Sun Xueling
Singapore
“We are deploying electric vehicle (EV) chargers in tandem with growing demand, within the constraints of space and electricity. As EV technology is continuously improving, we are also mindful not to overbuild as chargers can become obsolete quickly.”
“I thank Member Dr Choo Pei Ling for raising feedback from her Tengah residents. Currently, two multi-storey car parks in Tengah have EV chargers, and LTA subsidiary, EV-Electric (EVe) Charging Pte Ltd, is in the process of deploying EV chargers in another eight multi-storey car parks in Tengah.”
“The Government targets to deploy 60,000 electric vehicle (EV) charging points by 2030, which comprise 40,000 in public car parks, and 20,000 in private premises. As of March 2026, there are 30,500 EV charging points deployed in Singapore. We are on track to achieving our 2030 target in tandem with the growing demand for EVs.”
“In 2025, about 30% of Build-To-Order (BTO) blocks were completed earlier than their estimated completion dates at the point of flat booking. On average, these blocks were completed about two months earlier.”
“Yes, thank you. We agree with Dr Neo that it is important to bring together the wider ecosystem and we will consult all stakeholders. The Ministry of Transport's immediate focus is to drive the usage of drones more extensively, especially by the public sector and this is because we already have many potential use cases.”
“I thank the Member for her question. Earlier, I mentioned in my reply that the HDB notifies buyers at three junctures. This is to give buyers adequate time to plan. And that is why it is at the one year before, six months before and three months before.”
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“Today, working mothers who need to recuperate after a miscarriage are given medical leave. These working mothers can also use their annual leave and some companies may also offer compassionate leave. The Bill takes reference from the Registration of Births and Deaths Act (RBDA) in defining a stillbirth as one occurring after the 28th week of pregnancy. As the Member is aware, the new RBDA was recently passed in Parliament. A stillborn child is now defined to mean a child delivered after the 22nd week of pregnancy. When the new RBDA comes into effect, the CDCA will also take on this interpretation. Parents will become eligible for birth-linked leave and benefits if their child is stillborn after the 22nd week of pregnancy. I agree with Mr Saktiandi Supaat and Mr Yip Hon Weng that families require further support as they recover physically and emotionally from the loss of a child, whether through a stillbirth or a miscarriage. We encourage families in need to seek help. Families may also approach Family Service Centres for support on socio-emotional issues. Assoc Prof Jamus Lim has asked whether shared parental leave could be extended to fathers who have also experienced a stillbirth. I thank the Member for sharing his stories and my heart goes out to him and his family. I would like to clarify that shared parental leave will be extended to these fathers if their wives have elected to share the leave. They will also be entitled to paternity leave and GPPB. To the Member's query as to whether an adoptive father qualifies for leave and benefits, currently, paternity leave applies to both biological and adoptive fathers. Adoptive fathers will also qualify for the new GPPB scheme.”
“Most recently, in 2017, we made the second week of paternity leave mandatory and shared parental leave was extended from one to four weeks. In total, fathers may take up to eight weeks of leave in the child’s first year, which they can use to spend time with both mother and child. Active fatherhood is on the rise. Over the years, paternity leave take-up has increased markedly. In 2013, only 25% of fathers took up paternity leave. In 2019, the proportion has increased to a healthy 55%. The introduction of GPPB is also a recognition of the Government's support for fathers who may be in less conventional working arrangements. Despite these improvements, there is still some way to go. I encourage more fathers to take their leave, but in order for fathers to do so, mindsets will have to shift and this can only happen over time. One key contributor is whether fathers feel supported in the workplace and I encourage employers to implement more family-friendly practices like flexible working arrangements. I assure Mr Louis Ng that MSF is often in close consultation with our community partners, such as the Families for Life or the Centre for Fathering, which drives the Dads for Life movement to encourage active fathering. MSF takes the building of strong marriages and families seriously. We will continue to push through this effort with our partners. Mr Louis Ng and Mr Yip Hon Weng have asked for leave to be extended to couples who suffer miscarriages, as they will need to recover. Mr Louis Ng, in particular, suggested that the Government could extend partial reimbursement to employers who provide leave benefits to couples who have a miscarriage. I understand the Members' concern, as miscarriages are unfortunate events.”
“Likewise, we also do not require parents to submit information about the number of children they have when processing claims for Leave and Benefits schemes that do not vary with the birth order. Parents also need not submit information on other grants that they have received. In this regard, we seek the Member's understanding that we must balance the need for policy review with making our claim and application processes citizen-centric and efficient. Mr Saktiandi Supaat requested that the GPPB and GPAB application date of 1 December 2021 be brought forward. I seek the Member's understanding that we require time to make the necessary amendments to subsidiary legislation and to also enhance the IT system to support the schemes. Ms Yeo Wan Ling has suggested a review of current schemes to better reflect the principle of shared parental duties, such as through the extension of Working Mother's Child Relief (WMCR) and Grandparent Caregiver Relief (GCR) to fathers. These schemes aim to encourage married women to continue working after childbirth, rather than provide general assistance to families. Families can benefit from other parenthood-related tax benefits, such as Qualifying Child Relief (QCR) and Parenthood Tax Rebate (PTR). She also suggested that exclusive, non-transferrable parental leave be equalised between mothers and fathers. Ms Nadia Ahmad Samdin stated that more exclusive paternity leave would be a strong signal, so that couples do not have to make tough decisions. Mr Louis Ng has also asked for a phased increase of paternity leave. We know that children benefit from having involved fathers who are committed to their growth and development. Today, fathers can already benefit from a series of leave enhancements made over the years.”
“I hope that my explanation will reassure working parents who are self-employed, that they, too, should apply for the Leave and Benefits schemes. To Mr Gan Thiam Poh's point that the amounts reimbursed to employers or paid out in the form of benefits may vary from person to person, this is correct. For employees on the leave schemes, they will continue to receive their salaries for the duration of their leave and, for the Government-paid portion, this would be subject to the reimbursement caps. For those who do not qualify for leave but are eligible for the benefits schemes, they will receive a payout from the Government equivalent to the Government-paid portion of leave, pro-rated based on their economic activity in the 12 months preceding the child's date of birth or the eligibility date for an adopted child. The more a parent has worked in the 12 months before the birth of the child or eligibility date for an adopted child, the more benefits he or she will be eligible for. Our Leave and Benefits schemes are intended to support bona fide working parents and, therefore, the support granted will differ based on the parents' employment arrangement and economic activity. Mr Gan Thiam Poh has also requested for additional data on the various schemes. While having more data-points will bolster our understanding of family needs, as a general principle, MSF does not require information for claims and applications above and beyond what is necessary to determine eligibility and entitlement. This avoids burdening employers and working parents excessively. For instance, household income is not needed to determine the quantum of Baby Bonus benefits, as the scheme does not vary with income.”
