Mohamad Maliki Bin Osman
Singapore
“Just a quick response to the question on JKJU. Indeed, we continue to pay attention to the health of the Malay/Muslim community. I mentioned earlier while we have been making progress, there have been some areas that we continue to want to improve on, particularly, increasing in our rates of participation in signing up for Healthier SG, p…”
“00 pm (In English): Mr Chairman, beyond our shores or closer to home, efforts like M3's Aid for Gaza and our initiatives for local communities in the M3@Towns show how our acts of care and contribution, as donors or volunteers, and how we can connect with one another to do so, can make a difference to those around us.”
“The other dimension is that having Dian ambassadors help with the cultural dimension, because not all family coaches from ComLink necessarily understand the dynamics of Malay culture, the nuances, and so the Dian ambassadors help them and tell them that these are the ways in which we can connect with Malay families in a manner that will g…”
“This will also mitigate the impulse to normalise or chase the extremes in the contest to circulate ever more startling videos and content. While firm actions will be taken to address the parties involved in each incident, the school will also use the opportunity as a teaching moment for all its students.”
“Sir, I agree with the Member that we have to strike a balance. We cannot just swing one way or the other. Just to assure the Member that MOE did commission a National Institute of Education study – it was a two-year study which was commissioned in September 2022, but it is not completed yet.”
“Mr Speaker, the short answer is yes. We welcome anyone who is keen to join the SPED sector. We know this SPED sector is a very challenging sector to be in. It requires determination. It requires passion. It is a calling.”
The complete record
Every one of 993 lines we hold for Mohamad Maliki Bin Osman, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 1 of 20.
“The other dimension is that having Dian ambassadors help with the cultural dimension, because not all family coaches from ComLink necessarily understand the dynamics of Malay culture, the nuances, and so the Dian ambassadors help them and tell them that these are the ways in which we can connect with Malay families in a manner that will get them to respond better.”
“I thank the Member for the question. Yes, we are working very closely with ComLink+, and with ComLink for that matter. Dian started out with the recognition that when families are in rental flats and young families at that, they have the potential to really move forward and purchase their own home. That is the first fundamental thing we want. At the same time, we recognise that they are facing challenges because they do have many young children, and some of them are young parents themselves, and do not have the ability to supervise and do not have the skillset in being good parents. So, in ComLink, the collaboration is one in which ComLink now has got a pool of family coaches that go in there and work with the parents first, to understand the issues and connect them with resources within the community. So, we leverage that set of resources available. Dian provides the opportunities for Dian ambassadors. These are volunteers whom we train in understanding early childhood development and to help the parents look at how we reach out to the children, read to the children, inspire the children to be excited about learning, because some of the parents do not have these abilities. So, they work together to see how we can inspire the parents to say that the children really have that interest. Right now, the Dian ambassadors go down to bring books and at the same time, help parents design, create learning corners in their small homes, so that even when they are living in a rental flat, they can create interesting spaces for children to learn and want to learn. So, we work together, leverage our resources within the Government, including ComLink resources, plus community resources within the Malay/Muslim community.”
“Just a quick response to the question on JKJU. Indeed, we continue to pay attention to the health of the Malay/Muslim community. I mentioned earlier while we have been making progress, there have been some areas that we continue to want to improve on, particularly, increasing in our rates of participation in signing up for Healthier SG, preventive healthcare, at the same time, addressing chronic illnesses. So, JKJU is one very active effort at reaching out to the community, using community resources and networks. But beyond just looking at the numbers that have been participating, we are also looking at the profiles of those who have been responding and making sure that those who are at higher risk are reached out earlier; at the same time, ensuring that we continue to address issues of reducing the onset or delaying the onset of chronic illnesses. Some of it is related to diet, some of it due to predisposition because of genetics, but there is a lot more that we can do together, working together with MOH and the Health Promotion Board on that.”
“00 pm (In English): Mr Chairman, beyond our shores or closer to home, efforts like M3's Aid for Gaza and our initiatives for local communities in the M3@Towns show how our acts of care and contribution, as donors or volunteers, and how we can connect with one another to do so, can make a difference to those around us. This is what we hope that we can do through the Malay/Muslim community's contribution to the SG60 celebrations or SG60 Bersama. We hope this will bring about many opportunities to celebrate our shared culture and heritage and act upon our collective hopes for the future. We want to contribute to nurture this spirit of citizenry towards the community and towards the country. This is what will propel us forward as a Community of Success in the next 60 years and beyond.”
“One of these SG60 initiatives is the “60 for 60” Project by PA MESRA. In this project, 60 professionals aged 60 and above will provide guidance to 60 Malay/Muslim student leaders from neighbourhood secondary schools. This initiative exemplifies what it means to pay it forward, where these students will attend a six-month leadership course and learn new skills in areas such as project management and public speaking. Beyond SG60, the Malay/Muslim community’s efforts in supporting the people of Gaza also demonstrate our show of concern at the global level. The situation in Gaza remains volatile, and Gaza still needs much help in the areas of humanitarian aid and reconstruction. The situation is more critical now as they observe their fast in the month of Ramadan. Singaporeans of all races and faiths have contributed generously towards the provision of critical humanitarian assistance to Gaza. This is a reflection our identity and noble values. Over the past year and a half, the Rahmatan Lil Alamin Foundation (RLAF) has raised over $13 million, and is now into its fourth fundraising campaign for Gaza. We recognise the desire of Singaporeans to do more to help. Recently, M3 worked with RLAF to launch the Aid for Gaza campaign to raise funds for Gaza. Over Ramadan, volunteers from the M3@Towns will raise funds for Gaza through various ground-up initiatives. In just the first two weeks of the campaign, we managed to collect $266,000, which is close to half of our target of $600,000 for this campaign. We hope that the theme of the SG60 celebrations “Connect, Care and Contribute” will be further ignited through this campaign. I look forward to the community’s strong support in together ensuring its success. 2.”
