Seet Ai Mee
Singapore
“However, it will not be cost effective to develop a Masters programme at University level in the next 5-10 years. It is unlikely that there will be a demand for such a programme.”
“The Member for Jalan Besar GRC spoke about his Town Council's difficulty in getting low-income families to pay conservancy charges. May I suggest that for those who do qualify for the Rent and Utilities Assistance Scheme, he refers them to the Singapore Council of Social Service and takes advantage of the scheme available.”
“The RUAS is not a scheme to give hand-outs to the indolent and those who do not want to work. In Singapore, an able-bodied person has no difficulty getting a job. He can walk into one any time.”
“We are aware that the Day School Programme will affect the lifestyle of many people - principals, teachers, parents and pupils as well as administrative and support staff in the schools. The Government is ready to support it because people have asked for it and primary school children have a need for it.”
“The SNCF is the body which utilises this fund and will organise the education and training courses. These courses include computer programming, use of word processing and other software, report and minute writing, managing a thrift and loan co-operative, public speaking and presentation skills, etc. The list is long.”
“Sir, may I be permitted to check on the facts? I disagree with the Member for Potong Pasir that we did not get any medal during the Commonwealth Games but I may be wrong. Sir, we do have a sports excellence programme.”
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“Sir, the People's Action Party does not have any branch library in any of the housing estates. So I do not see how the Member's question ---”
“If the Member for Potong Pasir wishes to have his own library, he can choose his own site, pay the normal rent, furnish it with his own books and, lo and behold, Potong Pasir will have its own library. I do not see why he keeps on bringing this issue up in the House when other Members, who do not have branch libraries in their constituencies, do not bring the matter up. If residents of other constituencies are happy to go to other branch libraries, like Jurong East or Toa Payoh even if they are not in Toa Payoh, I do not see the problem and therefore the expected answer he wants to get from me is not obtainable.”
“Sir, this is about the sixth time the Member for Potong Pasir has brought this matter up in this House. If it is around the sixth time, I can assure him that he will not be on TV tonight because TV only reports current news. I repeat what we have said earlier. Since March 1985, when this matter was first raised in this House, four more new branch libraries have been built and are now open to the public. They are at Ang Mo Kio, Bedok, Geylang East and Jurong East. Together with the other four at Queenstown, Toa Payoh, Marine Parade and Bukit Merah, we now have eight branch libraries located in densely populated housing estates and new towns. Over the next five years, my Ministry will build three more branch libraries in Tampines, Yishun and Hougang. Our library policy remains at each library serving a population of 200,000 to 250,000. Eventually, Singapore will have 12 large libraries, each with a comprehensive range of collections and services. Housing estates without a branch library will, however, in the course of time be served by a nearby branch library. Potong Pasir is served by Toa Payoh branch library and Geylang East branch library. This situation is much better than having 81 small and inadequate libraries in all constituencies. The Member has quoted a letter from MCD. It reads: 'The National Library is unable to extend to your Town Council any assistance should you wish to set up a library on your own in your estate. You have to get the space from the relevant authorities/owners for your projects.' Sir, MCD does not control private libraries, only Government ones.”
“The balance of the amount is the Advisory Council's requirements which have been recently approved.”
“Sir, the financial provision for recurrent and development expenditure under the Welfare Services Programme does not include the financial requirements to implement the Advisory Councils' recommendations. All the programmes which are recommended by the Advisory Councils are put together in the Advisory Councils' progress report and budget which my Minister has reported on yesterday. This in absolute terms means that we are having $125 million more per year over the next five years, some of which would have normally come under MCD's expenditure but because they have been recommendations of the Advisory Councils, they are reflected in the Advisory Council's budget. There are, however, two components of the development expenditure - Direct Development and Capital Grants. The 95.3% drop given for direct development is due to the completion of a children and youth complex in financial year 1989. There is also a drop of 38.6% in the provision of capital grants for development of child care centres. This is because in the previous fiscal year, additional provisions were made for the renovation and upgrading of seven former Government child care centres now run by the NTUC and the expansion of three existing NTUC child care centres. My Minister has also told us yesterday that $92 million was going to be given by the Government to support on a cost-sharing basis facilities for welfare serices for the disabled, the aged, family service centres and low-income families. The actual total amount is going to be larger. It is just that for accounting purposes, part of it is MCD, part of it has been put under Advisory Council.”
“Sir, it is obvious that the Member from the Opposition did not listen to my speech carefully. We do advocate that welfare through the community organisations is an important method of giving welfare in Singapore. I am not prepared to answer his allegations. He has been repeating these allegations so many times in the House and they are completely unfounded. These organisations are bodies of the Government and the community to assist in family building and welfare and community building. So long as our family is strong, our community is strong, our country will be strong and we will not need to go up to 40% of Government spending for welfare.”
“Sir, the Member from the Opposition seems to get his figures not only mixed up, but his facts are also mixed up. Child care is only one aspect of our welfare programme. Our total budget is $228 million. This constitutes 0.5% of our GDP, a rise of 0.2% from last year's budget. I think this is far better than many other countries. We have stated the issue many times that we believe the idea is to train our people so that they can earn a good living. In Singapore, there are many jobs to be obtained and we will hold to this social welfare policy, Sir.”
“All right, 14,000 kids multiply by 12 months, please, at $100 per child.”
“Of course, it is. Our total expenditure is $228 million. Can the Member please check the budget, Sir?”
“You did not use the words "in the strictest of the word". So I was just picking up on that point. Sir, $14 million is just our subsidy for child care centres. This subsidy is given on the $100 per month basis per child. For every child in the child care centres ---”
“Sir, I was just quoting what Mr Chiam said on Wednesday. He did not say that we do not have a welfare programme akin to the United States. I am willing to refer to the Hansard. He said "we do not have a welfare programme".”
