Sim Ann
Singapore
“Sir, given the increasingly transnational nature of crime and the rapid advancement of digital finance, international cooperation is indeed key. Singapore will continue to issue MLAs where it is appropriate, but also pursue international cooperation in informal manner. This applies not just to AML/CFT and PF, but also to scams.”
“Sir, I believe that the first and the third supplementary questions from the Member are related. I would say that if the facts of the case are such that it warrants taking action under the Penal Code for offences relating to the circulation of intimate images, the Police will do so.”
“Sir, we have a national movement to prepare Singaporeans against terrorism – SGSecure. This is one way through which we disseminate important information so that Singaporeans are aware of security risks.”
“Sir, we want to see everyone get home safe everyday. If safety is compromised, then livelihoods and many other good things in life are going to be at risk. We believe that the public will see our proposed for changes in this light, particularly our vocational drivers, because safer roads also mean a safer working environment for them.”
“To Ms Cassandra Lee's question, the alcohol limits that are currently enforced have been in place since 1985, and that is more than forty years ago. Now, Singapore is one of the jurisdictions with the highest alcohol limits, while the other jurisdictions have adopted stricter regimes with lower limits.”
“MFA is working with the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to strengthen our safeguards against foreign interference, which will be elaborated on by MHA during its Committee of Supply. Mr Chairman, foreign policy begins at home.”
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Every one of 775 lines we hold for Sim Ann, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 14 of 16.
“The Member has suggested other needs-based factors to refine the qualifying criteria for schemes, in particular, to overcome the perceived drawbacks of using the Annual Value (AV) of the property. I also find myself frequently thinking about the points he has raised as I look after both Housing and Development Board (HDB) residents and private estate residents in my role as a Member of Parliament. The challenge in determining means-testing criteria for social support schemes is deciding on relevant measures that are clear, reasonable and practical to implement. Typically, this involves measures of income and wealth. There are, of course, trade-offs with each criterion. If we take current income, we may not, as the Member has pointed out, have a longer-term picture of the families' financial means. But if we take income over a few years, as the Member has suggested, we might also not be as responsive to recent deterioration in the financial situation of a household. AV is frequently used as a measure of wealth. While it is not a perfect measure for wealth, it remains the best available proxy. Furthermore, because the data does not need to be separately collected, using AV allows benefits to be delivered automatically to recipients without them having to apply. It is an important consideration for schemes like the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Voucher, and indeed for better Government service delivery overall. The Member can be assured that appeals by those who are in need and in exceptional circumstances will be carefully considered on a case-by-case basis. This includes, for instance, appeals from those who are not related to the owners of the homes they live in.”
“They also benefit from tax reliefs, such as the handicapped parent relief and the handicapped child relief, if applicable, which reduce the tax they have to pay. Caregivers can also benefit from a training grant to equip themselves with the necessary skills to care for their loved ones, and self-care skills. We are also strengthening respite care to enable caregivers to take a much-needed break at times. Should caregivers require additional assistance beyond what is already available, we have existing social safety nets to help them when required. We will continue to explore further ways to help persons with special needs and dementia, as well as their caregivers. The Ministry of Social and Family Development has recently set up a committee to look into the next Enabling Masterplan and it will be studying various initiatives to support persons with disabilities, and their caregivers. MOH will speak more about enhancing support for those with dementia as well. 12.30 pm Mr Edwin Tong asked about reviewing means-testing for our social schemes. I am glad that the Member supports our principle of having a progressive system of taxes and benefits, where lower- and middle-income households pay a smaller share of taxes and receive a larger share of benefits, while higher-income households pay a larger share of taxes and receive a smaller share of benefits. I am also glad that the Member recognises the importance of means testing so that benefits can be provided in a targeted manner to those who need help more. Very importantly, the Member has also affirmed that with limited resources, we have to be careful with spending. Indeed, we have a responsibility to manage our fiscal burden prudently and to be fair to future generations.”
“Ms Thanaletchimi's points on the middle class, as well as apprenticeship, were largely addressed in the Minister for Finance's round-up speech and also at the MOM's Committee of Supply (COS) debate last week and, in the interest of time, I will not repeat those points here. Assoc Prof Daniel Goh asked if refundable income tax credits could be provided for specialised caregivers of dependants with special needs, including autism and dementia. In essence, the Member is asking if direct cash grants can be provided for caregivers. Madam, this suggestion has been raised several times in the past by Members of this House, including Dr Lam Pin Min and Mr Christopher de Souza. We recognise that caregivers play an important role, which can be very demanding and challenging, and we should support them. Our approach is to focus on directly subsidising services required by people with special needs, thereby defraying the costs borne by their families and caregivers, rather than by providing cash allowances to people for looking after their family members. This has been our consistent approach, as reflected in previous replies on this subject by office holders overseeing health, social support and ageing policies. Caregivers who work can tap on subsidised centre-based care services when they are working, such as Special Student Care Centres for students, and dementia day care and home help services for seniors. We will continue to expand the capacity of these services, especially as our population ages. If caregivers hire a FDW, they can benefit from a lower FDW concessionary levy. If they are from lower- and middle-income families and are caring for an elderly person or a person with moderate disabilities, they can get an additional FDW grant.”
“CCC+s will complement the existing suite of initiatives by the Ministry of Communications and Information and IDA for the elderly, persons with disabilities, and low-income households to help them get online and stay online. Ms Sun Xueling also asked how we can maintain a human touch amidst more digitalisation within the Government. Even as we go digital, the Government will continue to provide face-to-face services, where necessary, for example, in reaching out to less connected groups like the elderly. As Dr Tan Wu Meng pointed out, there are some Pioneer Generation residents with mobility needs who may find it difficult to access shared terminals. The Pioneer Generation Ambassadors (PGAs) serve as one key touch point to convey policy information, such as the Pioneer Generation Package and MediShield Life, to our Pioneers. The Minister for Finance spoke about the Community Network for Seniors pilot led by MOH. We will continue to strengthen coordination among Government agencies, VWOs and local volunteers, and build strong community networks to provide support and engage the elderly within the community. We are also continuing with the face-to-face approach when gathering feedback. Reaching Everyone for Active Citizenry @ Home (REACH), the Government feedback unit, continues to retain face-to-face engagement. For example, for Budget 2016, it has held 12 such engagements so far, where close to 3,800 Singaporeans from all walks of life have participated and given their views. Madam, I will now address the questions relating to building an inclusive society.”
