N. Govindasamy
Singapore
“Sir, in the hope that the Ministry of Finance will release the funds required for the Telok Blangah community centre within the next six months, I beg leave to withdraw my amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. The following amendment stood in the name of Mr J F.”
“Member for Serangoon Gardens, would show that numerous criticisms were made in this Chamber. Some of the pitfalls of the education policies were pointed out and they could have been avoided.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I am still a little confused. Would the Minister of State categorically state in this House whether the restructured education scheme is on or off? Even the teachers and the principals are arguing among themselves whether the restructured education scheme is on or off.”
“Sir, I have no intention of joining in. The problem here is riot a question of marrying abroad or in Singapore. The problem is still faced by people who were married in Singapore. There is the case of a woman who has been married here for eight years and has four children all living here in a Housing Board flat.”
“Perhaps when the Minister replies he will want to use it. Sir, the woman has been here for eight years. She was married in the Singapore Registry of Marriages. Four children were born in Singapore and they are now living in a Housing Board flat.”
“Sir, the Minister has set a specific number of hours and he says. "Well, if they do their part-time national service in 12 years they will have to do so many hours of work, and if we reduce it to five years, then they must perform the same number of hours of duties." This would mean that they have to go for duty practically everyday.”
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“The Parliamentary Secretary says that a bonus will be paid for the first year, second year and third year. Why not pay for the fourth and fifth year? Why stop at the third year? I know a bonus can be terminated. It can be terminated in the first year.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, can the Parliamentary Secretary elucidate to the House the rationale behind stopping the bonus scheme after three years, although the teacher concerned may continue to teach the subject in which he qualified?”
“Sir, in every cinema there are only two or three ushers and they cannot be looking out for people who smoke. Furthermore, this is not a law which can be easily enforceable. I agree with the Minister that, as a follow-up to this Bill, there should be a campaign like the "Anti-litter Campaign" that we had recently. I wish the Minister luck and I hope this law can be enforceable. But I have my misgivings. Clause 3 of the Bill, which the Minister spoke about, is, I think, rather loose and gives the Minister far too much powers. It says: `The Minister may, by notification in the Gazette and subject to such conditions as he may think fit, specify any building or part thereof or class of buildings or parts thereof to which members of the public have access as being a place or places in which smoking shall not be permitted either permanently or for such period or periods as he may think fit.' Sir, I know that the Minister for Health is a non-smoker. One day he may decide to prohibit smoking in the Ministry of Health. I think this law may not be workable if it applies only to theatres. I was just wondering whether stricter measures cannot be taken to prohibit smoking in buses and taxis also. And the precondition is that we have to ban advertisements of cigarettes on T.V., cinemas and over the radio, which, I believe, is more important than this legislation. 4.05 p.m.”
“Sir, any Bill that is introduced should be a Bill that is enforceable, and strictly enforceable. For the last few years, we have seen notices in cinema halls quite prominently displayed requesting patrons not to smoke. They have been abused and I am afraid they will continue to be abused. We see in the theatres persons smoking. There are portions in the buses -public transport - where smoking is allowed and a front portion where smoking is not allowed. Yet any bus traveller will tell you that this regulation is not at all enforced. Taxi-drivers, Sir, are, I think, under the Ordinance not allowed to smoke. You need only stand on the road and you can see taxi-drivers smoking happily. Just a few days ago, I read a reply from the Registrar of Vehicles that on inspection every six months, the Registry sees to it that taxis contain an ashtray. Sir, I travel in a taxi almost every day and I have yet to come across a taxi with, an ashtray in the front seat, or the back seat for that matter. I sometimes go to the theatre and I notice that people who are smokers start to smoke as soon as they see advertisements of cigarettes on the screen. An hon. Member: Hear, hear! Mr N. Govindasamy: Sir, during the last Budget debate, I made a point about doing away with these advertisements, but the Minister for Health did not give me an answer. The melodious jingles on cigarettes put on TV and over the radio are repeated by children and they sound better than the pop songs that we hear of. Sir, what should I do, as a smoker, when I go to a theatre and see an advertisement, "Smoke Kingsize Cigarettes", and, at the same time, another notice by the side telling me not to smoke? Who is going to enforce the law of no-smoking in cinemas? The managers, assistant managers and ushers?”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I am a smoker and I enjoy smoking.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, my colleague, the Member for Punggol, was surprised to hear of this situation, but as for me I am shocked! This business of Good Conduct allowance crops up in every Ministry that employs uniformed staff. Sir, the people who are in prison are normally people of bad conduct. I cannot see the logic in paying good conduct allowances to the staff who look after them. And if I heard the Parliamentary Secretary correctly, we pay this Good Conduct allowance to those officers who do not sleep on duty, or those who are not drunk. My God! I agree with the Member for Punggol that disciplinary action should be taken against offences committed, instead of paying Good Conduct allowance as an inducement. Sir, I remember reading an article in yesterday's newspaper that the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau is probing into the activities of warders. As I understood from the report, it was the public outcry against the Prison administration that brought about the investigation by the C.P.I.B. Will the Minister care to explain to the House now the reasons for the probe by the C.P.I.B. and if he will consider doing away with this Good Conduct allowance?”