“The Member for Yuhua has asked that my Ministry considers setting up a unit to service the needs of the woman who is in hardship and distress. I am glad to be able to reply in the affirmative. Beginning 1st April 1990, there will be a Women's Welfare Services Unit under the Family and Social Support Branch of the Ministry of Community Development. This Unit will provide social assistance and will be a direct point of contact for women who need help, including assistance for single parent families.”
“The Advisory Council on Family and Community Life recommended that community and voluntary organisations and the schools be encouraged to provide programmes for before and after school care. The Government does not have special financial assistance schemes for such programmes. The Government will continue, however, to assist the VWOs and community organisations to obtain premises for the development of before-and-after school care programmes. When we referred this issue to the Ministry of Education, in answer to the Member for Yuhua, the Ministry's answer is that it does not have formal programmes to look after school children within school premises before and after school hours. However, a few schools are providing before-and-after school care programmes on their own and with the help of volunteers. The Ministry of Education will give encouragement to other schools which want to set up similar programmes in their schools. The Ministry of Community Development will be encouraging family service centres to set up programmes of this nature. The Member for Yuhua has also called for the integration of the three family education programmes run by the Community Development, Health, and Education Ministries. I wish to assure her that the three Ministry groups work closely together. But as the three programmes have different foci, Community Development on building up the family unit, Health on procreation, and Education as part of moral education, it is best that these programmes be separate. Finally, Mrs Yu-Foo has highlighted the problems of the divorced women and Dr Ho Tat Kin has brought up the problems of single parent families where often the single parent is the woman.”
“There are many child care centres in Singapore which are operating at 70-80% capacity because they do not have sufficient staff. So this is why this year we have addressed the urgent situation of providing more training for child care givers. The Member for Yuhua has asked whether the National Institute of Education will provide degree courses in early childhood education. The pressing need today is to train child care staff at basic and intermediate level. The IE will continue to provide training to child care and kindergarten staff at this level. It is premature to introduce degree programmes for child care personnel. However, I do agree with the Member for Yuhua that trainers of child care givers should have degrees and post-graduate specialisation in early childhood education. The IE has in-service tutorships for post-graduate students and also overseas scholarship training schemes. And we will heed her advice and encourage post-graduate education students to take up specialities in early childhood education. The Member for Changi asked about the quality of services provided by child care staff. The Child Care Centres Act and Regulations introduced in 1988 stipulate clear guidelines for quality of care in child care centres. Only centres which meet the minimum requirements for health, safety, manpower and programmes are given a licence to operate. The licences are for specified periods of up to two years and a centre needs to be re-certified every two years to qualify for a new licence. Two such licences have not been renewed because these centres have not met our minimum requirements. Yes, Sir, we do supervise closely the child care centres and we do monitor education, health, dietary and personnel requirements.”
“The Ministry of Finance has just advised my Ministry that, firstly, the employer may claim industrial building allowance on capital expenditure for renovating and converting premises. Secondly, the employer may claim capital allowance on capital expenditure and renewal allowance for the replacement of the furnishing or equipment. Thirdly, losses incurred in running workplace child care centres will generally be regarded as losses of the trade. Fourthly, subsidies given to employees to help them defray the cost of child care are regarded as deductible expenses to the employer. These are, however, a taxable benefit to the employee. The Member for Changi has asked about child care givers and there have been calls for an increase in the $100 subsidy given to parents who use child care centres. Whilst there is no reason to increase the subsidies given directly to parents, the Government is increasing its subsidy for training of child care staff. In answer to the concerns of the Member for Changi, for the basic, intermediate and advanced in-service courses run by the Institute of Education, the Government subsidises 70% and 50% respectively. This year, the Government has stepped up the training of child care teachers by introducing a full-time pre-service course on child care. The pre-service course is meant for those who are not already teaching in child care centres. The pre-service course will provide a pool of trained staff for our child care centres. The Government pays for the full cost of this new programme. In answer to the Member for Potong Pasir, we not only need buildings for the new child care centres, we need also to train child care teachers. And currently, the greater need is for more child care teachers.”
“The House will recall during the Budget Debate on 12 March, Mr Philip Tan (MP for Paya Lebar) encouraged senior citizens and former MPs to help plan and spearhead projects for senior citizens as they have the necessary wisdom and leadership. Perhaps the MP for Marine Parade GRC may wish to take up the proposal and invite these suitably qualified honourable citizens to assist him in the management of the Geylang East Home for the Aged. Sir, the Members for Yuhua, Changi and Potong Pasir have spoken on our child care services. I wish to update them on an evergreen issue since 1982. As at 13 March this year, there are 199 child care centres of which 20 are workplace child care centres. I agree with the Member for Yuhua that more should be done to encourage private corporations to run more workplace child care centres. Of the 20 workplace child care centres, only two are run by private companies, the rest are set up by the Government, statutory boards and Government agencies. It is understandable that private corporations are not keen to run child care centres. This is not their business and they do not have the necessary expertise. However, they can overcome their lack of expertise by having a contract arrangement with experienced operators of child care centres to operate the centre for the company. The Ministry of the Environment and the Jurong Town Corporation have such arrangements. My Ministry will only be too ready to act as matchmaker to assist companies to identify suitable child care centre operators to run workplace child care centres for them. Furthermore, I have good news for companies who wish to operate child care centres.”