“For self-employed parents without a Notice of Assessment, I can assure Members that MSF will consider other documents which can serve as proof of income to facilitate our assessment. These could include bank statements, contracts for services or invoices. Ms Nadia Ahmad Samdin asked about the application process for the new Government-Paid Paternity Benefit (GPPB) and the Government-Paid Adoption Benefit (GPAB) schemes. Mr Saktiandi Supaat also asked about the application process for parents who have been retrenched but have unconsumed leave and want to apply for a benefits top-up. Generally, the application process is similar to an application under the existing Government-Paid Maternity Benefits scheme, which is done at MSF's "profamilyleave" website. Parents will need to submit all their employment contracts for the period of 12 months immediately preceding their child's date of birth or eligibility date for an adopted child and their payslips for the employments or the latest Notice of Assessment. They will also need to submit the retrenchment letter. The amount that a parent receives will be derived from the average income earned over the 12 months preceding the child's date of birth or eligibility date for an adopted child. For parents who require more details and fellow Members who meet residents with these queries, I encourage you to visit the "profamilyleave" website, which has information on the eligibility criteria, application procedures and payment for the various schemes. MSF is also happy to render assistance to parents who require help in navigating the process. Mr Gam Thiam Poh raised a good point that we do not want self-employed persons to be left out.”
“Broadly, a self-employed man or woman is a resident of Singapore who engages in or carries on any trade, business, profession or vocation other than employment under a contract of service and derives income from such trade, business, profession or vocation. Freelancers and gig workers fall within this definition, as do delivery drivers. To be clear, self-employed persons can qualify for payment under either the Leave or Benefits schemes. Their employment arrangement is the one that will determine which scheme they qualify under. To Ms Carrie Tan's queries on how self-employed parents' leave claims are assessed and Mr Yip Hon Weng's query on whether the application and approval processes are automated, let me illustrate with an example. Self-employed mothers can submit maternity leave claims at MSF's "profamilyleave" website. They have to provide basic information, such as their personal particulars and their child's, as well as their occupation and period of inactivity from work. To avoid over-burdening applicants, we require only critical information to enable assessment. In most cases, they do not need to submit documents at this point of application but are required to declare that the information provided is accurate. We have automated the process, as much as possible. We will verify against available data in the Government database that the eligibility criteria are met, for example, that the applicant's child is a Singapore Citizen. If eligible, the applicant will be entitled to payment from the Government for the Government-paid portion of leave, based on one's lost income, as capped by the limits set out in legislation. In determining the amount, we will look at the relevant Notice of Assessment, which is prescribed in the subsidiary legislation.”
“To this end, we have significantly increased the number of full-day places, from about 120,000 in 2015 to around 190,000 today, an increase of over 50%. To answer Mr Yip Hon Weng's query, in spite of the COVID-19 situation, we are on track to grow the number of full-day places to over 200,000 by 2023. Mr Yip Hon Weng also asked about the accessibility of preschool places for parents who have switched to hybrid or remote working. Today, almost 70% of all childcare centres and over 95% of Anchor Operator childcare centres are located in residential estates, as families have, generally, expressed a preference for childcare services close to their homes. Going forward, we will continue to build more preschool places in tandem with upcoming HDB developments where there are more new families. ECDA closely monitors local preschool enrolment and availability and regularly reviews its plans. Should local demand shift and exceed earlier expectations, ECDA would work with preschools and HDB to look into activating more void deck and communal spaces for centre extensions, where available. Members such as Ms Carrie Tan, Mr Saktiandi Supaat, Ms Nadia Ahmad Samdin and Mr Yip Hon Weng, have asked for clarity on the application process and how claims and payouts under the Government-Paid Leave Schemes and Benefits are assessed. In particular, Ms Carrie Tan and Mr Saktiandi Supaat have asked how self-employed persons' leave claims are assessed. Let me first address Mr Saktiandi Supaat's query on how we define self-employed persons, which relates to how we assess their claims.”
“And parents are able to withdraw from CDA, as needed, to defray educational and healthcare expenses at approved institutions, as compared to CPF. There are dedicated schemes that low-income families can turn to, if they need social assistance, and such families can approach our Social Service Offices (SSOs), which stand ready to render help. Our SSOs will assess their households' needs and circumstances and provide assistance accordingly. For instance, families who require support with their basic living expenses can receive ComCare financial assistance if they meet the criteria and SSOs may also refer families to other Government agencies and community partners, such as Family Service Centres, for further support. Mr Gan Thiam Poh asked that we consider waiving the employment criterion for Leave and Benefits schemes, in consideration of stay-at-home parents. For example, a cash grant could be given to a stay-at-home parent. The Leave and Benefits schemes are meant to support working parents in managing their work and caregiving responsibilities, without having to leave the workforce. Nonetheless, we value the contributions of stay-at-home parents, as they, too, play a fundamental role in nurturing the next generation of Singaporeans. As such, we have put in place other support schemes that Singaporean children and their families can receive, regardless of their parents' working status, including the Baby Bonus Scheme, the MediSave Grant for Newborns and the Foreign Domestic Worker Levy Concession. One of the Government's key priorities is to ensure that parents have access to quality and affordable preschools for their children.”
“This feature first requires parents to deposit into CDA to receive Government co-matching, which may be challenging for some low-income parents who may not have the means to set aside enough to save into CDA. In 2016, we introduced the CDA First Step Grant, which is a $3,000 deposit when CDA is opened, without parents having to save first. This is granted to all Singaporean children, regardless of their parents' marital or income status. I am glad that some community partners have also stepped forward to help families save more into CDA by making deposits into the accounts of children from low-income families. These contributions will qualify for Government co-matching and we encourage them to continue to do so. The Government also provides adhoc top-ups to CDA. For example, as part of the Household Support Package announced at Budget this year, all Singaporean children aged six and under in 2021 will receive a $200 top-up to their CDA from September this year. The CDA remains open for 12 years. Therefore, parents have a substantial amount of time to deposit money into CDA to maximise the co-matching caps and should plan to do so at their own pace. Assoc Prof Jamus Lim has asked why there are no legislative provisions to clearly set out the interest rates that apply to CDA. We welcome his wholehearted endorsement of CPF and its very generous, risk-free returns. CDA's interest rates are determined by banks but have, generally, been higher than a normal savings account. On top of this, despite CDA being a bank account, the Government provides co-matching. Monies in CDA are intended to support the child's growth and development during their early years, in contrast to CPF, which helps support Singaporeans in their retirement years.”
