Ng Chee Meng
Singapore
“I note the intent of the OJT and agree with the objectives behind the proposal, and it will be studied, considered in our NTUC's work, even as we chart possibilities in career counselling for the youths, and do possible pathways to innovate with the IHLs in career guidance and matches into internship and other possibilities.”
“I began this speech with the questions on many workers' minds: how can I take part in the AI growth and benefit from it? How can I translate into fair opportunities for me? Singapore has invested much in education and the skills of our workforce.”
“Mr Speaker, I thank the Government for responding to NTUC's and our Platform Work Association's calls to support sectors most affected by the recent fuel price increases. The measures announced for platform drivers and riders will go some way in easing the pressures on their livelihoods. I have two clarifications.”
“Family members who have mental health conditions or degenerative diseases, such as dementia, which is becoming more common, who may require high supervision but may not necessarily qualify for the three ADL criteria today. Preventive Healthcare in the Community”
“However, there is one group that I am particularly concerned about – the 13,000 or so who are out of the workforce to care for their elderly. I note from MOM's data that this group is largely female, single, 50 and above, non-tertiary educated and do not have any or any recent work experience. We think that there is scope to do more.”
“Chairman, our young graduates are entering the workforce at a time in a disrupted age. AI is becoming more advanced, even at entry-level tasks. And throughout their careers, they will need to adapt and pivot several times, as the pace of change and skills obsolescence increases.”
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Every one of 434 lines we hold for Ng Chee Meng, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 4 of 9.
“Mr Speaker, MOE takes a serious view towards parents who intentionally falsify any information for the purpose of Primary 1 (P1) registration. In the last 10 years, there were less than 10 such reported cases. Where there is reason to believe that false information may have been used, MOE will refer the case to the Police for their investigation and action. In cases where the verdict is finalised and the parent is convicted of the charge, the child who was previously registered in a school based on false information would be transferred to another school with available vacancies.”
“I thank the Member for the supplementary question. I do not have the specific information on whether there were specific complaints but, generally, in the different surveys that LTA has done, commuters have largely been positive about the whole set-up of PHCs as they like the lower fares and upfront charges that are made known to the commuters before they commit to the ride. As per the second question, on what channels are available, the usual feedback channels to LTA are all available for such complaints.”
“I thank the Member for his feedback. I would convey it to our workers on the ground for those positive comments. Yes, we will continue with this regime for the foreseeable future to expedite the upgrading and improvement works. At the same time, we will minimise inconveniences to commuters by early announcements of the scheduling of either early closures of the line or the entire closure of stretches, so that commuters can make alternate transportation planning. Buses and other alternatives would be made available to commuters.”
“The Ministry of Transport publishes different sets of data. In time, we will consider publishing such data as well. We are upgrading our train systems, as the Member well knows. The signalling project will bring better reliability to our train systems. We are also renewing the old trains on the NSEWL to the tune of about 66 trains in the coming years. This will up the reliability and the commuter experiences.”
“Our schools constantly seek ways to better communicate with and engage parents to strengthen school-home partnerships. As Singapore's smartphone and Internet penetration rate is very high, the large majority of parents have access to technology. Therefore, most schools use some form of smartphone applications or proprietary online software platforms to communicate with parents to increase efficiency and provide parents with greater convenience. Even in such instances, our schools are cognisant that some parents may prefer alternative modes of communication besides technology or may not have access to computers or smartphones. Hence, schools employ a range of complementary communication channels to ensure they can reach out to all parents, which could include hardcopy letters, students' handbooks, phone calls, face-to-face briefings and meetings.”
“All Secondary 1 students are taught the knowledge and practical skills of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and the use of the Automated External Defibrillator as part of the Physical Education curriculum. This was introduced since 2017. In addition, in specific Uniformed Groups, such as Red Cross Youth, St John Brigade and National Civil Defence Cadet Corps, CPR is a compulsory training component.”
“The Ministry of Education regularly reviews the demand and supply trends at the national and regional levels to ensure that there are sufficient school places for school-going children, taking into account the current and projected population as well as planned housing development programmes. Due to the families that are moving into the recently completed Housing and Development Board Build-To-Order flats in Choa Chu Kang, we have projected a slight increase in the localised demand for primary school places. As such, we have increased the number of school vacancies in some of the schools in Choa Chu Kang. There should be sufficient primary school places to meet the increased demand from these families. The proportion of Primary 1 (P1)-going children who secured a P1 place in their first-choice school or a school within two kilometres of their homes averaged about 98% nationally for the 2017 P1 Registration Exercise. The outcomes for individual constituencies would typically hover close to the national average, and this is the case, too, for Keat Hong division. South View Primary School, Concord Primary School and Chua Chu Kang Primary School currently have a wait list for some students who wish to be transferred there. These include children who are currently studying in other nearby primary schools. For information, there are available vacancies in other nearby primary schools, such as Teck Whye Primary School and Kranji Primary School.”