“Sir, I beg leave to withdraw. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. 5.05 p.m.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, That the sum to be allocated for Head 1001 be reduced by $10 in respect of subhead 2156. Sir, I just want to know the criteria by which part-time announcers and artistes are auditioned and selected for the Department of Broadcasting. Can the Department not recruit new talents so that we can see new faces and hear new voices, instead of the same part-time people year in and year out for the last ten years or so? I do not mind if they are permanent employees.”
“I hope he will take the necessary precautions to see that mistakes of this kind are not repeated often. It is understandable if it is made once or twice, but when the Member for Anson says something and my photograph appears on T.V., I begin to wonder when I have said these things. The Member for Jurong has referred just now to the frequency of advertisements on T.V. and that too much consideration should not be given to commercial advertising. The frequency with which they interfere with the regular programmes can sometimes be very upsetting. I do not see any reason why the advertisements cannot be shown either at the beginning or the end of a programme. To show advertisements every five minutes will not make people enjoy watching the T.V. programme as much as they would like to. Sometimes it helps, of course, if one is going for a drink when there is an advertisement on, but not everybody would like to do that. I hope the Minister will take this into consideration and look into the possibility of showing commercials in between programmes and not during the programmes every five or ten minutes. Another point I wish to make is selectiveness in commercial advertisements. We have heard so much of cigarettes and the spread of cancer and so on. I wonder whether it is worth the amount we make from commercial advertisements to continue with this form of advertising cigarettes. In almost every programme at one time or another we see advertisements for cigarettes staring at us. Surprisingly, Sir, the tunes that they use in advertising cigarettes are so catchy that I have heard children sing them. Sir, let us not waste too much on this aspect of commercialisation. I would suggest that we be a little more selective in commercial advertising.”
“However, going through the estimates, I see that the establishment has not kept pace with the expansion of the services that it is trying to provide. As a result, the services are not very satisfactory. We hear of innumerable mistakes both from the Television Service and the Broadcasting Service. There have been no less than three instances in the last year or so when I myself heard broadcasts of speeches attributed to me when, in actual fact, they should have been attributed to my colleague, the Member for Anson. I do not mind if what the Member for Anson has said is attributed to me. But I do not know what his feelings will be. What is a little more disturbing is the fact that the Television Service and Broadcasting Service could not differentiate between a Back-bencher on this side of the House and a Parliamentary Secretary on the other side. Recently, the Member for Moulmein had a bash at the government and he was referred to as the Parliamentary Secretary having a dig at Government. My sympathy is with the Parliamentary Secretary referred to for the embarrassment which the Broadcasting Department caused him. Mistakes of this nature should not be made that easily. Although the staff in the Broadcasting Department may be overworked, I think they should be a little more careful when making reports of this nature. The Prime Minister made a speech recently in Joo Seng Community Centre. However, the very next day it was reported that he made a speech at the Joo Chiat Community Centre. I know, Mr Speaker, Sir, Joo Chiat Community Centre is in your constituency. Perhaps it is better known than the Joo Seng Community Centre. Anyway, I do not know how this simple mistake could have been made. Perhaps the Minister has noted these matters.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, last year this House approved a supplementary estimate of $50,000 to enable the Broadcasting Department to purchase stereophonic broadcasting equipment costing some $65,000. Sir, we were told that in commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the founding of Singapore, stereophonic broadcasting was commenced last year. I am told that in order to receive stereophonic broadcasts, the radio should be fitted with an attachment known as a decoder. Unless this is done, no stereophonic sound can be heard. Can the Minister inform this House whether the Broadcasting Department has ascertained the number of receivers in Singapore which are fitted with this device in order to enjoy stereophonic music? If it has not undertaken such a survey, can it do so? I personally feel that there are very few radio sets in Singapore equipped to receive stereophonic music. I am, therefore, wondering if the amount that we have spent on the purchase of the stereophonic equipment has been worthwhile. I am also told that nowadays dealers who sell radio sets equipped with decoders remove the attachments before they sell the radio sets in order, of course, to sell the decoders separately and make more money. I am told that sometimes a decoder may cost as much as $50. I am wondering if the Broadcasting Department can undertake to see that where radio sets are already equipped with decoders, such decoders are not removed before the sale of the radio sets to the public. If there is no such tampering, the people who buy modern radio receivers can enjoy stereophonic music which the Broadcasting Department is able to produce now. The Broadcasting Department has expanded very rapidly during the last few years.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I have an amendment* standing in my name in respect of broadcasting. We have just heard the Minister say that he preferred to answer all the points raised together. With your permission, may I speak on the Broadcasting Department? * The amendment reads as follows: (5) That the sum to be allocated for Head 1001 be reduced by $10 in respect of subhead 1301.”
“On a point of clarification, Sir. I think the present fee for a certificate of identity for travelling to Malaysia, including the re-entry permit charges, etc, is $24.60.”