“In 2017, we extended support to unwed mothers for maternity leave under the CDCA. For unwed fathers who are the main caregivers of their children, MSF also evaluates their requests for paternity leave on a case-by-case basis. Members have also raised that more benefits could be extended to single unwed parents. Single unwed parents who require further help can approach our Social Service Offices and Family Service Centres. For other benefits, such as the Baby Bonus Cash Gift and parenthood-related tax benefits, these continue to be targeted to encourage parenthood within marriage. We acknowledge Members' concerns about single unwed parents and we will do what we can to support them based on their needs. I also hope to assure Members that, together with other agencies, we regularly review how we can better support them. For single unwed parents who require further support, they can also look to the SPIN programme, which can help improve their access to information and resources. Ms Carrie Tan shared that there was a need to look into better enforcement of child support payments so as to reiterate that accountability to a child is independent of marital status. The Member will be happy to note that the duty of a parent to maintain his or her child is already provided for under the Women's Charter, regardless of whether the child is legitimate or illegitimate. Unwed mothers are, therefore, already able to apply to the Court for maintenance of a child from the father. Ms Carrie Tan and Mr Gan Thiam Poh also shared that some low-income parents may not be able to fully maximise the co-matching feature of CDA.”
“Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. To all Members who have spoken on the Bill, I am grateful for your support of the Bill and the queries raised. Many of us continue to place emphasis on ensuring an environment that supports families. We are united in this effort. Many Members also recognised that it is a complex task to balance the many interests and considerations at hand when it comes to decisions on whether new policies should be introduced and if enhancements should be made to existing schemes. Some have alluded to the many factors at play and I am glad that they appreciate the balance the Government must strike. We have to safeguard taxpayers' monies and allocate as fairly as we can, knowing that any policy decision made has an indelible impact across multiple stakeholders. Let me touch on the points raised in turn. Members, such as Ms Carrie Tan, Ms Yeo Wan Ling, Ms Nadia Ahmad Samdin, Mr Louis Ng, Mr Yip Hon Weng and Mr Desmond Choo, have suggested that more could be done for single unwed parents. I respect their views and I thank Member Louis Ng for sharing what I had said in Parliament before. Over the years, all Government benefits that support the caregiving, growth and development of children have been equalised. I had highlighted in my opening speech the suite of measures that all Singaporean children can access. These include subsidies in healthcare, education, childcare and infant care, as well as the MediSave Grant for Newborns, MediShield Life coverage from birth and the Foreign Domestic Worker Levy Concession. In 2016, we further extended the Child Development Account (CDA) to children of single unwed parents, which includes the CDA First Step Grant and matched co-savings from the Government.”
“It might also worsen family relationships which sometimes are the underlying reasons why the vulnerable person is doing what he or she is doing. On the third point that the Member raised, which is on the ComCare hotline, I will bring it back to MSF to discuss with them. At the end of the day, I would like to assure the Member that if there are vulnerable persons and individuals who need to communicate their issues in the vernacular language, we will make sure that we have an MSF SSO officer who is able to do so and to extend the help that is necessary to him or her.”
“I thank the Member for her supplementary questions. I agree that, where necessary and where possible, MSF would invest more in communications to ensure that the vulnerable in our community know where and how they can get help. I had earlier spent some time talking about befriending and MSF is very grateful to our various partners such as Central CDC and other befrienders who have worked with us. Because we know that many of the vulnerable may not have a fixed abode, they may be moving from point to point. And like what the Member mentioned, they may not automatically just walk into an SSO to seek help. That is why we rely on our network of partners in the community to reach out to them, so that they see a physical face, trust is built, relationships are built. And in so doing, some of these vulnerables may be more open to sharing about their underlying problems. Only then, can we really address the root issues that led them to the current situation. The second point that the Member raised about public education, indeed, is a very important point. I know that there are members of the public who feel that they may be helping the vulnerable by taking a photo, putting up a video. But I would urge that members of the public to be cautious when doing so. The most appropriate and effective way really is to introduce, to direct these vulnerable persons to our SSO officer so that professional help is given to the vulnerable persons. Because when you put up a video or a photo, apart from the fact that you might be infringing on the privacy as well as confidentiality of the vulnerable person, sometimes you may be bringing unwanted attention to the vulnerable person which may or may not lead to better outcomes for the person.”
“Mdm Deputy Speaker, the National Schools Games involves intermingling of students from different schools in largely mask-off settings. As such, the Ministry of Education (MOE) takes a calibrated approach to the resumption of the games to ensure the safety and well-being of our students. Earlier this year, MOE announced the cancellation of the remaining National Schools Games for 2021 due to an increase in the number of COVID-19 cases in our community. Our current plan is to resume all sports in the National Schools Games, in a phased approach, next year in 2022. As majority of our secondary school and junior college and Millennia Institute students would have been vaccinated, we aim to resume all sports for the National Schools Games for this group of students first. As for primary school students, the pace of resumption would depend on whether younger students would be eligible to be vaccinated. If not, we would need to exercise greater caution. For this group of students, similar to what was practised earlier this year, we will resume with low-risk non-contact sports such as badminton, table tennis, tennis and volleyball before higher risk contact sports such as basketball, football, hockey and rugby are considered. If necessary, we will make modifications to the games and competition format to mitigate some of the risk involved in these games. As inter-school games and sports competitions like the National Schools Games are key student development experiences, integral to our students’ holistic development and overall sense of well-being, we would want to resume these activities as soon as we can and when it is safe to do so.”
“I thank the Member for her question. MOE has been promoting the concept of multiple pathways to success and not just in relation to Full SBB. I think we heard the response from Minister Maliki earlier as well. There is a continuous conversation and continuous encouragement to society – parents, stakeholders and community partners alike – to expand the way we look at success and acknowledge multiple pathways of success. And this is to help our students develop a growth mindset and also alleviate any mental well-being concerns that may arise from academic stress. So, it is a continuous effort and it requires really a whole-of-society effort.”
“The Ministry of Education (MOE) works closely with the 28 secondary schools piloting Full Subject-Based Banding, or Full SBB, in all aspects of the implementation, including the socio-emotional development and the well-being of our students. The pilot has started last year and we are monitoring the implementation closely. Feedback is collected through surveys and focus group discussions with students and teachers so that we know how Full SBB is impacting student well-being, social and learning experiences and outcomes. Findings from the first year of implementation indicate that students in the pilot schools have a more diverse network of friends drawn from across the different courses, compared to schools that have yet to implement Full SBB. They form stronger friendships based on common interests and treat their peers with respect regardless of course. It is early days yet, but there are also indications of more students adopting growth mindsets. MOE will continue to work closely with schools implementing Full SBB in the coming years to better understand the impact of Full SBB.”
