Low Yen Ling
Singapore
“I want to thank Member Cai Yinzhou for the clarification. As far as his historic district is concerned, I want to assure him that the new Place-making Project Office that comes under the Inter-agency Task Force does indeed not only serve Kampong Gelam, Little India, but also Chinatown.”
“A "we first" society needs an active citizenry working together to realise it. When corporates, community groups, and individuals come together, we will be able to create a harmonious, united and progressive home and society that belong to us.”
“I want to thank Member Mr Andre Low. In my earlier speech, I have also responded very succinctly. I want to assure him, as well as Mr Melvin Yong, I think you touch on very similar issues, and you probably heard from the political office holders speaking at the Ministry of Home Affairs COS about their tough stance against scams.”
“Finally, Government agencies, not just MTI, EDB and Enterprise Singapore, under the leadership of Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong, will continue to create a pro-business, pro-people environment, building a business environment based on integrity.”
“— family business, as well as the other one on TACs. On family businesses, I want to assure him that earlier on, when we mentioned that we raised the support level for SMEs and non-SMEs and indeed, many of our multi-generational family businesses are in that category.”
“And since the Member asked, price obviously is an important indicator. Another example is if CCS observes the behaviour of the organisations and if we pick up signals that they are coordinating the behaviour to raise prices, to reduce quality, to reduce output, to reduce innovation, CCS will step in.”
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“And even for those modules that the students attended, for Temasek Polytechnic, that comprised about 10% of their graduating requirement. For Ngee Ann Polytechnic, it is even less; it is about 3% of their graduating requirement.”
“Mr Speaker, I would like to thank Dr Intan Mokhtar for her two supplementary questions. For the first, she had some queries and suggestions. Prior to making a hire, all our five polytechnics conduct pre-employment checks. This is in line with the public sector practice and also that of many companies in the private sector. These checks include background checks and also checking the applicants' academic qualifications against the original certificates. Since then, Temasek Polytechnic and Ngee Ann Polytechnic have tightened their checks to verify with the issuing institutions, not just for the foreign educational qualifications of new staff but also existing staff. So, that is being done and in progress. In addition to that, since 2014, all our five polytechnics conduct reference checks with the applicant's previous employers or referees indicated in the application. So, on the first question, I want to assure Dr Intan Mokhtar that MOE will continue to work closely with our five polytechnics to continue strengthening their recruitment process. On the second question, Mr Brochez taught at Temasek Polytechnic for a period of two years, from February 2009 to January 2011. He taught for a much shorter period of only six months as an Adjunct Lecturer at Ngee Ann Polytechnic. During that stint in Temasek Polytechnic, he taught four modules for the first-year students, three modules for second- and third-year students, a total of only 85 students. At that point in time, Temasek Polytechnic had a cohort of about 15,900 students, which means the number of students whom he taught represented about 0.5% of the cohort. In Ngee Ann Polytechnic, the percentage of the students he taught was about 1.5%. His work is concentrated on delivering the modules.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, prior to employing Mr Mikhy Brochez, Temasek Polytechnic and Ngee Ann Polytechnic had conducted pre-employment checks by verifying copies of Mr Brochez's educational certificates against the original. This is in line with the practices of the public sector, as well as many private sector companies. In addition, Mr Brochez demonstrated a good grasp of the subject during his interviews with the polytechnics' management staff, including those with expertise in psychology. These factors led the polytechnics to decide to hire him. While due diligence may be conducted thoroughly, there is, unfortunately, no system that is able to exhaustively keep out those who are out to lie and cheat. Temasek Polytechnic and Ngee Ann Polytechnic have since incorporated more stringent checks, including the verification of educational certificates with the issuing institutions. However, there are practical limits to such checks. Some overseas institutions may not provide their confirmation, citing privacy reasons. We are also mindful of not going to the extremes and risk losing out on valuable talents. Therefore, the role of in-service performance appraisal and regular monitoring is very important in our human resource (HR) practices.”
“And by creating opportunities for our senior workers to mentor the younger workers, these "age-smart" companies can enjoy the best of "both worlds" and also enjoy health age diversity which, according to many research articles, will also improve productivity. This not only helps them to attract and retain talent, it also encourages the employees to adopt the mindset of continuous upskilling to remain employable and to remain productive. So, together, we can age purposefully in a caring society where work and family have a place, and where our responsibilities and aspirations are met as we strive to support one another. So, on this note, Mr Speaker, Sir, I support both Motions.”
“Talking about CPF, we have also been going out there to get feedback from members, and we recognise that some people may find the different CPF schemes and requirements fairly mindboggling. In 2015, we introduced a one-on-one personalised CPF Retirement Planning Service (CRPS) to help older workers better understand the various CPF schemes and make their plans before they turn 55. Last year, we expanded CRPS to include options, such as the Silver Housing Bonus, which lets the members unlock the value of their HDB flats and boost their retirement payouts. This year, CRPS is available to those turning 65. As Mr Henry Kwek suggested earlier, we will also work with community partners to provide services that help older Singaporeans plan for their financial milestones and better prepare for retirement. So, Mr Speaker, Sir, indeed, a whole-of-society effort is necessary for Singaporeans to age with purpose, to age with dignity. Increasingly, continued employment is becoming a key aspiration of ageing meaningfully. It is our common goal to support our seniors so that our seniors can continue to contribute to the economy and the community for as long as they are able to and wish to. We will do all we can to make our workplace supportive of Singaporeans who need to balance caregiving responsibilities alongside their work. I want to assure Members that there will be no let-up in MOM's efforts to foster age-friendly and progressive work practices among employers. "Age-smart" companies stand to gain when they start thinking about creating alternative career routes for older workers and also providing more FWAs and schedules for them.”
“So, as a society, we embrace this and we have uplifted the wages of the lower income and kept employment high and then unemployment low. For those unable to help themselves for various reasons, we want to make sure a safety net is there to support them. We want to make sure that those who cannot work and have no support, the Government will provide for their basic needs and, if necessary, give them the long-term support. And this is where the whole-of-Government will have to step in, such as MOM, MSF, and Members have heard from Senior Parliamentary Secretary for National Development Sun Xueling as well. Third, CPF interest rates are already high, compared to other market instruments, on a risk-adjusted basis. I want to assure Assoc Prof Walter Theseira that we are studying LRIS carefully. However, developing an investment product, especially as you can see what happened in the last 10 years with investment products, especially the sophisticated ones, developing an investment product is a complex effort and we have to carefully balance the risks undertaken by our members and the expected returns. So, we want to assure Assoc Prof Walter Theseira that we will certainly update on LRIS in due course. So, overall, we have a system that strikes a balance between adequacy in retirement, support for the lower-income seniors, especially those who have low balances in their CPF accounts, and also longer-term fiscal sustainability, and we have achieved good results in retirement adequacy with comparable replacement rates to other OECD countries. While we are constantly looking for ways to do better, we should build on what has been working well for Singapore and Singaporeans.”