“Our telephone system is efficient, and more often than not, the news of the illness of a relative across the Causeway is often made via the telephone. Therefore, requiring proof of illness in the form of a letter or a telegram is, I think, making it a little too difficult and inconveniencing the local residents. Therefore, I would suggest that more liberal consideration be given to this issue of certificates of identity by the Immigration Department. At the same time, I would be grateful to the Minister if he would look into the possibility of reducing the cost for a certificate of identity.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, from the list of Members who have given notice to speak on this subhead, it is clear that the Immigration Department is in for a lot of criticism. However, I will confine myself to just one aspect, and that is, locally-domiciled residents who are non-citizens. When these people wish to travel abroad, they are issued with certificates of identity, and only on urgent grounds. Generally they are allowed to travel only from Singapore to Malaysia, and their certificates of identity are good for one journey only. Sir, most of these people travel for the purpose of visiting sick relatives or urgent private matters; in certain cases they travel for some festive occasion. 2.45 p.m. Sir, the Immigration Department charges something like $24.60 for this certificate of identity, which includes reentry permit charges, etc. In my opinion, $24.60 is a little too much, especially when only one trip can be made, and in some cases this trip is made only as far as Johore Bahru. Sir, for a Singapore resident to visit a sick relative in Johore Bahru, and to have to pay a fee of $24.60 is, in my opinion, too much when you consider the fact that an international passport, which has a life span of five years, costs only $25 and can be used for as many trips as one likes. On the one hand, we charge $24.60 for a certificate of identity for one trip to East Malaysia. On the other hand, we are generous enough to maintain the archaic practice of paying good conduct allowances to our policemen. The issue of these certificates of identity is also a little too restrictive. When one applies for a certificate of identity to visit a sick relative in Malaysia, one has to show proof of illness in the form of either a telegram or a letter, etc.”
“(8) That the sum to be allocated for Head 0901 be reduced by $10 in respect of subhead 1687.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, sometime in the middle of February this year, a number of driving licence holders whose licences expired either in the middle of February or at the end of February went to the Registrar of Vehicles to have their licences renewed. They had a document stating that their licences were expiring sometime in the middle of February. However, they were told that all licences were valid only up to the end of January because of the introduction of computers. In other words, although a driver actually had his licence valid till about the 15th February, he was told that, in actual fact, his licence had expired at the end of January. These licence holders were also told that the Registrar of Vehicles wrote to them informing them of the introduction of computers, and, as a result, licences were only valid till the end of January. Therefore, not renewing their licences at the end of January was an offence and, although they had lost some days as a result of the introduction of computerisation, they had to pay a fine. This is a little incongruous because they had an authorised licence which stated, "Your licence expires on, say, 18th February"; yet when they went to the Registry of Vehicles on the 15th February to have their licences renewed, they were told that their licences had, in actual fact, expired at the end of January because of computerisation. I think this practice is wrong as they were still holding licences valid up to the middle of February. Even if with the introduction of computerisation, their licences should have been renewed on the 31st of January, I feel they should not have been fined for late renewal. Sir, I hope the Minister will find it possible to comment on this matter.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I do feel that until very recently there was a need for these small trolleys to get baggage out of the clearance lounge to the taxi stand, and as the Minister has promised to follow this up, I beg leave to withdraw. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. The sum of $6,805,530 for Head 0803 ordered to stand part of the Estimates. Head 0804 - The following amendment stood in the name of Madam Chan Choy Siong - That the sum to be allocated for Head 0804 be reduced by $10 in respect of subhead 1001. Madam Chan Choy Siong: I am not moving, Sir. The sum of $1,137,030 for Head 0804 ordered to stand part of the Estimates. 5.45 p.m. Head 0805 -”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, That the sum to be allocated for Head 0803 be reduced by $10 in respect of subhead 3009. Sir, this amendment is moved so as to get further information from the Minister. This year's estimate for this subhead exceeds the last estimates for 15 months by over $12,000. According to the explanatory statement, it provides for the purchase of one large trolley and ten small trolleys. Sir, in my frequent visits to the airport I have noticed the shortage of porters, especially during peak hours. I have also noticed that in other international airports small trolleys are provided for the passengers' use. When there is a shortage of porters, passengers can use these trolleys to clear their baggage themselves without much inconvenience. I would, therefore, suggest that more small trolleys be provided for the passengers' benefit. Can the Minister tell us if the ten small trolleys to be purchased are for the use of the passengers? If not, can he look into the possibility of purchasing more small trolleys for passengers' use?”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I should be the last person to say, "Do not pay the workers for what they are doing." However, I do feel that a review of this issue must be made, because it sounds funny paying good conduct allowance to people who are expected to show good conduct! However, in view of the Minister's explanation, I beg leave to withdraw my amendment, Sir. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. The following amendment stood in the name of Mr Ng Kah Ting- (5) That the sum to be allocated for Head 0803 be reduced by $10 in respect of item (9) of subhead 2001.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, it is a shocking revelation that even back-payment is being made. I am just wondering if the Member for Serangoon Gardens has not done a disservice by revealing to people that there are such allowances payable.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, That the sum to be allocated for Head 0803 be reduced by $10 in respect of subhead 1244. Sir, this provision for Good Conduct Allowance was brought up by my colleague, the Member for Serangoon Gardens, during the last Budget session. When he brought this matter up he submitted, and I quote (Hansard Vol. 28 No. 6 dated 17-12-68, col. 500): '... that constables, security officers or whatever personnel are entitled to this allowance would be expected to show good conduct. I do not think there should be incentives for them to show good conduct and receive monetary benefit for so showing.' I cannot put the case more concisely than the Member for Serangoon Gardens who belongs to the legal profession. Sir, the Minister in his reply agreed with the Member for Serangoon Gardens, and stated that allowances of this nature were possibly not necessary, and it was also noted that no such payment was ever made. I also see that such allowances are provided for in the Ministry of Interior and Defence. When are we going to do away with the payment of allowances for good conduct? This seems ridiculous, especially when monetary incentives are offered to our guardians of the peace.”