“From my past experience working with voluntary welfare organisations (VWOs), I have found that VWOs, like any other registered societies, value the right and liberty to run and manage their affairs in accordance with the wishes of their general membership. These organisations generally do not welcome directions from the Ministry on how to run their services. This is rightly so and we should respect their independence and integrity. With regard to homes for the aged, we in Singapore legislated for minimum standards of care in the Homes for the Aged Act. The Act and its Regulations provide guidelines to VWOs running homes for the aged on acceptable standards of care. Sir, my Ministry has set up an Inspectorate Unit and officers of the Unit offer the management committees and staff of the Homes advice and guidance in the management of their Homes. Last year, an officer from this Unit visited the Geylang East Home for the Aged on five occasions to inspect its facilities, monitor standards of care, discuss issues and offer advice to problems raised by the Management Committee and staff. I would like to congratulate Encik Othman Eusofe and members of the Management Committee for doing an excellent job in running the Geylang East Home which is one of the better run Homes for the Aged. Given that there are 42 of such homes and more than 100 other types of voluntary organisations, the Government would be hard pressed to assist in administrating them. It is far better for homes to manage independently. seeking assistance from volunteers in areas of need identified.”
“I return again to the UN paper section on "Relationships between Governments and other Sponsors of Social Welfare." It reads: 'Social welfare is the concern not only of Governments but also of numerous other sponsors. Non-governmental and voluntary organisations, trade unions, co-operatives and community and social action groups are major sponsors of social welfare programmes that must be recognised, supported and consulted. Enterprises and employers also provide social benefits and welfare services for their employees and dependants and sponsor community programmes. In some countries, individuals and groups can also enter into private contractual arrangements or purchase services in the market. There are advantages to such a diversity of sponsors and approaches, including the potential for a more precise identification of needs, innovation in strategies, generating broader participation and the involvement of more resources. Government should recognise, acknowledge and encourage the manifold contributions of non-governmental organisations in developmental social welfare policies and programmes and make every effort to involve them in the planning and implementation thereof at both the local and national levels.' I need not say more, Sir. The paper has said it all. In Singapore, we shall continue to work hand in hand with voluntary welfare organisations and the community in the mission of caring for the needy in our society. The Member for Marine Parade GRC asked for assistance from the Ministry to help the management of homes for the aged. He referred specifically to the Geylang East Home for the Aged.”
“Far from being stringent in our allocations, 53% of those who applied were given PA last year. Only 10% were rejected; 26% of those who applied withdrew their applications and 11% were referred to other agencies for assistance. In answer to the concerns of the Member for Tiong Bahru GRC, we do pay particular attention to the children of PA recipients who are in schools. We want to help these children to improve and we will give them every opportunity to do so. My Ministry gives these children monthly educational grants of $30 per child up to a maximum of $120, and yearly grants of $50 per child up to a maximum of $200 for purchase of school uniforms and shoes. The Ministry of Community Development has a referral system with the Ministry of Education where school-going children of PA recipients are referred to the Ministry of Education for special assistance. The MOE assistance includes a combination of the following; exemption of school and examination fees, free textbooks, transport subsidies, bursaries, free milk, free uniforms and special attention to their needs, eg, remedial and supplementary lessons. Schools do not provide breakfast and lunch. A large number of PA recipients are not interested in receiving financial aid from the Government. Rather they are more interested in the benefits they perceive as being available to PA recipients. They use the Public Assistance scheme to get priority allocation for school tuckshop stalls, HDB accommodation, waiver of hospital charges and other benefits. Sir, several Members have risen to question our Government's policy of working with and through welfare organisations and the community in dispensing welfare aid.”
“' Sir, the Rent and Utility Scheme recommended by the Advisory Council on Family and Community Life has been accepted by the Government and my Ministry is working with the Singapore Council of Social Service and the Community Chest to set up a system and implement the scheme. Guidelines will be set for the disbursement of the temporary financial assistance. Three voluntary organisations have agreed to assist in counselling and follow-up assistance. Public Assistance Scheme For the truly destitute who have no means of their own and who cannot depend on friends and families, the Government gives them Public Assistance (PA) allowances. The PA allowances are kept low so that they will not be an incentive to those who are working to stop doing so and instead live on PA allowances. The PA rates, as explained by Dr Lee, are based on the minimum household expenditure as computed by the Chief Statistician. It covers basic items such as food, rent, utilities and other expenses. The Advisory Council for Family and Community Life has recommended a review of the minimum household expenditure and so have several Members today. My Ministry reviews the Public Assistance rates every two years and it has got nothing to do with general elections. The last review was implemented in 1988. The next review is due this year and increases would be made to the PA rates, if justified. Sir, I wish to explain to hon. Members who have commented on the strict PA criteria that the PA scheme is meant for the destitutes, those who have no resources of their own and no one to turn to for help. Public assistance is not meant for low-income families. Those on PA are mainly the aged, the disabled, the chronically ill, and widowed or distressed wives with young children.”
“The programme is aimed at gaining public understanding of the problems and needs of our aged. Both the Member for Tiong Bahru GRC and our NCMP have spoken at length on Assistance Plans for the Destitute. Our objective should be to teach the less able to fish and fend for themselves rather than to provide the fish. There are currently many job vacancies and those who want to can get jobs easily. Wages in Singapore are good. The person once employed will be self-supporting. There are also training opportunities for those who want to improve themselves. But, Sir, there are some who cannot or do not know how to improve themselves. My Ministry will be looking into how we can help the low-income, less able group by teaching them, using the same metaphor, "to learn to fish". Sir, I quote again from the UN paper, the section on Employment, Income Security and Eradication of Poverty. The UN paper states: 'Social welfare policy should be more clearly directed towards the root causes of poverty rather than its alleviation. It should be an integral element in a broad strategy of increasing employment and investment opportunities for both men and women, as well as the productivity of weaker segments of society. A central element in this strategy is productive employment. Social welfare needs to concentrate on helping young people to find meaningful work and become self-supporting and on assisting people with special problems, such as older or disabled workers, single parents, minorities, those without skills or former addicts or offenders, to find and keep jobs and to increase their earning capacity.”