“I thank the Member for her question. I think I have answered the question in my main reply, which is there are plans to double the AOPs' provision of Malay and Tamil Language education to about 350 centres by 2022. And this was already announced by the Ministry of Social and Family Development and ECDA in 2018. I would also like to clarify that the Member had referred to MOE. I think there is a need for us to distinguish between MOE Kindergartens and childcare centres. So, as I mentioned in my main reply, all MOE Kindergartens offer all three Mother Tongue Languages.”
“I thank the Member for his question. I am not sure what specific website or source the Member is referring to. But based on the information that I have, there are a total of 97 licensed preschool centres within the Sengkang planning area, of which 95 offer Chinese language, 28 offer Malay language and 10 offer Tamil language. If there is a need for a further clarification of these numbers, I would be happy to take this up with the Member offline.”
“The IHLs constantly seek feedback from their students to review and improve these education efforts, such as through post-module surveys. Mr Speaker, Sir, protection against sexual violence is not just about what we do in schools and it also goes beyond a whole-of-Government effort. It requires a whole-of-society effort. As parents, we need to be there for our children, to provide guidance and impart values of respect and responsibility. We know that conversations with our children on sexuality matters is not easy. But, by not doing so, the Internet will fill this vacuum. MOE and our schools are committed to supporting parents to have these important conversations on sexuality. We also need to work with tech companies and the media so that it is clear that our society takes a "zero-tolerance" stand towards toxic, violent and unhealthy relationships. The laws in Singapore have also been updated to reflect new societal issues and problems such as tech-enabled crimes. With the concerted effort of parents, schools, community, tech companies and media and a legal regime that deters sexual offences, we can journey alongside our young people and support them in the best possible way.”
“We acknowledge that sexuality-related issues are complex and multi-faceted and we know that sexuality education lessons involve highlighting issues that are important and relevant to our young people, and that we need to create a safe space for them to have honest conversations and to hear multiple perspectives from one another. At the end of the day, we hope to empower our students so that they can understand themselves better and make responsible decisions. Our Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs) have also stepped up education and engagement efforts in recent years on important topics such as respect and appropriate behaviour. This is achieved through multiple channels, including student briefings during orientation, online modules, face-to-face workshops and awareness-building campaigns. All students are expected to abide by their institutions' Codes of Conduct, which set out the expectations for respect and appropriate behaviour. The Autonomous Universities (AUs) have also implemented or are in the process of implementing compulsory education modules on respect and appropriate behaviour. First, students learn about the key elements of respect and appropriate behaviour. For example, in NUS' education module, students learn that consent must be actively communicated and given freely and voluntarily. For those living in hostels, these learning points are reinforced through compulsory face-to-face workshops and peer discussions. Next, students learn what constitutes sexual misconduct and harassment. Third, students are informed of the various reporting channels and support networks. They also learn how they can be an active bystander and protect themselves while doing so.”
“In Secondary schools and at the pre-university level, students engage in conversations on the importance of respecting boundaries of self and others, and through different scenarios, learn to identify risks and stand up to peer pressure. These lessons also give them opportunities to practise negotiating boundaries for themselves and others, and the social-emotional and legal consequences if they overstep these boundaries. Through authentic examples, students are guided to consider how respect looks like for both boys and girls. Students become more conscious of their own attitudes and regard for members of the opposite gender and learn that their choice of words and actions, whether online or offline, makes a significant difference in creating a safe and respectful community for everyone. Let me give you an example. In our refreshed upper Secondary lessons, students consider how respectful and healthy relationships look like. Using a scenario of a girl's intimate photos being posted online, with boys making lewd and disrespectful remarks about the girl, students discuss what it would feel like for the girl. Through this lesson, students discuss the harm that can ensue through what may appear as harmless banter and jokes and what it feels like to be objectified in this manner. Topics and scenarios that are discussed in class include recognising red flags and seeking help for oneself and for friends. Teachers use video re-enactments and screenshots so that students are guided to understand what sexual grooming and sexual abuse are and how they are protected by the law. Teachers also clearly communicate the law to our students for them to understand who and what the law seeks to protect.”
“Our sexuality education teachers are specially selected and trained, so that they can facilitate discussions with sensitivity. From the roll-out of the Sexuality Education curriculum in 2014, to the enhancement of content on safety and protection from abuse in 2016 and the launch of the CCE 2021 curriculum this year, we have been updating our content to ensure that they remain relevant towards sexuality matters. We considered emerging trends, local and international research, input from specialists in relevant fields and our local context, and also, importantly, feedback from our youths on their concerns and how they want to be meaningfully engaged. These may sound new to those of us who did not go through this new curriculum nor experience these new teaching delivery methods, but we recognise that there are new challenges that our youths are facing and we are committed to partner them in their adulting journey. From as young as Primary 1, students learn about personal safety and protection from abuse. For example, they learn what is a good touch versus a bad touch. Through carefully designed and developmentally appropriate CCE lessons, they are taught to recognise sexual abuse and harassment. They learn skills to protect themselves both in the physical and online space and know the laws that protect them. In a Primary 5 lesson on sexual abuse, students will walk through different scenarios to figure out if a particular action or situation may be a possible case of sexual abuse. Also, we hope that by sharing with our students about different ways to seek help, it will encourage them to approach a trusted adult when required.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, we thank the Member for agreeing with us that sexuality education is important. MOE takes a serious view on sexual violence. The safety of our students is of paramount importance and concern to us. I have answered several Parliamentary Questions on this before which reflects the concerns that Members have, and I appreciate their views. We are disturbed to read about young children who have been victims of sexual abuse, by both familiar people in their lives and strangers. It is heart-wrenching to see how young people were misled, groomed or threatened into compliance by their perpetrators. Addressing sexual violence requires a whole-of-society approach and Body Safety Awareness programmes in our pre-schools, and Sexuality Education in our schools and Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs) are all part of this effort. It is important to educate our young so that they learn how to be protected against sexual violence and also know the punishment should they become perpetrators of sexual violence themselves. The revised Nurturing Early Learners Framework, which covers children aged four to six, places a strong emphasis on the development of children's social and emotional competencies and include topics such as body safety practices. For example, recognising safe and unsafe body touch. Sexuality Education is an important part of Character and Citizenship Education (CCE) and that is why we regularly review and refine the way we teach it. Sexuality Education aims to equip students with age-appropriate knowledge and skills to maintain safe and healthy relationships and recognise risks. It is based on values that reflect Singapore's mainstream society so that students can make informed and responsible decisions on sexuality matters.”
“I thank the Member for her question. There is no place for degrading behaviour in our schools and IHLs, even if the students were to find it fun. I think this is not something that we encourage. The schools emphasise Character and Citizenship Education (CCE) and we are rolling this out starting from Primary schools to Secondary schools and our IHLs. During CCE, our students are taught the values of respect, about care, empathy. They are also taught to recognise boundaries, how to manage personal boundaries and, when their actions overstep them, they are reminded that, should such behaviours be displayed, there can be disciplinary and even legal consequences, if such cases are reported to the Police.”