“Sir, I am satisfied with the explanation given by the Minister and I beg leave to withdraw Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, That the sum to be allocated for Head 0803 be reduced by $10 in respect of subhead 1151. Sir, this amendment is moved to seek information from the Minister on the vacancy for the post of Airport Traffic Officer which has not been filled, I am told, since January 1969. Sir, although in August 1969 applicants for this post were interviewed, the post has yet to be substantively filled. Is there no experienced officer in the airport who can substantively fill it? I am told the last substantive holder of this post was a local employee, and there are many others who have been assistants to him and who have performed the duties of this particular post in acting capacities. By not filling this post substantively since the beginning of 1969, does the Civil Aviation Department expect to fill this post with an expatriate? If so, is there not a possibility of avoiding the filling of this post with an expatriate but with a local man who can perform this duty?”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, That the sum to be allocated for Head 0802 be reduced by $10 in respect of subhead 2012. Sir, I presume this provision is for utility services for the Marine quarters in Pulau Brani. These quarters for Division IV employees of the Marine Department are quite new and can be utilised for many more years to come. But there is a defect in their construction. Under the building by-laws, I believe it is required that the toilet facilities in a building should be at a specified distance away from the kitchen. But the type that is provided in these quarters is not in conformity with the building by-laws. I hope the Minister will not say that this is a matter for the Ministry of National Development, because these quarters are meant for the Marine Department. As such, if these quarters have modern sanitation, then it is all right. Furthermore, because of the bucket system, nobody uses the toilet facilities. I would suggest that sufficient toilet facilities should be provided for these quarters. I hope the Minister will take up this matter with the proper authorities so that these quarters are provided with toilet facilities.”
“(19) That the sum to be allocated for Head 0701 be reduced by $10 in respect of subhead 2123. Mr Ng Kah Ting: (20) That the sum to be allocated for Head 0701 be reduced by $10 in respect of subhead 2127. (21) That the sum to be allocated for Head 0701 be reduced by $10 in respect of subhead 2251. (22) That the sum to he allocated for Head 0701 be reduced by $10 in respect of subhead 2403. (23) That the sum to be allocated for Head 0701 be reduced by $10 in respect of subhead 2551. (24) That the sum to be allocated for Head 0701 be reduced by $10 in respect of subhead 2560.”
“(8) That the sum to be allocated for Head 0701 be reduced by $10 in respect of subhead 1211.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, before the Minister answers, I have to join in the debate. Perhaps I may not agree with my colleague, the Member for Punggol. Sir, first allow me to get one point of clarification from the Minister? Does he mean that the Principals of these two schools are holders of superscale posts because their schools produce good results? If so, then I think the whole system is wrong. Sir, are we going to classify our principals according to the results that their schools produce or on the calibre of the principal of any particular school? I will agree with the Minister if he says that we should continue with the tradition of having superscale posts of Principals for our two premier schools and not just because they produce good results. At the same time, Sir, I was quite happy when I heard the Minister say that there are very few superscale posts in the education service and therefore we must retain these two posts. If that is the case, is there a possibility of creating more superscale posts? The student enrolment has increased and I think there is a need for creating more super-scale posts, thereby enhancing the promotion prospects of those in the education service.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, allow me to congratulate the Ministry of Education on having at last realised the need to abolish post allowances. Sir, they have started off with technical schools. Having done so, I do not see why promotion posts in other schools still carry post allowances. I realise that this is not just a matter between the Ministry of Education and the Singapore Teachers' Union. I realise that the Treasury is also involved. Sir, you have just heard that the Teachers' Union, after having had a bash at the Ministry of Education, has had a bash at the Treasury. What has the Treasury done? It has referred the matter back to the Ministry of Education. Sir, we cannot just kick the ball about. It is about time that the Ministry of Education and the Treasury decided to rectify this anomaly which the Minister for Education knows has been in existence for the last 20 years. Now the ball is at the foot of the Ministry of Education. And it says that it is waiting for the Teachers' Union to make representations again. Sir, representations have been made over and over again. How much longer are we to wait? The same questions were raised by my colleague, the Member for Punggol, during the debate on the 1967 Estimates. Are we going to wait for next year for the same problem to crop up? Sir, on the question of post allowances and also allowances for senior assistants, I urge the Ministry of Education to pursue actively these matters in the course of this year. And I hope I will not have reason to speak on this again when we meet next year to debate the Estimates.”