“In the second half of this year, I will be leading a team of NACFA members to visit some Asian and other countries to look at alternative models of residential arrangements for the elderly and also the organisation of Family Service Centres in these countries. We can learn from others more experienced. After the studies have been completed, we will then be in a better position to determine the types of residential care arrangements for the elderly. The qualify of life of our senior citizens, especially the very old and frail, rests largely on the attitude and perception of our young towards them, as well as how the aged perceive themselves. I cannot over-stress the importance of public education and public support of the aged. The article in last Monday's Straits Times on mistreatment and neglect of the elderly is warning of the rot which has set in. The attitude of some residents shows that public sympathy for the aged is but skin-deep. We have had instances where residents have objected to the setting up of facilities for the aged in their housing estates because they feel that these facilities would depreciate the value of their properties. We face bigger problems when it comes to locating facilities for the disabled. What we must understand is that the siting of such facilities close to public housing estates will not only alleviate the problem of staff and volunteer recruitment, it is also convenient for their families to visit them in the evenings and weekends. This is in line with the concept that the aged, even those who are very frail, are part of the community and should be regarded as such. My Ministry's Public Awareness Programme on Aging (PAPA) is directed at correcting the misconception that senior citizens are mainly disabled, decrepit and dependent.”
“In 1969, Charles Boucher, Senior Medical Officer in the British Ministry of Health, had this to say about residential care of the aged: 'Our philosophy is that old people want to remain at home in their own houses, surrounded by their own possessions, their own memories. We don't mind whether it is a good home, a bad home, a tiny home. That is where we believe they should be, where they are secure, where they have got confidence. It is tempting to think that it is a matter of institutions and that sort of thing. I think it is rather like condemning old cars to the scrap heap.' Sir, the Member for Tiong Bahru GRC and Dr Lee Siew-Choh have commented on services for the aged. I quote my Minister's speech yesterday: 'The Government will, over the next five years, provide grants of up to $92 million on a 50-50 cost sharing basis with the voluntary welfare sector to enable them to provide welfare services to the aged, the disabled, low-income families and other specific groups of people who need assistance. These include day care centres for the aged and disabled, new residential homes for the aged and family service centres.' I believe he has aptly answered both their queries. The National Advisory Council on Family and the Aged (NACFA) was set up in August 1989 under my chairmanship. It will coordinate, monitor and review services and programmes of the aged and monitor the implementation of the recommendations of the Advisory Council on the Aged. This will ensure that the issues of aging and the aged are kept socially relevant and current. NACFA has a special committee to look into the provision for residential care and housing arrangements for the elderly and their families.”
“New programmes and services which are currently being developed include services for the confused elderly, family support groups and a multi-service centre providing a range of home care and agency-based services. Sir, to further encourage families to care for their aged and handicapped dependants, the Minister for Finance has announced in his Budget Statement that the tax relief will be further raised from $2,500 to $3,500. As for residential care for the aged, my Ministry's policy is to avoid placing an aged person in a residential institution, unless there is good reason to accept that he or she cannot be looked after in the home. My Ministry conducted a National Survey on Senior Citizens in May 1983. The survey showed that there is an overwhelming reluctance among elderly Singaporeans to stay in old folks' homes. 85.7% of the elderly lived with immediate family members. When asked about whom they preferred to live with, 66.4% of the respondents indicated that they would prefer to live with their spouses and children, 2.3% with relatives, 9.2% live alone and only 1.6% indicated a preference for an institutional home. In a more recent sample household survey conducted by the HDB in 1987, amongst married respondents whose parents are alive, 57.1% stated that they would like to live with their children when they are old. 20.2% wanted to live within walking distance of their children or in the same or nearby estate, and 15.5% were unsure of their future living preferences. Sir, only a small percentage, about 1.7% of the aged are now in old folks' homes, and we in Singapore should strive to keep the percentage of elderly in such homes to this percentage, ie, well below 2%. Our philosophy on residential care for the aged is not merely an Eastern or a Singaporean one.”
“A sum of $840,000 has also been set aside for the next three years to help meet recurrent expenditure of the FSCs. Three voluntary welfare organisations have indicated their interest in setting up these FSCs. Programmes for the Aged Sir, when we address programmes for the aged, Government's philosophy towards the care of the aged is that the family unit should be preserved and buttressed as a major provider of assistance for its members. The best setting for the aged is within the family. For the well and ambulant aged, the focus is on the maintenance of good health and social activity. Health screening examinations and dissemination of health information are readily available in the 32 health screening centres run by the Home Nursing Foundation, People's Association and grassroots organisations. Senior Citizens' Clubs have been promoted to keep the elderly socially active. These clubs have a total membership of 79,000. They are run by the PA, CCCs, RCs and some voluntary welfare organisations. A few Senior Citizens' Clubs will be embarking on the organisation of regular daily programmes to cater to the recreational and social needs of senior citizens in the neighbourhood. Senior citizens can drop in at these activity centres during the day and participate in organised fun and developmental activities. Such centres will provide a point of interaction for the elders and will be particularly useful to senior citizens whose children are away at work during the day and who have no one to interact with at home. There are also networks of befriender services, meal services, day care services, senior citizens' health care centres, home nursing services, respite services and home hospice care for the frail aged who live in our community.”