“Assoc Prof Walter Theseira made three suggestions: first, he proposed to strengthen Silver Support Scheme; second, he suggested topping up the CPF accounts of members with low contributions; and finally, he asked for the Lifetime Retirement Investment Scheme (LRIS) to be introduced soon. First, we are concerned about the elderly who may not have enough retirement income. However, it is also important to place this in context. The vast majority of our elderly own their own homes and have family support and personal savings to rely on. Attainment of the Basic Retirement Sum (BRS) has been improving steadily, with about 70% of active members being expected to attain BRS at the age of 55 by 2020. For those with lower income throughout their lives, and have little or no family support in retirement, we have, as I said earlier, the Silver Support Scheme to supplement their retirement incomes. And I want to assure Assoc Prof Walter Theseira we will review the Silver Support Scheme from time to time to ensure that it continues to provide meaningful support for this group of elderly. At the same time, we have to balance this with the need to ensure that the entire system remains fiscally sustainable in the long run. Second, we already supplement CPF contributions of the lower income via the WIS Scheme. We have taken this approach because, as a society, we want to encourage work and employment and, earlier on, we heard from many Members that many of the seniors that you spoke to, they want to work for various reasons: financial independence, for passion, for purpose. I remember Mr Patrick Tay spoke about the example that he mentioned "he wants to work because it allows him to be physically and mentally sharp".”
“For self-employed persons (SEPs), we are going to make it easier for them to make MediSave contributions by implementing a "contribute-as-you-earn" model. The Government, as a service buyer, will take the lead to pilot this with our self-employed contractors. After addressing the challenges, the SEPs faced with MediSave contributions, we will then review how SEPs can also contribute to their CPF Special Account. Members, including Mr Henry Kwek, Mr Chen Show Mao and Ms Anthea Ong, have voiced their concerns about improving the retirement adequacy of caregivers. We recognise that some full-time caregivers may not have been able to work in their younger years. They may, therefore, not have much CPF savings for retirement. This is where the Silver Support Scheme can come in. The Silver Support Scheme supplements the retirement incomes of elderly Singaporeans who had low earnings throughout their lives and currently have little or no family support. In 2018, over 153,000 elderly persons received Silver Support payouts amounting to $335 million. For those with family members who can top up their CPF savings, the Government has lowered the minimum threshold sum required to make it easier for CPF members to transfer their CPF savings to their spouses, parents and grandparents. This will enable more members to strengthen the retirement adequacy of their loved ones. We are encouraged by the positive response to this move. Last year, a total of 3,200 members benefited from CPF transfers from their spouses, while a total of about 2,800 members received CPF transfers from their children and grandchildren.”
“We will need to examine the potential impact and effectiveness of any FWA legislation before considering a model which is suitable for Singapore. Having a legislated right to request FWA may not necessarily improve adoption of FWAs if companies are not able to restructure their jobs or workplace arrangements to accede to the FWA requests. It may well backfire. The key is to better support and enable the companies. We are mindful that FWAs could affect business operations and we would not want to inadvertently affect the employability of the staff who are requesting for FWAs. FWAs help working caregivers juggle their work and caregiving responsibilities. However, depending on the level of care required by their loved ones, some caregivers may leave the workforce temporarily or even longer periods. Many of our Members have cited examples in your ward. Those who have been away for a long period of time may need additional help to find jobs, but they may not be familiar with the existing employment support they can get. We will raise greater awareness of the Adapt and Grow initiative that offers a suite of services and programmes to facilitate employment matching and help jobseekers overcome mismatches in skills, wages or job expectations. I want to assure Members and also Mr Melvin Yong that MOM and MOH will, in the second half of 2019, be reaching out to caregivers who wish to return to the workforce. We will do so through various touchpoints, such as AICare Links, operated by AIC. Dr Intan Mokhtar asked to raise the CPF contribution rate for members age 55 and above. The TWG on Older Workers is currently studying the CPF contribution rates for members aged 55 and above.”
“We recognise that FWAs are not one-off solutions, but they are really long-term practices sustained by a supportive workplace culture. MOM recently extended and enhanced the Work-Life Grant for companies. This scheme allows each company to receive up to $105,000 over two years to help the company maintain their employees' FWAs on a regular basis, whether it is flexi-time, flexi-load and flexi-place. I agree with Dr Chia Shi-Lu that schemes must not be onerous administratively such that it deters adoption. Therefore, the Work-Life Grant was recently enhanced to make it easier for the employers to qualify. Since its launch, the Work-Life Grant has received more than 340 applications in five months. To enable more companies to benefit from the Work-Life Grant and to make FWA adoption more pervasive, MOM is exploring to increase the Work-Life Grant budget. More details will be shared at the MOM Committee of Supply next month. We will also continue to encourage more companies to adopt the relevant Tripartite Standards and publicly commit to progressive workplace practices. As at December 2018, about 1,200 employers hiring 380,000 workers have adopted the Tripartite Standard on FWAs, while some 430 employers hiring 220,000 workers have adopted the Tripartite Standard on Unpaid Leave for Unexpected Care Needs. I agree with Dr Lily Neo that Government agencies should take the lead, and I am pleased to share that adopters of the Tripartite Standards include those in the public sector. Our efforts to promote the adoption of FWAs are showing positive effects. Mr Henry Kwek suggested studying and learning from FWA legislation of other countries to promote greater FWA adoption.”