“Project Dian started out as a pilot project in three towns in 2021 and now has expanded to six towns. We have engaged over 500 households, which represents roughly 70% of the Malay/Muslim families living in rental homes within these towns. Of these families, more than half have young children who have benefitted from additional support that meets their social and educational needs. With the success of this pilot project, I am pleased to announce that Project Dian will be expanded to the remaining five M3@Towns by end-2025. This means that Project Dian will be offered to all 11 M3@Towns. This expansion will allow us to reach out to 1000 more of these families living in HDB rental homes. At the same time, the Dian Ambassadors have been matched with families with young children aged three to six years old, to provide support as early as possible, so that these children are better prepared to enter primary school. The joy is evident on the faces of the children when the Dian Ambassadors read and tell stories to them. With Project Dian’s expansion, we will progressively extend the Dian Ambassador programme to all M3@Towns, and train 100 more volunteers this year, to supplement the 200 volunteers that we have currently. I hope that many more of us will step forward to join this noble cause, and help these families move forward from their current situation. Chairman, Mr Saktiandi Supaat asked about Malay/Muslims’ contributions to the SG60 celebrations this year. We launched SG60 Bersama, which organises SG60 celebratory events by the Malay/Muslim community. Members of SG60 Bersama comprises Malay/Muslim organisations, Government agencies and several individuals who came forward to design various programmes for all Singaporeans to enjoy.”
“We must also intensify efforts to prevent and manage chronic diseases. The prevalence of diabetes, hypertension and high blood cholesterol in the Malay/Muslim community remains higher than our national average. Regular health screenings help with early detection and intervention and can prevent or delay the onset of complications of certain diseases. Health professionals always remind us that the longer we wait to address potential problems, the more complex and costly the treatment can become. The participation rate of Malay/Muslims in chronic disease screening has room for improvement; only 53% of Malays aged 40 to 74 attended chronic disease screening in 2023. This lags way behind the national average of 63%. For those aged 40 and above, it is recommended to go for diabetes and high blood cholesterol screening once every three years, and hypertension screening once every two years. I hope that the Malay/Muslim community will continue to take charge of their health for the sake of our families, community and country, in order to be active citizens and remain passionate about contributing to Singapore’s development. Mr Sharael Taha and Ms Mariam Jaafar asked about M3 efforts to rally community assets and volunteers. In 2024, the 11 M3@Towns organised over 160 ground-up initiatives, supported by 900 volunteers and benefitting over 65,000 residents. Dr Wan Rizal asked about Project Dian@M3. Project Dian is an example of how the Malay/Muslim community works with Government agencies and volunteers to support those living in public rental flats in M3@Towns. Complementing national schemes like ComLink+, Project Dian helps families living in rental flats to improve their stability and income, and work towards helping them purchase and own their flats.”
“] Chairman, to become active citizens and contribute towards the nation’s development, each individual should remain fit and healthy. We do this by raising awareness on health and providing an environment that encourages a healthy lifestyle among Malay/Muslims. Dr Wan Rizal asked for an update on M3 Focus Area 5 (FA5). Since we started FA5 two years ago, M3 have collaborated with the Health Promotion Board (HPB) and our community partners on many initiatives to improve the health of Malay/Muslims, including in the areas of active ageing and mental well-being. We expanded the Saham Kesihatan initiative to all 11 M3@Towns, and more than 800 individuals joined in 2024, up from over 500 individuals in 2023. The Jaga Kesihatan, Jaga Ummah (JKJU) network has also grown, from 100 partners in 2023 to over 160 partners last year. JKJU participants increased from over 4,000 participants in 2023 to nearly 70,000 participants last year. The participants benefitted from JKJU programmes, such as exercise sessions, health talks and healthier groceries distribution. I am pleased to share with Mr Sharael Taha and Ms Mariam Jaafar some positive trends that we observed in the community in recent years. For example, the proportion of individuals who have sufficient total physical activity rose from 76% in 2021 to 80% in 2023. Physical activity here means having at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per week, including daily routines, such as housework and taking the stairs instead of the lift. More have also taken part in national programmes like Healthier SG. Enrolment among Malays increased from 30% in May 2024 to 45% in February 2025. However, we can do more, such as increasing the proportion of enrolments in the Healthier SG programme.”
“Mr Chairman, the SG60 period presents an opportunity for reflection – looking back on how far we have come and renewing our commitment to the shared values that underpin our unity and progress. Over the past six decades, our Malay/Muslim community has made significant progress, in tandem with the progress of Singapore. Today, my colleagues and I will speak about how we can move forward together as a Community of Success. First, in developing citizenry, we nurture active contributors to community and country; second, in growing competency, where we equip the community for the future while building leaders of tomorrow; and third, in building character, we empower our community and religious sector to progress with confidence. Ms Mariam Jaafar asked how M3 has laid the foundations for a Community of Success. Last year, we commemorated the fifth anniversary of M3. Much has been done through the M3's five focus areas, where we identify and address issues in the community, provide more integrated and targeted support to those who most need it and strengthen our last-mile delivery. These efforts are bolstered by a growing pool of over 4,000 volunteers across the three M3 agencies – MUIS, MENDAKI and the People's Association Malay Activity Executive Committees Council (PA MESRA). This ethos of active citizenry has been foundational to the work of M3 and in our community and nation building efforts. Let me share three ways we hope to further nurture active citizenry in our community: one, fostering ownership towards healthy living; two, rallying community assets towards the collective good; and three, playing our part by contributing to the wider society. Mr Chairman, I will continue in Malay. (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.”