“This will facilitate better document management, thus making it easier to carry out audits and reduce paper handling in the process. We are also improving arrangements and facilitating e-payments in order to reap similar benefits and greater convenience for users of Government services. Dr Tan Wu Meng and Miss Cheryl Chan have pointed out that there will be some who will have difficulties accessing digital services. Indeed, even as we make transacting digitally a way of life, we must not forget that there may be some Singaporeans who may not be comfortable with or know how to use digital services. Based on IDA's surveys, three in four individuals aged 50 to 59, and almost one in three seniors aged 60 and above used the Internet in 2014, with usage increasing considerably compared to two years ago. Since 2005, we have built up a network of 26 Citizen Connect Centres (CCCs) islandwide for those who do not have computers or Internet connection and those who need help to use Government e-services. Trained staff are on hand at CCCs to assist and teach users to access Government services online. The goal for CCCs is to teach users to transact online independently, so that they can access Government services from the comfort of their own homes in future. But even if they find it hard to learn, they will still be helped at the CCCs. In 2015, CCCs helped around 120,000 citizens to access e-services. We will enhance our CCCs to make it even easier for users to self-help by upgrading the equipment and redesigning the online interfaces. We will progressively upgrade the CCCs to become CCC+s, starting with pilots at the Toa Payoh Central and Chong Pang CCCs, and Our Tampines Hub by end of this year. If successful, the nationwide rollout of CCC+s will follow from 2017 onwards.”
“It was also able to redeploy around 100 officers who used to handle manual tax filings to new and other areas of work, despite the tax base growth of 32% from 2009 to 2014. Our Digital Government strategy aims to enhance productivity by actively using data and technology not just for service delivery, but also to change the way we work. This twin focus will be vital for the public sector to function more efficiently and respond more quickly to citizens' service needs. By 2020, at least six agencies will digitise the majority of their records and processes for higher productivity. They are the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA), IRAS, MOM, VITAL, the Supreme Court and the State Courts. Citizens will benefit from easier access to Government information and e-services from home or on the go. Some of these efforts will also reduce the need for repetitive submission of information to agencies. For instance, ICA will digitise records and implement an enterprise-wide case and content management system. This is expected to lead to an overall productivity gain through integrated processes and better case management that will see a reduction in the need for duplicate data entry when a case is routed from one unit to another. If required, users of ICA's services will only need to submit supporting documents once, rather than resubmitting each time they apply. Digitalisation will also reduce backend paper processing and result in better auditing, security and data protection processes within organisations. VITAL, the Government's shared services department under MOF, has begun integrating human resources (HR), payroll and claims processes for civil servants while concurrently using information technology (IT) systems to reduce paperwork, capture and retain information.”
“As we embark on this, we welcome industries and businesses to come forward with ideas and partner us to create solutions that are relevant for the industry. The National Electronic Health Records (NEHR) project was rolled out by the Ministry of Health (MOH) in 2012 to allow participating healthcare institutions to access the same set of patient records for seamless healthcare delivery across the national healthcare network. With NEHR, patients no longer need to worry about being brought to the nearest public hospital that is different from the one they regularly visit, as all public hospitals will have access to the same set of medical history. Today, the secure use of data by authorised clinicians and healthcare professionals supports more accurate diagnosis, better treatment and patient-centric integrated care. It also helps to reduce the cost for patients as duplicated tests and referrals can be avoided. In the month of March 2016, there were more than 11,400 users of NEHR and over 600,000 searches made for patient records. Compared to a year earlier, there has been a significant increase of 63% in users and over three times the number of searches. Miss Cheryl Chan asked whether digitalisation could inadvertently result in a lack of clarity over ownership of issues. We wish to assure Members that technology remains an enabler and will not displace or diffuse responsibility. In fact, technology allows for greater accountability as requests by citizens could be traced and tagged to specific agencies for resolution. We agree there is a need to debunk the impression that digitalisation will create more work and lower efficiency. It is in fact the opposite. For example, through the electronic tax-filing and no-filing schemes, IRAS has saved time for taxpayers.”
“We want more high-volume Government services to be similarly redesigned to be intuitive for users. An idea we are pursuing is to integrate and digitise key services around important milestones in life for individuals and businesses. We will facilitate more data sharing to make it easier for businesses and citizens to transact with the Government and deliver more targeted and effective services. For businesses, the National Trade Platform (NTP) will significantly improve digital connectivity across businesses in the logistics and trade finance sectors. As announced by the Minister for Finance in his Budget speech, NTP will facilitate data sharing for both business-to-business and business-to-Government transactions to help SMEs cut costs and streamline processes. The potential for productivity savings is significant. At the firm level, businesses will be able to digitise their documents or information to support data sharing, with the help of software tools or applications. Electronic data shared among all parties in the supply chain will allow them to have sight of information related to their cargoes and better manage their resources accordingly. At the industry level, by connecting importers, exporters, logistics service providers, NTP will enable each party to establish linkages with multiple partners. Such data sharing on this Government-owned platform could yield further collaborations across partners in terms of resource sharing. There may also be downstream benefits for associated sectors, such as trade financing. For instance, financial institutions could use the data transmitted to expedite trade finance operations. NTP will be designed as an open innovation platform which businesses can tap on to develop new applications that support evolving business needs.”
“Mdm Speaker, allow me to address the cuts by Ms Sun Xueling, Miss Cheryl Chan and Dr Tan Wu Meng on the various facets of digitalisation and the delivery of Government services, followed by the cuts by Assoc Prof Daniel Goh and Mr Edwin Tong. Madam, the Government has, indeed, been using technology and data to improve service delivery. Advancements in ICT have raised public expectations of Government service delivery. On the Government's part, we have taken efforts to transform service delivery and bring about more convenience for the public. The IDA's e-Government Perception Survey conducted in 2015 indicated that almost three in four citizens were very satisfied or extremely satisfied with the ease of completing transactions online using Government e-services. There is room for improvement and the Public Service will continue to do so, amidst tighter constraints on public sector manpower growth. The Public Service has embarked on a multi-year transformation journey into a Digital Government, with citizens at the heart of it. We will redesign online services and underlying processes to make them simpler to use and easier to access, including providing more services on mobile devices. Some agencies, such as the Ministry of Manpower (MOM), have already begun to do this. MOM has made online foreign domestic worker (FDW) permit renewals much easier for employers. Instead of relying on agents, more employers now directly interface with MOM, with 56% of renewals done directly by employers in the past 12 months, up by 11 percentage points from a year earlier. There has also been a 40% reduction in call centre enquiries related to renewals over the same period. Renewed permits are also directly couriered to employers, increasing the convenience of self-renewal.”
