults to pursue advanced degrees and to encourage and reward their achievements and desire to continue learning. Sir, lifelong learning calls for a broad concept of education which is pursued throughout life - flexible, diverse and available at different times and different places. A key priority must be to provide the facility for second chance education for citizens. Existing educational institutions should be encouraged to transform themselves into establishments of lifelong learning. A new concept should be that all our tertiary institutions should be accessible to all qualified students irrespective of age. I hope MOE will pursue this concept to achieve "Lifelong Learning and Lifelong Learners in a Learning Society".”
“It includes developing concentration, memory skills and the ability to think. (2) Learning to do. This involves equipping people to do the types of work needed in the future, including innovation and adaptation of learning to future work environments. (3) Learning to live together and with others. This involves educating our students to avoid conflict or peacefully resolve it, through the discovery of other people and their cultures, and involvement in common projects. As Singapore becomes more cosmopolitan in nature, understanding international cultures is an important component in social cohesion, as well as in relating to our friends globally. Current curriculum may be revised to include a broader understanding and appreciation of cultures and nationalities world wide. (4) Learning to be. This involves education that contributes to a person's complete development - mind and body, intelligence, sensitivity, aesthetic appreciation and spirituality. More could be done to emphasise these values rather than treat them as merely part of the mandatory curriculum. Niklas Zennstrom, founder of the VoIP telephony company, Skype, was able to be an international success because of his unquenchable desire to constantly learn - learn from his failures, innovate and create. After the failures of KaZaA, he regrouped, rethought and innovated - Skype was the result, and he had left the giant telecommunications firm sweating. Dr Tony Tan and the IAAP panel have already taken positive steps to look into the establishment of liberal arts colleges in Singapore, to provide a "creative learning environment".”
“Sir, I beg to move, That the total sum to be allocated for Head K of the Estimates be reduced by $100. Sir, it is imperative that our greatest resource, our people, is well-equipped to meet the demands of a rapidly evolving and globalised world. The essential task of MOE is to ensure that our citizens are equipped with the knowledge, skills and qualifications they need to participate in this new economy. Creativity, flexibility and innovation are key tools we need to survive and compete in this new knowledge-based economy. Education can no longer stop after one leaves school or even college. Individuals must take it upon themselves to constantly improve and upgrade. It is not MOE's role to do so, but it can help prepare students to be lifelong learners and steer Singapore to be a learning society. The vision is to build a new culture of learning that will underpin national competitiveness and personal prosperity, encourage creativity and innovation and help build a cohesive society. 12.45 pm MOE could encourage and make it conducive, rewarding, and non-disadvantageous for citizens to continue learning throughout their lives, not just in the years of compulsory schooling. As a start, MOE could begin at the primary level, and prepare our students to cultivate the habit of lifelong learning. MOE could, in its teaching guidance, help nurture the following perceptions in children, to continue the evolution towards a more fully realised embrace of motivation to learn. MOE could, for example, adopt the recommendations of the UNESCO Delors Report which highlighted four pillars of education: (1) Learning to know. This involves the mastery of learning tools rather than the acquisition of structured knowledge.”
“Mr Chairman, Sir, may I ask the Minister how does he maintain the high standard of our medical personnel? In the past, doctors were sent overseas for training under the HMDP scheme. Are there better avenues and more funding presently? Does he have any plan to scale greater heights of medical expertise and medical excellence? The Minister said yesterday that MOH is getting hundreds of foreign graduates to join our Ministry. Could I urge him to be mindful of the quality of doctors and not just the quantity?”
“Thank you, Mr Speaker. May I ask the Minister of State how does MOM prepare for this ageing population and ageing workforce? Are there new avenues for upgrading and employment of older workers? How do you encourage employers to accept older workers? The last question is: how do you promote lifelong learning and nurture lifelong employability?”
“May I ask the Minister of State whether now is an opportune time to raise the retirement age due to the number of jobs created last year, and is it not time now to get more older workers to join the workforce or delay retirement to contribute to the workforce when the labour is tight?”