“This will also mitigate the impulse to normalise or chase the extremes in the contest to circulate ever more startling videos and content. While firm actions will be taken to address the parties involved in each incident, the school will also use the opportunity as a teaching moment for all its students. Mr Speaker and Members, this is also a teaching moment for us and the whole of our community. We cannot form good conclusions from a video snippet. So, I thank you for your concern for our students. Let us work together to protect schools as a safe space for our children to learn from their mistakes to change and to grow. 10.31 am”
“When an incident is reported, the school will conduct thorough investigations to understand the facts before deciding on the appropriate course of action – which could include both disciplinary and rehabilitative actions. If a Police report is filed, the school will also assist the Police in their investigations, including supporting their staff and students who may be called up for questioning. For serious cases, perpetrators will face legal consequences in accordance with the law. MOE and schools would prefer to handle each case sensitively to provide space and privacy for the students involved to learn from their mistakes and grow from the experience. However, if a case is made public online and the information provided is unduly skewed such that it causes public concern, damages the reputation of other parties, and/or seek to promote one’s side of the story even though the accuser may not be totally innocent, MOE may have to put out the facts of the case to provide a balanced view of the entire incident, including the actions of all who were involved, based on the school’s investigations. This is to be fair to our educators and all parties involved. MOE may also put out information on the actions taken against all parties who share responsibility for the incident – the initiator who started the fight, and others who retaliated or joined in subsequently. Bystanders and those who recorded the incident and shared the recordings online will also be called out, counselled and punished if necessary. This is to remind them not to do so, to avoid further hurting the ones who are involved and to highlight to them that by sharing the recordings, they are endorsing the acts and are complicit to the act.”
“Thank you, Mr Speaker. And my response will also address the written question filed by Mr Leong Mun Wai, which is scheduled for a subsequent Sitting. Mr Speaker, I first want to thank Members for their concern for the well-being of our students. We all are very concerned about the well-being of our students. On the Monfort Secondary School fighting incident, the Ministry of Education (MOE) issued a media statement on 3 March 2025 about the outcome of the school’s investigations and the actions taken by the school. So, I invite Members to seek clarifications if needed, if we have time. For Members who asked about MOE’s processes for handling bullying incidents, these have been comprehensively detailed in MOE’s Parliamentary response on 14 October 2024. These remain relevant. However, most of this work happens behind the scenes in schools, and members of the public may not be aware of the actions taken. So, today, I would like to highlight some additional points to make clear MOE’s approach in handling bullying and fighting incidents. Let me first start by reiterating that any form of hurtful behaviour is not acceptable and has no place in our schools. However, I would also point out that when any incident of fighting or bullying is shared online, for example, via a social media post or a video, usually a one-sided story is presented, from a particular perspective. While we would hope that members of the public can remember that what they see or read online may not present the full facts of the case, people often react emotively to what they see online and form quick judgments on what happened, or who was in the right or wrong in that incident. Hence, let me put forth what MOE and schools do when handling such incidents.”
“Okay, Mr Speaker. I beg your indulgence. May I have your permission to respond to Question Nos 4 to 7 in today's Order Paper?”
“We continue to pay attention to the various accounts or the different countries in the African region, as with any other region, and we continue to assess the extent to which we are able to set up new missions, depending on the resources that are available.”
“I thank Mr Gerald Giam for the question. I believe Mr Gerald Giam used to be an MFA officer. He understands the challenges with regard to manpower. I think if we are able to have more resources, we will do more. But the reality is that resources are limited. We ensure that when we decide to establish or open a new Embassy or a new Mission in any city or any country, it is because we see there is potential for a relationship to be established at a higher level. So, we start off with ascertaining the potential for collaboration with a particular country. Africa is seen as an emerging region. We do have non-resident ambassadors (NRAs) already appointed in several African countries. The non-resident ambassadors have done an excellent job for us. They started looking at various areas for collaboration, established relationships with key leaders in those African countries. You will see the evolution of us setting up missions in countries from the work of some of our NRAs. We will continue to review the African countries and the potential for Africa as a region for us to see if we will be able to set up new Missions in that area. I am pretty sure when the time comes, when we see the potential being a lot more real, we will then be able to make those decisions. But for now, I want to assure Mr Giam that our NRAs have done an excellent job. We continue to also have systems where ambassadors in one particular mission are also accredited into another country. It does not mean that without a mission, that those countries are not taken care of.”
“Sir, I agree with the Member that we have to strike a balance. We cannot just swing one way or the other. Just to assure the Member that MOE did commission a National Institute of Education study – it was a two-year study which was commissioned in September 2022, but it is not completed yet. Data is still being assessed and some interim findings suggest that students found the use of personal learning devices beneficial in their learning, including their communications with the teachers and collaboration with peers. But I assure the Member that once the study is completed early next year, we will share the findings with the Member.”
“Mr Speaker, the short answer is yes. We welcome anyone who is keen to join the SPED sector. We know this SPED sector is a very challenging sector to be in. It requires determination. It requires passion. It is a calling. So, we welcome Mr Yip's suggestion and we will look into various ways and work with the social service agencies who are operating the SPED schools, to encourage a lot more people, even through conversion, if there are interested individuals to do so and they are keen to participate in the training programme. As mentioned earlier, we have developed a framework for them to go through professional development, including the starting course, which is a Diploma in Special Education.”
“The answer is yes. We have looked at the report, but the report was conducted post-COVID-19; it was in 2021. So, we think that situation may vary, may be different today. I do not have the details or the figures of those who have sought help, but I want to assure Mr Ng that the well-being of our teachers is paramount to MOE. As mentioned, we do dipstick surveys, we visit schools on a very regular basis. The political officeholders – Minister Chan Chun Sing, Minister of State Gan Siow Huang and myself – we are visiting schools almost on a weekly basis. Our senior management visits schools and meet our teachers on a very regular basis, engage them, understand their concerns, respond, should there be immediate needs and create an infrastructure and an ecosystem that is supportive for our teachers.”
“Sir, as I mentioned in my response, today, 80% of students with special education needs are already in our mainstream schools. And many of those who are keen in the special needs sector also understand that we have to assess the students' conditions and whether they will be able to harness their potential to the fullest when they are in mainstream school vis-à-vis in the SPED school. Some of them do require mainstream school. So, 80% are in the mainstream school and we will assess such that we try to integrate them as much as possible. And when they are in the mainstream school, they go through a similar programme as the other students, including physical education, where abilities are commensurate to their disabilities. We are also working towards creating opportunities for mainstream schools to partner SPED schools so that they can continue to also provide opportunities for students from mainstream school, whether they do have peers who are special needs in their schools or not, so that they can continue to also appreciate interactions with students from SPED schools.”
