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SINGAPORE: Singaporeans may soon get extra funds from the government to pursue higher education.
Education Minister Tharman Shamugarathnam said this will come in the form of a post-secondary account, following the current Edusave account, available only to primary and secondary students.
This new funding scheme will be announced on Budget Day, next month.
More Singaporeans are pursuring higher education, and the Education Minister also noted the upward trend amongst younger Singaporeans returning to school, even after working for some years.
"This is part and parcel of a learning society and a society that wants to be always have an edge in the knowledge-based world. That edge comes from not just having studied something in the past, obtaining your certificates and degrees, but from continual learning. So we have got to see how we can encourage that. We've had Edusave within the school system. That's proven successful. Now that all Singaporeans, the vast majority are going to the tertiary levels, we're thinking of a new scheme that will allow the government to assist individuals, put money into each of their accounts, which they can use freely in high education," said Mr Tharman.
The exact amount is still in the works, but Mr Tharman said Singaporeans will catch first wind of it on Budget Day, and there are plans to build up the fund over time.
An international panel of university experts had recently recommended more education diversity with a liberal arts college.
Such an institute is known to provide a tertiary education in general knowledge and intellectual skills.
Mr Tharman said his Ministry is keen on the idea of a liberal arts college in Singapore. He said such an institution would be a grooming ground for future leaders in business, community and government.
However, his Ministry will take its time to study how and where funding and resources can be pulled together so that the liberal arts college in Singapore can be comparable to the best ones in America.
Mr Tharman gave out over $200,000 worth of scholarships and bursaries to some 650 students from Taman Jurong Division. - CNA /dt
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