“The tripartite partners had also pointed out that having more legislated leave on top of the existing leave provisions could add cost to businesses, and this could inadvertently affect the employability of those with caregiving responsibilities. To this end, it is our priority to encourage employers to provide more FWAs to meet their employees' non-work needs. Employers who do so with understanding and care really stand to gain from the improved loyalty and productivity of their staff. Take the example of Angilay Davy, who is also known as Angie, a 60-year-old full-time trainer with aAdvantage Consulting Group. Angie is the primary caregiver to her elderly sister. This is quite similar to many of the profiles that we have shared in the last three hours. She has to bring her sister to hospital appointments regularly. To support Angie in her caregiving duties, aAdvantage lets her have the flexibility to work from home and to take a few hours off work, when necessary. Her co-workers support her by covering her work when she is unable to attend client meetings or conduct trainings due to her caregiving duties. This company conducts a lot of trainings for their clients. Such an FWA is a win-win for both employer and employee. aAdvantage is able to retain valuable employees like Angie and, in Angie, many other employees also see this as an organisation that cares. So, it really inspires, not just in Angie, but the rest of the staff they have in the organisation. They manage to retain valuable employees like Angie, who is an asset with her many years of experience. Caregivers like Angie can continue to be a productive employee while meeting the care needs of her sister. We have talked quite a bit about FWA.”
“Through the concerted efforts of the tripartite partners, Members, including Ms Joan Pereira, Mr Melvin Yong, Mr Christopher de Souza and Ms Rahayu Mahzam, will be pleased to know that, compared to five years ago, more workplaces are now supportive of FWAs. The proportion of companies in Singapore offering at least one ad hoc FWA has increased from 68% in 2013 to 84% in 2018. Those offering at least one formal FWA also rose from 44% in 2013 to 53% in 2018. Across the sectors, more companies are providing a greater variety of FWAs as they recognise that workers have varying FWA needs at different stages of their lives. A worker may never know when they will need FWA. In particular, if they have to care for ageing parents, parents-in-law or even younger kids, it gives them peace of mind knowing that if they put in a request, the company will provide. Last year, about 23% of the companies here offer at least two formal FWAs and that is up from 12% in 2013. Besides their wish for FWAs, working caregivers also expressed their need to be able to take time-off whenever necessary to care for their dependants and loved ones. I am glad to note that there has been progress on this front. Eighty-one percent of the companies in Singapore currently offer unplanned time-off, and this is a marked increase from 67% five years ago. Dr Lily Neo, Dr Chia Shi-Lu and Mr Christopher de Souza have called for legislating caregivers' leave. Senior Minister of State Edwin Tong earlier spoke about it as well. While we understand the reasons for this suggestion, the caregivers from our recent engagement tell us that their key requirement is not so much as to have one or two more days of leave, but to have the flexibility and ability to take some time off when the urgent need arises.”
“Beyond supporting our older workforce, we also recognise the caregiving needs that have emerged with our ageing population. Many Members have spoken about it over the last three hours. We understand that more Singaporeans are having to balance their work with caregiving responsibilities they shoulder for their dependants and loved ones. And we want to assure Members, including Dr Lily Neo, Dr Chia Shi-Lu, Mr Christopher de Souza, Mr Melvin Yong, Ms Rahayu Mahzam, Mr Chen Show Mao and Ms Tin Pei Ling, that MOM and also our tripartite partners are strongly committed to providing caregivers with the necessary workplace support so that they can fulfil their work and personal responsibilities and commitments, including their caregiving commitments. To better understand the needs of caregivers, Senior Minister of State for Health Edwin Tong led a cross-agency review and engaged stakeholders, including employers and caregivers. The working caregivers whom we interviewed indicated that FWAs – and Senior Minister of State Edwin Tong spoke about it – would be a sustainable solution to help them balance their work and caregiving commitments. As Mr Henry Kwek and Dr Lily Neo pointed out, employers also have an interest to support employees' FWA needs. Based on MOM's 2018 Conditions of Employment Report, it was found that among the various workplace practices, the provision of FWAs had the greatest impact on staff retention. So, for a talent choosing to join company A or B, FWA features heavily in their consideration in choosing which company to take up.”
“Minister for Manpower Mrs Josephine Teo announced the formation of the Tripartite Workgroup (TWG) on Older Workers mid last year. The TWG on older workers was tasked to study key issues, such as the retirement and re-employment age as well as CPF contribution rates for older workers. In the last eight months, we have gathered the feedback and input of more than 500 people – older and younger workers, union leaders, human resource professionals, SME employers, trade associations, industry associations and various stakeholders. The exercise revealed diverse wishes that need to be balanced against the needs and expectations of different stakeholders. For instance, while older workers desire to work for as long as they can and are able to, younger workers share with us that they do worry about how that may affect their career progression. Or while employers may want to retain their older workers, these employees may not want to continue at the same intensity as before. For example, they may want to spend more time with their grandchildren or pursue certain aspirations that they have always wanted to due to their changing life goals. All of these views gathered over the last eight months are valuable and important. And I want to assure Members, and also Mr Patrick Tay and Mr Faisal Manap, that it is the aim of the TWG to work towards a balanced win-win outcome. We need to strike a healthy balance among meeting the aspirations of our older and younger workers, the need for organisational renewal, redesign jobs, as many Members have spoken about, and how wages and benefits can be flexibly adjusted so that Singapore can continue to retain our attractiveness as a business and also investment location.”
“This not only benefits the seniors, but is also a win-win for companies, as they stand to gain from the rich experiences and expertise of an older workforce. Smarte Carte, which supports Changi Airport's operations, is one such company. I am impressed that over half of their 300-strong workforce is made up of older workers. I asked them and they told me the average age of their 300 employees is 65. There is no compulsory retirement and its staff can enjoy the same pay even after they turn 62 years old. Their oldest employees are trolley service officers, Mr Ng Kay Keng and Mr Tan Siak Hwee, are both 83 years young. They have been with Smarte Carte for four-and-a-half years now and they like the company's age-friendly practices. And I tell Members, Smart Carte really put in the efforts to make it very senior-friendly. They redesign work processes for their mature workers and use mainly diagrammes and videos to train the seniors in bite-sized sessions for easy learning. Supervisors also tailor their pre-shift briefings to reinforce processes and key messages that are important for our older workers' safety and security. To better support older workers at work, Mr Patrick Tay and Mr Ang Wei Neng have asked for the Special Employment Credit and WorkPro schemes to be enhanced and extended. I want to assure them that MOM is currently reviewing the schemes and will certainly share more details when the information is ready. Our efforts do not stop here. We recognise that as more Singaporeans grow older, and we all will get there someday, some of us, like Speaker had mentioned earlier, are members of the Merdeka Generation. So, there needs to be adjustments to new work aspirations, retirement and care plans.”