“Mdm Speaker, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time." Mdm Speaker, the Pioneer Generation Fund (Amendment) Bill 2016 before the House seeks to propose two technical amendments to the Pioneer Generation Fund Act 2014. The intent of the Pioneer Generation Package is to honour and recognise the contributions of all Pioneers in nation building, regardless of their financial status. As such, they receive similar benefits on top of existing healthcare subsidies which the Government already provides for all Singaporeans. We have taken in former Nominated Member of Parliament Ms Chia Yong Yong's suggestion during the Second Reading of the Pioneer Generation Fund Bill in November 2014 for an amendment to better convey the intent of the Pioneer Generation Package and avoid any doubt that the fund could be restricted to providing relief to only those needing financial help. I thank Ms Chia for raising this suggestion and for helping to make clear the intent of the Bill. Hence, the technical amendments to section 3 and section 27 of the Pioneer Generation Fund Act are proposed to make clear that the financial means of a Pioneer must not be taken into account when allocating the Pioneer Generation Package benefits, which are met from the Pioneer Generation Fund. These benefits include the Pioneer Generation Medisave top-ups, maximum subsidy for MediShield Life premiums and healthcare costs, for example, additional subsidies at polyclinics, subsidised Specialist Outpatient Clinics and Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS) clinics and the Pioneer Generation Disability Assistance Scheme. Mdm Speaker, I beg to move.”
“Madam, I thank Dr Lim for his supplementary question. Indeed, for the reasons that I have stated, we recognise that food heritage is a very important part of our national identity and this is the reason why NHB and MCCY work to support efforts to document, preserve and promote local food. Dr Lim mentioned about who can cook local hawker food. I think it is already the case today that hawker stall licensees in NEA-managed hawker centres and markets have to be Singapore Citizens or PRs, and they are also not allowed to employ foreigners. As to whether MCCY or NHB, from a heritage perspective, feel that we need to impose further restrictions on who can cook hawker food in privately-managed food centres, I believe that would be Dr Lim's question. Madam, I think when it comes to hawker food, great taste and authenticity do matter and that is the reason why NHB and MCCY work to promote our food heritage. But we do so recognising that other factors are also very important and these also help to make Singapore hawker food very close to our hearts. This includes affordability and accessibility, and it also includes allowing for evolution of recipes, so that there will be innovation. Variations and recipes are being created all the time and also evolve to take cognisance of evolving consumer preferences such as healthier choices. Our approach is to promote our food heritage in the ways that I have mentioned just now, rather than advocating further restrictions on who can cook hawker food in privately-managed food centres. As for the example of Penang that Dr Lim mentioned, I think it is an interesting experiment and we will certainly watch it as it unfolds.”
“Madam, the setting-up of Specialised Independent Schools is a recent development in our diversified education landscape. They offer a customised curriculum to students who have an aptitude and inclination towards mathematics and scientific inquiry, applied learning and creativity, sports or the arts. Currently, there are a few students in the specialised independent schools attending the dyslexia remediation programme conducted by the Dyslexia Association of Singapore (DAS). And we have worked with the schools to provide school-based financial assistance for students in need. Page: 44 MOE will rationalise the existing subsidy arrangements to extend the subsidy to eligible students from Specialised Independent Schools when they participate in the DAS remediation programme. This will take effect from January 2016. 3.00pm”
“Students who take their GCE "O" levels at the Institute of Technical Education under the General Education Programme will have supervised access to science laboratories in selected schools, if they offer Science subjects. Sports facilities in schools, which are more suitable for unsupervised shared use, are already shared with the community outside school hours under a partnership between the Ministry of Education (MOE), Sport Singapore and the People's Association. The second group of private GCE "O" level candidates include students in private schools. For this small number of students in private schools, their schools are expected to provide appropriate facilities and educational programmes for them. As for primary school children who are home-schooled, these students have specifically applied to be exempted from enrolment in mainstream schools. If they wish to benefit from the facilities and programmes in our mainstream schools, the Ministry will facilitate their entry as a student into our mainstream schools. It remains the Government's preference that Page: 46 all Singaporean children attend mainstream schools so that they grow up together with a common educational experience.”
“Madam, the profile of Singaporean private GCE "O" level candidates is quite varied, but candidates may be broadly grouped as: (a) those for whom enrolment in a mainstream school would not be educationally meaningful or age-appropriate; and (b) those who voluntarily opt out of our mainstream school system. The first group of private GCE "O" level candidates includes adult learners studying one or two subjects on a part-time basis. It also includes students who had completed their secondary school education, are more than four years above secondary school age or are already eligible for progression to a post-secondary educational institution but, nevertheless, had chosen to repeat specific GCE "O" level subjects as private candidates. Co-curricular activities (CCAs) are part of the school curriculum and the holistic education of students in mainstream schools, tailored to the students' age profiles and conducted under the supervision of their teachers who exercise a duty of care towards them. For private candidates who are much older than the secondary school age, interaction with secondary school age students and participation in our schools' CCAs would not be age-appropriate. It is also not easy to accommodate their work or post-secondary education commitments. Instead, there are many community groups that these private candidates can join to interact with the community and to learn life skills, such as those in community clubs. Similarly, science laboratories contain potentially hazardous equipment and materials and are not suitable for unsupervised use.”
“He has led us on the road to bilingualism, in pursuit of unity as one people, the preservation of our cultural ballast and ease of interaction with the world at large. It is a long journey which we will continue long after he has left us. [Applause.] 5.25 pm”
“In 1975, he spent four months helming the Education Ministry himself in order to ensure adjustments to the bilingualism policy were duly implemented. Page: 31 He created the Prime Minister's Book Prize to encourage students who did well in both English and their mother tongue language. In his later years, he started the Lee Kuan Yew Fund for Bilingualism to help young children build a foundation for learning English and the mother tongue languages. His life's work in this area was encapsulated in his book, "My Lifelong Challenge: Singapore's Bilingual Journey". Mr Lee had stated that of all the combinations of English and the mother tongue, English/Mandarin was the most difficult combination. He walked the talk; he worked hard at learning Mandarin and never gave up on his lessons. This morning, The Straits Times quoted a 49-year-old businessman who came to pay respects to Mr Lee. He said that he was from a Chinese school and used to feel very disadvantaged after Mr Lee introduced the bilingual policy. But now, as a businessman, knowing English has helped him to expand his semiconductor business overseas, in countries like the United States. The bilingual policy has changed his life. If Mr Lee could hear this, I believe he would feel comforted. Mr Lee has brought us on a long journey towards excellence. We will soldier on, even after he has left us. (In English): Madam, Mr Lee's language policy stands among the iconic legacies he has created for Singaporeans. It has left a deep impact on many, especially educators and language professionals. This includes the men and women who are sitting in our interpreters' booths who ensure that what transpires in this House can be understood in the four official languages.”