“The Ministry of Education has reviewed the release of such data. Guided by the Ministry of Home Affairs, our decision is that such data should not be released.”
“Schools do not promote the use of dialects. Our bilingual policy has enabled a growing proportion of Singaporeans to be proficient in English and their Mother Tongue language. With our Chinese language students in schools, our focus is on helping them to learn Mandarin to as high a level as their interests and ability take them. As dialects have differing vocabulary and grammar structure from Mandarin, the learning of dialects may not necessarily ease the learning of Mandarin among students. The Ministry of Education monitors the performance of students at national examinations closely to assess their level of mastery of the different disciplines. The results of students taking Chinese Language at major examinations have shown a stable trend. Over the past five years, the passing rate of Chinese Language at GCE "O" level has maintained at about 97%, while the distinction rate has held steady at about 40%.”
“The Foundation MTL curriculum offered at Primary 5 and Primary 6, and the MTL "B" curriculum offered at secondary and junior college levels focus on the development of oral and listening skills, with a much reduced demand on writing skills.”
“Dyslexia is characterised by difficulties in learning how to read despite adequate language exposure and good reading instruction. It is, therefore, more commonly diagnosed after the child has started formal schooling and has received sufficient reading instruction in the primary school. In our multilingual society, children grow up in varied home-language environments. Children who appear to have initial difficulties reading in the preschool years may catch up with their peers as they mature and receive greater exposure when they start primary education where literacy support programmes are available. Many preschools thus focus on providing a language- and print-rich environment to prepare the child for formal reading instruction in Primary 1. All children with dyslexia are in mainstream schools and will receive additional literacy support if necessary. Exceptions are made for children with dyslexia who have additional co-occurring conditions, for example, Autism Spectrum Disorder, cerebral palsy, as they are better supported in Special Education Schools. Students with certified Special Educational Needs (SEN), including dyslexia, may be considered for exemption from Mother Tongue Language (MTL) if their SEN severely affects their ability to cope with MTL and with overall learning. In evaluating such applications, the Ministry of Education takes into account not just their diagnosed SEN but also how these students are managing in their learning and responding in the classroom. Students who have difficulties coping with the standard MTL curriculum can consider the option of offering MTL at a lower level.”
“Students in schools pay fees based on their citizenship, with Singapore Citizen (SC) students paying the lowest fee rate, followed by Singapore Permanent Resident, and International Students paying the highest fees. For non-citizen students with at least one SC parent who need help with paying their fees, they can approach their schools for assistance, and the Ministry of Education will assess their situation and exercise flexibility on a case-by-case basis.”
“I thank the Member for her question. Indeed, the SCC programmes are well-planned. In the midst of building up these student care centres, we ensure the quality and, therefore, the overall standards, whether it is environment, hygiene, even some of the programmes. To uplift the quality of SCC staff, MOE, MSF and Workforce Development Agency ‒ now, Workforce Singapore ‒ have introduced a 40-hour training programme for new and untrained SCC staff. This course is currently undertaken by Ngee Ann Polytechnic and was launched in 2015. So far, it has trained about 622 staff to date. With these training programmes, we hope to uplift and upkeep standards.”
“Mr Speaker, I thank the Member for his question. The size of the waitlist for primary schools varies for different schools. But on average, the number of waitlisted students is low. Where there is excess demand, schools will work with the SCC operators to see how we can expand the number of classrooms to cater for this enrolment demand. Having said that, it is with the caveat that this expansion does not compromise the quality of student care. As I have said in the reply earlier, MOE has expanded the student care facilities quite tremendously in the last few years. So, while we cater to the quantity of students needing the care, we want to ensure that the quality is built up correspondingly as well.”
“Mr Speaker, over the last six years, the Ministry of Education (MOE) has increased the number of school-based Student Care Centres (SCCs) from 50 to 162. Their enrolment has increased from 3,000 in 2012 to 21,000 today, or 9% of all primary school students. Where there is demand for school-based student care services, schools will work closely with the service providers to expand their capacity at a pace that does not compromise quality. MOE is on track to have SCCs in all our primary schools by end 2020. There are also SCCs outside of schools that provide after-school care for students. Currently, there are 261 community-based SCCs registered with the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF), with a total enrolment of about 11,000 students, and with some spare capacity. Together, MOE and MSF monitor the capacities and enrolment of both school-based and community-based SCCs closely. To ensure affordability for children from lower-income families, the ComCare Student Care Fee Assistance (SCFA) scheme provides needy families with assistance to offset their monthly SCC fees. With the assistance, eligible students can pay as little as $5 per month. MSF regularly reviews the ComCare SCFA scheme to ensure that student care remains affordable for lower-income families. All registered SCCs are required to comply with requirements covering areas like supervision, safety, health and hygiene. In addition, for school-based SCCs, the service providers are selected via a stringent and competitive procurement process and have to meet contractual requirements for quality in areas, such as programmes, staff training, level of care and environment. Schools maintain close oversight of SCC operations to ensure that quality is maintained.”