“Besides legislation, the Government has also invested significant resources to provide funding and transformative support for older Singaporeans and their employers that help them adjust and stay relevant. For example, employers hiring older workers receive wage offsets of up to 11% of their monthly wages via the Special Employment Credit (SEC), as well as training and salary support for employing mature PMETs. The amount of Workfare payouts, which supplement the income of lower-income workers, is higher for older workers. We have also provided extensive support for seniors to reskill and upskill, so that they can continue to contribute in the workplace. For instance, the SkillsFuture Mid-Career Enhanced Subsidy offers additional subsidies for older workers enrolling in courses pre-approved by MOE and SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG). The measures that I have mentioned encourage and support employers to send their older workers for training, as Mr Patrick Tay has urged earlier. Seniors can also advance their own skills and training by using their SkillsFuture Credits. They can choose from many courses, like those offered by the Silver Infocomm Junctions, to equip them with basic digital knowledge. These skills can facilitate their entry into the platform economy and possible freelance opportunities, as suggested by Mr Henry Kwek earlier. In addition to direct monetary support, I agree with Mr Henry Kwek, Ms Rahayu Mahzam, Mr Zainal Sapari and Dr Teo Ho Pin that we need more companies to take concrete actions in redesigning jobs and improving the working environment for our older workers. The Workpro Age Management Grant and Job Redesign Grant help employers implement age-friendly practices and restructure jobs to make them easier, safer and smarter for mature employees.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I would like to thank the Members for their views on the two Motions. A year ago, this House discussed a Motion on Support for Senior Citizens, which called on the Government to spearhead community efforts and strengthen support for seniors to thrive and age with dignity. The two Motions today continue to uphold the spirit of last year's Motion and underscore the importance of supporting older Singaporeans' work aspirations and also their role as caregivers. Our nation's fast-ageing population, longer life expectancy and low birth rates are recasting the roles that older workers will play in our economy. In the last one year, I have spoken to many employers. Many employers are looking at how older workers can be a crucial solution to their manpower needs, and our seniors are rising to the challenge. We are already seeing this bear out in our employment numbers and trends. The employment rate of residents aged 55 to 64 rose from 57% in 2008 to 67% in 2018, an increase of 10 percentage points. This ranks us 11th, compared to other OECD countries, above the UK, Australia and the US. Supporting and empowering older workers continue to be our key priority. The rise in older worker employment has come about due to the close partnership and efforts of the tripartite partners. Many Members spoke about the tripartite partners working together to raise the retirement and re-employment age. This was done through careful deliberations over the years and is part of the "whole-of-Singapore effort" to address our demographic challenges. Dr Intan Mokhtar asked to raise the retirement and re-employment ages further. The tripartite workgroup on older workers is studying this, amongst other issues.”
“I want to thank the Member for his supplementary question. He rightly described it as risk, and a bond instrument could also mean that there will be fee charges which may inadvertently be passed on to the consumer, in this case, the FDW employer. So, we need to think through the suggestion very carefully. I want to say that MOM has put in place fee caps to regulate what an EA can charge the FDW, and that is important because that may then manifest itself as advance salary payment. And EAs are not allowed to collect fees that exceed FDWs' monthly salary for each year of contracted service. EAs who flout this rule may be prosecuted or even have their licences revoked. We will also issue warning letters or composition fines to less egregious EAs. The example that Mr Murali Pillai highlighted was that the EAs should not function as a collection agent. While MOM will undertake all the necessary efforts to prohibit our Singapore-based EAs from charging the FDWs beyond the fee cap, we must also explain that we have no jurisdiction over the EA in the home country of the FDW. Having said that, for the case that Mr Murali Pillai's resident is facing, if he could share with us the information, that would be most helpful. We will then be able to investigate this further and, if we find any suspicious or irregular practices, we can follow up with the relevant Embassy and enlist their help so that we can stop the malpractice at source.”
“Mr Speaker, I would like to thank the Member Mr Murali Pillai for the suggestion on the bond. Let the MOM team think through the pros and cons of this suggestion. At this point in time, allow me to assure Mr Murali Pillai that the employers of FDWs have alternative options and also avenues for recourse. For example, although employers generally prefer the advance salary payments because they hope that the FDW will stay with them for the entire contract, there are some employers, who, for various reasons, do not prefer the advance salary payments and these employers can approach EAs that are able to customise a package to suit their needs. So, there are varying practices in the market. For Mr Murali Pillai's point, to protect employers and FDWs, MOM requires the EA to clearly state their refund policies in the service agreement. For example, if the FDW terminates the employment prematurely, the employers should check the contract that they signed with the EA, because the contract will lay out whether and under what circumstances they will get a full or partial refund. I want to assure Mr Murali Pillai that we take this very seriously. Every single case that is surfaced to MOM will be followed up and investigated thoroughly. Since 2016, MOM had investigated and taken actions against two EAs that had failed to state their refund policies.”
“Mr Speaker Sir, foreign domestic workers (FDWs) incur expenses in their home countries when they seek opportunities to work overseas. For instance, they may be required to pay their employment agency (EA) a fee. This cost is typically paid by their employers on their behalf in the form of advance salary payments facilitated by the EA. To protect employers and FDWs, EAs are required by law to fully disclose the terms and conditions of their services, including the amount FDWs are charged and their refund policies on advance salary payments by employers. In the event that the employer terminates the FDW employment contract early and sends the FDW back to the EA, or the FDW commits an offence and has to be repatriated, the EA would usually refund any outstanding advance salary payment made by the employer. The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) expects EAs to fully discharge their duties and obligations to employers and FDWs and safeguard the interests of these parties. In addition to conducting regular inspections, we also act on feedback received and will not hesitate to take irresponsible or errant EAs to task.”
“Earlier on, Ms Denise Phua said it also depends on whether the immediate supervisor is more vocal and whether or not the educator is doing certain projects that are more visible. And this is why, other than taking the inputs of the direct supervisor, we complement the individual assessment by the direct supervisor with also the views of the ranking panel which will comprise direct and also indirect supervisors who have worked with a broad base of educators, to ensure that we arrive at a fair and just assessment for our educators. As for the Member's second suggestion about doing away with awards, in the last few years, MOE has reviewed many of these awards and we try to strike a good balance to ensure that it does not inadvertently create unnecessary competition and pressure. At the same time, we also want to make sure there are also avenues for us to express gratitude and recognise the efforts of our teachers.”