“To unite all races and to expand the common space and to connect with the wider world, Mr Lee decided on English as our working language. But, to preserve our cultural ballast, Mr Lee also maintained that each ethnic group must study its mother tongue. Mr Lee was also of the view that ethnic Chinese Singaporeans should speak less dialect and more Mandarin. This was a tall order for a young nation with a complex linguistic environment. It was already hard for someone to learn a language that he does not speak at home. But for someone to make a significant adjustment, even a complete change in his daily language use, was even harder. For those who saw language as a core part of their identity, it was downright painful. Yet, for a young nation with a complex linguistic environment which yearned for peace and unity, these changes were necessary. Mr Lee's view was a rational one: better short-term pain than long-term agony. In every ethnic group, there were people who found it hard to adjust to the language policies he implemented and who still feel aggrieved even to this day. But bilingualism undoubtedly widened our common space and laid the foundation for harmonious communication between all races. I have come across many Singaporeans of different ethnic groups of my age or younger, who have told me that they appreciate the bilingual education policy for giving them the tools to function effectively and comfortably in both Asian and Western settings. While the policy might have been a rational one, Mr Lee was, at heart, a leader who cared. It is clear from the way he devoted much personal attention to bilingualism, over a large part of his life. He tracked our students' performance and constantly sought inputs from experts and researchers.”
“Madam, in Mandarin. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] I wish to pay tribute to Founding Prime Minister Mr Lee Kuan Yew in two particular aspects – his contributions to women's advancement and to bilingualism. Mr Lee has never described himself as a feminist and yet his policies had made an immense difference to women. Mr Lee had always valued education, ensuring that a good part of the national budget went towards education even when our country's resources were meagre. This has helped many women get educated and get jobs. We now see successful women in many fields. The Women's Charter has given women in Singapore the right to property and to be treated fairly. Women can walk on our streets without fearing for our personal safety, enjoying a degree of freedom yet to be fully realised in many other countries. Page: 30 Mr Lee's loving and lasting union with Mrs Lee has set an excellent example for many families. But more importantly, Mr Lee's basic attitude towards women was one of respect, and set the tone for gender equality in society. He believed that traditional notions of male dominance and men refusing to marry their equals were outdated, and must change with the times. Without Mr Lee, the women of Singapore would not have enjoyed so many gains in so short a time. Bilingualism could well be Mr Lee's boldest and most radical policy. It could also be his most controversial. Debates have taken place many times on this topic within and outside of this House. We can expect such debates to continue into the future. Mr Lee had realised in the early days of nation-building that, if different groups of Singaporeans were to continue using different languages, then our already limited shared space would be fragmented into separate little worlds.”
“Madam, the Translated Government Terms Portal also arose because of feedback from the media, members of the public, the community and industry practitioners. The intention is not to create a dictionary, but to ensure that the most frequently used terms, when we discuss Government policies, are presented together with their translations in our Page: 47 Mother Tongue Languages. This will create more convenience. Our intention is to add a search function.”
“We welcome university students who are interested in translation and Government communication to apply for this scholarship. At the same time, we are also providing more opportunities for our in-service officers and translators to upgrade and improve their translation skills, so as to enhance the Government's ability to communicate effectively in our vernacular languages. We will also be expanding our glossary in gov.sg website and present it in a new way. With this new Translated Government Terms Portal, we will expand the glossary list by 15 times. Madam, fellow Members, Singapore is a multiracial, multicultural and multilingual society. Therefore, translation has a very significant implication on our society. Good translation will not only promote switches between different languages with ease in the society, it also represents our respect to the culture. For the Government, it is also another important avenue for us to be able to convey our important messages effectively and in an endearing way. I would like to thank all the committee members and also all the advisors from the vernacular language groups for their support over the past one year. We will continue to Page: 37 work hard.”
“I would like to thank all the groups and members of the public who have given valuable feedback in helping us to shape our initiatives in these two areas. Please allow me to say a few words now in Mandarin. Page: 36 (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] The National Translation Committee has been established for a year. Since then, the committee members and members of the public who have a passion in translation have provided valuable feedback on raising the translation standard of Government agencies. First, in order to improve the current outsourcing situation, we will be launching a Procurement Framework. This framework will first assess the competency of the vendor to ensure that only qualified companies or translators are able to provide translation service to the Government. And Government officers will be able to outsource translation work to companies or translators who are familiar with Singapore and our use of the language. My friends from the education and media industry and myself were often frustrated with errors in translations. With this new framework, even though I cannot guarantee that there will be no more such errors, I believe the number will be greatly reduced. Besides, with the Government procuring quality translation at a reasonable price, it can ensure effective communication while being fair to professional translators. Besides Government agencies, there are other non-government organisations which engage translation services. I hope that, through our effort here, we would be able to encourage people to pay more attention to the quality of translation. In the long term, we should also develop and nurture more translation talents. As such, starting this year, we will issue three additional Communication Service Scholarships.”
“We welcome applications from students about to enter universities, as well as mid-course undergraduates. Our in-service officers will, similarly, have more opportunities to further their studies and deepen their translation skills. By doing so, we hope to increase the pool of bilingual Information Officers and strengthen the Government's communication efforts in our official languages. Mr Alex Yam also asked about the standardisation of official translations in Singapore and I am pleased to inform him that we will build upon the existing glossary of Government terms hosted on the gov.sg website. The current glossary was uploaded in May last year and it will be "upsized" this year with a Translated Government Terms Portal. With about 5,000 terms and their translations in Chinese, Malay and Tamil, this repository will be 15 times the size of the current glossary. We hope it will help to standardise the translations of terms related to Government policies. While we work to raise Whole-of-Government translation standards, we hope our efforts will bring about improvements in standards for the translation sector as well. In response to Mr Baey's query on the size of our translation sector, figures from the Department of Statistics show that as of 2013, there are 119 companies with a total operating income of $31.4 million. We also appreciate Mr Baey's views on the direction that our translation industry should take. We will explore them together with the NTC, as we continue our efforts to improve translation standards. Madam, the NTC's initiatives will take time to bear fruit, but we hope that our efforts will improve Whole-of-Government translation standards. Similarly, libraries will be reinvented to provide conducive learning spaces for our people.”
“I am pleased to know that there are community groups that have come forward to work with the NLB to set up library corners near their residents. Grassroots groups from communities, such as Changi-Simei, have approached the NLB to set up reading corners in their areas for people to browse, exchange and borrow books. I understand that volunteers will run the spaces and NLB will donate a sizeable collection of books. I will now address queries from Mr Baey Yam Keng, Mr Alex Yam and Dr Intan Azura Mokhtar, who have asked how the National Translation Committee or NTC plans to improve the Government's translation standards. The NTC was set up last March to improve the Government's translation capabilities. It comprises representatives from the public, private and people sectors. Their expertise and invaluable input over the past year have helped us in several areas and one of them is a Whole-of-Government Procurement Framework for Translation Services that will be rolled out next month. Page: 35 For Government agencies, this framework will provide a pool of selected translation vendors who can produce quality translations that convey messages clearly and effectively and at fair prices. This helps the agencies to identify vendors who know our local context and cultural nuances and simplifies the procurement process. It also enables our fellow Singaporeans, especially those who are more used to communicating in languages other than English, to better understand our policies. We agree with Mr Baey that we need to grow our pool of translation talent in the long term. Beginning this year, we will award up to three undergraduate scholarships per year to students with an aptitude for translation, under the Information Service Scholarships.”