“Greater recognition of the socially disruptive effects of weakening family links and of the increased rate of family break-ups calls for greater emphasis on programmes to strengthen families as well as better integration of the different services designed to meet both the common and the varying needs of children, young people, the aged and the disabled. Specific programmes are called for that will make it easier for parents to reconcile and combine family and work responsibilities.' I believe, Sir, that we in Singapore are on the right track in the emphasis we give to strengthening our families. My Ministry, together with the Singapore Council of Social Service, and various voluntary and grassroots organisations provide a range of services to achieve our objectives. These include public education programmes, child care services and social work services specially for families. My Ministry has accepted the recommendations of the Advisory Council on Family and Community Life to set up Family Service Centres (FSCs). The FSCs are one-stop family support centres at constituency level. FSCs provide an integrated range of remedial, preventive and developmental services for families and individuals in the community. The objective is to enhance family life and help families to be self-reliant through mutual care, concern and cooperation. The Committee of Family Life of the National Advisory Council on Family and the Aged is looking into the issue of training of staff and counsellors for FSCs. This will take the form of formal training in social work at the NUS as well as short workshops and training seminars for volunteers. For financial year 1990, the Government has set aside a sum of $220,000 as capital expenditure to set up three FSCs.”
“Sir, Mr Chiam See Tong on Wednesday stated that there was no welfare programme in Singapore and that the Government does not support welfare. Fortunately his statement is untrue. Otherwise the Welfare Services Programme which constitutes a major section of the Ministry of Community Development would be non-existent, and we as the House would not today be debating the Welfare Services budget. Sir, hon. Members have dwelt on a wide range of topics, from destitute and low income families, to family service centres, before and after school care programmes, child care centres and programmes for senior citizens. Sir, the family is the basic building block of our society, as Mrs Yu-Foo has reminded this House very aptly. We must promote programmes and services to preserve the family unit and buttress the family to weather crises. When our families are strong, our nation will be strong. We need to ensure the retention of suitable core values which promote diligence, sense of responsibility for the family and the nation, and love and respect for elders. I wish to quote a 1988 United Nations publication on "Guiding Principles for Developmental Social Welfare Policies and Programmes in the Near Future". Sir, it states: 'Social welfare policies need to give greater attention to the family. Policies to meet the need of the family as a fundamental unit in society, as well as those who meet the needs of individual members, should be based on an accurate assessment of dominant as well as newly emerging family patterns and models.”
“Mr Chairman, Sir, if the hon. Member for Changi had not told us that he is already married, it would seem that he is reluctant to pay the $3 Area Licensing Fee (ALF) in order to get married at the Registry. Since June last year, couples can get JPs to solemnise their marriage in a place of their choice. They do not need to get married at the Registry of Marriages. They only need to go to the Registry once to file their notice. Sir, couples who do not want to pay the $3 ALS fee to enter the CBD during the restricted hours, can choose to call at the Registry outside of the restricted hours to file their notice. However, should they require a particular time to file notice, if they are so advised by their priest or geomancer of the most auspicious time to file notice of marriage and this falls within the restricted hours, they should then not object to paying the $3 ALF. This fee is most likely to be much less than the fee charged by the geomancer or the hongbao given to the priest. Marriage, Sir, is for most people a once-in-a-lifetime occurrence and $3 is surely not too big an expenditure. We should see it in the context of the thousands of dollars normally spent on the wedding preparations, ceremony and dinner. The Member for Changi is quite right as he was then Parliamentary Secretary of the then Ministry of Social Affairs. The Ministry did have a branch office of the Registry of Marriages at the Chinese Garden. It was opened on 19 June 1982 but was closed two years later because of poor patronage. In view of the fact that the concept of branch registries was unpopular, the Ministry has no plans to set up branch offices of the Registry of Marriages.”
“Also, as the new NTU will not initially have Arts and Science faculties, the departments in the IE could be, as it were, again I use this word, "embryo schools" from which will develop the Schools of Arts and Sciences of the NTU, that is, the relationship between IE and NTU will be a symbiotic one. IE will contribute to the growth of NTU, and NTU will support the academic development of the NIE. Sir, this is a special symbiotic relationship and this can only apply if NIE is to be linked with the NTU. If the NIE were to be part of NUS, a possibility which was studied at length, the NIE would benefit from the academic development and relationship but would have little to contribute to the growth of the established old University. That sharing strengthens relationship and binds is a truism. The NIE and NTU sharing and symbiotic relationship, if developed and nurtured properly, will result in a strong NTU with a strong teacher training institute within it, the NIE.”
“The MP for Tampines GRC has asked whether the Institute of Education has training courses for nursery teachers. The answer to that is, "Yes." At the request of the Ministry of Community Development, the IE now conducts courses for child care personnel:- basic courses, intermediate courses and advanced courses. Since child care centres cater for the following categories of children - infants and toddlers, nursery children and kindergarten children - it follows that IE therefore is teaching nursery school teachers. Sir, the Member for Braddell Heights has questioned the link-up between NTU and IE. I do understand the sentiment expressed for retaining an independent IE to train teachers. The issue was discussed at length and with much heart search at the IE/CPE Development Committee and we came to our recommendation because it was felt that the Institute will be strengthened by its association with a university. Many teachers' colleges and institutes overseas have aligned themselves with universities and many eventually became part of the universities for the very same reasons. It was felt that there was wisdom in aligning early as early amalgamation would prove easier. Mr Chairman, Sir, we had also come to the conclusion that it was necessary in the process of upgrading teacher training for the introduction of a degree programme for primary school teachers - this would not only enhance knowledge of and training thereof of teachers but would also continue to attract the good and the talented into the teaching profession. Sir, a degree programme is best conducted within or with a university, with the teacher trainees doing university subjects, together with educational subjects. Being a part of that university is therefore an option to be preferred.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the Member for Moulmein's points are taken and the Ministry will look into the situation which he has presented. Mr Chin Harn Tong( In Mandarin): Sir, I am not very happy with the Minister's reply, but I ask leave to withdraw the amendment. Amendment by leave withdrawn.”