“I thank the Member for the supplementary question. Indeed, every bullying incident is one too many. When there are reported incidents, the disciplinary committee teachers will conduct a disciplinary inquiry. They will pair disciplinary measures with counselling, if necessary, and, if there is a need for disciplinary action, they can take a range of penalties, for instance, from corrective work orders to suspension and, if the student perpetrator is a source of threat and danger to other students, they can consider expulsion, if necessary.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the Ministry of Education (MOE) takes a serious view of bullying and hazing, and works with schools to send a clear message to all students that hurtful behaviour has no place in our schools. The number of bullying incidents reported in 2019 was about two incidents per 1,000 primary students and five incidents per 1,000 secondary students. These remained the same in 2020. Schools monitor the cyber environment to the best of their abilities, taking both educative, preventive and intervention measures to address any bullying incidents. Schools educate students to be kind and responsible. When schools come across incidents of hurtful behaviour online, they take immediate action to investigate the incident, carry out appropriate disciplinary actions and provide counselling support for the students involved. Peer support leaders also help to keep online spaces safe and positive and alert teachers when needed. All students are taught the safe channels to report serious incidents, inappropriate practices or hurtful behaviours. Character is a key consideration in the selection process of student leaders and other student helpers for camps. Camp activities are supervised by teachers, and student leaders and helpers are removed from their leadership positions and disciplined if there is wrongdoing. They will also be guided to learn from their mistakes.”
“I thank the Member Mr Louis Chua for his clarification. Indeed, the point that he mentioned was exactly one of the points that myself and my colleagues, Rahayu Mahzam, Cheryl Chan and Cheng Li Hui, made in our Position Paper in 2019. And thereafter the Government made a promise that we will look at making pre-schools more accessible, more affordable, and of course, that they are quality pre-schools. For new estates, like Sengkang, like Punggol, if you look at childcare's capacity, it has more than doubled in Sengkang and Punggol in the past five years from about 11,000 in 2015 to over 23,000 places today. But I take the point that many young families would like to have a childcare as close as possible where it is logically and logistically possible because we also have to look at void deck space and the facilities that are available. But as a matter of principle, the Government knows the needs of young families and where it is possible, as we ramp up the total number of childcare places, we will have them in accessible locations for young families.”
“Regardless of their family background and difficulties they face, we want to create an inclusive and warm school environment for them, so that every child can thrive, overcome the challenges in their lives and education, and develop to their full potential. This requires the concerted effort of all of us. Thank you!”
“During the conversations, participants raised various concerns, such as challenges faced by working mothers and violence against women. We will continue to gather feedback and study the suggestions put forward by the participants and submit a White Paper to Parliament in the second half of the year. In the area of pre-school education, we are stepping up our efforts to provide more accessible, affordable and quality pre-schools. We will increase the number of Government-supported pre-school places, to meet the target set in 2019, of 80% of pre-schoolers having a place in Government-supported pre-schools by around 2025. At the same time, we will work towards every pre-school appointing an Inclusion Coordinator to provide early intervention support for children with developmental needs. We will also expand the Development Support- Learning Support Programme and pilot a new Inclusive Support Programme to help children who travel daily between pre-school and Early Intervention Programme for Infants & Children centres. We will also further support low-income families with young children. We will expand KidSTART this year to benefit low-income families living in Choa Chu Kang, Bukit Panjang and Bukit Batok. An important part of the programme is to ensure that young children are adequately nourished. Under KidSTART, practitioners will work directly with parents to guide them on their children's nutritional needs. Our community and corporate partners will also come in to support families with food sponsorships where necessary. Children are our hope, our future.”
“Under the InSP, pre-schools will be resourced with full-time early intervention professionals who will work with early childhood educators. This will reduce the logistical strain faced by care-givers, of shuttling between pre-schools and early intervention centres, and provide more integrated support. The IPWG recognises there are children who require higher levels of early intervention support and who remain best served in a separate specialised early intervention setting. ECDA will follow up on IPWG’s recommendation to study integration opportunities for these children in Tier 4. ECDA will also strengthen the capabilities of the early childhood and early intervention professionals in our efforts to make pre-schools more inclusive. Ultimately, strengthening inclusion in our pre-schools will benefit both children with developmental needs, and typically developing children, with enhanced teacher training, and development of stronger social skills from a young age. Chairman, in Chinese, please. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Families are the foundation of our society. Hence, we have in place a continuum of family services to support families with varying needs. In 2019, we piloted two Strengthening Families Programme @ Family Service Centres (SFP@FSC) with two Family Service Centres, which will bring together programmes and support services for marriage and divorce. Based on good feedback from this pilot, we will expand to three more regions by the end of this year, and the remaining five will be rolled out within the next two years. In support of women, the Government and community organisations have organised 37 conversations as part of the Conversations on Singapore Women's Development, engaging more than 1,800 people from various backgrounds.”
“The workgroup has a tiered support framework, depending on the level of early intervention support required. In Tier 1, we will work towards every pre-school appointing an "Inclusion Coordinator", or ICO, among existing staff, beginning in the second half of 2023. The exact timing will be announced later. The introduction of ICOs will set a baseline for the sector’s support for children with developmental needs and signal that every pre-school has a role to play in strengthening inclusion. ICOs will work with early childhood educators to flag children with potential developmental needs for further assessment. They will connect teachers and parents to early intervention support or resources, such as our Development Support-Learning Support programme (DS-LS). ECDA will work with pre-schools to support appointed staff with appropriate training. ICOs alone are not the silver bullet and we urge all pre-school leaders and educators to partner ICOs in their pre-schools in this inclusion journey. In Tier 2, we will expand the DS-LS programme and the Development Support Plus (DS-Plus) programme to more pre-schools, to support children requiring low levels of early intervention support. In 2020, the DS-LS programme covered about 600 pre-schools which enrol over 40% of resident pre-schoolers aged five to six. We plan to expand outreach of the DS-LS programme to more pre-schools covering 60% of pre-schoolers by 2025, and covering 80% at steady-state. In Tier 3, we will pilot a new Inclusive Support Programme, or I-n-S-P, at a few sites with selected providers to integrate planning and provision of both early childhood and early intervention services at pre-schools for children aged three to six, who require medium levels of early intervention support.”
“With your permission, Mr Chairman, may I display a slide on the LED screens?”