“It applies with different timings to different military airports, whether it is Paya Lebar or Tengah. These noise abatement measures, from my memory, do take into account school examinations, for instance, when there will be curtailing of flying. And for the military aircraft, if my memory serves me right, they try to land by 10.00 pm, unless it is for operational contingencies.”
“Yes, I thank the hon Member for the feedback. Some of these inconveniences will definitely be reviewed consistently to make sure that we bring the least disamenities to residents.”
“I thank the hon Member for raising it. The flights that are permitted from 10.00 pm to 7.00 am are aircraft that are usually smaller and with newer engines, and these can include medical evacuation flights into Seletar Airport. So, we limit this window to smaller, quieter aircraft, and the big aircraft with noisier engines are only limited to day time. So, the data that the Member has provided are probably accurate. The bigger, noisier airplanes are only limited mostly to the day time and up to 10 o'clock at night. Post-10.00 pm, sometimes, it will be for medical evacuation and smaller aircraft. We take the point that aircraft do bring noise into, not just Nee Soon South, but to other areas of Singapore because of the small land mass of Singapore. So, CAAS will continue to adopt the best practices according to international standards to include the best practices in noise abatement measures. Er Dr Lee Bee Wah: I would like to ask the Minister how he defines "small aircraft". If residents can be woken up at 3.00 am, 4.00 am, I think the noise is not little. So, I would seriously want to urge the Minister and CAAS to look into this issue so that the residents' sleep does not have to be disturbed so often.”
“I thank the Member for his questions. We do not have the data because we just introduced the MK concept only a few years ago, and we did not monitor whether the primary schools have become more popular because of the MKs. There is a variety of factors, so I do not have the definitive answer to the first question. On the second question, it will take us up to 2023 to realise the 50 MKs. On the last question, there is already an MK admission framework that is published on the MOE website. The priorities are clearly listed. Should there be greater demand than supply, a fair and transparent balloting system will take place.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, I thank the Member for his question, but from the acoustics, I could only make up some parts of it. Could the Member please repeat the earlier two questions?”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, I thank the Member for his question. It is too early to give such guarantees and probably impossible to give such guarantees. But what I can say is that, in the framing of the whole scheme, we have ensured that the number of places in Primary 1 is significantly more than the MK. From data, we also see that parents do exercise choices other than progressing their children from the MK to the primary school. So, with a combination of such factors, we think that the likelihood of an MK child progressing through Primary 1 of the same locality will be quite high, but I do not think that I can give a guarantee at this stage.”
“But more importantly, from MOE's perspective, the level playing field is for the child. That is why, in all the different programmes that we put forward, as I have mentioned earlier, we ensure that it is affordable and easily accessible for children from lower-income families. Children who are from lower-income families have a reserved one-third of any MK slots. This promotes better social mobility and social mixing in our schools and this is very much the central objective in why we set up MKs as well.”
“The MKs are going to be expanded to 50. So, we are finished very much with the initial piloting of the 15 MKs. The areas where we have developed appropriate teaching or learning resources, we have started to share with the general early childhood sector. Since 2016, we have made available some of the resources that we have found to be very useful in the children's learning. For example, the "Big Books". When we come to the teaching of languages, we use big books to tell stories to the children to captivate their interest and facilitate their learning both in English and the Mother Tongues. We have also put into the Nurturing Early Learners Portal some of the best practices in the MKs to make them available online for the early childhood educators' community. Furthermore, MOE participates in various conferences that are organised by the Early Childhood Development Agency or other agencies to share the best practices in early childhood education. For the question on a level playing field, MK and the Early Years Centre collaboration is a pilot scheme. So, we have finished with the MK pilot, but now we are looking into providing an added option for parents, where they may be looking for a MK education for their children. So, we are looking to partner with some Anchor Operator Preschools (AOPs) to develop this partnering of childcare services from the early years. It may be two to four years old at the AOP childcare, and then to MK. This is an added option in the market. Having said that, in totality, as I have said earlier, even when we are finished with the 50 MKs, it will be only 20% of the market. So, there is ample space for different operators to participate in this very important pre-school education sector.”