“Sir, I thank Mr Giam for his question. We fully understand, fully appreciate and fully empathise with families with children with special education needs. And that is the reason why we continue to review, on a yearly basis, how we can continue to support them. This year we have announced that we have brought down the maximum monthly fee to $90. We agree that the gap is still wide and 50% are already paying similar fees. This is really because of the differentiation in the SPED school because the SPED school also varies; not all of them have similar fees. We try to make sure that, on balance, more of those who are able to bring the fees down, it is more equivalent to our national schools. But we will work with the SPED schools, because in the SPED schools they also have got different variations in terms of their disabilities. And some schools with higher disability needs that they are responding to do have higher fees. We will work with those schools to see how we can help them. For our students in those schools that really do need further help, we have worked with the SPED schools and encouraged them to go to the SPED schools and get further assistance. And where possible, we will continue to support these schools and these students.”
“For Mr Pritam Singh's first question, I think the Member's question is: when we reviewed it in 2022, whether it was increased or not. Am I right? Okay. The answer is, it was reviewed. It was not increased because we felt it was still commensurate with the needs of providing the support for the students who are taking the NTIL lessons. I want to assure Mr Singh that when we reviewed it, we looked at the funding required. And as of now, since the last review until now, we assess that the funding will sufficiently safeguard. The funding that we give to the Board of Teaching and Testing of the South Asian Languages will not undermine and will safeguard the quality of the teaching and the learning of the NTIL students. When was the last review? I will have to check and get back to you on that.”
“Apart from diploma courses in the polytechnics, they can also upskill through the ITE Work-Study programme or the Technical Diploma as well as LASALLE College of the Arts and NAFA diploma courses. We will continue our efforts to provide more learning pathways that can uplift our students’ capabilities to secure a better future for them. (In English): Mr Chairman, it is our enduring mission to enable all to learn, progress and contribute. With our community's help, we will support our students in charting their paths to meaningful vocations and diverse callings, to fulfil our shared goal of an inclusive success.”
“The Mother Tongue Language Learning and Promotion Committees (MTLLPCs) spend around $5 million annually to promote Mother Tongue Languages learning and usage. At the primary level, starting this year, we are introducing a refreshed Malay language curriculum that uses more games and technology in the learning of Mother Tongue. At the secondary level, the Malay Language Learning and Promotion Committee will introduce a new competition for secondary school students this year. This initiative builds on the success of the “Cepat Tepat” Quiz at the primary level, which is already in place. This new competition aims to encourage the use of the Malay language beyond the classroom and promote interest in Malay culture and literature. We will continue to make Malay language learning more engaging, both in and out of school. At the polytechnics and ITE, we will introduce further shifts to support our students’ aspirations. In line with the Full Subject-Based Banding (SBB) in secondary schools, wider profiles of learners will gain access to polytechnic Year 1 from 2028. These changes will allow students to choose the subjects most suited to their own strengths and learning preferences. We introduced the new ITE Progression Award (IPA) which aims to support our young ITE graduates to upskill to a diploma and secure more progression prospects. The award helps with the costs of obtaining a diploma and reduces expenditure for their longer-term goals. I urge more ITE graduates to press on with their upgrading efforts, so that they can deepen their skills and thrive in their chosen professions.”
“With these efforts, our students will be empowered as changemakers to make Singapore a sustainable home. Mr Pritam Singh has asked about the instruction of Non-Tamil Indian Languages (NTILs). NTILs are taught through In-School Parallel Programmes (ISPPs) and Weekend Centres (WECs). Each request for new ISPPs is considered based on available resources and individual school needs. When not feasible, the WEC provides a more viable option. We also manage students' curriculum loads by ensuring that they do not take NTIL lessons in both ISPPs and WECs. As NTIL teachers are employed by Community Groups (CGs), MOE does not set guidelines on their salaries. MOE last reviewed the funding for NTIL learning in 2022 and will continue supporting the CGs in providing quality instruction. Mr Chairman, allow me to continue in Malay. (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] To achieve our vision of an inclusive Singapore, where we accept and value contributions from every Singaporean. Therefore, we must continue our efforts to fulfil the needs of diverse learners and develop multiple pathways that bring out the best in each child. We understand the challenges that parents face. We will continue to enhance efforts so that children from lower-income families, students with complex needs and students with special education needs are given better educational opportunities. We will also work with social service agencies to raise salaries for SPED teachers and teacher aides, and strengthen their professional development. With these, more students will be able to learn and grow, regardless of their background or needs. With most families using English dominantly in our homes, we recognise the importance of continuing efforts to deepen students’ interest in their mother tongue.”
“I am pleased to inform Dr Wan Rizal, Mr Darryl David and Mr Sharael Taha that the IPA will be awarded from 2024 to eligible ITE graduates enrolling in diplomas issued by the polytechnics, ITE, Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA) and LASALLE College of the Arts, which meet industry needs. Singaporean ITE graduates who are currently enrolled in diplomas will also receive the OA top-up on diploma completion. The IPA is our investment in the longer-term prospects of our ITE graduates. With the IPA, more ITE graduates will deepen skills mastery and secure stronger progression prospects in their chosen careers. Mr Chairman, our students should also play a role in creating a better future for Singapore. Indeed, the future is theirs to own. One important area where our youth can make an impact is in sustainability. This is in line with MOE's support of the Singapore Green Plan 2030 and our goal to nurture stewards of the environment. Beyond learning about sustainability concepts in class, polytechnics and ITE will pilot a new sustainability initiative this year. Students from each institution will "adopt" three blocks near their campuses and engage residents through workshops and visits to reduce water consumption and electricity consumption and increase recycling and greening efforts. They will also drive change within their own households and communities to live a sustainable lifestyle. Students will work with relevant agencies to monitor key indicators of change in the households they engage. In schools, students will continue to learn about sustainability issues under MOE's Eco Stewardship Programme. Since our focus on food sustainability last year, more than 80% of our schools have enacted related initiatives on food security.”