“(5) There are duties in relation to extra-curricular activities. (6) Taking the students out for meetings or visits to social homes. (7) Taking part in various campaigns to support some social work. (8) Research work, including attendances at the T.T.C. and second-language training, specialised subject training, cadet officers' training and various other forms of training, say, technical training. (9) Teaching the students how to brush their teeth. (10) Duties at athletic meets, and teaching children to queue up for buses, and so on and so forth. I have taken up much of the valuable time of the House. My purpose is not to make complaints, but to point out that the teachers have to bear all these hardships. If they are well commented upon, I am sure they do not mind working even harder. Instead, Sir, aided school teachers do not even enjoy. medical benefits. Every year Teachers' Day has been neglected. There is no fixed day for Teachers' Day. Last year Teachers' Day passed just like any normal school day. Over the last two or three years, the various language streams have been engaged in extra-curricular activities, and, as students are expected to take part, they have responded keenly. Because of their over-participation in these extra-curricular activities, their school studies have suffered greatly. 8.00 p.m.”
“Nowadays it is not easy to be a teacher. The teachers are confidentially reported on by their principals. They also have to face school inspectors whom they fear. The inspectors come to inspect their method of teaching, not with a view to improving it or to benefit them in some way. Their purpose is to find fault with the teachers and, as a result, there will be unfavourable remarks in the teachers' record. This is what the teachers are worried about. Sir, our society is a just and equal society where all races are equal, and therefore the work of public officers is also on an equal footing with equal opportunities. But today teachers in Government-aided schools are not as well treated as teachers in Government schools. How do you explain this? Sir, I do not know whether the Minister has given attention to the grouse that nowadays teachers have a heavy load, and this load is increasing. Besides teaching, many other duties are also entrusted to them. Let me enumerate here the various duties they are expected to do outside normal teaching hours. (1) There is the writing up of teaching records, the number of classes, subjects, periods. All this has to be written up clearly. (2) There is the correction of homework, including exercises, weekly reports, reading reports, newspaper cuttings, calligraphy, fair copy tests, practical reports, mapping, contour, drawing, and composition. (3) The making of teaching aids, looking for materials, note-taking, and lesson preparation. (4) Filling in the particulars of attendance registers, collection of school fees, miscellaneous fees, attending to requests by students for leave, entering results in report cards, filling up of various forms, and the registration of new students.”
“Sir, many trained teachers will unanimously say that their training was a period of tribulation and hardship. After this training, they will be relieved of all this suffering. In fact, the Teachers' Training College is a place where the "soul-engineers" are trained. But we doubt if the result will meet our objective. I personally experienced this suffering and tribulation in 1965-66. What I have learnt has no practical use. Many a time I have heard of suggestions to reform the College, but when I asked the present trainee teachers, I knew that things in the College have not changed very much. Sir, for the sake of our national development, why cannot we teach our trainee teachers something practical to make them understand our national policy and to inculcate in them a strong sense of national consciousness, so that they can understand the tasks required of them for the future good of our country? In this way, what they teach will be more beneficial and more practical. Is this not better? One aspect of our education is to give equal treatment to all the four language streams of education. But we all know of complaints that if teachers or principals who do not speak English go to the Education Ministry, they will be looked down upon and given the cold shoulder. We have also heard of complaints from principals that sometimes they are required to go to the Ministry immediately they receive a telephone call. Sometimes orders or directives are given through the telephone; this has been pointed out by the Member for Telok Blangah. It is very well to give directives over the telephone, but very often another telephone call is made to change the previous instructions. So I cannot agree with this means of conveying administrative instructions over the telephone.”
“In this process of change, there will inevitably arise questions involving amendments and reformation of our education policy. All this will result in placing our education policy on a better footing so that our people and country may progress further. Sir, I depend on teaching as a means of livelihood, and I personally have gone through the mill. That being so, I know intimately many matters concerning education, and I will avail myself of this opportunity to inform the Minister of certain problems in education. Let me begin with the Teachers' Training College. This College is responsible for the training of school teachers in the various language streams. The merits or demerits of the T.T.C. have a great effect on the quality of the teachers produced. Sir, we all know that when someone aspires to be a teacher, he will have to be trained in the T.T.C. for some years. Upon his graduation, he will be recognised as a qualified teacher. But if we were to ask -- what usefulness has a trainee teacher got after undergoing all this training? -- the reply possibly would be, what has been learnt is merely to meet the requirements of the lecturers. When training ends, everything ends also. There has been very little use made of what the trainee teacher has learnt. Why? Because what he has learnt is not practical. Many lecturers only teach the trainees how to teach, and also inspect them to see how they teach. They never demonstrate the practical way of teaching. Some lecturers even blow their bassoons in the classroom. And when the time for examinations comes along, they will just prepare lecture notes in a haphazard way. So with this sort of training, what results can you expect from the teachers?”