“But given the growing demand for preschool services, the Government's foremost objective is to ensure that parents have access to quality and affordable preschools for their children, and MKs are part of this strategy, with one-third of MK places reserved for Singaporean children from households with a gross monthly income of $3,500 and below, living within one kilometre of the MK. Nevertheless, at 50 MKs, MKs will only make up about 20% of the preschool landscape, which means that parents will still have sufficient choice and good preschools that are able to provide quality services that meet the needs and preferences of families will continue to play an important role in this sector. When selecting a preschool for their children, parents consider factors, such as the quality of the programmes and teachers, location and the service model. For example, some parents may prefer their children to be in the same child care centre from their infant years all the way till K2. Hence, we hope that all preschool operators will continue to invest in uplifting quality and to evolve their services to cater to the different needs and preferences of parents. The introduction of Phase 2A2 admission eligibility for MK children is a pilot scheme. MOE will continually monitor demand and the needs of parents, take in feedback and assess how well the admission eligibility is working in achieving the outcomes. It will be sometime before we will have 50 MKs and we hope to draw on the experience of operating these MKs to do proper refining and review. If necessary, we will always do these refinements as part of our continuing journey to improve the education system.”
“The new MKs will generally be located in estates where there is a higher demand for preschool places and the schools they will be located within are likely to be Government schools. It is too early to say if these schools will ballot in which phase of future Primary 1 Registration Exercises, or whether, indeed, they will face balloting at all. Regardless, MOE ensures that there are sufficient school places on a regional basis so that no child will have to travel long distances to his or her primary school. Many parents have welcomed MOE's plan to expand the number of MKs, as well as the introduction of the Phase 2A2 admission eligibility. At the same time, some parents have expressed concerns that the admissions eligibility for MK children may bring the stress of primary school admission upstream to the kindergarten years. We are mindful of this and have put in place measures to mitigate it. We have deliberately calibrated the admission eligibility to be at Phase 2A2, which is below that for younger siblings of students already in the school, which is Phase 1 and children of alumni members in Phase 2A1. The planned K1 intake for the MKs will be significantly below that of the planned Primary 1 intake of the primary school that the MK is located within, so that there will be sufficient access for children who are not from the MK at the Primary 1 Registration Exercise. In addition, at least a minimum of 40 places will always be reserved for Phases 2B and 2C at every primary school, to ensure open access to the school. Some preschool operators have expressed concerns that the admission eligibility for MK children would make their preschools less attractive.”
“The Ministry of Education (MOE) is committed to ensure that every child has a strong start and can access affordable and quality education. We piloted the MOE Kindergartens (MKs) with this in mind, and the take-up rate and reception of parents have been positive. In reviewing the pilot, MOE found that there are developmental benefits to young children when they remain in a familiar physical, social and educational environment. In addition, we have received feedback from parents who said that they hoped that the number of "transitions" can be reduced. As MKs cater to Kindergarten 1 (K1) and Kindergarten 2 (K2) children, MK children typically transit twice in their early childhood: first, from nursery to MK; and second, from MK to the primary school. From the MK pilot experience, school-based MKs have greater synergies with primary schools which, in turn, better support the children's transition from K2 to Primary 1. Hence, MOE has assessed that it is timely to facilitate a smoother transition of MK children to the primary school that the MK is located within. This is why we introduced the Phase 2A2 eligibility for MK children as a pilot scheme. This means that MK children will be eligible to register under Phase 2A2 for admission to the primary school that the MK is located within, during the Primary 1 school Registration Exercise, like other Phase 2A2 eligible children, under the same procedures and rules of the Primary 1 Registration Framework. To serve a larger proportion of Singaporean children, MOE will increase the number of MKs to 50 by 2023. All the new MKs will be located within primary schools.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, may I have your permission to take Question Nos 7 and 8 together?”
“It is, indeed, important for all subjects, including Economics, to be taught in a way that is applicable to real-world situations. Our curriculum is designed to do so. The GCE "A" level Economics curriculum is designed to provide students opportunities to apply Economics concepts, principles and theories to real-world contexts. Through the use of real-world examples and authentic case studies, students are engaged in class discussions that enable them to analyse how economic decisions are made, consider multiple perspectives in decision-making and recognise consequences arising from decisions made. For example, students discuss the thinking behind the Singapore Budget, and the possible impact of the Budget on individuals, firms and the economy. The Singapore Student Learning Space, which is the Ministry of Education online learning platform that is being developed, includes case studies and resources that reflect real-world contexts. For example, Economics lesson packages on how pricing of goods and services, such as sugary beverages and private-hire rides, influence consumer behaviour and expenditure are available on this learning platform. Where appropriate, Curriculum Open-access Resources in Economics can serve as a supplementary resource for incorporation in the Singapore Student Learning Space.”
“Students learn about personal safety and protection from sexual exploitation and abuse in the Ministry of Education's Sexuality Education lessons starting from Primary 1 and reinforced throughout their 10 to 12 years of school. They are taught how to recognise sexual abuse and harassment, acquire skills to protect themselves both in real life and online, and understand the laws that protect them in Singapore. They also learn to seek help from trusted adults, such as their parents, teachers and school counsellors when there is risk of their personal safety being compromised.”