“In 2021, we plan to expand KidSTART, to Choa Chu Kang, Bukit Panjang, and Bukit Batok, on top of the regions already announced. The community plays an important role. Under the Growing Together with KidSTART initiative, we forged new corporate partnerships with SP Group and The LEGO Group, and deepened existing partnerships with Prudential Singapore and Etonhouse Community Fund. We will tap on individual and corporate volunteers to build stronger, long-lasting relationships with KidSTART families. Mr Don Wee asked about childcare services for shift workers. Childcare centres can operate beyond standard operating hours. Currently, over 40 childcare centres operate beyond 7 pm on weekdays. This meets the needs of most parents. Others may arrange for care-givers such as relatives to help out. As part of the Community Link pilot, we sought feedback from some 650 families and community partners, including on care-giving arrangements. We are studying the possibility of piloting night-time childcare at a ComLink site. For children with developmental needs, it is paramount to identify needs early and provide the necessary support. Our children are precious and we must create environments where they can thrive, and they can feel included and accepted. We, therefore, set up the Inclusive Pre-school Workgroup, or IPWG, which Minister Masagos spoke about. Through the IPWG, which I co-chair, the Government has worked with partners across the health, education and social sectors to study how we can better support children with developmental needs. Ms Ng Ling Ling asked about efforts to strengthen inclusion in pre-schools. The workgroup will release its report in April. Ahead of this, let me broadly share the upcoming initiatives.”
“We also increased the number of POP centres by 30%. With the latest subsidies and fee caps, a Singaporean child enrolled in full-day childcare for five years with an Anchor Operator would benefit from about $50,000 in Government funding. Low- and middle-income families can additionally receive up to $28,000 in means-tested subsidies. Ms Ng Ling Ling and Mr Louis Chua asked about accessibility and quality of pre-school places. This is an important point that affects young families. I know this all too well. Many Members of Parliament have raised this issue. Back in 2019, together with my colleagues Cheng Li Hui, Rahayu Mahzam and Cheryl Chan, we pushed for more accessible and affordable quality pre-school places, especially in new towns with many young children. The Government promised in 2019 that 80% of pre-schoolers would have a place in Government-supported pre-schools by around 2025. We have significantly increased the number of full-day preschool places, from about 120,000 in 2015 to around 190,000 today – an increase of over 50%. We are thus on track to grow the total number of full-day pre-school places to 200,000 by 2023 and achieve the Government’s promise by around 2025. We have increased the number of early childhood educators from 18,000 in 2018 to over 22,000 last year. We support the professional development of our educators. One such effort is enhancing the capabilities of educators teaching Mother Tongue Languages. ECDA partnered the National Institute of Early Childhood Development, or NIEC, in 2019 to introduce Certificate courses for Malay and Tamil language teaching. A course for Chinese language teaching will be introduced later this year. Ms Joan Pereira asked how we will support lower income families with young children.”
“I am heartened to hear the Minister for Home Affairs and Law present the Ministerial Statement on the review of the sentencing framework for sexual and hurt offences in Parliament today. It is a strong step to further safeguard the protection and safety of our women and girls. Participants at the conversations also raised the need for mindset shifts and suggested establishing support networks in workplaces and the community. Increasing representation of women in corporate leadership was also raised. We agree with Ms Mariam Jaafar that we need more women leaders for diversity in skillsets, experiences and perspectives, which leads to better decisions. The Council for Board Diversity encourages diversity in organisations and identifies and grooms potential board-ready women. We will continue to gather and study the feedback provided and submit a White Paper to the Parliament in the second half of 2021. Next, I would like to talk about how we ensure that every child has access to affordable and quality pre-schools. Chairman, it is paramount that every child is provided with a good start. For families with young children, we have stepped up efforts to enhance the accessibility, affordability and quality of pre-schools. Two key moves were recently made. 8.00 pm Since January 2020, the household income ceiling for means-tested pre-school subsidies has increased to $12,000 a month, from $7,500 for childcare and infant care, and $6,000 for KiFAS. Subsidy amounts also increased across all eligible tiers. Around 78,000 children now benefit from means-tested subsidies, up from around 48,000 in 2019. We enhanced the Partner Operator (POP) Scheme, from January 2021. In the new term, we lowered fee caps for POP centres from $800 to $760 for full-day childcare per month.”
“Minister of State Assoc Prof Mohammad Faishal and I co-chair the task force on family violence, which has studied the landscape and possible causes of family violence so that we can intervene effectively. We have conducted focus group discussions and we are currently reviewing feedback from partners and Members of the House. The task force is developing recommendations to break cycles of abuse and offending under four broad thrusts: (a) increasing awareness and strengthening societal attitudes against violence; (b) making it easier for victims and the community to report violence and to get immediate help; (c) strengthening protection for victims to reduce their risk of being harmed again; and (d) increasing the burden of accountability placed on perpetrators and strengthening their rehabilitation. More details will be shared later. I will next share how we will continue to support our women. Our women's contributions are integral to the Singapore Story and we must celebrate and support their continued progress. Ahead of Monday, I would like to wish everyone, both men and women, Happy International Women's Day in advance. Mr Seah Kian Peng asked about the profile of participants and issues raised at the Conversations on Singapore Women's Development. So far, we have conducted 37 conversations and engaged over 1,800 individuals, including youths, working mothers, homemakers and women leaders. Men make up almost a quarter of our participants, and I know that more will come. Participants raised concerns ranging from challenges faced by working mothers to violence against women. During my Budget speech last week, I mentioned that participants from our Conversations on Singapore Women's Development raised concerns on the approach for punishment for hurt and sexual offences.”
“We will start a family counselling service, including for families with early signs of stress, so we can mend relationship fissures early. Some marriages need more support, such as those who marry before 21 years of age, or transnational couples. Tailored marriage preparation and support programmes will help lay a strong foundation for marriage. We will step up support for families undergoing divorce. Four existing Divorce Support Specialist Agencies, or DSSAs, will be folded into the SFP@FSC. Services will be more accessible as families may approach any of the 10 SFP@FSCs whereas the DSSAs may not be located as conveniently. The SFP@FSC will adopt an integrated, regional and multi-disciplinary approach to family service provision. Bringing early-risk family services under SFP@FSC allows better oversight of family services and greater integration of support for families with multiple needs. The SFP@FSC will be organised according to the 10 SSO regions. Upstream preventive measures for all families and downstream interventions for early-risk families and those with complex needs will be accessible in the same location. To address multi-faceted and complex family issues, the SFP@FSC will bring together a multi-disciplinary team of professionals skilled in family counselling, financial counselling and psychology. We expect to scale up to five SFP@FSCs, with three more social service agencies working with MSF by the last quarter of this year. The remaining five will be rolled out within the next two years. On family violence, Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim asked what can be done to create a community of support.”