“I want to thank our Government Parliamentary Committee Chair Ms Denise Phua for her supplementary questions and also her suggestions. I want to assure all the Members that MOE continues to look at the performance appraisal systems that are practised by other organisations. And we do know that each appraisal system comes with the pros and cons. In relation to the original Parliamentary Question, the question is whether we can do away with ranking and do an assessment based on the job type. And we have looked at that. Currently, MOE follows the Civil Service, which is, to conduct performance ranking for officers of the same substantive grade. We have 30,000-plus educators. We certainly want to do so in a manner that is fair and just and that recognises efforts of our passionate teachers. So, just allow me to explain why, currently, this appraisal system is deemed as a fair assessment. I will give Members a quick example. For example, if it is simply ranked by job function, job scope. And a newly appointed principal who has been promoted upwards from a vice principal to a principal based on job scope but not yet moved up in substantive grade. If he or she is then compared, in terms of performance, to the rest of the principals, and some of whom will be very senior principals in higher grades, actually, in so doing, the showing for the newly appointed principal may well pale in comparison with the senior principals. When this happens, obviously then, it is not a very good and fair way for us to measure the performance of the newly appointed principal. And this is really why, in this case, using this example, the newly appointed principal should actually be compared with his or her peers in the same substantive grade which is why we are doing such cross rankings.”
“I want to thank Dr Intan Mokhtar for her supplementary questions. I want to assure her that the annual appraisal is not a static one. In fact, the development of our teachers, 30,000 of them, is really key to achieving our goals in education for our students' development. In order to help our 30,000-plus educators improve their skills, we, indeed, use several avenues for our educators to receive feedback. Just to give an example. Rather than for appraisal, the 360-degree feedback mechanism is used as a development tool to gather all-round feedback. In so doing, we seek to help our teachers and supervisors learn to give one another feedback and also learn to receive feedback in a very constructive manner through daily interactions and not only at the point of appraisal. A lot of the Members in the House are parents and we have different apps, whether it is ClassDojo, Snapp and so on, for us to give inputs and feedback to teachers and also to the school leaders. So, actually that avenue is open to the parents as well.”
“I want to thank the Member Mr Zainal Sapari for his passionate plea and also his supplementary questions. Allow me to reassure him that MOE will continue to finetune our appraisal system with the focus on supporting the development opportunities and potential of our teachers. While there are debates about the pros and cons of ranking, I think it has proven that ranking imposes objectivity, fairness, rigour and discipline in the appraisal system. It also differentiates officers' performance relative to their peers and helps to establish common standards of performance amongst supervisors. And I just want to give an example. In recent years, the majority of, and, in fact, more than 80% of our principals are being remunerated according to their substantive grades. Deputy Speaker: Dr Intan Mokhtar.”
“The President's Award for Teachers brings out excellence in teaching and is the highest honour bestowed on teachers for professionalism. We will continue to develop and improve our teachers' skills and expertise to deliver a student-centric and value-driven education and, in so doing, enhance our students' learning and growth.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, performance differentiation is widely practised in both the public and private sectors. It recognises individuals who do well in fulfilling the missions and objectives of the organisations. As performance evaluation involves qualitative judgement by supervisors, the Singapore Civil Service, like many large organisations, practises cross-department ranking. A teacher's performance is assessed by his or her own supervisor, and then cross-ranked against his or her peers by a ranking panel comprising direct and indirect supervisors. This way, stronger performing officers are identified and recognised, while weaker ones are provided developmental opportunities to improve. In addition, it also helps to moderate differences in the supervisors' assessments and establish common standards of performance. Besides their individual performances, teachers are assessed holistically across many different areas, like how they work and collaborate with others and contribute to the learning of their peers. In addition, teachers are also expected to be able to deliver effective teaching and pastoral care, support students in their character development and interact well with them. The Ministry of Education (MOE) seeks to develop a culture of professionalism and a strong sense of mission in our teachers. The appraisal system is but one of the many tools used to achieve this. We encourage teachers to pursue various professional development opportunities, from formal programmes to informal support through networked learning communities and mentoring arrangements. To spur teamwork, our schools give out Outstanding Contribution Awards every year in recognition of school staff who collaborate successfully to make outstanding contributions to the school community.”
“Two parts to the question. First, we will intensify the education efforts to help FDW understand who are the licensed vis-à-vis the unlicensed moneylenders. For employers who wish to continue hiring their FDWs who are debarred for various reasons – maybe because they are pending the arrival of a new FDW – they can certainly put in a request to MOM, and we will look at it on a case-by-case basis.”
“I want to thank Member Mr Louis Ng for his question. Yes, we have been looking into all the possible reasons. Anecdotal evidence tells us that, in certain cases, FDWs borrow from the licensed moneylenders to tide through certain requests from home, such as unforeseen medical bills, college fees for their children and so on. They need to borrow this amount of money for a month before they receive their next pay cheque from the employers. We are thinking through and we will certainly consider mounting a study to understand this a little more.”
“Allow me to also add that MOM will step up our education efforts to the new FDWs through our settling in programme to share with them the importance of money management and also the risks and implications of borrowing, over-borrowing and borrowing from moneylenders, in particular, unlicensed moneylenders. Here, we would like to appeal to all employers of FDWs to also share the importance of money management and the risks and implications of borrowing.”
“MOM is answering. I want to thank Mr Darryl David for the supplementary questions. Let me assure Mr David and Members that while the number of FDWs borrowing from licensed moneylenders has increased, the majority of them repaid their loans and the default rate remains low. His first supplementary question is that if the FDW goes to a licensed moneylender, whether the moneylender can seek the consent of the employer. We have considered that – the pros and the cons. At present, MOM has not made it mandatory for the FDW to seek consent or for the moneylender to do so. We have also not made it mandatory for the FDWs to disclose their borrowings from licensed moneylenders to their employers, simply because if and when we do so, it may well trigger the FDWs towards taking more drastic actions, such as gravitating towards borrowing from the unlicensed moneylenders, just so as to avoid telling the employers. So, it is a very delicate balance. The second question on if the FDW goes to unlicensed moneylenders and the employer sends her back, whether we can put her on a watchlist. This is where MOM has said that in support of MinLaw's new measures, we will deter FDWs from borrowing from unlicensed moneylenders. Come next year, we will effect the debarment measure after a period of education and communication with FDWs and also with employers as well as other stakeholders who could be affected. We will announce the effective date at a later time. When the debarment measure comes into effect, what will happen is, the debarment period set is based on the facts of the case.”