“All our students in primary schools build strong foundation in the fundamental skills that will prepare them for future learning, such as literacy, numeracy and 21st Century Competencies. Some of the skills needed for computational thinking, such as problem solving, logical reasoning and data-handling, are developed through the learning of subjects like Mathematics and Science. We expose a broad group of students to basic coding and technology through enrichment programmes and co-curricular activities. We work with the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) to offer programmes, such as Code for Fun, Lab on Wheels and the Digital Maker programmes. Since 2014, 73,000 students have embarked on the Code for Fun programme. Most of our primary schools also have robotics clubs or info-comm clubs that engage students who are passionate about this area in coding and other computing-related skills, such as developing mobile applications, creating animations, designing computer games and programming robots.”
“Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir. With this common reference point, teachers can innovate their teaching practices to better meet the evolving needs of students today. Our teachers also continue to keep themselves current with the latest pedagogy, as well as suitable education technologies. Within their schools, they are supported by trained mentors. And beyond their schools, they are committed to a range of in-service professional development courses, as well as networked learning communities. Mr Deputy Speaker, I have laid out in brief what MOE has developed to prepare our students for the future, whether in the classrooms today or tomorrow, and certainly beyond a single dimension of defining what are the best tools we can use to ensure their success. MOE is embarking on many exciting changes, but in all the things that we are doing, we are guided by values and character education that will always remain at the core of our children's education. With sound values, the right learning dispositions and the deep knowledge and skills, I am confident that our students can rise up to the opportunities and challenges of the future economy and Singaporean society. Thank you. [Applause.] Question put, and agreed to. Resolved, "That Parliament do now adjourn." Adjourned accordingly at 7.28 pm.”
“For example, John Hattie's work on the effects of class sizes says that these early advantages are not necessarily sustained. In fact, they can be short-term. But what I can say is having grown our teaching force by 20% over the last decade, our current pupil-teacher ratios at 16 and 12 for Primary and Secondary school levels respectively are already comparable to OECD standards. Instead of reducing class sizes across the board, schools deploy teachers flexibly to keep the class sizes smaller for students who need that extra support. Pull-out classes, as I informed the Member previously, for levelling-up, can be in smaller classes of six to eight. And, as I have said before, too, the form class size is not indicative of the learning support or attention that our students are receiving. The future classroom does not look like what it was yesteryear. Schools already band students into smaller teaching groups based on their learning needs, for example, in the levelling-up programmes and Subject-Based Banding classes that I have mentioned. For our teachers, we also invest in their continual professional development, because they are key. This year, we launched the Singapore Teaching Practice (STP), our very own model of teaching and learning that is backed by research evidence and this will be adopted by NIE and in our schools. It brings together the shared beliefs of Singapore educators − past and present − and effective practices that lead to engaged and joyful learning across our schools.”
“What I mentioned in ALPs are just one way we do so, to cater to learners with different interests and aptitudes. A major change we are making this year is to allow Secondary school students to offer subjects at differentiated levels, based on their strengths. Lower Secondary students in the Normal (Academic) and Normal (Technical) courses will be able to take their stronger subject(s) at a higher academic level. This, as the Member has mentioned, could be in class sizes of 10, 15 or 20. We are flexible. This flexibility allows students to stretch themselves in their areas of strength and build a strong academic foundation. Such a foundation will position them well to harness future technologies and future learning so that they can thrive. For example, many of the skills needed are already developed today in our classrooms, regardless of class sizes. We are also making more learning resources available to students on the online space to enable them to pursue their interests in a self-directed manner. When we look at the classrooms of the future, on the online space, how do we define class size? From next year, all students will be able to access quality learning resources through our Student Learning Space, which is a new online portal. Riding on this technology and with these resources, students can access additional material according to their interest, and at their own pace anytime, anywhere. This is learning in the future classroom, beyond class sizes. Third, competent and dedicated teachers remain key to our students' learning. We invest in our teachers because teacher quality is critical to improving student outcomes. This is most decisive, backed by OECD research. In spite of the different research that the Member has quoted, these researches are not conclusive.”
“The Applied Learning Programme (ALP) is offered in all Secondary schools from this year. Coding and technology are just two examples of ALPs that are offered in our schools. Many of the ALPs in STEM areas, such as Health Science, Transport and Communication, and Robotics are very welcome. There are also non-STEM areas, such as in the Languages, Humanities, Business and Entrepreneurship. In line with the chosen ALP focus, schools design and deliver activities to expose students to these new areas and fuel their passion for learning, in and outside the classroom. Many of the ALPs have been developed with relevant industry partners, Government agencies and even Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs). Students with keen STEM interest can develop their interests through these programmes or relevant Co-Curricular Activities (CCAs). Again, how do we measure these programmes through class sizes? Upper Secondary students can go one step further. They can take up Advanced Elective Modules or Applied Subjects. Examples of these include Computing and Electronics for the Express and Normal (Academic) courses and Mobile Robotics and Smart Electrical Technology for the Normal (Technical) courses. These are electives. Again, this is not in the era where Mr Perera and I grew up where they are all standardised – 40 in a class. These are all in different class sizes. Feedback from students who took these modules or subjects have been very positive. They enjoyed seeing their learning come alive and were engaged in the process, regardless of which course they are from. In addition, we are also redesigning the education experience for students to provide a more customised learning space to help every child realise his potential.”