“Page: 34 NLB will also be working with IDA to set up an IDA Lab in Jurong Regional Library. Slated to open later this year, the IDA Lab in Jurong will encourage users to create, invent, network and share skills and knowledge in a fun and well-equipped space. Users can tinker with gadgets using tools and equipment, such as 3D printers and micro-controllers, and innovation or technology talks would be organised for the general public, while hands-on workshops will cater to students and families. Mr Arthur Fong observed that some libraries are heavily used. We agree. Many libraries are also due for refurbishment after being opened for a decade or more. Hence, I am pleased to share that the NLB is embarking on a masterplan that charts the expansion and development of the library network for the next decade. Some libraries that are exceptionally popular will be expanded. This is necessary, as library visitors are expected to grow and more space is needed. There will also be new libraries to look forward to. The new Tampines Regional Library, Punggol Regional Library and Bedok Public Library are on the way. They will be opening in the next few years. Some of the libraries located in malls will also be expanded. Pasir Ris and Bukit Panjang are two such libraries that will be expanded this year and next year. NLB is also looking for opportunities to expand and refurbish other libraries that are more heavily-used than others. Beyond expanding and refurbishing libraries, more can be done to bring libraries and their services closer to the community. Last year, I mentioned the initiative of READ@Community for NLB to bring books and reading closer to home.”
“In the last few years, our libraries have been experimenting with new ways of serving our society and one way is through themed collections. Mr David Ong shared his observations on the library@orchard. It is one of the themed libraries opened recently. Another themed library is the Lifelong Learning Library at the WDA campus in Paya Lebar. As Mr Ong suggested, there are many opportunities for differentiation within libraries to serve diverse groups. The Early Literacy Library in Jurong Regional Library is one such example. It targets children aged six and below and provides resources to their parents and care-givers. In less than a year, almost 10,000 participants attended programmes supporting early literacy efforts. In view of the success, NLB opened a second Early Literacy Library in Sembawang Public Library in November last year. We are not stopping there. The NLB is prepared to re-imagine library spaces boldly and take us to places where few libraries have gone. This year, Singaporeans can look forward to a dedicated teen space in Pasir Ris library. Teens rank among the more frequent users at the Pasir Ris Public Library. Hence, NLB worked with the community to come up with a Teen Space as part of the revamp of the library. Overall, the library will adopt a "chillax lifestyle" theme. There will be a special space for teens to learn in creative ways and engage in indoor recreational activities. Some libraries will feature integrated family and lifestyle spaces for the first time. We recognise that reading and learning can be part of many other activities. The new Tampines Regional Library, co-located in the upcoming Tampines Town Hub, will be integrated with a culinary studio. This would help combine learning through reading and practice of culinary art.”
“Madam, I will now address the cuts on libraries as well as translation. Singaporeans value our libraries as important learning and social spaces. Last year, about 24 million visits were made to libraries and over 34 million loans were made. Libraries are no longer just physical reading spaces with physical books. Significant investments have been made to develop digital infrastructure and increase National Library Board (NLB)'s acquisition of e-books by almost a million in the past few years. The NLB Mobile app launched last year brings customised library services to mobile-savvy borrowers Page: 33 and even allows people to loan out books with just their mobile phones. Besides online access, NLB has found that digital services can complement physical spaces. For example, digital storytelling stations have been incorporated in the children's sections and unconventional digital services, such as gaming stations, have been added in Serangoon, while video walls have been added in Orchard. These efforts to enhance library services have been well-received. NLB's annual customer satisfaction index has gone up every year since 2011 even amidst rising service expectations across different sectors. Madam, with your permission, I would like to display a few slides to help Members visualise.”
“Madam, I wish to respond to Ms Denise Phua's clarification about sharing more programmes like Dyslexia Remediation with our SPED schools. She reminded me of the fact that our specialists have begun working with our SPED schools on reading and literacy improvements for our students as part of our SPED curriculum framework. If memory serves me right, I think that this effort actually predates our School-based Dyslexia Remediation Programme by a bit. As for her suggestion, we will study it seriously.”
“Educators have found it meaningful and enriching and appreciated the research-to-practice approach taken by the course. Given the context of SPED, we know that our parents and SPED educators are very concerned about what their children or students would do after they leave school. To help address this concern, we have been working hard on helping SPED students be future-ready. We introduced a Vocational Education Framework in 2010 to cater to students who can go further in terms of work capability. We have also facilitated quality vocational education programmes in SPED schools serving students with mild intellectual disability leading to national certification in selected industry areas and this has enabled one in four SPED graduates to be successfully employed. For students who can work but may not benefit from vocational certification, we have worked with MSF, SG Enable and the SPED schools to prototype a School-to-Work Page: 112 programme in five SPED schools starting in 2014. We intend to make it available to more SPED schools in phases from 2016. These measures provide different pathways for our students to build a robust foundation of skills and prepare for the world of work. And, in this regard, I think we can think of our SPED sector as being an early adopter of the key spirit of SkillsFuture. Madam, the Government has been doing more to ensure that we continue to be a society that gives hope and assurance to all. MOE will continue to work with MSF, NCSS, SG Enable and other partners to embrace Singaporeans with special needs as full and integral members of Singapore society. But the Government cannot do it alone. I wish to thank the VWOs, supportive employers and businesses, our educators and everyone who have worked hard to build an inclusive society.”
“Today, 15 SPED schools are purpose-built and five have been refurbished. Page: 111 We also want to help parents make the important decision of placing their child in the right school. To do so, we have introduced Post-Diagnosis Educational Guidance, providing accurate information and advice, as well as emotional support, to parents whose children have been recommended for placement in a SPED school. The key plank in our efforts to raise the quality of SPED has been the SPED Curriculum Framework, put in place in 2012. This guides SPED schools in delivering a quality and holistic education and helps SPED students achieve living, learning and working outcomes. I want to thank Ms Denise Phua for working tirelessly with us on improving the curriculum and also for her new suggestions, all of which we will study. We have also directed additional resources to SPED schools like the Teaching and Learning Fund, the Curriculum Enhancement Fund, the High Needs Grant to fund manpower to support students who need more help, the MOE-Tote Board ICT Fund for schools to purchase infocomm technology as an aid to teaching and a Parent Support Group Fund to build and sustain home-school partnerships. Beyond funding, MOE recognises that it is crucial for SPED schools to have skilled and dedicated teachers and staff. We support SPED teachers to upgrade their skills by developing milestone programmes like the Diploma in Special Education and awarding post-graduate scholarships to deserving teachers. We also fund SPED schools generously to conduct training workshops and send teachers for conferences and learning journeys. One key initiative has been the Advanced Diploma in Special Education targeted at experienced teachers. We have received very positive feedback about the Advanced Diploma.”