“The Police and Attorney-General’s Chambers have prosecuted errant debt collectors who have violated the law and will continue to take strong enforcement action against such conduct.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Mr Darryl David and Mr Sitoh Yih Pin asked about the consequences for foreign domestic workers (FDWs) and employers, and the recourse for employers when FDWs borrow from licensed and unlicensed moneylenders. I will address these questions together. Where licensed moneylending is concerned, FDWs who do not repay their loans may be subject to civil action by licensed moneylenders, as with any other borrowers. Employers of FDWs are not liable to repay any of their FDWs' loans. It is an offence for licensed moneylenders to harass the FDWs or their employers for repayment or employ an agent to do so. FDW employers who are harassed should report to the Police. We do not condone any borrowing from unlicensed moneylenders by foreign workers. To send a clear signal of our strong stand, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) had earlier announced that if a work pass holder is found to have borrowed from unlicensed moneylenders, the employer will be informed and the employee's work pass revoked. The foreign worker will then be repatriated and debarred from further employment in Singapore. The rule against borrowing from unlicensed moneylenders will be implemented in 2019, following a period of education and communication with work pass holders and their employers. We will intensify efforts to help them learn about money management and the risks of borrowing from moneylenders. Any person who is harassed by unlicensed moneylenders should report such activities to the Police. From 2008 to September 2018, the Police registered about 460 reports of harassment by unlicensed moneylenders arising from FDWs borrowing or acting as guarantors.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Question Nos 22, 23 and 24 that relate to the portfolios of both the Ministry of Law and the Ministry of Manpower. May I seek your permission to provide a combined reply to parts (c) and (d) of Question No 22, parts (b) and (c) of Question No 23 and part (b) of Question No 24. The Senior Minister of State for Law Mr Edwin Tong will address the remaining parts of the questions. With your permission, please.”
“We will certainly take every feedback that is surfaced to us, any complaint, we will take it very seriously and investigate very thoroughly.”
“Mr Speaker, I want to thank the Member for his supplementary questions. I would like to recap that the Parliamentary Question that was raised by Mr Faisal Manap was to ask whether a watchlist could be set up for companies that engage in discriminatory employment practices, not related to nationality, but to other attributes, such as gender and ethnicity. I would like to assure the Member that all employers are required to abide by the Tripartite Guidelines on Fair Employment Practices to uphold fair employment practices that are open, merit-based and also non-discriminatory. Where guidelines are breached, such as where there is discrimination on the basis of gender or ethnicity, TAFEP will then report such cases to MOM, and MOM will then impose sanctions, which can be issuing stern warnings, or even curtailing the Work Pass privileges of the employer. And that has a direct impact on the employers. So, where it comes to any feedback on workplace discrimination and it is mentioned about gender or ethnicity, I have explained earlier that perhaps because it is a bit more readily apparent, in fact, we do not even need to wait for a watchlist. TAFEP will report to MOM, and we can curtail the Work Pass privileges of the employers. That is an even more direct impact than putting out a watchlist. But having said that, I would want to reassure the Member that MOM works very closely with TAFEP, employers and also human resource practitioners to build inclusive workplaces and to eradicate any form of work discrimination. And we urge workers who face any such occurrences, whether it is gender, ethnicity or even nationality bias, to please promptly report the matter to TAFEP or MOM.”
“Mr Speaker, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) takes a serious view of all forms of workplace discrimination. Some forms of discrimination, including those related to gender and ethnicity, are more readily substantiated by specific actions, such as verbal utterances or written job advertisements. In cases involving such discrimination and substantiated through investigations, MOM can and has debarred the errant employers from making Work Pass applications, without first putting them on a watchlist. For cases where discrimination involves nationality bias, which is less readily apparent, MOM puts the employers on a watchlist and scrutinises their Work Pass applications for irregularities. We may subsequently debar them if they fail to cooperate to improve their human resource practices. We expect all employers to abide by the principles of fair and merit-based employment practices outlined in the Tripartite Guidelines on Fair Employment Practices. The Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices (TAFEP) will engage companies on whom we have received complaints or feedback and guide them to improve their employment practices.”
“The SkillsFuture Credit directory currently has about more than 18,000 modular courses, and they are quite short term. The approved courses under PSEA can range from courses in our IHLs, that means our ITE, polytechnics, even autonomous universities as well as public agencies and also private training providers. They are just as substantial as well.”
“I want to give the assurance to Mr Saktiandi Supaat that they can use the funds available in the PSEAs and the PSEAs can be utilised for approved courses that are provided by a wide range of Institute of Higher Learnings (IHLs), even public agencies and also private training providers.”
“I thank Mr Saktiandi Supaat for his supplementary questions. I think I will highlight four key points to give him assurance that our ITE graduates will have the support to gain access to courses even after they graduate from ITE. The first one is, they have a range of options they can choose from to gain access to courses to support skills development and also employability. I will give a quick example and, that is, the recently launched ITE Work-Learn Technical Diploma. This is, essentially, an apprenticeship-based programme that will allow our ITE graduates to pursue a diploma even as they work. It is designed to enhance our ITE graduates' employability because we have structured it such that it has a very strong, on-the-job component; 70% of the curriculum is based on the on-the-job component. It really allows our ITE graduates not just to learn and gain industry-relevant skills, but also to gain a deep understanding of the company and also the sector. I want to assure the Member that even after our ITE graduates leave ITE, maybe after taking Nitec and working for a couple of years and they are still young, they want to come back and take Nitec again or Higher Nitec, they will receive the support, heavily subsidised. If their family is facing financial difficulties, we can work with them to look at how they can pay the course over a longer period of time through instalments. So, that is the second key point. For ITE graduates who are under the age of 25, I will briefly talk about the PSEAs. The average balances in the PSEAs are fairly substantial.”