“The Ministry therefore encourages all principals to give each of their teachers regular opportunities to be form teachers, regardless of their subject specialisation and language medium.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, as the Member for Moulmein has pointed out, form teachers play a critical role in schools. Each form teacher sets the tone for his or her class and is responsible for bringing the students closer together and for making the classroom like a home. Most classes, as he said, are taught by teachers from the English stream. These are in the primary schools. Some are taught by second language teachers. But these teachers do not only just teach the language and mark the register and just leave the class, but also teach moral education. Some teach art and craft and music. Principals are aware of the problem he has brought up about international classes and the allocation of different teachers to one class is kept very low. I am afraid that the Member for Moulmein has used poetic words and exaggerated the situation in international classes. It is not as bad as he has made it out to be. Currently, with the teacher recruitment situation, as brought up by the Senior Minister of State for Education, and with the shortage of teachers, it will not be possible to have every class taught by an EL teacher. So, we will have to have these classes. However, Mr Speaker, Sir, the qualities and skills required of a form teacher are not dependent on whether he or she is a Mathematics, Science or History teacher. While there is a place and a role for English medium teachers to be form teachers and the role models for good spoken English, there is also a place and a role for second language teachers to be form teachers, for they can be good role models of our bilingual policy and stimulate a keener interest in the second language and for other subject-based teachers to play their part as form teachers.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, the Ministry of Education is currently discussing with the Ministry of Health concerning amending the Primary School Registration Scheme to give the fourth child the same priority in admission to a primary school as a third child. If this is considered desirable, the revised scheme will be implemented in 1990. VEHICLES WITH SMOKY EXHAUSTS (Figures) 7. Mr Chin Harn Tong asked the Minister for Communications and Information how many vehicles were found to have smoky exhausts in 1987 and 1988; and how many of them were taxis. The Senior Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Communications and Information (Mr Ho Kah Leong) (for the Minister for Communications and Information): Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, on behalf of my Minister. Sir, in 1987, 8,268 vehicles were tested by ROV's mobile smoke test units and found to have smoky exhausts. Of these, 17.3% or 1,433 were taxis. In 1988, the total number of smoky vehicles detected on the roads was 7,673, of which 18.8% or 1,441 were taxis. CAR TELEPHONES (Regulation for use) 8. Mr Chin Harn Tong asked the Minister for Home Affairs whether he considers the use of telephones by motorists while driving a hazardous practice and, if so, whether he intends to regulate such use.”
“Is that enough, $5 million? Mr Chairman, Sir, I also find the comments from the Member for Potong Pasir very strange. He is commenting that money is being spent on capital. Other people are asking for money to be spent on capital and here he seems to be criticizing us for money being spent on capital. In the Report of the Advisory Council on Sports and Recreation, comment was made that the Singapore Sports Council will have to construct special facilities to cater for all new activities to be introduced. So every year money will be set aside for capital funding for the Singapore Sports Council. I think he should be glad rather than critical because one cannot be a good sportsman if there are no sports facilities available. As for the comments by Maj. Abbas about the standing of sports, we will have to take a long time to re-establish the slow standing of sports and, as he well knows, he sat on many committees where this was discussed. He has been instrumental in many of the recommendations and these are still being evaluated. The recommendations have been forwarded to the Ministries of Defence and Education and the Singapore Sports Council and these will be taking up the recommendations. The implementation and the monitoring will be done at the Ministry of Community Development.”
“In that event, I shall just answer the questions ad hoc as they were raised. What is our stand on grants for national sports association? The Singapore Sports Council will give grants on a case-by-case basis and many national sports associations have benefitted from these grants. Our Singapore National Olympics Council have also received funds for this purpose. In answer to the Member for Potong Pasir, there is a sports fund for sportsmen, managed by the Singapore Sports Council and this grant is also granted on a case-by-case basis.”
“Mr Chairman, Sir, how many minutes do I have?”
“Mr Chairman, Sir, regarding the National Museum, National Archives and Oral History Department, each has specific areas of interest which requires specialized knowledge and each is headed by a Director and assisted by various subordinate specialists. While the three Departments work under the central policy direction of MCD, I agree with the MP that more coordination in the areas common to the three Departments would provide greater benefit. As a start towards greater coordination, my Ministry has set up, early this year, a Coordinating Committee, chaired by the Deputy Secretary of the Ministry, which is looking into common areas of work by the three Departments and determining how common solutions can be identified for the benefit of all. This includes areas like conservation, exhibitions and preservation. In the long run, we intend to work towards a closer integration of the work of the three departments. With reference to his suggestion that an inter ministerial committee be set up for better coordination of Singapore-wide programmes, I will take this up at our next ministerial meeting. With regard to his suggestion that we should have senior professional specialists to advise our Heritage Department, it is a good one. But, in practice, such a person does not exist. A person who is an expert in all 3 heritage areas would be a verydifficult person to find, and, at present we do not know of such a person in Singapore. We are also unaware of any other country which has the arrangement of someone who has expertise in oral history, in archival history as well as in the national museum. I would be very obliged if the Member for Bukit Batok could let us know how this is done in other countries and, if he has any suggestions, I would be very glad to have them.”
“Seats are provided in the National Library and its branches for people, including students, who browse through the books before deciding whether to borrow them, and, they are also meant for those who do research in the libraries.”