“Regarding affordability, we know that parents of children with SEN are more likely to face additional financial outlay and that is why it is so important to help them with affordability. MOE, therefore, provides substantial financial support. We have extended various schemes to our SPED schools over the years, including the Edusave Scheme, the SPED Financial Assistance Scheme or FAS and the School Breakfast Programme. We will continue to extend financial support to help our SPED students fulfil their aspirations. This year, we will be enhancing school-based financial assistance for the next three years to $25,000 per school on average, up from $15,000. We will also enhance the SPED FAS to include a public transport subsidy. At the same time, we will fully subsidise the examination fees paid by Singaporean students in SPED schools taking national examinations as well as examinations leading up to national vocational certification. To give a sense of what this entails, let me cite the example of Shaherah bte Daud, a 16-year-old student at Metta School. Shaherah aspires to be a chef and will be taking the ITE Skills Certificate in Baking Practice. Shaherah does not need to pay for the assessments for ISC Type 1 and Type 3 modules over the next two years. If she wishes to improve her mastery of baking, she will not need to pay for the assessments for the Type 2 and Type 4 modules subsequently. From now until she reaches 21 years of age, Shaherah can take these assessments and work towards obtaining her certification. For accessibility, MOE works to make it easier for children who need special education to be placed in the right schools. To this end, we regularly upgrade school infrastructure and expand the capacity of some SPED schools to meet the rising demand for places.”
“MOE and our IHLs will continue to review the range of support available from time to time and work towards strengthening it. Deputy Prime Minister Tharman and Minister Heng have spoken about how our spending on SPED schools has increased by 50% over the last five years. Please allow me to flesh out how this has translated into new and better programmes that enhance the affordability, accessibility and quality of SPED. With your permission, Mdm Chair, I wish to display an infographic on our screens.”
“So, I think quite a lot is happening in the SSOs in our IHLs and I want to thank Ms Chia as well as Ms Phua for their strong support of this initiative. Let me cite the example of a student who has been helped by this initiative. He is Lionel Tan, an 18 year-old Business Services student at ITE College Central with a visual impairment. Upon receiving an offer for the Nitec in Info Communication Technology or ICT course, the ITE's Learning Accessibility Office spoke to Lionel to understand his needs. Through this session, which included a tour of the ICT labs, Lionel realised that the course might not be suitable for him. The Learning Accessibility Office then worked with Lionel to identify his other interests and helped him enrol in a course suitable to his strengths and needs. The Office then helped provide Lionel with the appropriate support. A discussion between Lionel's lecturers and his former teachers at Ahmad Ibrahim Secondary School was arranged. The Office also purchased a text-to-speech software and a note-taking device using the SEN Fund. Lionel's lecturers have also worked with the Office to provide him with accessible learning materials. I wish to thank Ms Phua for her proposal to allow students with other types of SEN to tap on the SEN Fund. The SEN Fund has to be viewed in the context of this broader framework of measures to support students with SEN. We aim to tailor our support measures to the specific needs of students, such as access arrangements for students with dyslexia, orientation of training facilities for students with autism spectrum disorder and Page: 110 additional assistance in classroom learning for students with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder.”
“I would now like to thank Ms Chia Yong Yong for asking about the SEN Support Offices or SSO or Disability Support Offices or DSOs in our Institutes of Higher Learning or IHLs as well as capability development and manpower training to help make them more effective in supporting of students with SEN. These are the key initiatives to support our students with SEN in our IHLs. Every ITE college, polytechnic and publicly funded university now has an SSO that serves as a first-stop help point. The SSOs also administer the SEN Fund, which helps ITE Page: 109 and polytechnic students with physical or sensory impairment purchase Assistive Technology devices or support services. 4.45 pm More than 500 students have sought help from these offices. To enhance capability development, the SSOs in the polytechnics and ITE colleges meet every three months to share best practices. This month, Singapore Polytechnic will be hosting a workshop on Accessible Education by Brandman University's Office of Disability Services for the SSOs in all our IHLs. Our IHLs have also been actively conducting staff training on basic SEN awareness and support on campus since 2013. The training introduces IHL staff to a wide range of SEN and teaches classroom strategies to support students in their learning. In our polytechnics and ITEs, 1,500 staff members have been trained, including one in five of these institutions' academic staff. Over the next five years, our polytechnics and ITEs will work towards training all their academic staff in basic SEN awareness and support. Our universities also provide training opportunities for staff who interact with students with SEN.”
“We have also invested more to help students with dyslexia, and this has been shared by Minister Heng just now. We introduced the school-based Dyslexia Remediation or SDR Programme in 2012 and, since then, we have been scaling it up as quickly as we can. Along the way, we have refined our instructional methods and trained more instructors. This year sees the expansion of the SDR Programme to 60 additional schools and the programme will be made available to all primary schools in 2016. Support for children with SEN also comes in the form of allowing special arrangements for some of them sitting for national examinations and one example would be the Mother Tongue Language exemptions at PSLE that Mr Yee Jenn Jong spoke about. We have made special accommodations for a small group of students at PSLE who have compelling reasons for finding it hard to cope with MTLs. Among these students, some may have joined or re-joined the school system mid-stream without having learnt MTLs before. Others are students with certified medical conditions or SEN, such as dyslexia, autism spectrum disorder or ASD and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder or ADHD. Each exemption appeal citing medical grounds or SEN is carefully reviewed by an MOE panel comprising specialists who will consider submitted evidence such as medical reports, school reports, examination results and work samples. I wish to highlight that exemptions are not given lightly. If the child indeed has the condition cited in the application, exemption will be considered. And if the Member knows of instances where this is not so, he can provide us with the details and we will be sure to look into these cases.”
“On the Member's suggestions on supporting SEN in the mainstream schools, we constantly welcome feedback from VWOs, the community and other stakeholders for strengthening our models of provision for support. Such feedback has been very useful to us in the past and we will continue to seek feedback and refine what we are currently doing. On SEN, the Ministry is committed to uplifting the current level of support, with 10% to 20% of teachers in every mainstream school trained to have deeper knowledge and skills to support students with special needs. They work together with Allied Educators (Learning and Behavioural Support), otherwise known as AEDs (LBS), who have been posted to all primary schools and 69 secondary schools. I wish to thank several Members – Ms Chia Yong Yong, Ms Denise Phua and Dr Intan Azura – for expressing strong interest in our AEDs (LBS). I wish to share that MOE is Page: 108 committed to attracting, retaining and systematically training our AEDs (LBS). We have increased the numbers of AEDs (LBS) from 300 in 2010 to around 400 today. In addition, all newly recruited officers undergo a one-year full-time diploma in Special Education offered by the National Institute of Education or NIE before they are deployed. We also provide in-service professional development by sponsoring officers to attend the Advanced Diploma in Special Education and we will continue to review our AEDs (LBS) staffing to ensure adequacy of support for our students with SEN. I cannot agree more with our Members that, when doing so, we must always be careful, because it is important to recruit officers who have the right disposition, the right heart for our students with SEN and the potential to do a great job.”