“Mr Chairman, Minister Masagos shared MSF's plans to strengthen our social compact, including strong families as our first line of support. It is on these points that I would like to elaborate today. First, our families are the foundation of society. We must support them to the best of our ability, across their differing needs. Second, our women are key members of our families and society. We will support them so they have real choices, so that they do not have to choose between family and their careers, and can achieve their full potential. Third, our children are our future. We will provide them with a good start in life so that they may grow up to be resilient members of our society and form strong families of their own. Mr Chairman, to build strong, resilient families, we have in place a continuum of family services to support families with varying needs. First, for soon-to-wed and married couples, we support them in building strong foundations in marriage and parenthood. Minister Indranee announced the increase in the co-matching cap in the Child Development Account for the second child. We will also introduce Government-Paid Paternity Benefit and Adoption Benefit Schemes later this year. We will grow the Families for Life movement to strengthen family ties and bonds and we will promote evidence-based programmes for marriage preparation and parenting. Second, Mr Melvin Yong and Mr Seah Kian Peng will be happy to know that we will help families who show early signs of stress. In 2019, MSF piloted two Strengthening Families Programme @ Family Service Centres, otherwise known as SFP@FSC, with Care Corner Singapore and Fei Yue Community Services. SFP@FSC will bring together programmes and support services for marriage and divorce.”
“We are fully aligned with the thinking that Ms Denise Phua has, that there should be continuous lifelong learning opportunities for our students with special needs.”
“I thank the Member, Ms Denise Phua, for her clarifications. MOE's overarching goal is to provide quality education for all students with special needs. But this must be balanced with ensuring that they develop educationally in a setting that best fits their needs. 5.45 pm Currently, 80% of our students with special needs are already in mainstream schools. And where there are more specific needs that these children with special needs have, they are then supported in the SPED schools. Earlier, I have talked about expanding the range of SPED schools that are available to best fit and best serve the students that we have who have special needs. So, that is on the first point. On the second point that Ms Denise Phua had about lifelong learning, we share her views and her aspirations and belief that our students with special needs should lead meaningful lives and they should continually upgrade their skills and be active in the community and also contribute to society. With regards to supporting SPED graduates in lifelong learning, both myself as well as my colleague Minister of State Gan have talked about the variety of training supports available to our students with special needs. This includes broad-based training support such as course fee subsidies and SkillsFuture Credit for those aged 25 and above, and also just like my colleague Minister of State Gan has spoken about, SkillsFuture Singapore has also worked with SG Enable to roll out more than 30 SkillsFuture Credit-eligible courses that are customised for our fellow friends, residents with special needs, students, and they cover areas such as information and communications technology (ICT), F&B and customer service.”
“Such targeted interventions during an important phase, when our children have just embarked on their primary education, can help ensure that they can better adapt to their schooling environment. We firmly believe that these little steps all add up to build a more inclusive learning environment. Thank you.”
“Our students can look forward to (a) new vocational training facilities; (b) larger classrooms and modulation spaces to cater to students who also have ASD; and (c) facilities for PE and sports, like sheltered playgrounds and outdoor fitness areas. Alongside enhanced infrastructure, we will develop the skills of all school personnel in both mainstream and SPED schools through coaching, pre-service training and in-service courses. Our teachers frequently come together across schools, sharing and innovating with their practices. We seek to build on the strong spirit of collaboration which we are seeing amongst the SPED schools. Thus, we agree wholeheartedly with Ms Denise Phua's call that MOE, together with other agencies, stakeholders and SPED staff, should work together to envision a brighter future for our SPED graduates and their families. As we strive to make our education system more inclusive where each and every child is recognised, appreciated and supported for who they are, I call on everyone to play a part in making this reality possible. Mr Chairman, Sir, in Chinese, please. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] In a rapidly changing world, having the resilience and perseverance to surmount challenges is critical, hence, we need to place more focus on the character development and education of students. We are thus launching a new Centre for CCE to enhance professional development for CCE and also develop pedagogies which will best help our students. We also recognise that CCE has to be founded on values, and this requires schools,Mother Tongue teachers, families and the community to work closely together. We are also rolling out new programmes such as TRANSIT which will benefit Primary 1 students with behavioural and social issues.”
“As students progress to IHLs, they can receive course guidance, access arrangements, SEN-related funding for Assistive Technology devices and support services, and also internship support. Finally, Mr Patrick Tay and Ms Denise Phua have asked about SPED students’ transition from school to work. SPED graduates can take up certifications, like ITE Skills Certificate or Workforce Skills Qualifications (WSQ) or participate in the School-to-Work (S2W) Transition Programme by MOE, MSF and SG Enable, which provides customised training pathways, job matching and work options. I salute the SPED schools for their personalised approach to finding job opportunities and matching their students to jobs. Overall, about half of SPED graduates are successfully employed or progress to post-Secondary educational institutions like ITE and other further training. MOE affirms its strong commitment to the SPED sector. As Ms Denise Phua has observed, we build schools, provide significant funding and send personnel to work with social service agencies and also to contribute their expertise. I would now like to share about the expansion of capacity of SPED schools. We will be expanding Grace Orchard School (GOS). This is to help meet the demand for places in the west region and enhance the accessibility of SPED schools serving students with Mild Intellectual Disability (MID). With the expansion, GOS will cater to 600 students aged seven to 18, from 450 today. In our work to expand GOS, as with the other seven new SPED schools, we work in consultation with the social service agencies' staff to improve students’ educational experience.”
“Today, M has a positive learning attitude and he interacts well with his peers. By end 2021, MOE would have piloted TRANSIT in about 40 schools – or one out of five Primary schools. As the pilot outcomes have been promising, MOE will roll out TRANSIT in all Primary schools by 2026, benefiting around five to 10 P1 students in each school per year. For adolescents, entering Secondary school is another milestone. Through school-based interventions, such as "Circle of Friends" and peer support structures in every school, schools are building an inclusive culture where peers actively look out for one another and those with Special Educational Needs. Ms Denise Phua and Mdm Rahayu Mahzam have asked about MOE's plans to support the students with Special Educational Needs in mainstream schools to better prepare them for the next phase of their lives. We have increased the number of Allied Educators (LBS) in our schools who work alongside teachers and ECG counsellors to prepare students with Special Educational Needs further studies and work. We agree with Mdm Rahayu on the importance of promoting interaction between students with and without SEN. Mr Mark Chay has pointed out the benefits of parasports. One key way to sustain relationships between mainstream and SPED schools is through Satellite Partnerships. MOE will strengthen these partnerships and work with Ms Denise Phua and other sector leaders to increase opportunities for meaningful interaction. We will continue to work with schools and partners to develop more inclusion opportunities, including parasports that meet our diverse students' needs, develop their strengths and forge mutual understanding and respect.”