“In Culture too, I believe. I am told that in certain schools there are even teachers who have been acting as principals for as long as four years. The last promotion exercise for principals of primary schools was conducted more than two years ago. Can the Ministry not make arrangements for promotion exercises to be conducted over shorter periods, so as to minimise the number of acting appointments? Mr Ho Kah Leong (Jurong)(In Mandarin): Mr Speaker, Sir, from Table 19* appended to the Budget statement of the Minister for Finance, we see that the total school enrolment of primary and secondary schools and higher institutions for 1969 is 525,695, which is about a quarter of the total population. This large number shows that education is widespread, and is something of which we can be proud. Of course, the quality of these students will depend on the type of education they receive today. From this point we can realise the importance of education and the difficulties involved in it. Teaching is an illustrious and honourable task. (* See Cols. 533-4) Sir, the educational programme should meet the requirements of our society. There is no doubt about that. The present society is undergoing changes, so the education of our society should also change with time. There should be a reformation in our education policy in order to meet present requirements. For instance, in the past year we began to change the trend and direction of our education by putting full emphasis on technical education in order to meet the trend towards an industrialised society. This is a very correct move. The education policy should change with time to meet the requirements of society.”
“I know of a number of "actors" in the headquarters of the Ministry of Education.”
“The lecturers in this course are teachers who have been lectured by other teachers who attended a similar course conducted by qualified people. The lecturers of the health course in primary schools attended six lectures given by six other teachers, and they are in turn expected to lecture to their fellow teachers. Sir, not everybody who has attended a course can lecture to others who, in many cases, are very much senior in service to the lecturers. If the teachers have to go through a course on health, by all means let them go through a course on health, but let these courses be conducted by qualified people. Recently, schools were required to form School Advisory Committees. These committees are working well in some schools, but in many they are not functioning properly. The Ministry should look into the functioning of the School Advisory Committees and to rectify the situation if it has to be rectified. Sir, questions were raised in Parliament by the Member for Serangoon Gardens who has now gone over to the other side on the practice of the Ministry of issuing instructions to schools by telephone. The assurance given to the House was that this would be kept to the minimum and only on urgent matters. Sir, may I suggest that even now the telephone relay system is utilised for frivolous matters and also for important instructions for which circulars should have been prepared well in advance. During the months of January and February this year alone, the telephone relay system has been used nine times. I do not know why the Ministry officials do not like to put their instructions in writing. 7.45 p.m. Sir, another sore point I have with the Ministry is that of acting appointments in the education service.”
“I see no reason why there should be any differentiation of salary if they are principals of the same type of schools. All these anomalies arise because of the post allowances attached to their substantive salaries. Sir, let me now come to the Inspectorate in the Ministry of Education. We learn from the Budget speech of the increase in the number of schools and school-going children in the past ten years. This, of course, has resulted in an increase in the number of teachers, but there has not been a proportional increase in the Inspectorate staff to assist and advise teachers on professional matters. The inspectors are largely occupied with the supervision and investigation of teachers to ascertain whether they should be recommended for crossing the bar, confirmation, annual increments, and with other administrative functions which leave them with very little time or none at all for giving professional assistance and guidance to teachers. As a result, teachers have begun to view the visits of inspectors of schools as purely for the purpose of inspecting them, that is, to find fault with them, and not for the purpose of assisting and advising them. We are fully aware that an inspector's role is not only to find fault with the teachers, but also to assist and guide them in professional matters. This can only be done if the Inspectorate has a sufficient number of officials who can devote their time for this purpose. Sir, the Ministry seems to interest itself only with statistics. The Member for Bras Basah spoke on 18th March, 1970, on the attempt of the Ministry to make the teachers quack doctors. Sir, I am told at the moment that there is a health course being conducted in a number of primary schools.”
“Now we have what is known as bilateral schools which are, in fact, two secondary schools under one principal. As a result of the two schools being grouped together, provision is made only for one principal and one vice-principal. In other words, where there were two principals and senior assistants, we have now one principal and one vice-principal. Sir, may I suggest that now is the appropriate time to rectify once and for all this exploitation of the senior assistants? I think this is the appropriate time because we are all aware that the Minister for Finance in the Budget proposals did not paint a gloomy picture of our future, but, on the contrary, in my opinion, he made a forecast of greater expectations and improvement in the economy of Singapore. It is for the Ministry of Education, which has time and again agreed that the present conditions are not as satisfactory as they should be, to make the necessary representation to the Ministry of Finance to rectify this outstanding grievance. Sir, in all other departments in Singapore with promotion posts, a man is paid for the job he does and not for the qualification he has. The salaries of a Permanent Secretary, a Deputy Secretary and an Assistant Secretary in the various Ministries are the same irrespective of whether the holders of the posts are Honours degree graduates or Pass degree graduates. Whereas in the Ministry of Education, although the principals of all secondary schools and primary schools are performing the same job, yet their salaries are differentiated according to the certificates they possess. Sir, a teacher who is appointed principal of a school, whether he be an Honours graduate, a General Degree graduate or a Normal Trained teacher, in principle and in practice, performs the same functions.”