“I start by answering to the question addressed by the Member for Eunos GRC. I agree with him that the facilities over the years for the National Library have become inadequate to meet the increasing demand for library services. I have good news for the Member for Eunos GRC. My Ministry plans to build a modern national library with bigger space and incorporating up-to-date facilities. This has the in-principle approval of the Government. My Ministry has made a study of library designs in Australia and is in the process of engaging a consultant for the project. Now, to reply to the Member for Tiong Bahru GRC. Over the years, the older branch libraries have been upgraded to provide the same facilities as the newer ones. In answer to the greenhouse effects, Queenstown Branch installed air-conditioning in 1978 and upgraded its lecture rooms into an auditorium in 1983. Toa Payoh Branch installed air-conditioning in 1982 and constructed an entrance ramp and installed a passenger lift for the disabled readers in 1983 and 1985 respectively. Today, actually, the older branch libraries provide the same facilities and offer the same services to their readers as the newer branches. Older branch libraries have the advantage of having a larger book collection built over a longer period of time. To his question about seating in the library, Mr Chairman, Sir, a library's main objective is to serve members of the public who wish to borrow books or consult reference materials. They are not meant for students to study in. Students should study in their homes, schools or reading rooms provided by community centres or in education centres in the constituency when these are not in use.”
“However, because these buildings are old and they have been vandalised in some instances, much money has to be put into renovating the buildings and, in one case, because the group did not have enough funds to upgrade the power mains to the building. Because of this, the use of air-conditioners necessary to reduce noise interference had to be strictly controlled, otherwise power trips occurred due to heavy power demand. My Ministry will look into other ways of improving the scheme to house arts organizations. In the area of culture, the MCD relies heavily on volunteers who are experts in their fields. We are grateful for the many hours they have given and are giving and will continue to give in what can only be termed as a "labour of love". I am as concerned as the Member that our volunteers are made to take hours off work. My Ministry has now made it a point to schedule meetings beginning between 4.30 and 5.00 pm but there have been circumstances where this has not been possible. This is especially so last year in the case of the volunteers serving on the four Committees set up under the Advisory Council on Culture and the Arts. As the Council had to finalize its deliberations within a time schedule, these Committees found it necessary to hold regular meetings even during normal office hours in order to complete their reports. For this reason, the volunteer members had to take time off to attend these meetings. I would like at this point to express my appreciation, firstly, to the volunteers and, secondly, to their supportive employers, in their service to the cultural development of the nation.”
“While the Ministry can provide and encourage the growth of a conducive environment for culture to grow and flourish in Singapore, the successful cultural development in Singapore must depend to a large extent on the efforts of the public, the corporate citizens and interested cultural organizations working in concert. To harness their views on future cultural promotion, the Advisory Council on Culture and the Arts was set up in April last year. The Council was tasked to review current problems and propose solutions in an action plan to lead us to the cultural vision of 1999. While the Council has yet to submit its report, its three committees have identified five main problems in Singapore. Firstly, lack of funds which constrains their level of activity. Secondly, a small audience support and shortage of trained manpower. Thirdly, a limited talent pool. Fourthly, facilities which are sub-standard, and fifthly, complex licensing procedures. The Member must recognize that while procedures to facilitate licensing and funding can be addressed almost immediately, the problems of our limited talent pool and poor audience support are long term ones. Arising from these findings, the Committees have made recommendations for the improvement of the system of art education, etc, and these are now being considered by the Council which is expected to submit its report to the Government shortly. I am confident that there will be improvement in our cultural scene in the years ahead following from this report. I also note that the Member has expressed concern about premises given to cultural organizations. Since 1985, my Ministry has housed 23 organizations in four vacant buildings and this has enabled them to increase their artistic output.”
“Sir, the late Zubir Said who composed our National Anthem was conferred the Sijil Kemuliaan,(the Certificate of Honour) in June 1962, for his musical contributions. Sijil Kemuliaan is the third highest National Day award, ranking only after the Star of Temasek and the Order of Temasek. In memory of the great composer, especially Pak Zubir's contributions, the Singapore Cultural Foundation, which operates under my Ministry's aegis, has embarked on the Zubir Said Song Collection project to produce a publication documenting his life and music. Materials for the publication, which is sponsored by Berita Harian, have been gathered through a community effort involving the Central Council of Malay Cultural Organizations, friends and associates of Pak Zubir and his family. Materials in the collections of the Singapore Broadcasting Corporation, National Archives and Oral History Department will also be used to strengthen the contents of the publication. As to the suggestion for a scholarship in music and oral history documentation of his life and history and also translation of the book by the two local authors, may I offer to Encik Wan Hussin that we will be looking into this and seeing how we can get sponsorships for this situation. Sir, I thank the Member for Yio Chu Kang for his interest in culture and his helpful observations and comments. Yes, I did go to Taiwan recently but as I am of the wrong sex I did not manage to see the sex trade he was mentioning. My Minister has answered part of his comments about a better life in his answer to the GPC Chairman.”
“The answer to the first question is yes, Mr Speaker, Sir. And the answer to the second question is no.”
“The MCD is currently looking into the integration of the PEP with the Family Life Education Programme of the Ministry of Health to ensure that there will be no duplication or overlap and to ensure that there will be no conflicting messages projected to the public. And we will continue to encourage various organizations, eg:- VWOs, unions, cultural clubs, CCs, schools and religious organizations to incorporate parent education activities into their programmes. The parent education programme reinforces our belief in the family as the basic unit of our society and its continuing programme will maintain, focus on, and give support to the importance of the family. We will take up your other suggestions.”