“Mr Chairman, may I ask MOH what are its proactive plans in meeting the new challenges of our ageing population? Is MOH expecting a ballooning demand for its services due to increasing life expectancy of people? How is MOH strategising to meet this demand in terms of both the infrastructure and the medical expertise? Is MOH prioritising preventive healthcare to keep the ageing population as healthy and fit for as long as possible? Is there a need to manage and alleviate increasing demand for the dependence on acute hospital beds? How does MOH plan to do this? Should there be further improvements and enhancements in step-down care and community care? Are there other viable solutions such as homecare system? Has there been study done to better postulate on the future healthcare demand of our ageing population to help us plan better for this need? How does MOH plan for the possible 6.5 million population growth in terms of healthcare? Does MOH have funding for this? Finally, is there an urgent need to look at ways to improve the capabilities and capacities of geriatric medicine to meet the needs of our changing demography? Health Insurance”
“Mr Chairman, earlier, the Minister said that Singapore reclaimed land to cope with the sea level rise of 59 centimetres. May I ask him whether he knows of the study which estimated that the sea level will rise to 140 centimetres? Does it mean that the reclaimed land will be inundated should this happen? Assoc. Prof. Dr Yaacob Ibrahim: Sir, the details of the fourth IPCC Report stated various scenarios at which water level may rise. This fourth Report is a step better than the third Report where they put probabilities - likelihood, higher probability - on certain scenarios. The 59 centimetres is the global average given in the fourth IPCC report. As regards 140 centimetres, I am not sure where that was obtained by Dr Neo. So, our provision for 125 centimetres above the highest recorded tide is sufficient to cover the 59 centimetres. But as I mentioned in my reply, we are studying this in greater detail. In fact, there is a committee led by MND to study what are the measures, after we have completed our impact studies, to make sure that we are safeguarded from any sea level rises in the impending future.”
“But at the same time, he will need support from the central government, because this plan must also be owned by the Environment Ministry (the KLH) in Jakarta. We have informed Jakarta that we want to make this plan successful. The fact that Malaysia has noted that this is a good collaboration to follow shows that we are on the right track. If we can get all these factors aligned before the dry season hits us this year, we have a chance to deal with the haze. I am not sure whether we can prevent it entirely but, at least, we are doing something on the ground to work together with the plantation owners so that they can adopt better land-clearing practices.”
“Mr Chairman, Sir, may I ask the Minister whether he expects the haze in Singapore to be worse this year, in view of the El Nino effect? May I also ask him whether the cooperation with the Jambi Regency on the master plan will be on time to save Singaporeans from the afflicted episode and the dreaded recurrence of haze, and would he put his best efforts to prevent this haze recurrence? Assoc. Prof. Dr Yaacob Ibrahim: Sir, I share my fellow Jalan Besar GRC Member's concern about haze, because it is affecting all of us. This year, earlier predictions were that El Nino was coming in the second half. But the current prediction is that it is weakening towards the first half of this year. All prediction models can only predict about three or four months ahead. So we will only know some time in May or June what will happen in the second half of this year. But, certainly, if El Nino is coming, it will be a drier season and, therefore, the likelihood of haze. We will work very hard to make sure that the Jambi master plan gets implemented. The workshop will be conducted next week. In fact, I have been told that even the Governor might turn up for the workshop, because he wants to sit down with the Jambi officials to develop the plans, as they have to own the master plan. We will be in Singapore, but they will be there and they have to monitor the situation, work with the plantation owners and the kampongs. So we will do our best to make sure that the plan takes off this year. A lot will depend on two things. There must be political will. We are fortunate that the Governor of Jambi, Pak Zulkifli, who is an old friend of Singapore, is a hands-on person and is very keen.”
“Thank you, Mr Speaker. May I ask MOS how does he plan to increase the take-up rate of Singaporeans pursuing the Ph.D and Masters courses since only 10% of those doing such courses in NUS and NTU are Singaporeans? Could he elaborate on this?”
“May I ask MOS whether he agrees with Prof. Brown, the IAAP member, who said that the IAAP panel believed that Singapore could become an international centre for R&D on par with the best around the world? How would this add value to the future of the Singapore's economy and how does MOE plan to achieve this vision?”
“Madam, earlier, Minister Mah said that we now have a new supply of sand. Could I ask the Minister whether this arrangement is going to be permanent? Does this new source cost more and how much more? Does it cost a burden to our construction industry? Minister Mah also said earlier that MND is assisting, not private construction companies, but public construction companies. Therefore, I would like to ask him: what about private construction companies, especially in the supply of sand and granite?”