“The starting age for SkillsFuture Credit is 25 years old, as it is the age where many Singaporeans would have completed their full-time education and are in, or are preparing to jointhe workforce. Singaporeans under 25 years old can use their Post-Secondary Education Accounts (PSEAs) to defray out-of-pocket fees for approved programmes. More importantly, beyond the SkillsFuture Credit, Singaporeans have access to a wide range of measures to support their skills development. There are subsidies of up to 97% of course fees for various training programmes, such as the part-time Higher Nitec module which could cost as low as $40, after all the subsidies. Institute of Technical Education (ITE) graduates who wish to enhance their employability or seek employment assistance can receive help from the ITE Career Services Centre or any of the Workforce Singapore career centres.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, Special Passes are issued to foreign domestic workers (FDWs) to legalise their stay in Singapore after their Work Permits have been cancelled. When an employment contract ends, the employer is required to cancel the FDW's Work Permit before she departs Singapore. A Special Pass is granted to cover the period between the cancellation of the Work Permit and the FDW's departure from Singapore for her home country. During this period, the employer is responsible for the upkeep and maintenance of the FDW, including medical treatment. So, I want to assure Mr Louis Ng that the mandatory medical insurance purchased by the employer continues to be in force. In exceptional cases, an FDW may be required by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) or the Police to further remain in Singapore to assist in investigations. For such cases, a Special Pass will also be issued to the FDW. MOM and the Police will assist the FDW who needs help with medical treatments, including paying for medical bills as required.”
“I also hope that Singaporeans from all walks of life can explore together how we can promote a more progressive, enlightened and inclusive workplace culture. (In English): Mr Deputy Speaker, amid an uncertain external environment, we can hold fast to our foundation of meritocracy and also inclusion, as well as joint aspirations for success. Together, we can forge opportunities for all in the workforce, including women, the young as well as the old. With a receptive mindset, our workers can embrace learning and new trends, and adapt to stay relevant throughout changing times. Employers who invest in progressive work practices with foresight and with courage will attract the best talents and they are able to move their organisations forward. So, really, we need all of society, everyone, to support a culture of inclusion at the workplace with kindness, with understanding and with openness. We are our nation's best resources. We may be small but when we come together, we are bigger than the sums of all our dreams and all our hopes. So, we can afford to be bold, because with inclusiveness, we become stronger. We have started on the road to progress. So, let us not set limits on ourselves, but together, let us blaze the future for a Singapore Unlimited. I support the Motion. 4.36 pm”
“MOM’s ambition is for all Singaporeans who are able and willing to work, regardless of gender, age or background, to be able to continue doing so. Helping all our workers, whether men or women, young or old, achieve their work and life aspirations requires change from everyone involved. First of all, our workers must adopt a mindset change to embrace new technologies, be open to change and upskill themselves to remain competitive. If workers are willing to stay relevant by upskilling and reskilling themselves, their productivity and efficiency will be able to keep up with times. I believe, by doing so, workplace ageism and sexism will be eradicated slowly. Secondly, our employers must change to take the larger view that progressive human resources (HR) practices will benefit the company by attracting and retaining talents and cultivating more committed employees. In this area, MOM will focus our resources on supporting companies to provide FWAs to help our women fulfil both their career and family aspirations. Thirdly, the whole society must also change their prejudice and support the culture of inclusivity, and embrace diversity in our workforce. For our young people, we need to support them to leverage their strengths, and choose career and education pathways that will give them the greatest competitive advantage. Achievement and success can come in many forms. This is consistent with MOE’s philosophy of "Many pathways, New Opportunities". We believe that as long as Singaporeans leverage on their strengths and pursue excellence in fields that they are passionate in, they will find success. I have just joined MOM and I look forward to working with the employers, employees and the community to develop a more inclusive workforce.”
“Offered by the Workforce Singapore (WSG) in collaboration with our autonomous universities, polytechnics and ITEs, this new initiative will also offer job search-related training workshops, industry engagement opportunities, virtual and physical career fairs, job referrals and also post-placement support. More details will be shared at a later date. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, our young graduates benefit from a good education system in Singapore. Please allow me to respond to some of Mr Png Eng Huat's points that he raised earlier. I want to assure him that all schools are subject to the same level of funding for capital expenditure, such as infrastructure, IT and operating costs such as manpower and repairs. All schools can also receive additional funding for special programmes such as electives, overseas trips for experiential learning. However, there is differential funding for building of facilities. For standard facilities such as indoor hall or basketball courts, Government schools will be funded 100% while the Government-aided and independent schools have to raise funds to co-fund some of these facilities. So, this is actually contrary to what Mr Png has mentioned earlier. I must also add that MOE does not fund non-standard facilities such as tennis courts. We approve the building of non-standard facilities on a case-by-case basis, provided there is significant education value to our students. And these schools will have to raise funds to fully pay for these facilities. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, allow me to say few words in Mandarin. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Singapore has been and must continue to be a nation full of opportunities for Singaporeans from all walks of life.”
“We will continue to strengthen our efforts to help our new graduates maximise their potential to achieve positive employment outcome. In a fast-paced and changing world, they need to be well-armed with information and also knowledge to navigate upcoming trends and future-proof themselves for what is ahead. The rise of the gig economy and also disruptions to traditional occupations throw up a diversity of work options that graduates did not use to have. With these in mind, we have deepened our work on these fronts. Firstly, information. We have extended the annual snapshot of employment outcomes for fresh graduates on what is known as the Graduate Employment Survey, to cover all private education institutions with full-time employment programmes. This allows our graduates to make better informed decisions on their choice to work or to further their studies. Secondly, career guidance. MOM keeps a pulse on the career trends and aspirations of students from our universities, polytechnics and ITE. We work closely with MOE to guide the students in their career and education choices. A structured education and career guidance (ECG) curriculum and access to ECG-trained counsellors, teachers and lecturers help our students discover their strengths and their career interests. In addition, tools such as the MySkillsFuture portal as well as internships, learning journeys, mentorships and career talks – all these form an immersive experience to help our young graduates gain a better understanding of the industries they are trained for. [Deputy Speaker (Mr Charles Chong) in the Chair] Thirdly, job search. We will boost the job search skills of graduating students and enhance their lifelong learning career planning with a new Career Starter Programme.”