“And we will also tap on the expertise of professionals in the private sector who have counselling and conciliatory skills to promote family relationships. The Parent Education Programme which was started in 1984 has the objective of helping parents in the challenging task of parenting. And I note that in many areas and in many Housing Board estates, there are programmes in CCs and in RCs where lectures, talks and videos are shown to the community about parenting. While most people are responsible parents and want the best for their children, many are not fully aware of the demands of parenthood or are misguided in their approaches to child upbringing. Parents today need to be equipped with the basic skills of caring, disciplining, relating to their children and acquiring understanding of their children's physical and also social needs. The Parent Education Programme (PEP) is coordinated by MCD functions under an advisory council. It consists of members from related Government departments, voluntary welfare organizations, private specialists in the field. In this way, MCD benefits from advice from all different sectors. I am sure you all know about the annual family week in June which focuses attention on family living and the PEP. This continues with a year-long programme of workshops, talks, forums and discussions, as earlier mentioned at CCs, RCs or wherever we are invited to participate. Posters, pamphlets, exhibitions, Radio and TV filmlets and jingles constitute our public education publicity. TV commercials like "Give Your Child Some Time", "Make Time To Be Together" and "Have You Spent Time With Your Child Today", all prepared under the auspices of the PEP, have been well received by our target groups.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I thank the hon. Member for Tiong Bahru GRC for his comments and I assure him that more child care centres will be built in the financial year 1989/1990. 50 child care centres were built in the 1988/89 financial year at the rate of about 1 a week. As at 14th January 1989, there are 170 child care centres or 10,105 places, and there will be 6 more by the end of this month, and 40 more by the end of the year. As to his request for private operators, I am glad to inform him that there is a scheme to enable private operators to set up child care centres. This is a pilot scheme and the centres will be set up in HDB void decks and this will be implemented in 12 blocks. Conversion cost estimated at about $1.6 million will be met by the Government and these centres will be tendered out to private child care operators. However, as it is not appropriate to charge nominal rent as Government should not be subsidizing profit-making enterprises, the tendered out price, we expect, will fetch market rents. These 12 void deck child care centres which will have capacities ranging from 70 to 90 children will be designed and fitted with features similar to non-profit child care centres. I am also encouraged by the concern of the Member for Tiong Bahru GRC in the areas of marriage counselling and parenting. The Report of the Advisory Council on Community and Family Life has not been published yet. But the Member is right in that it did not recommend the setting up of a special family relations unit to assist our law makers. As the Ministry of Community Development has a Family Service Unit and has family counsellors, it will be more effective for us to strengthen this Unit.”
“Values education has to fill the hearts of children to do good, and the language which is better in moving this desire is one closest to their hearts, and, in many cases, this is the mother tongue. Mr Chairman, the teaching of core values is, however, not confined to Moral Education lessons alone but also through other subjects like Language, Social Studies, Literature, Geography, History, Art, Music, etc. Even through the hidden curriculum like ECA, cultural activities, school functions and celebrations, pupils imbibe core values. The medium of instruction should, therefore, not be the only consideration for teaching core values in our schools. One point needs to be noted regarding teaching of core values in the mother tongue languages - their use necessitates grouping of pupils along ethnic lines for instruction. This is undesirable since pupils should be encouraged to interact with each other in the learning, developing and practice of our core values. Mr Chairman, Sir, I wish to conclude with a truism. If we have the will, we can and will find a way. Indeed, when discussing the issue with my Taiwan counterpart, he said that while they in Taiwan have a difficult task in Moral Education, we in Singapore have a much, much more difficult path to tread. I believe that we in Singapore have the will to meet the challenge of core values teaching and inculcation and, while the going may be rough, and difficulties seemingly insurmountable, given the will we can succeed.”
“We cannot learn from single study trips alone - it is needful for follow-up work to be conducted. We therefore have plans for short term attachments of some of our principals of schools to schools where moral education programmes are actively and well taught, and practised, so that they can observe during the attachment, and learn from their counterparts and teachers in the host primary schools. We plan to conduct these attachments during the November/ December holidays this year. The teaching of core values is an all-pervasive exercise and our principals will need to feel, see, hear and taste this in practice. We may also invite visiting authorities from these countries to conduct lectures and workshops for our educators thereby tapping on their expertise, and, benefitting from their wide experience in the planning and implementation of the programme. The Member for Braddell Heights has touched on, what I termed earlier, an emotive issue - the language in which core values is to be taught. I thank him for his points and we will take them into consideration in our discussions. At present, core values, through the Moral Education programme, is taught in the mother tongue, which is Chinese, Malay and Tamil in primary schools and, at the secondary level, in the child's most proficient language, which in the case of most schools, is English. Mother tongue languages are generally perceived to have their roots in Asian traditions and cultures and are hence considered suitable vehicles for the transmission of core values. Furthermore, it is the language of competence of more than 75% of our children entering Primary 1.”
“And it is worthy to note that the social status of teachers in Taiwan remains high. Are there problems? Yes, there are problems of internalization of values taught. Some experts spoke to us of the futility of teaching old rules in traditional ways, which tended to produce external compliance and conformity, without the moral maturity and judgment to apply the knowledge gained to current and new situations. To address this problem, current traditional didactic methods commonly used are being replaced in some schools in Taiwan, with more progressive pedagogical methods, and a school we visited, for example, is justifiably proud of the curriculum materials the teachers have developed, using the values clarification approach. A major problem identified was the ubiquitous nature of television and its negative effect on Taiwanese society as a whole. The effects of media explosion in the Taiwanese experience is not dissimilar to our situation. If a country with one single language, race and culture, steeped in value teaching for four decades finds itself vulnerable - how much greater is the problem for Singapore? The media problem has to be addressed if core value teaching and implantation is to be effective. In Hong Kong, as Moral education is not taught as a subject, it was not possible to see the cross-curricular effects, if any, in the short time we were there. We cannot learn from the experience of one country only. We will, as earlier planned, visit Japan to see how moral education is taught and how values are caught, and we will, in time, be making trips to Malaysia and Indonesia to study how the Rukun Negara and Pancasila were formulated and how they are imparted, especially to the young school children.”