“Taken together, these fundamental dispositions, attitudes and skills will help our students thrive in an uncertain and complex world. We will continue to enhance our focus on nurturing these dispositions, while moving away from an over-emphasis on academic grades. This brings me to my second point. We are already evolving our Learning Spaces beyond the classroom to provide for a more authentic learning experience. To prepare our children for the future, it is not just about class sizes, but how we get them to apply their learning; because Applied Learning connects what they learn in the classroom with real-world contexts, be it in the STEM arena, the Arts or the Humanities domain. It combines content mastery with a more applied and practice-oriented approach to learning. Using their knowledge and skills, students can experiment, investigate and develop innovative ideas and solutions to real-world problems. Through hands-on experience and exposure, they can better discover their strengths and interests, as well as their future education and career pathways. How is Applied Learning implemented in schools? We worked with different agencies. In the area of coding and technology, we worked with IMDA to expose students to basic coding and technology through various activities. "Code for Fun", for example, is an enrichment programme that has benefited 73,000 students in both Primary and Secondary schools since 2014. The "Lab on Wheels", a bus that travels from school to school, allows students to tinker with modern technologies, such as 3D printers, drones and other fun stuff. How do you calibrate class sizes in such activities? We should not fixate on a single dimension of success in education.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, my Ministry is committed to bringing out the best in every child by providing the opportunities and learning environment to enable every child to do so. We stay abreast of good educational practices and developments in other countries, and constantly review how we can take ideas and adapt them to our context, including ideas that have been discussed in this House by my esteemed colleagues, including Ms Denise Phua. My Ministry has already embarked on this journey to nurture future-ready and responsible learners, bringing the future classroom into reality today. I will share briefly about our holistic approach in three areas: Learners; Learning Spaces, in which technologies are embedded; and Teachers. It is teachers and how they teach that make the critical difference, not class sizes. First, maximising the potential of every child starts with the Learner. Our curriculum has shifted to focus more on 21st Century Competencies, such as Critical and Inventive Thinking, that enable our students to solve real-world problems creatively; and Collaboration and Communication skills that enable them to work effectively in teams. Earlier this year, I spoke about the importance of nurturing the joy of learning in our children. This is so that they can discover their interests and passions. This intrinsic motivation is key to lifelong learning and success. I stressed the importance of developing an entrepreneurial dare so that our children will have the resilience, adaptability and enterprising spirit to apply their learning to real-world contexts and pursue their passions. These are key aspects of a holistic education, not just simply class sizes.”
“The Ministry of Education (MOE) works closely with community partners in our efforts to address the bullying issue. For example, the Singapore Children's Society conducts bullying awareness programme for students and training workshop for teachers and school counsellors. As part of these programmes, the avenues for support and the message of help-seeking are promoted. In schools, the counsellors introduce the various sources of school- and community-based support, including hotlines, to students, staff and parents, via communication channels, such as talks, newsletters and school web portals. In addition, the community partners may refer students back to schools for continual support, where necessary. These hotlines are run by community partners and voluntary welfare organisations. These help channels allow users to call in anonymously. This could limit the identification of in-depth patterns to inform intervention. If the community partners have studied the data they have, and are willing to share with MOE, we can work with them to improve our intervention efforts.”
“Over the past five years, about 1% of the age cohort were admitted into the Gifted Education Programme (GEP) at Primary 4 each year. Based on longitudinal data collected from several batches of GEP graduates, they have done well. As a group, they have not only excelled academically but also performed strongly in non-academic areas. Our first few cohorts are now in their forties. They hold diverse portfolios in both the public and private sectors. Among those in the private sector, some were founders, managing partners or chief executive officers of their organisations. Others have also become established leaders in their respective fields, such as senior consultants in the medical field, senior partners in law firms or senior Directors in the Public Service. GEP is reviewed on a regular basis to ensure that it continues to meet the developmental needs of our students and prepare them well for the future.”
“A student with special needs may be considered for exemption from Mother Tongue Language (MTL) if he or she has been certified with Special Educational Needs that severely affect the student's ability to cope with MTL and with overall learning. Over the past five years, around 2% of the Primary School Leaving Examination cohort received MTL exemption each year due to special educational needs. Students with special educational needs who are coping with their overall studies but have difficulty with the Standard MTL curriculum can consider the option of offering MTL at a lower level. The Foundation MTL curriculum at Primary 5 and Primary 6, and the MTL "B" curriculum at secondary and junior college levels are focused on the development of oral and listening skills and have a much reduced demand on writing skills.”