“' The Minister agreed with me that there should be a separate salary scale for promotion posts. He advocated that there should be assistant principals instead of at present senior assistants. I would like to know, in the last 15 months since the last debate, if the Minister has gone into consultation with the Ministry of Finance to rectify these serious anomalies which have been in existence, to quote the Minister, "for almost 20 years". He agrees that these anomalies have been there for almost 20 years. He agrees that they have to be rectified, but they are still with us. Sir, during the debate on the estimates last year, I spoke on the present undesirable practice of having one principal for both sessions in the same school, the need for remuneration and to give a status to the senior assistants of the schools. I would not want to repeat my contention that the work performed by the senior assistants is equivalent to that of the principals, since this issue has been taken up with the Ministry of Education many, many times. Let me quote the Minister's reply during the debate on the estimates on 17th December, 1968, in regard to this matter [col. 450]: 'While we cannot afford to have one principal for one session, I think it is possible to consider a principal for one session and an assistant principal for the other session in the same school, it is a compromise proposal which I thought was feasible and that is why the suggestion was made to the Harvey Salaries Commission. I am not in a position, at the moment, to give a positive reply on this matter. But if the time is appropriate, I will take up this matter again.' Sir, since the last debate, matters have become worse.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, during the last Budget debate in 1968, a number of Members in this House spoke lengthily on the Government's education policy, and the Minister for Education promised to look into the possibilities of rectifying the many anomalies prevailing in the Ministry and the staffing position in our schools. I am sorry to say that the anomalies that I made reference to during the last debate have not been rectified or resolved. The establishment in the Ministry of Education urgently needs a thorough overhauling. May I again remind the Minister that his Ministry is the only Ministry where promotion posts do not carry any salary scales? The Ministry has already agreed with the Singapore Teachers Union that this is a wrong practice. The Harvey Commission Report also recommended in paragraph 198 of its report that the structure and reorganisation of the Ministry of Education must be looked into. These matters. Sir, I have raised before, and I do not want to elaborate. Let us now consider the reply that the Minister gave on the issues that I made during the last debate. If I may quote the Minister, he said [Vol. 28 No. 6 dated 17-12-68, cols. 445-6]: 'I think he [referring to me] is aware that the whole question of teachers' salaries, post allowances for principals and so on is a very complicated one . . The problem is so complicated that the Harvey Salaries Commission was afraid to delve into the whole question. It has, therefore, suggested a separate Commission to go into the matter in detail.' He then continued and I quote him: 'Until I have sought the views of the Finance Minister on whether there should be a separate commission to go into the whole question of the salaries of teachers and principals, I am not in a position to give a satisfactory answer.”
“(11) That the sum to be allocated for Head 0601 be reduced by $10 in respect of subhead 1301. Madam Chan Choy Siong:”
“Perhaps. Sir, in respect of the Factory Inspectorate, the Ordinance also needs revision. The employers' organisation agrees to a revision. The employees' representatives also agree to a revision. But I am sorry to hear that the Government, however, feels that the present Ordinance is adequate for our present improved industrial conditions.”
“Sir, on the one hand, it is so heartening to hear one of our large employers from Jurong advocating an upward revision of the quantum of compensation laid down in the Workmen's Compensation Ordinance, and another employer-representative here also advocating the same thing. But on the other hand. I am sorry to say that I have to join my colleagues here in saying that we were taken aback and dissatisfied with the reply given by the Minister on workmen's compensation.”
“His service to the statutory board, which in turn is service to the Government, was considered sufficiently good enough for him to be awarded the Public Administration Medal, but not good enough for him to be granted Singapore citizenship. Sir,I feel that the time has come for us to look at this policy on citizenship more realistically and to review it.”
“He thought it was possible and, therefore, his application for a work permit was rejected. What do you expect him to do? He has nowhere else to go. He claims he was born in Singapore during the Japanese occupation, and his birth was not registered. He has a wife who is a Singapore citizen, and two children who are also Singapore citizens. I believe the wife has now applied for public assistance from the Social Welfare Department. But since we have cut the Social Welfare budget for this year, perhaps she might not receive it. There was another case of a girl who was a minor citizen. She works as a telephone operator. She was unaware that she had to take the oath of allegiance at the age of 21. It was only after she was past 21 years of age that she heard from her colleagues that minor citizens had to take the oath. She voluntarily went to the Registry of Citizens and offered to take the oath. Her citizenship papers were recalled, and she was issued with a blue identity card, and asked to reapply for citizenship. She reapplied and her application was rejected. Her parents, brothers and sisters are all Singapore citizens. She has nowhere else to go. There was another case which is much more interesting - the case of a clerk whose application for citizenship was rejected. He has been working in a statutory board for many years and has been awarded the Public Administration Medal. In this case, Sir, just as in the other cases, the Registrar of Citizens, when considering his application for citizenship, asked himself, "What does this man do? As he is a clerk, can we get a citizen to replace him? Yes, hundreds of them are available." And his citizenship was rejected.”