“As Mdm Rahayu Mahzam has suggested, we need to grow our students with Special Educational Needs as well as typically developing students in the soft skills that will last them into adult life. Learned Members, such as Ms Denise Phua and Mr Shawn Huang have shared how transitioning between stages can be daunting for students, especially those with SENs. For instance, for pre-school children, moving to P1 can be a major transition, as Mr Patrick Tay had mentioned. To help them along, MOE’s Nurturing Early Learners framework, which is used by MOE Kindergartens (MKs) and other pre-schools, focuses on nurturing children’s curiosity, socio-emotional and motor skills and love for learning, alongside basic literacy and numeracy goals. But we recognise that some students with SEN need further support. MOE is, therefore, introducing a new targeted intervention, called TRANSIT (or TRANsition Support for InTegration), to all Primary schools by 2026 for P1 students with social and behavioural needs. These students will receive support from Allied Educators (Learning and Behavioural Support) and teachers to develop foundational self-management skills, in small groups and in their classrooms during their P1 year. By the end of P1, students should be able to learn independently in class, with occasional help. One of the first pilot schools is Elias Park Primary. One student, let us call him M, had a difficult time adjusting when he entered P1. He would lie on the floor and shout in class. Through TRANSIT, our teachers and Allied Educators (LBS) taught M self-management skills, such as working within his personal space and communication. He was prompted to apply these skills throughout the school day and his parents reinforced them at home.”
“From this year, schools will also appoint dedicated Key Personnel to oversee peer support and student well-being matters. They will tap on student peer supporters to help students involved in incidents that affect their well-being. Alongside peer support, I agree with Mr Darryl David that counselling and guidance must be made readily available to those who need it. Counsellors are vital members of the student support team. MOE will continue to grow the number of teacher counsellors and equip them further over time. MOE's efforts complement larger nationwide movements to destigmatise mental health and encourage help-seeking. Last year, MSF, MOH and MOE started the Youth Mental Well-Being (YMWB) Network. Over 1,500 enthusiastic individuals came together to strengthen the youth mental well-being space. I am proud to share that the network has initiated ideas for over 30 potential ground-up projects. One team I have met is equipping parents to strengthen emotional literacy in their children. Another team is working on reframing perceptions of counselling and destigmatising help-seeking. I sincerely thank the network members for their efforts and we warmly welcome others to join them. As we emerge from COVID-19 and face on-going challenges, it is going to be a bumpy ride. But the journey within each and every one of us is not a journey we need to walk alone. Let this be our gentle encouragement and steadfast commitment to one another. 5.15 pm Chairman, I would now like to reaffirm MOE’s commitment to an important group – students with Special Educational Needs (SEN). In recent years, we have developed the landscape significantly.”
“We will be launching a new "Centre for CCE" at NIE to helm teacher education for CCE by end 2022. The Centre will bring together local and international experts in CCE research and professional development and provide critical thought leadership in this field. This could establish NIE as a leader for CCE in the region. The Centre signals our strong commitment to be evidence-based in our curricular and pedagogical approaches. As part of strengthening teachers' professional development for CCE, our courses equip teachers with the skills to teach CCE. MOE has regular dialogues with our educators to understand their teaching needs and also be attuned to the issues that students are concerned about. Every Secondary school also has trained specialised CCE teachers to role model and coach other teachers in facilitating challenging CCE discussions. From 2022 onwards, every pre-University institution will also be equipped with specialised CCE teachers. Beyond CCE, our Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs) are enhancing mental health support by strengthening programmes on mental wellness literacy and awareness. Our Polytechnics and ITE have worked with the Health Promotion Board to launch a new mental wellness curriculum for all Year 1 students from 2020 and 2021 respectively to raise awareness and understanding of mental health and also to foster early help-seeking behaviour. The autonomous Universities (AUs) are also promoting mental wellness through briefings during freshmen orientation and University-wide programmes. Another key pillar of mental health support is peer support. Hence, as MOE has announced last year, we will establish a peer support culture and structure in every school by the end of this year. Currently, all IHLs have peer support programmes.”
“Mr Chairman, Sir, I thank Members like Mr Patrick Tay, Dr Wan Rizal, Mr Shawn Huang, Ms Carrie Tan and Ms Janet Ang for their thoughtful and timely questions on MOE's support for students' well-being. As Minister Wong has shared, we have been implementing the refreshed Character and Citizenship Education (CCE) curriculum, starting with Secondary schools this year. The CCE curriculum has an updated, stronger emphasis on mental health and cyber wellness education. Students will learn about topics like differentiating signs of stress and distress, and healthy habits for positive well-being. We recognise the nexus between increasing digital usage and mental health concerns, even more so amongst our young, who may not know how to regulate their use of social media. Teachers will work alongside student peer supporters to look out for other students. We will also work with parents to help guide their young in the use of online media. During CCE lessons, students will learn to identify risks in the digital space, such as doxing or scams; discern unverified or inappropriate content; and take steps to protect themselves and others. Schools will also guide students to report cyber bullying and harmful content to the online service provider. In Secondary schools and pre-Universities, students will discuss contemporary issues of interest, such as environmental sustainability, race and religion. Through CCE 2021, we hope that students will be equipped to become more resilient, stay mentally healthy and engage one another respectfully and constructively on issues. Ms Carrie Tan and Dr Shahira Abdullah have also asked how teachers are equipped to strengthen mental health support and navigate contemporary issues.”
“The children know that they can go to the teachers if they feel uncomfortable, if they had been hurt in any way. There are potentially different ways and methods that teachers can develop, for the children to be able to reflect and communicate their emotions. I would not rule any of them out. And I thank the Member for his suggestions.”
“I thank the Member for his supplementary question. Indeed, we are always concerned about young children. In Primary schools, students are taught in Primary 1, as young as from Primary 1, about their personal rights to safety and how to safeguard themselves. This takes place during the Form Teacher Guidance Period. These are lessons which are part of the Character and Citizenship Education. These lessons are mandatory for all schools to deliver. They help students recognise that they can seek help from trusted adults when they are hurt or perhaps in a variety of ways. For instance, if someone has caused them physical pain, if someone has touched them in a way that made them feel confused, uncomfortable, sad, or if someone has touched them in their private areas without good reasons, or if someone has forced him or her to touch the adult, or someone has told them not to tell anyone that he or she had been touched. Teachers go through these scenarios with students. But we recognise that young children may or may not have the verbal skills to be able to communicate effectively. I thank the Member for suggesting signalling communication methods. He had mentioned art therapy. Schools do use different methods. They could perhaps use journalling, for instance. Teachers are also trained to pick up these non-verbal cues. If young children should, through their drawings, suggest that there are things happening at home that they are not comfortable with, that perhaps suggest family violence or abuse, teachers are trained to pick this up. But we can all imagine that different children express themselves differently. What is most important is that our teachers are sensitised and have trusting relationships with the children.”