“Mr Speaker, as the Bill is, in our opinion, a hybrid Bill, in accordance with the provisions of Standing Order 68(1), the Bill will be referred to a Select Committee. I beg to move, "That the Select Committee on the Cross-Border Railways Bill consist of Mr Speaker as Chairman and the following Members: (1) Miss Cheng Li Hui, (2) Mr Low Thia Khiang, (3) Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim, (4) Mr Ng Chee Meng, (5) Mr Sitoh Yih Pin, (6) Mr Vikram Nair, (7) Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye." [(proc text) Question put, and agreed to. (proc text)] [(proc text) Resolved, "That the Select Committee on the Cross-Border Railways Bill consist of Mr Speaker as Chairman and the following Members: (proc text)] (1) Miss Cheng Li Hui, (2) Mr Low Thia Khiang, (3) Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim, (4) Mr Ng Chee Meng, (5) Mr Sitoh Yih Pin, (6) Mr Vikram Nair, (7) Yong Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye." – [Mr Ng Chee Meng.]”
“I thank the Member for the suggestion. We will take consultations with the different groups before making a final decision. [(proc text) Question put, and agreed to. (proc text)] [(proc text) Bill accordingly read a Second time. (proc text)]”
“Mr Speaker, the provisions will be much like for our MRT and LRT domestic lines. Each line locally that we are proposing will undergo the EIA. Likewise, for the HSR and RTS Link, we will undergo the same process as per our domestic lines. When ready with the engineering studies, we will be providing the necessary information to the public. In fact, we will be looking at this as a hybrid Bill and invite public feedback for further consideration.”
“As we work with our Malaysian counterparts on the implementation of our cross-border railway projects, this Bill will provide LTA with the necessary powers to support the development of cross-border railways in Singapore. It will also enable LTA to set out a robust regulatory framework for safe and secure cross-border railway operations. I thank the different Members for their suggestions and views. With this, Mr Speaker, I beg to move. 1.13 pm”
“For example, passengers travelling from Malaysia into Singapore via the HSR or RTS Link will be able to clear the immigration and security checks of both countries’ authorities before they board the train. Upon arrival into Singapore, passengers need not clear immigration and security checks a second time and can transfer seamlessly to local transport options. Mr Louis Ng asked about the rationale for appointing a cross-border railway security agency in Singapore under this Bill. A single cross-border railway security agency will help in coordinating regulatory and enforcement efforts across the various security agencies in Singapore. As I have mentioned in my earlier speech, we intend to appoint LTA as the cross-border railway security agency, building on its current role in regulating and enforcing domestic public transport security. Mr Gan Thiam Poh asked about the situations in which the Government would consider suspending HSR operations and whether Malaysia’s concurrence would be needed. In the event of, for example, a terrorist attack or natural disaster, Singapore can suspend cross-border railway services in Singapore and take necessary follow-up measures. Singapore will inform Malaysia as well as any private entities involved about the suspension of services but is not required to seek their concurrence before doing so. This is provided for in clause 56 of the Bill. Mr Speaker, Sir, as I said in my opening speech, connectivity is key to Singapore’s economic future. The HSR and RTS Link projects are game changers that will draw the people of Singapore and Malaysia closer together, with a greater stake in each other’s continued growth and success.”
“As I mentioned earlier in my speech, the regulatory approach largely takes reference from our domestic railway experience but is adapted to suit the unique commercial and regulatory requirements of cross-border railway projects. Mr Gan Thiam Poh asked about how fares will be set and whether they will be benchmarked to similar services elsewhere. He also asked about the operator’s service recovery requirements. Commercial arrangements, such as performance standards and service recovery requirements, will be specified separately in contracts signed between the respective commercial entities. This is the common approach for railway projects that span across countries. In addition, both countries have agreed that fares will be set commercially by respective train service operators and will not be regulated. Mr Dennis Tan asked about the maintenance regime and the auditors. The rail safety auditors will also double up to audit the maintenance regime of the entities. And on double punishments that Mr Dennis Tan has asked, we will work with our Malaysian counterparts to harmonise the regulatory regime so that we would not have double punishments. On security regulation, Mr Louis Ng asked whether Singapore will be working with relevant Malaysian agencies and whether security measures will be enhanced compared to the existing KTM Berhad Tebrau Shuttle. Both countries have agreed on a common set of security outcomes to ensure that the cross-border railway operations are safe and secure. Detailed operating arrangements are being worked out by the agencies. Both countries have agreed that HSR and the RTS Link will offer co-located Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) facilities.”