“The continued ramp-up of ITE's diploma programmes will allow ITE graduates to choose the pathway aligned to their aspirations and needs, in addition to diplomas offered by polytechnics and arts institutions. Employers, likewise, will be able to select diploma graduates who best fit their job profile and compensate them based on skills and experience. Many ITE graduates I met want to deepen their skills. I am sure many of our colleagues in the House have met them, as Mr Lim Biow Chuan has mentioned, at the Edusave ceremonies. But they find it difficult to juggle studies and work and upskill only later in their careers. Hairul, for example, deferred his upskilling aspirations after graduating in 2017, to support his family. Understandably, many of them do have family obligations and they want to support their families. For Hairul's case, with his company's sponsorship, he recently completed the WSDip in Electrical Engineering as a top graduate and obtained a promotion and a pay raise to $2,500, commensurate to his diploma qualification and skillset. We will help ITE graduates like Hairul access a better wage trajectory by upskilling early. MOE will set aside around $100 million annually for the ITE Progression Award (IPA) and support Singaporean ITE graduates aged 30 and below on their upgrading journeys. On diploma enrolment, ITE graduates will receive a $5,000 top-up to their Post-Secondary Education Accounts (PSEA). On diploma completion, they will receive a further $10,000 top-up to their CPF Ordinary Account (OA). These top-ups will help offset the costs of obtaining a diploma and boost their savings to support their longer-term goals.”
“For example, if Jude had an ELR2B2 of 26 points today, with a C6 in one of his B subjects, his C6 grade would be mapped to a G2 Grade 2. This gives him an aggregate of 22 points, which will allow him to access polytechnic. If Jude chooses to take the B subject at G2 and obtains Grade 1, his aggregate score will improve to 21 points. This change will allow our students to focus on their strengths, enjoy their learning more and take subjects at appropriate levels, aligned to their interests and needs. I will allow Members to digest what I have just said. 12.00 pm Mr Chairman, let me highlight how we will uplift and support the continued learning of our ITE graduates. We all are very passionate about the ITE students. We want them to do well and we want them to do well, not just in their studies but also in life. They have built strong foundations in ITE but face a growing gap in their starting salaries compared to that of graduates from polytechnics and autonomous universities. To provide more upskilling options for ITE graduates, ITE has expanded its Technical Diploma (TD) and the Work-Study Diploma (WSDip) offerings. Mr Lim Biow Chuan asked about employers' acceptance of WSDips. Last year, close to 400 companies partnered ITE to offer WSDips, which were taken up by 1,150 ITE graduates. These companies provide on-the-job training that complements the practice-based curriculum offered on campus. The WSDip model is well-received as it allows both fresh and working ITE graduates to be employed full-time and receiving their ITE qualification salaries, because they go in with their ITE qualification already, while gaining up-to-date skills that can be immediately applied at work.”
“Members may also access this through the MP@SGPARL App. Under the Full SBB, students can take subjects at G1, G2 or G3 subject levels, broadly mapped from the Normal (Technical), Normal (Academic) and the Express standards respectively. Let me use a student archetype, Jude, to demonstrate the flexibility of the Full SBB. Say, for example, in Secondary 3, Jude opts to pursue his passion in Design and Technology (D&T) as an elective, bringing him to six G3 subjects. After one year, he finds his curriculum load too challenging and he may decide to take D&T at a less demanding level at G2, which will enable him to pursue his passion still. At the end of Secondary 4, Jude will sit for five G3 and one G2 subject at the national examinations, the G2 being the D&T subject. Today, for entry to polytechnic Year 1, Jude will not be able to use the G2 D&T grade as the current criteria is based on five G3 subjects, namely English Language; two Relevant (R) subjects, relevant to the course that he is applying for; and two Best (B) subjects. That is where the acronym ELR2B2 comes from. From 2028, students may use one B subject at G2 for admission to polytechnic Year 1. Jude can thus use his G2 D&T grade if it improves his overall score. All students will be assessed on a common benchmark of four G3 subjects and one G2 subject. Students with more G3 subjects will have their grades converted to G2, to determine the best G2 subject for admission. With this, the net aggregate cut-off for Year 1 polytechnic admission will be adjusted from 26 points to 22 points. I want to assure the House that this is not a tightening of the admissions criteria but a result of converting one B subject from G3 to G2.”
“I thank Mr Zhulkarnain for the supplementary question. Sir, I totally agree with the Member that Peribahasa provides a very deep insight into our culture and our values far and beyond just the language itself. And we do want to promote the understanding of Peribahasa, the use of Peribahasa or proverbs that would allow our students to appreciate the culture that they are experiencing and learning. Within the school environment, teachers continue to teach their students Peribahasa and how to use them contextually in lessons. Our textbooks are already embedded with Peribahasa through the various themes across different sections of the textbooks. In the Ministry of Education (MOE), there is a committee called the Malay Language Learning and Promotion Committee that engages community groups, including the Majlis Bahasa Melayu or the Malay Language Council, to look at events beyond schools where we provide opportunities for students to learn and express their understanding of proverbs or Peribahasa. We also need to look at how we can ride with the times, because children today have difficulties learning the language itself, let alone the complexities of Peribahasa. So, we want to make sure that they understand it and we are also encouraging them to use new technologies like the production of videos and TikTok, so that they can get interested in understanding not just the Peribahasa, but also the meaning behind it and an appreciation of the values through their own lenses. We encourage that and are looking at the possibilities of having TikTok competitions and video production competitions among students. The teachers can guide them through that process and let the students appreciate and enjoy that learning.”