“I agree with Mr Ng Chee Meng, Mr Heng Chee How and also Dr Chia Shi-Lu that ageism has absolutely no place in our society or even workplace. MOM will focus on resources to support companies to unlock the potential of our older workers. We will do so in three ways. Firstly, we will continue to provide funding support to employers to redesign their workplace and make the jobs of older workers easier, safer and smarter. Secondly, we will enable and encourage employers to publicly commit to making their workplaces more age-friendly. Thirdly, we will push for more age-inclusive behaviour and move towards eradicating ageism. Mr Speaker, Sir, for a nation with no natural resources, every citizen, young or old, is an important asset. In President Halimah’s words, and I quote, this “small, multi-cultural city state…must survive and thrive on the wits and will of its people.” I believe our young Singaporeans have the potential to keep this red dot going strong. We have invested in their education, knowledge and skills, and will continue to give them the edge to hold their own when they start their careers. Today, the employment rate of our fresh graduates is healthy – about 90% of those from the autonomous universities and polytechnics, and 85% for ITE graduates. According to the 2016 Graduate Employment Survey, a good majority of new graduates in full-time permanent employment are also employed in jobs related to their fields of study and that is 81% from autonomous universities and 72% for polytechnic graduates. In addition, the gross median salary of Post-Secondary Education Institution (PSEI) graduates surveyed approximately six months after their final exams is also on an upward trend.”
“In the last decade, the employment rate of residents aged 55 years old to 64 years old has grown from 56% in 2007 to 67% in 2017. This places Singapore in the ninth place when compared to the OECD countries, and higher than countries such as Australia, Korea, the US and the UK. Since re-employment laws were introduced in 2012, over 98% of private sector local employees who wished to continue working at 62 years old, were offered re-employment. The vast majority of those who accepted re-employment in the same job did not experience any cut in basic wages. Sixty seven-years-old Ms Margaret Tan is one of our older workers who has been with Mandarin Oriental Hotel for the past 14 years. As a Senior Guest Service Manager, she leads a team of over 80 staff. She is a keen learner; she earned two specialist diplomas in the last two years. When she was 65 years old, she embarked on a specialist diploma and within two years, she earned two specialist diplomas. The first one is in Leadership and People, the other one in Service Excellence. As Mr Heng Chee How pointed out, it takes two hands to clap. We need willing and far-sighted employers, as well as able and also active older employees to join hands and make our workplace age inclusive. Like Mandarin Oriental Hotel, employers that embrace progressive workplace practices which prioritise a person’s abilities over his or her age, they really stand to gain from the deep experience, they stand to gain from the reliability and they stand to gain from the loyalty that our mature workers will bring with them. Older Singaporeans who are ready to adapt and keep on learning, like Ms Margaret Tan, make it attractive for employers to see their potential and view them as valuable assets.”
“Previously, they can only do so through the Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices (TAFEP) website. With one more additional platform, it is really now a lot easier for our companies to adopt the Standards. Thirdly, MOM will continue to promote FWAs as part and parcel of the modern work life. In today’s age of technology and Internet of Things (IoT), managers, supervisors and co-workers can no longer equate face-to-face time and physical presence at work with an employee’s capability. So, Mr Speaker, Sir, we really need a mindset change that respects, a mindset change that provides and a mindset change that supports choices and supports flexibility at work. This cultural shift will also mean that someone who puts up a request for part-time work or puts up a request for flexible work will not be deemed as a lesser employee. Together with our tripartite partners, we will press on to deepen and also widen our efforts to support Singaporean women at work by making FWAs more pervasive and also across the board. Women will have more power to make choices for ourselves and our families, and also the freedom to belong to the workplace as long as we wish to. Mr Speaker, Sir, allow me to say something about age-inclusive workforce and society. I want to thank Mr Ng Chee Meng and Mr Heng Chee How for their heartfelt and insightful thoughts on how we can help older Singaporeans stay employable and also adaptable and continue to be valuable contributors to our workplace and to our society. This resonates with what the fourth-generation leaders envision for an inclusive and caring Singapore workforce. Throughout the years, we have made progress in supporting our older workers’ choice to work.”
“However, we also know that it is not easy for all companies to offer FWAs due to specific work conditions or rigid working hours. Several Members of Parliament including Miss Cheryl Chan, Dr Intan and Ms Thanaletchimi spoke passionately in the House on this topic with ideas to legislate FWAs or other family-support leave entitlements. These suggestions are not new, and we know that laws alone do not change social behaviours and mindsets. Our approach is a practical one, combining legislation and promotional efforts. In addition, advances in technology and communication can also help to facilitate FWAs. MOM is strongly committed to growing the number of companies with FWAs. Firstly, we are enhancing the WorkPro Work-Life Grant with $30 million to encourage and help more employers provide FWAs. The grant also provides additional support for job-sharing arrangements, in recognition that it is harder for employers to provide this type of FWA. Secondly, we will encourage more employers to adopt the Tripartite Standard on FWAs which sets the benchmark for organisations and employees to achieve more flexible work options. To date, more than 500 employers, with about 300,000 employees, have adopted this Standard. These employers have publicly pledged to offer FWAs and each of them will appoint a senior management member to champion FWAs in their organisation. They are committed to exploring alternative arrangements with their employees should there be difficulties in forming FWAs in their company. At MOM, we want to encourage employers who have not pledged their support to do so. With effect from 5 May 2018, companies can now sign up onto the Tripartite Standards through the Jobs Bank.”
“Our female employment rate has grown from 64% in 2007 to 72% in 2017. In terms of women in full-time employment, we are now ranked sixth when compared with the OECD nations. With meritocracy and better education, our women are inching up the gender pay gap. In 2017, women in our resident workforce, in general, earned 9% less than men. This places us in the company of the top 10 OECD countries, and ahead of countries like Australia, Germany, the UK and the US. Median incomes of women in occupations like accountants, securities and finance brokers were higher than men. However, we still have some way to go. I agree with Miss Cheryl Chan, Ms Thanaletchimi and Ms Tin Pei Ling that there is more to be done to encourage women to remain in the workforce. While our full-time employment rate for women is ranked highly compared to the other OECD countries, our part-time employment rate is not. We want to close this gap as much as possible because employers as well as female employees stand to gain from Flexible Work Arrangements (FWAs). Companies that offer FWAs do better in attracting and retaining the best talents. In addition, a survey in 2016 found that majority of such companies reported higher employee staff morale and improved productivity. Women who have the options of FWAs do not need to choose between full-time work and zero-time work, and they are able to stay in touch with the marketplace with their skills and with their experience. Instead of having our women opt out of work, we want to empower our women with choices to opt in, and stay in the workforce. With the right support, women can have the chance to fulfil both our family and also our career aspirations.”