“While the Council does not accredit the academic quality of programmes offered by PEIs, its regulatory framework aims to safeguard the interests of students and parents and to help them make more informed choices. The Council ensures minimum standards in corporate and academic governance, strengthens student fee protection measures and requires the PEIs to disclose key information on courses and teachers. Whenever cases involving privately-funded SPED schools come to the Council's attention, they are looked into carefully. The Council has also taken the appropriate steps to address issues at these schools and I wish to assure Ms Phua that we do not condone abuse or criminal misconduct in any of our PEIs, including private SPED schools. If any evidence of such conduct is uncovered, the matter will be referred to the Police. We also acknowledge the Member's concern for students who are at risk of being "left behind" and I wish to emphasise that MOE is committed to ensuring that all students have the opportunity to fulfil their potential. Minister Heng has touched on various measures including enhanced financial assistance. On the issue of a potential digital gap, I would like to share that our schools can loan computing devices to students from lower-income backgrounds. And on the issue of international exposure, our Trips for International Experience (TIE) initiative provide all students with the opportunity to embark on overseas learning programmes. Our schools, polytechnics and ITEs are also provided with an Opportunity Fund which can be used to subsidise computer purchases as well as overseas visits, student exchange programmes and school enrichment programmes for students from less advantaged backgrounds.”
“Last year, I attended Avvaiyar Vizha, an event organised by the Tamil Language Learning and Promotion Committee and the Tamil Language and Cultural Society to commemorate an influential female Tamil poet. I was heartened by how our schools worked together with community partners to promote greater awareness of Tamil literature and hone our students' skills in spoken Tamil. In response to Ms Denise Phua's question about the private Special Education or SPED schools, I will first describe the overall landscape of MOE's support for students with Special Educational Needs or SEN. MOE's broad approach is to support them in education settings most appropriate for their needs. Students who have the cognitive abilities and adaptive skills to learn in mainstream settings are provided for in our mainstream schools. Students who require intensive specialised assistance in their education to optimise learning and their potential for independent living are provided for in the 20 SPED schools funded by MOE and operated by Voluntary Welfare Organisations. The vast majority of our students with SEN are catered for in these two types of settings. A small number of private education institutions or PEIs offer full-time Special Education courses. The majority of students enrolled across these schools are non-Singaporeans. These schools do provide additional choice for some Singaporean parents too. Page: 107 While we will carefully consider the Member's proposal, these schools are currently regulated through the Private Education Act by the Council for Private Education, a statutory board under MOE.”
“For example, our teachers will guide students to discuss food items sold in the canteen and thereafter teach them how to use the relevant phrases and sentences. To reinforce what the students have learnt, our teachers will assign tasks for the students to complete by using the new phrases and sentences they have learned. Page: 106 Parents and teachers have given very positive feedback on this curriculum. They think that the curriculum's authentic and applied nature has captured the attention of the students. Ms Patricia Lua's child just started primary school this January. Ms Lua said that this curriculum has provided many opportunities for the children to engage in interactive dialogues and is conducive to developing the children's oral communication capability. Although her child has only been in Primary 1 for two months, he is already starting to speak more Mandarin as compared to before he started primary school and often shares what he learns in school with his parents at home in Mandarin. (In English): To reinforce what is taught in the classroom, we want our students to apply their MTL communication skills outside the classroom. MOE works with community partners to provide opportunities for students to do so and these activities reach out to more than 100,000 participants each year. Our teachers work with the Malay Language Learning and Promotion Committee to author and publish books under the Lower Primary Storybooks Project, so as to foster the love of reading among young children. Xinmin Secondary School collaborates with the Committee for the Promotion of Chinese Language and Learning and zbCOMMA 逗号 to organise the "CreateYour Own Newspaper" Competition for secondary schools.”
“The Member's speech highlights a key tension between extrinsic and intrinsic motivations in the learning of MTL. Extrinsic motivations like bonus points can be useful. They encourage students to persevere and stretch themselves. They also signal the importance that we place on our Mother Tongue Languages. However, over-reliance on these motivators can have drawbacks, for instance, ending up with situations where students stop putting in effort once the motivators are no longer there. On the other hand, intrinsic motivation nurtures self-directed learners who will maintain good communication skills in their MTLs over their lifetimes. Therefore, while extrinsic motivators like bonus points do exist, our core goal is to foster intrinsic motivation. We aim to teach the Mother Tongue Languages in fun and engaging ways that will interest our students. For instance, all our schools organise Mother Tongue Language Fortnights annually. These Fortnights are meant to provide opportunities for students to learn and use their MTLs in authentic contexts. In addition, we recognise that we are more likely to sustain our children's interest in the MTLs by leveraging on their instinctive feel for technology. To this end, we have introduced initiatives such as the Oracy eLand in 2011 and the iMTL Portal in 2013. Both are online portals that aim to teach students how to communicate in their MTLs through multimedia, games and interactive tasks. Mdm Chairperson, I would now like to say a few words in Mandarin. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] This year, MOE adopted the 2015 Primary School Mother Tongue Curriculum. This curriculum places emphasis on students' oral and written interaction skills, and on learning through authentic, everyday activities in our daily life.”
“Madam, Minister Heng spoke about the need for us to go beyond a narrow focus on grades and exams, and emphasise deep skills, holistic education, strong values and lifelong learning. We want an economy that is resilient and flexible as well as a society that is caring, harmonious and cohesive. I will now speak on how the Ministry of Education (MOE) seeks to realise our vision in the areas of bilingualism and support for students with special education needs. Earlier, Minister Heng and Senior Minister of State Indranee Rajah acknowledged the points made by Mr Hri Kumar on language and communication skills. Because language and communication are integral to what we are trying to achieve for our students, I think his points bear being acknowledged by the third speaker from MOE. English, our working language, provides a common platform for Singaporeans of all races and backgrounds to interact with and understand one another. Spoken English is also a key competency for the global economy. MOE is committed to improving our students' proficiency in it. We have created more opportunities for primary school students to speak, ask questions and interact in class through the implementation of the Strategies for English Page: 105 Language Learning and Reading (STELLAR) Programme in 2010. We increased the weightage of the listening and speaking components of the GCE "N" and "O" level English Language examinations in 2013. Our pre-university students must offer Project Work, which emphasises group discussion and requires students to make an oral presentation as part of their assessment. Our Mother Tongue Languages (MTLs) are an anchor to our Asian culture and traditional values and provide a foundation for our students to acquire cross-cultural competencies.”