“Sir, may I ask MND what is the progress in the planning for increase in population growth? How do we cater for the increased demand on housing land space where it supplies education, healthcare, transport, recreation facilities and social services. Should there be inter-ministerial cooperation among the various Ministries for this planning? How much funds must be needed for this plan for the 6.5 million population growth and has MND put aside this funding? Property Market and Public Housing”
“Sir, can I seek clarification from the Deputy Prime Minister? May I ask him where are we targeting our foreign talent? Does he foresee any social strain should we end up with heterogeneity?”
“Sir, in view of the unfavourable demographic shift of an ageing population, immigration can help to slow down the process of ageing and the shrinking of the population and mitigate the negative economic impact. What is the progress on the attraction of foreign talent to Singapore? Are there better plans to bring in more foreign talent, especially those that contribute to Singapore's economy? Where are we targeting them? Is there a conscious effort to maintain our current racial mix? Is there a concern on future strain on the society should there be too many ethnic compositions? What are the efforts to integrate new foreign talents well into society, as it is vital to preserve a cohesive and harmonious society? Integration of Immigrants 12.15 pm”
“Inter-generational gap will widen with the *Cols. 2047-2048. increasing number of nuclear families. Policies that enhance inter-generational bonding may need further review. Sixth: Social Safety Net. The number of destitutes is going to increase substantially with an ageing population. Those with no immediate family members to fall back on will increase due to decreasing family sizes. The expansion of our social safety net has thus to be planned and provided for, especially during the good economic years to cushion the lean years so as to take care of the needy in our society. Mdm Deputy Speaker, I support this Budget. 5.40 pm”
“Housing My fourth issue deals with the need to revise current housing concepts and policies to cater for the elderly. We should look into ways to improve the design of homes that are elderly-friendly. These designs should enable the elderly to live independently in their own homes. Such policies will complement existing policies and initiatives in HDB estates outside individual units. Modification of the inside of HDB homes with elderly-friendly features and gadgets will enable many to stay on their own safely for as long as possible; therefore, this should be made available. We could also look into developing retirement villages with such facilities that are affordable to the lower-income group. Subsidies could be given to encourage private organisations to provide affordable living arrangements. We could also look at increasing the number of studio apartments. These apartments are already in greater demand and will continue to be amongst the elderly. Rental HDB flats will continue to be popular, particularly with the lower-income group. A two-pronged approach could also be useful to ensure that both retirement funding and housing needs are taken care of. This could be done by improving the current reverse mortgaging scheme to provide liquidity for retirement and, at the same time, provide affordable housing at retirement. Social activity Mdm Deputy Speaker, I shall deliver my last two points in Malay. (In Malay): [For vernacular speech, please refer to Appendix A *.] Fifth: Social. Promotion of active and healthy living should be made widely available island-wide through the availability of Centres of Activity for the Retired or Elderly (CARE) that emphasise on physical, mental and social well-being with meaningful activities.”
“There is further evidence to show that while there is some decline in mental and physical capacities between the ages of 50 and 70, it is minute and may be compensated for by changing the working environment and working practices. HSBC's recent Future of Retirement Survey also revealed that two-thirds of Singaporeans believe they should bear the financial cost of their own retirement. These indicators support calls to extend the compulsory retirement age and to nurture lifelong employability of workers. Healthcare My third point is on the need for strategies to ensure the health quality of Singaporeans. Increased life expectancies due to advances in modern medicine will pose new challenges to our healthcare system. It is imperative that proactive measures be taken now to address these challenges. There are a few key areas to improve on. First, we may need to review the 3-M system in light of extended life expectancies. Increased public awareness of this system will help address public concerns about healthcare affordability. Second, we could place greater emphasis on preventive care, particularly in the prevention of common chronic diseases. We could also ensure better care for newly afflicted patients to prevent full-blown complications. Third, we need to look at developing a home-care system which is currently non-existent. This would help many semi-ambulant patients receive care and treatment in their homes. Fourth, we need to manage and alleviate increasing demand for and dependence on acute hospital beds. Improvements and enhancements to step down care and community care may be viable solutions. Finally, we may need to look at ways to improve the capabilities and capacities of geriatric medicine to meet the needs of this changing demographic.”