“However, should land acquisition or temporary displacement be needed, we will give sufficient time for occupants to relocate, specifically beyond two months. We will go on a case-by-case basis. As part of the planning process, LTA will also study the environmental impact of the HSR project before finalising the design of HSR. Mr Gan Thiam Poh asked about the accessibility of the HSR terminus to local public transport options. The design work on the Jurong East terminus is still ongoing. However, the terminus will be close to two existing MRT lines at the Jurong East MRT Station, the North-South and East-West Lines, as well as new MRT lines, namely, the Jurong Regional Line and the Cross Island Line. It will also be next to the future integrated transport hub in Jurong East. All these will provide a wide range of local public transport options for any passengers coming to Singapore, which is also in line with our commitment to building a "car-lite" nation. Last but not least, I thank Mr Gan Thiam Poh for his suggestion to allocate ample taxi lanes to facilitate onward transfers. We will take this into consideration as part of our terminus design. Mr Gan Thiam Poh also asked if there will be advanced ticketing systems and cashless payments to allow customers to book tickets for HSR via phone or online. In October this year, LTA and MyHSR Corporation invited companies to share their experience in developing ticketing and fare collection systems. Our vision is for HSR to incorporate the latest ticketing technology and to deliver a seamless and passenger-friendly travel experience. Mr Speaker, the second key purpose of the Bill is to establish a robust regulatory framework to govern cross-border railway operations.”
“Second, through an international tender, an Assets Company, or AssetsCo, will be appointed to provide and maintain the HSR trains and railway systems. Singapore and Malaysia are in the final stages of preparations and will be calling the AssetsCo tender by the end of the year. Finally, both countries will call for a tender to jointly appoint an Operating Company for International Services, or OpCo International, to operate the cross-border HSR services. Malaysia will separately appoint an OpCo Domestic to operate HSR services within Malaysia. The AssetsCo and OpCos will take care of their own financing. On the question of equity change from Mr Dennis Tan, the InfraCos of both Singapore and Malaysia will require the entities that are jointly appointed, like AssetsCo or OpCo International that I mentioned earlier, to seek specific approval before they can make significant changes to their equity composition. This will be stipulated in the contract rather than in the legislation. To facilitate the development of HSR and the RTS Link within Singapore, this Bill contains provisions similar to those found in existing Acts for public infrastructure. This includes the Rapid Transit Systems Act and the Street Works Act. The proposed clauses will ensure accountability and fair process in the planning and construction of cross-border railways. Mr Louis Ng and, in some aspects, Mr Dennis Tan, have asked about the potential impact of the HSR development on landowners and our green areas, and when details would be made available to the public. Detailed engineering studies to determine the railway alignment are ongoing. We expect to finalise these plans in the coming year or so. We will strive to minimise the impact of HSR development on landowners.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I thank the Members for their questions and suggestions. The HSR and RTS Link are strategic projects that will significantly enhance connectivity between Singapore and Malaysia, strengthening the linkages between our economies and our peoples. There were many good questions asked. I will try to answer each in turn. Mr Gan Thiam Poh asked about the economic benefits that the HSR will bring. Every day, more than 20,000 people travel between Singapore and KL. We expect a sizeable portion of these travellers to switch to HSR. The distance between KL and Singapore is about 350 kilometres, and this is widely regarded as a “sweet spot” or the ideal distance for HSR lines. Internationally, HSR lines of this distance have done very well. These include the London-Paris, Paris-Lyon and Tokyo-Osaka lines. We are confident that the HSR between Singapore and KL will be well-received. In addition, we expect HSR to catalyse new businesses and tourism between the two cities. The HSR terminus is also the focal point, as Members may have already known, for the development of our second Central Business District (CBD) in Jurong Lake District, which can support close to 200,000 jobs. Mr Dennis Tan and Mr Gan asked about the agreed operating model for HSR and how the Government intends to finance the project. Both countries have agreed on the commercial model for HSR. First, each country will appoint an Infrastructure Company, or InfraCo, to build, fund, own and maintain the civil infrastructure within their respective countries. Singapore has appointed SG HSR Private Limited as our InfraCo. We are assessing what the most cost-efficient and appropriate way to finance SG HSR.”
“The Ministry of Education (MOE) is on track to open Student Care Centres (SCCs) in all primary schools by end 2020. The supply of school-based SCC places in Yishun has largely kept pace with demand. Nine out of 10 primary schools in Yishun have a school-based SCC, and the remaining school will see its new school-based SCC set up by 2019. The provision of after-school support in Yishun is also supplemented by community-based SCCs registered with the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF). MOE will continue to work closely with MSF to monitor the demand for SCC places both in our schools and in the community. MOE will also work with our schools on the plans to set up new school-based SCCs or expand the capacity of existing centres, at a pace that does not compromise quality.”
“Mr Speaker, there are different avenues for our students to do the reporting. And especially for bullying, where oftentimes it is local, the best way to deal with it is through the peer network, teacher network, counselling network and so on. Where there is a hotline, that would be a useful medium as well. At the moment, I do not have the data on the patterns of the hotline reporting, and if the Member would like to file a Parliamentary Question (PQ) on that, then we can give the Member more details on the patterns, if there are any. But on the whole, bullying, as I have mentioned in the PQ reply, has been stable and managed. Physical bullying is less than 5%.”