“So, besides implementing these off-loading provisions, school leaders also adopt a holistic approach in deploying teacher counsellors to ensure that their work is sustainable. This takes into consideration factors, such as the nature of the subject that they teach, the frequency and intensity of the teacher counsellors' marking load, including class sizes, level, streams assigned and/or student profiles. So, every school has got its school staff developer, and this school staff developer or designated key personnel would monitor and track the training and deployment of teacher counsellors in the school. So, I want to assure Mr Louis Ng that we know the teachers have done a lot of work and they continue to do a lot of work. We recognise that; we appreciate it. We are fully aware of the amount of work they have put in. Some have gone beyond the call of duty in doing so. We will do our best within the school system and not every school is the same because the needs of the schools differ. And with the framework and guidelines we have given the school leaders, we hope the school leaders will be able to be fair to all the teachers within the school manpower. And we also hope that if teachers who feel that they are being loaded with more than what they can handle can go to the school staff developer in the school, talk to the school leaders and manage the workload within the construct of the team in the school. 11.30 am”
“They, first, must have the interest to want to do more than just teaching and a predisposition to provide counselling, intervention support, as well as those with some prior counselling experience and training. There are some teachers who were former social workers. So, they already have got some training in counselling experience. Some teachers who came from the social service sector do have some experience already and we ask them whether they are prepared to do so. So, they are teachers who have already had some background. They take on the role and they are very committed and we know they have done a lot of work. Sir, on the workload of teacher counsellors, I want to again make the distinction between the teacher counsellors and the school counsellors. The school counsellors are the professionals who have been recruited by MOE to deal with the more challenging counselling cases. Within the school system, as I have mentioned previously, we have structures and systems in place to ensure a manageable workload for all our staff. For instance, the Teacher Work Management Framework guides schools in managing teachers' workload and ensuring that teachers' well-being are taken care of. This includes recommending off-loading practices for teacher counsellors where, depending on the amount of time that they spend a week on their counselling duties, their workload is correspondingly reduced. So, for example, teaching fewer classes or taking less co-curricular activities or committee duties. So, if you are a teacher counsellor, depending on how much counselling you are doing, you are off-loaded from other teaching duties; just to be fair to the teachers. And the school leaders are given the guideline within this framework to be able to help the teachers.”
“Sir, on the question of the proportion, it varies from different schools. As I have mentioned earlier, there are about 800 teacher counsellors who are spread out to all our schools. So, it is hard to say what is the percentage across all the different schools. But suffice to say, first, I want to reiterate the distinction between school counsellors and teacher counsellors. The one that Mr Louis Ng talked about in terms of requiring specialised training, for example, Master's degree in counselling, they are our school counsellors. They are the ones who will do the real counselling work for the cases which are more complicated, more complex, that require more intervention. And most of the cases in schools are handled by the school counsellors. And the school counsellors do not do the teaching. They just do the counselling work. But the question that Mr Ng asked is about teacher counsellors. The teacher counsellors augment the work of the school counsellors. And that is the reason why the training is on psychological first aid; they are the ones who help the less complex cases. They are the ones who, when the school or the class form teachers identify a student who is manifesting some challenges, they are referred to the teacher counsellors and the teacher counsellors will try to support and help them. And they are less complex cases. So, the teacher counsellors are not expected to do the kind of counselling that require Master's level qualification. They are asked to support less complex cases. And when we talk about the teacher counsellors, I just want to highlight that when we identify the teachers, we do not just identify whoever that we think, "Oh, you should do it and the school needs these teachers". We identify teachers who are suitable and have interest.”
“Sir, I hope Mr Ng looks at the teaching work and the role of a teacher holistically. It is not just teaching in the classroom. Counselling, befriending and mentoring are really part of teaching, because we want to teach life skills to our students. So, it is not just in the classroom. The role that the teachers take on, when we say basic counsellors, it is not that they are doing counselling. When a child has a problem, the teacher cannot say, "Sorry, this is not my work because I only need to teach you." But this is really, "I want to be there for you." So, I hope that Mr Louis Ng will look at it in this larger perspective. That the teacher is one who is there to guide the student, go through the education journey holistically, so that the students also understand that the teacher is available at any point in time; and not look at the load of teachers just purely by teaching in the classroom. Any work that the teacher does, whether it is as a teacher overseeing a co-curricular activity group, it is all about teaching and guiding our students.”
“Sir, I thank Mr Louis Ng again for the supplementary question. My records show that Mr Ng has asked this question many times: in February 2022, in March 2022, in July 2022 and September 2022. I want to assure Mr Ng, as with the previous replies we have given, we have been cutting down the administrative work of our teachers, spreading them out; giving them guidelines; and giving the superintendent and schools guidelines in terms of the workload for teachers. We use technology to reduce the administrative workload of teachers. Teachers are given different responsibilities. Not all teachers are expected to do deep counselling work, although they are trained in basic counselling so that they can identify students with immediate indications of challenges that might need help. Subsequently, if the students require other forms of support, other groups of teachers provide the support. The workload of teachers is spread out, based on the responsibilities that they hold at that particular points in time.”
“But we will do more where necessary to increase our effort at addressing this trend.”
“I thank the Member for the supplementary question. Certainly, where necessary, we will allocate the necessary resources to improve our effort at reaching out to the students. Let me just very quickly articulate what we have been doing at our schools. We imbue the messages against smoking and vaping in our curriculum. For example, in Physical Education at the upper primary, students are taught that all tobacco products are harmful and can affect their health and fitness. They are also taught about the harmful substances when offered. In the Science curriculum in education, we also explain to the students the harmful effects of substances found in products as well as the consequences on individuals, families and society are discussed at the lower secondary level. In our Character and Citizenship Education, the students also learn about recognising impulsive and addictive behaviours that harm one's mental health, physical well-being and how to manage the concept of self-esteem as well as management of negative peer influence. So, these are efforts that are being done today. On the question of personnel, we recognise that personnel in schools are role models and they are also mentors and guides to our students. So, we equip them with the necessary skillsets to be able to support our students. As form teachers, they educate students on self-control and how to manage addictive behaviour. So, we are doing at this point in time what we can to reach out to the students. They know that vaping, for example, is an illegal activity. They know the harmful effects of it not just on their body but the fact that they are doing illegal activities. If they are involved, we engage parents, in the first instance, to try to help.”
“The group of students with a GPA of 2.0 to 2.5 is very small. As it is, they apply to get in and, based on the number of places available, most who get admitted would already have gotten a GPA of 2.5 and above. Those with a GPA of 2.0 to 2.5 do complete their polytechnic education, but we notice that their completion rates may not be as good as those with a GPA of 2.5 and above. But I just want to say that those who have a GPA of 2.0 and above have access to other diploma courses. Today, ITE provides diploma courses in the form of a work-study diploma as well a technical diploma. These are diplomas provided by ITE and these are more hands-on. We notice that for some of these students, they do better in hands-on-related courses that are offered at the diploma level for our students in ITE. The employment outcomes for the technical diploma as well as the work-study diploma are equivalent to the outcomes of students who receive a diploma from our polytechnics.”