“We are talking about Education Officers. That is the figure that has been given. In terms of prospects for non-graduates who wish to enter the teaching service, I would like to highlight that when the Ministry of Education (MOE) recruits teachers, two factors are very important to us. First, would be mastery of academic content and the second one would be whether the person has the passion and the correct disposition to teach. Both factors are important. We will continue to focus on hiring graduates. We will also continue to bring in strong non-graduate recruits whom we believe will make good teachers. Page: 37”
“Mdm Speaker, may I ask the Member to clarify his first question? What does he mean by "supplementary schemes"?”
“Mdm Speaker, from 2012 to 2014, we have recruited a total of 663 non-graduates for the teaching service and they comprised 17% of newly recruited teachers over the past three years.”
“Madam, I do not have data of the first sort that Dr Chia has asked about. I would imagine that in some of these cases, if customers do notice inappropriate music being played, that at least in some of these cases, they would be able to resolve it bilaterally with the business or the retail outlet that is concerned. As for his suggestion of whether we are considering putting in a feedback or surveillance system, we do not have plans to do so at the moment. I think that we would always be prepared to look at cases where if the consumer has tried to bring it to the attention to the management of the business premises in the first place, but perhaps did not get satisfaction, we would always be prepared to look at it if they were to raise it to us.”
“Public education and awareness have a larger role to play in such instances, than does regulation.”
“Madam, as the media regulator, MDA regulates: (a) the playing of songs over the radio; (b) music sold at retail outlets; and (c) songs performed in concerts. The first two are co-regulated, whereby broadcasters and retailers take guidance from and abide by MDA's Free-To-Air Radio Programme Code and Guidelines for Audio Materials, respectively. Concerts are classified under arts entertainment licences issued by MDA. MDA's regulatory focus is on songs that denigrate race and religion, or those that promote drug-taking, anti-social behaviour, crime or violence. It is not practical for MDA to extend its regulatory ambit to all public places which play songs as background music, such as retail outlets and shopping malls. Doing so would be burdensome and disproportionate to the risk involved. Even if rules were created to regulate such businesses, it would preferably be based on a co-regulatory model, which would still require businesses to exercise their own judgement based on a set of guidelines drawn up by MDA. Therefore, I would encourage retailers, shops and malls which play music within their premises to exercise common sense and social responsibility in their selection of music, and ensure that the songs played in their premises will not cause offence to their customers. In a recent case, a customer had noticed inappropriate music being played at a fashion retail store and spoken up against it. I am glad to note that, according to news reports, the retailer has acknowledged the mistake and apologised. This incident shows that the common sense and civic-mindedness of the public is important in highlighting such issues for their satisfactory resolution. We can all play a part in catching and preventing prejudice in our society.”
“I thank Mrs Chiam for her supplementary questions. In terms of postage rate increases over the years, I would like to reiterate what I have shared with the House just now, which is that postal rates have not increased for the last eight years. As for the profit increases that Mrs Chiam had alluded to, in SingPost's case, the bulk of it actually came from the unregulated mail as well as the unregulated business sectors that are not related to post. In terms of whether or not we foresee another round of increases, I think the principles that IDA uses to evaluate any such possible increase is that we need to look at the impact of the cost and the various drivers of the regulated mail segment. In submitting their case for this particular round of postal rate increases, SingPost has made references to, for instance, increase in labour costs and the cost that they have to pay to international post operators. IDA has felt that these are relevant to the regulated mail sector. The assurance to the House is that we would look very carefully at the reasons that the operator gives for requesting for a round of postal rate increases. We are also very careful about the impact on consumers. This includes not just the postal rates, but also what kinds of service improvements we can expect out of it. As for the plans for investing the $100 million into service improvements, I do not have a staged timeline, but my understanding is that SingPost is keen to do this as quickly as possible. This includes service quality improvements, postal infrastructure improvements and it also involves more deliveries. My understanding is that they would like to implement this as quickly as possible. Page: 11”
“(proc text)] [(proc text) Bill accordingly read a Second time and committed to a Committee of the whole House. (proc text)] [(proc text) The House immediately resolved itself into a Committee on the Bill. – [Ms Sim Ann.] (proc text)] [(proc text) Bill considered in Committee; reported without amendment; read a Third time and passed. (proc text)] Page: 78”
“The Ministry's intent is for PSEA donations, if any, to go towards the general advancement of education, and not to specific entities or causes, as there are already considerable Page: 77 fundraising platforms for these specific entities or causes. I also want to thank Mr Yee Jenn Jong for his suggestions with regard to the use of Edusave contributions for students not enrolled in prescribed schools. Mr Yee talked about the comparative lack of scale in, for instance, madrasahs or privately-funded schools and for students who are being homeschooled, and shared his concerns that vendors who provide education services might then not rush to provide services to these students. Madam, I wish to highlight that the Edusave contributions represent a form of additional resources for the education providers, which may be the schools in the case of students in prescribed schools, or, for those who are not in prescribed schools, it would be the institutions that they are enrolled in or their parents, to provide enrichment activities that support holistic education. These activities may or may not be carried out by vendors. The intention is to extend the Edusave contributions now to all Singaporeans who are aged seven to 16. I understand the Member's concern about difference in scale. The extension of Edusave contributions is not meant, on its own, to equalise all conditions between students in different kinds of educational arrangements. Indeed, our preference remains for students to undergo the national education system where they can grow up together with other Singaporeans. As to the Member's other suggestions with regard to more interactions, this is something we will look into. [(proc text) Question put, and agreed to.”
“Mdm Speaker, please allow me to thank Dr Intan Azura and Mr Yee Jenn Jong for speaking in support of the Bill. I am heartened by their support for the provision of additional funding for enrichment activities in support of holistic development of our children. So, allow me to address some of the specific concerns and comments which have been raised. First, Dr Intan Azura asked whether the amount of Edusave contributions that will be received by these expanded categories of Singaporean children are similar to those in the prescribed schools. Mdm Speaker, I have mentioned earlier in the speech that, indeed, the amount that these children will receive will be pegged to what typical students of the same age group in prescribed schools receive. So, I think that addresses Dr Intan's concern. The Member has also asked whether homeschoolers will be allowed to use their Edusave monies for enrichment activities. Mdm Speaker, Edusave contributions are intended to provide students with an additional source of funding for enrichment activities organised by their education providers in support of holistic education. For children who are homeschooled, the education providers are their parents, as recognised in the Compulsory Education Act. Thus, Edusave can be used to fund enrichment activities organised by their parents. These parents will make their claims directly to MOE. Details on the permitted usage will be set out in the regulations under the Act. Dr Intan has also asked about the feasibility of giving account holders the flexibility to donate their PSEA monies to any charity registered with the Commissioner of Charities. Madam, allow me here to clarify the Ministry's policy intent with regard to PSEA monies.”