“Our society is rapidly evolving towards an ageing population, smaller family sizes and thus fewer children to depend on, and higher dependency ratio. In 2005, only four in 10 Singaporeans aged 55 have the mandatory amount in their CPF accounts. There may be a need to implement instruments to supplement the current CPF system. Of immediate concern is the lack of a viable compulsory insurance scheme for Singaporeans for retirement purposes. I would like to suggest a mandatory universal annuity insurance scheme to ensure that all Singaporeans are self-reliant, and able to provide for basic retirement needs. This scheme makes it mandatory for Singaporeans to pay for a universal insurance fund using a percentage of their CPF. Members are already allowed to use their CPF for investments, housing purchases and MediShield. This scheme establishes a common insurance fund that is redistributive in nature. Contributions could be progressive in nature, and lower-income groups could receive Government top-ups to fund their contribution. The advantages of such a scheme are better economies of scale, lower premiums and higher pay-outs. Employment My second point is on continuing employment. We should consider raising the current retirement age to 65 and explore avenues for upgrading and employment for older workers. There are benefits in retaining older Singaporeans in the workforce for both employers and employees. Employees remain socially, physically and mentally active, and continue to be financially self-sufficient. Additionally, more than half of Singapore companies surveyed agreed that the retirement of older workers means the loss of valuable skills and knowledge.”
“Mdm Deputy Speaker, the Second Finance Minister, in his Budget speech, said that we have to prepare now for the challenges of an ageing population and must ensure the well-being of the senior citizens. I agree with him wholeheartedly. He also said that this Budget is about preparing Singapore for the future and Singapore will have to spend more in the future for the needs of older Singaporeans. Singapore has enjoyed economic success under the PAP. We have a world-class infrastructure and the highest homeownership in the world. Our education and healthcare systems are also internationally-renowned. The PAP Government has also proven to be capable in dealing with crises and challenges over the years. I believe that we shall do just as well in this new challenge to prepare for an ageing population. The issue of an ageing population is not new, and it is one that many developed and developing nations are facing and will one day have to address. The impending demographic shift in Singapore is alarming. Our over-65 population is projected to grow by 372% from 2000 to 2030 - faster than in other ageing societies, such as Japan, 54%; Germany, 63%; and China, 170%. Life expectancy will rise by some four years by 2020 and 10 years by 2050. There are already indications from the ground that these concerns will soon take centre stage. The next generation of seniors will have varying needs and aspirations, and it is this growing lobbying group that will invariably have an exerting effect on many of our policies. I wish to highlight six areas that require our immediate attention. Finance Mr first point is on retirement financing. The current CPF system may require revisions to cater to the needs of retirees.”
“Thank you, Mr Speaker. May I ask the Minister whether there has been any study done to ascertain the impact on Singapore from the rise of sea level as a result of global warming? Is there a possibility of reclaimed land being inundated as they have been reclaimed to cope with 59 cm of sea level rise whereas there is a study that estimated the rise to be as high as 140 cm?”
“Sir, I would like to ask the Minister whether the URA Concept Plan 2001 to add 99 square kilometres of land is still attainable presently and at what cost. Will the tens of billions of dollars required to achieve it be better spent to develop the 40% of still undeveloped land in Singapore to accommodate growth?”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, may I ask the Senior Parliamentary Secretary how committed is MOE in wanting to help children from disadvantaged families to get pre-school education? Has there been any evaluation done to ascertain what are the measures that need to be taken to ensure that these children do get help? Is it not very important for us to try our best to give these children a better change in life in getting out of their social status? Why is MOE reluctant to give free education for these children in order to remove one of the most important hurdles, ie, financial, for these families?”
“May I ask the Minister of State whether she will review the joint singles scheme for those who have lost their spouses or who have no family member or friend to share their rental flat with? Is it not very difficult for many single elderly to comply with this ruling requring them to share and to live with complete strangers? Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien: Mr Speaker, as I have mentioned, the need for rental flats is there. We have a limited stock of rental flats and we have to allocate them carefully. From a resource allocation perspective, we would prefer to have two singles sharing a 1-room flat. HDB has facilitated the pairing up in the past. We do try to put them together and, in some cases, where it is extenuating, as the Member has mentioned, perhaps the demise of a spouse or there are some peculiar personality issues, we have made exceptions. But from a resource allocation perspective, we want to maximise the limited pool of rental flats that we have and, if possible, get as many needy people housed. For every 1-room flat that is only occupied by one person and leaving the other vacancies unoccupied, we do have another person basically to house. From our perspective, with a limited budget, having two singles paired up is the best solution, going forward.”