“Just to clarify, first, Assoc Prof Jamus Lim, are you thinking of the lower levels as in the secondary level? Okay. So, at the secondary level, yes, we do expose our students to polytechnic and ITE courses along the way. Some students are able to take modules in the polytechnic to give them a flavour of the kind of courses that they can take. Some students do take GCE "O" level subjects through polytechnic modules; for example, those who are interested in studying media and they take modules in Ngee Ann Polytechnic. Their GCE "O" level is based on these modules that they have taken. So, there is flexibility that is provided, but it really depends on the aptitude of the students at that point. [Please refer to "Clarification by Second Minister for Education", Official Report, 3 August 2023, Vol 95, Issue 110, Correction by Written Statement section.] Today, we allow the schools to have the flexibility to identify students' interest so that they know exactly what options are available. At the same time, we do a lot of education and career guidance for students at the secondary level. We are also encouraging secondary schools to get their alumni to come back to serve on school boards so that the alumni can expose the students to various industries that are available out there. While the foundation is necessary for us to make sure that we ready our students with the fundamentals – Math, Science, as articulated by Dr Wan Rizal earlier – from the perspective of getting exposure to the kind of careers that are available when they grow up, we do explore other opportunities for them.”
“We are encouraging our students to be more flexible, open-minded in the kind of career path they are taking, without being fixated on just looking at a university education as the first port of call following their polytechnic education.”
“But if they really feel that they want to go into a course that is a bit different, it is useful for them to go through the EAE. We do have career guidance for our students at the ITE level, even at the polytechnic level, to allow them to make informed decisions in terms of where and how they can get into a better course in the polytechnic. We have also been designing more flexibility at the polytechnic level to allow students some space, particularly those who are struggling in their earlier semesters, to allow them to take lighter loads so that they can cope with the demands of a polytechnic education. As to the second question on plans for university admission, university admission today is flexible. The universities do take in students with different entry capabilities, including students with GCE "A" level, International Baccalaureate (IB) and polytechnic diploma qualifications. The universities have their own criteria to admit some of these students. One of the most important things we want to also articulate is that while everyone aspires to have a university education, it need not be the first port of call following the completion of polytechnic education. There are many other pathways that we are creating today, including going out to work first and coming back and taking modules or credentials – they call it micro-credentialing, which universities are exploring today. This allows them to take modules that are relevant to the industry and the work they are in; and subsequently, aggregating those modules to perhaps be awarded a degree later on.”
“Sir, I thank Dr Wan Rizal for his questions. The first question is about students who are taking modules or courses in ITE and may not want to continue because they think they may not do well in the mapped courses in ITE. Sir, as I mentioned earlier, when they go to ITE, yes, they take those courses. Today, we have already revised the curriculum structure for ITE to allow them to go to higher Nitec. We hope that in those two to three years that they are prepared in Higher Nitec, they are given the proper fundamentals and can strengthen their fundamentals so that they can continue to the mapped polytechnic courses. As I mentioned earlier, most of them are able to do so. For those who have gone to the ITE courses and realised that those may not be the courses that they would want to pursue as their polytechnic courses, they can go through the EAE. That is really where they present their own credentials, look at their own strengths, tell the polytechnic, "This is really who I am. I may not be good in certain subjects, but my overall GPA is good to be able to get into the polytechnic." At the polytechnic, we are also making some structural changes to allow them to have a feel of what are the kinds of courses available. So, even if they are mapped onto the courses, there is the Common Entry Programme, meaning that they go through schools and they go through a semester of generic programmes in those schools before they decide to major in a particular area. So, in a sense, it allows them to have a feel of the aspects of the course, though mapped onto the schools that they were from in the ITE, but they can then decide, after one semester, where their strengths are.”
“I thank the Member for the supplementary question. The guidelines are consistent. But we leave it to the schools, depending on the way the conditions affect them at that point in time. Schools, as I mentioned earlier, are allowed to encourage the students to put on their T-shirts should the temperature get high. Though Singapore is small, sometimes, you do get rain in one part and you get very hot weather on the other side. So, it really depends on the schools to determine what is suitable for the students at that point in time.”
“I think we support all the children in our Project Dian families, regardless of which school they are attending. The key to it is to access the resources available and through our network of agencies, MENDAKI, MUIS and MESRA, we have a pool of volunteers, so any students in the rental flat families, whether they go to madrasahs or whether they go to our national schools, if they need educational support, if they need socio-emotional support, we will certainly assess the resources available to them and channel resources available to them. We refer them to MENDAKI's weekend tuition programmes. We also have got volunteers who are prepared to do home-based tutoring and we have done that. We have a group of mentors from the IHLs who have already been recruited. Usually, what we do is when there is a request and we realise that there is a student in one of the rental flat homes, we will assess their need for educational support and we will look for the most suitable way of supporting them, even if it is home-based tuition. That is where we then tap on the pool of volunteers that we have. If it is centre-based weekend support, we then refer them to MENDAKI tuition programmes. So, this help is available regardless of where they go to school. Of more concern to us, really, is the very young children, for us to make sure that the resources are spent on them, to be able to enhance their ability for early childhood education so that their cognitive and social emotional development get supported right at a very early age.”
“The middle group are the ones who are middle aged with young adult children with potential for home ownership. For that we work with agencies like e2i, MENDAKI, to create opportunities for us to upskill and upgrade the adults, so that they can possibly find good jobs, increase their economic potential to be able to be home owners. The third group is the one that I mentioned earlier, that requires a lot more attention. These are the young families, young families who are married and did not have the means to purchase their homes yet. So, HDB offers them rental housing. Within that space, we also want to make sure that we support the children. These young families have got a number of children, three to five children. That is really where the volunteers, the Dian ambassadors, come in actively, and they have been trained to help these families. Dr Wan Rizal is right, we need a lot of manpower and that is why in my speech, I spoke about the call for more of Singaporeans out there, regardless whether you are Malay, Muslim or not, if you have the heart to want to help families in rental flats, help the children, uplift them, work together with us and join us.”