“I believe the Registrar also thinks in terms of whether or not the applicant will be of economic value to Singapore. Citizenship applications from persons who have been employed in statutory boards for more than 10 years now have been rejected. Their background has not been looked into at all whether they are skilled or unskilled workers, or whether they are clerks, or telephone operators. It appears that the only question that the Registrar asks himself is whether the applicant can be replaced by a Singapore citizen. If he can be replaced, then his citizenship application is rejected, irrespective of the fact that the applicant may be a very hard-working man or that his services may be much needed by his employer. No consideration is given whether he has worked for one year, five years or 10 years in the same place, or whether he has a wife and children who are Singapore citizens, or whether he can leave the country or not, or whether he has any other means of supporting his family. Sir, let me cite a few examples where citizenship applications from locally domiciled people were rejected. There was one instance in which a locally domiciled resident of Singapore, who had been registered as a minor citizen, failed to take his oath because of his ignorance. As a result, his citizenship was withdrawn. This particular individual, whose parents are Singapore citizens, has a wife who is a Singapore citizen and two children who were both born in Singapore. He had been working in one of the statutory boards for more than five years. Since his citizenship was withdrawn, he had to apply for a work permit. Unfortunately, the Commissioner for Employment also asked himself the same question: could this man be replaced in his job by a Singapore citizen?”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, since this question of citizenship has arisen I might as well take the opportunity to speak on it. The granting of citizenship to permanent residents in Singapore was raised in the House only just now. The reply that the Government gave was not very enlightening or acceptable to the Backbenchers. Citizenship admittedly is still a very thorny problem, so much so that we have many cases of people who have nowhere else to go but to remain in Singapore whether or not they are given citizenship. Sir, criticisms of the citizenship policy have been made a number of times. If these criticisms seem harsh, the Government should bear with them because we have been elected by the people, and since we are all from one party, we should give no opportunity, for people to exploit any situation and say that since we are a one-party Government, we can do what we like. Since the last time the Minister sought to enlighten us on Government's policy on citizenship, many changes have taken place and I feel that the time has come to review it. We have been told that there is an acute shortage of skilled workers. We are trying to recruit skilled workers from abroad by offering all kinds of incentives, even the incentive of Singapore citizenship. In the meantime, we know of cases of locally domiciled people, some of whom are skilled workers, who after two years are still waiting for a note of approval from the Registrar of Citizens. Citizenship applications have been rejected offhand. I think the criterion which the Registrar of Citizens uses when considering applications is whether or not the applicant can be replaced by a Singapore citizen if he is working in Singapore.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I welcome the idea of sending Mr Rajaratnam: Mr Speaker, Sir, it is part of my strategy an advance team before setting up a foreign mission. But the idea of sending two members from the Treasury is not practical. Is it not possible to include in this advance team a member from the Foreign Ministry who would be in a better position to set up missions abroad than an officer from the Treasury who only thinks of dollars and cents? always to appear to be cooperating with the Treasury. I always like to have one member and, if possible, more members from the Treasury in the advance team, because whatever recommendations they eventually make on the spot are generally far more acceptable than recommendations made from the home office. But I would agree that in future somebody from Foreign Office should also accompany an official from the Treasury so that he would be able to bring home to the Treasury official the requirements of a mission abroad.”
“The other point that I want to take up is the question of furniture and other necessary fittings for the houses of Ambassadors and officials, as well as for the embassy itself. In many instances, I believe the cost of hiring these fittings is very expensive in a number of foreign countries. It will be cheaper if they buy the required furniture and equipment before setting up the embassies. In respect of houses for Ambassadors, some of them may be located in proper diplomatic enclaves in these countries, but they should be such that the Ambassador would be able to entertain other Ambassadors in that country. If the houses are small, then the problem of entertaining becomes very difficult. Since this year's vote for the Foreign Ministry has been increased. I hope that more care will be taken in setting up embassies abroad.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I can partially answer the question of housing raised by my namesake, the Member for Anson. Sir, quite recently I have visited some of our missions abroad, and I must, at the outset, pay a tribute to our ambassadors who, working under difficult conditions, yet do a very good job of what they have been sent out there to do. I believe that last year we did send an advance party of officials from the Ministry of Finance to countries where we intend to set up embassies, The idea of sending an advance party to set up an embassy is most admirable, but the question is how did they do their job? 7.45 p.m. This leaves much to be desired, because I have been to one of our missions where I found that the advance party had been there for more than a month. They had informed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that all was well and that the Ambassador and his staff could come and set up the office. However, even details of equipment for the office were not looked after, and the embassy had to work under difficult conditions, sometimes without even a typewriter. Sir, I think the Ministry should be careful in setting up embassies, especially before sending our Ambassadors and some of our officials abroad. Sir, there are other aspects where a lot of improvement can be made. One is that in the country that I am referring to, the advance party went ahead and rented a few houses for our officials. But the Ministry was not yet in a position to send the required number of officials to this embassy. As a result, the Foreign Ministry had to pay rents for these houses which were not occupied for a considerable number of months.”