“Chairman, I thank Dr Wan Rizal for his question. Indeed, it is not an easy effort to bring about the coordination to help groups of families which are living in very difficult circumstances. Let me just recap. Project Dian is to help families living in our rental flats. We wanted to reach out to them. The first thing is we set out to understand the structures and process that need to be put in place. For structures, it is essentially what Dr Wan Rizal is speaking of. We created a steering committee made up of agency representatives. At the central level, we set up the ECO office, the engagement and coordination office of M3 and we established the steering committee made up of representatives from MSF, SSO, HDB, MOE's UPLIFT programme and the M3 agencies. With this coordination effort, we brought it down to all the pilot towns and each pilot town has similar steering committees that has been established. This is so that the staffers at the local level coordinate, understand each other, understand each case that needs to be supported. Within Project Dian, we have a group of volunteers. Dr Wan Rizal is absolutely right. The challenge is to get as many volunteers as we can because we literally were looking at knocking on every door of our Malay/Muslim households to understand their circumstances and the way they live. Through the early efforts in the three pilot towns, we have been able to reach out to 70% of our Malay/Muslim residents there. We found three groups of residents. The older folks who have been there for many years, the children who have moved out and from there, we look at the welfare and well-being of this group. The coordination happens between SSO and MUIS to ensure that they are supported.”
“With regards to SEN, we are giving them more SEN-trained officers to help them because we do want our SEN students who were from our mainstream schools to continue to move on to our Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs). We are also looking at piloting at the ITE what we call an integrated case management framework, where we will augment the ITEs with staff to help them coordinate support services required by students with higher needs. We do know some of the students do come from very challenging backgrounds. Our lecturers, just like our general education teachers, go on home visits, knock on the doors, find out where they are and try to bring them back to school because that is really the passion and desire of our teachers to make sure that our students complete their education. So, I want to assure Mr Don Wee that we are augmenting our ITEs with resources required for them to support our students and given the flexibility that we are introducing, we will certainly work together with them to make sure that this will not unduly pressurise the teachers, but rather inspire them further that what they are doing is very much supported by Members of the House, by the community and certainly, we will support them in every endeavour that they embark on in supporting our students.”
“Chairman, I thank Mr Don Wee for his questions. It is very heartening when you hear Members of the House asking for more resources for our teachers and expressing their full support and empathy for the challenges that our teachers experience. In particular, for the ITEs, we know that ITE do have students who are coming from challenging backgrounds including SEN students. This is also in line with Dr Wan Rizal's question earlier about the flexibility that we are giving our students in terms of the way they cope with the curriculum. We do want to offer that flexibility. We do want them to go through at their own pace albeit looking at the structures we have in place, but certainly, support will and continue to be given to all our students as well as our lecturers and teachers. For the ITE, yes, Mr Don Wee highlighted that we have the three-year Higher Nitec curriculum now, but we do acknowledge that some students may take a longer time and they may want to take some time off after two years. As long as they have done their internship, they can leave ITE for a while, continue to work, if they are ready to work and come back and continue to stack up their modules and then complete their Higher Nitec and subsequently go on. So, the diverse pathway is really about allowing the students to know where they are, understanding their family circumstances and we will support them along the way. With regards to the additional support, yes, given the additional challenges and learner profiles that our ITE has, we are working with the ITE to augment them with more resources.”
“What we want to ensure is whether you do a subject at G1, G2 or G3, such a combination, there will be a pathway for you – it could be at our ITE, where, as I announced also, we now have the three-year Higher NITEC curriculum that they can aspire towards. And if that continues, then they can aspire towards joining the polytechnics afterwards, or joining our technical diploma programme or our work-study programme. So, there are expanded pathways and this allows them to feel that they are not pigeonholed at such an early age. That has been the feedback from many Members of the House that we should not pigeonhole our students too early but instead allow them to explore their own potential. I hope that that flexibility allows the students to also feel good, and that the revision of the education system is really meant for them to grow and appreciate their own strengths.”
“I thank Mr Darryl David for his question on FSBB. First, I think we want to ensure that we understand and parents understand the concept and philosophy behind FSBB. It is really to recognise the potential of every student with regards to different subjects. Traditionally, we assume that you do all the subjects in the same level. That is where the streaming came in: the Express, the Normal (Academic) and the Normal (Technical) streams. But we acknowledge that over the years we want to facilitate students' ability to focus on subjects that they are strong in and also do subjects that they may not be strong in but are capable of coping with. And so, when we look at the post-secondary pathways, it is really to recognise that and how we can find the combination. Today, for most polytechnics, the current criterion is equivalent to the Express stream – the five G3-dominant combination. As I mentioned in my speech earlier, we are considering allowing the usage of the G2 subjects. So, the question is, when you are doing G1 today, where do you go afterwards? In the FSBB programme, it is what we call the education and career guidance; career guidance by the teachers to help the students at each level. So, at Secondary 1 when you come in after PSLE, you are guided in terms of your performance at PSLE. And looking at your strengths in each subject, the school and the teachers will guide the students on what they can and should take when they get into Secondary 1. And then by the time they get to Secondary 3, as they prepare for the major examinations, they look at the performance again.”
“On the second supplementary question, GCE “A” Level students who do not make it to universities. As I mentioned earlier, as and when they are able to go onto other pathways, they are welcome to do so. On whether you can do GCE “A” Levels in June, it might be a bit tougher, because currently the GCE “A” Levels curriculum is also done together with Cambridge. So, the June papers tend to focus more on the languages. We can look into that possibility, but, really, it is also dependent on the number of students that we want to make it available to. We do not want a situation where just because we make it available in June, then the ones who are supposed to do it in December want to cram everything in June, and therefore, increase the level of stress, which already is very high for our JC students. So, you cannot be doing it just for a group of students who did not do it very well the previous year, because it does require a lot of effort and resources to develop examination papers just for this group of students. 1.01 pm”