Fresh studies on social issues will benefit policy-makers: Education Minister

SINGAPORE — The Republic's ageing population, marriage and parenthood, racial and religious harmony and community building are some of the issues examined in a book launched today (April 30).

The book, titled 50 Years of Social Issues in Singapore, was written by Mr David Chan and a team of 23 authors. Speaking at the book launch today, Education Minister Heng Swee Keat said it is timely to discuss these issues with fresh views as Singapore celebrates its 50th year of independence.

Mr Heng added that the book offers a range of perspectives and it will not be a surprise if some of the views do not receive consensus, but the ultimate goal is to better understand the issues so that it can be addressed in a way where it makes a positive difference to Singapore.

To do this, it is important to think about the issues in terms of its future dimensions, the Education Minister said. As such, the study of social sciences is most relevant to policy-makers when it can point to possible needs and directions in the future.

"It is easy to recommend policies that have short-term benefits but which may not be sustainable in the long run. Sustainable, responsible solutions that balance the needs of all sectors of society are important in building and maintaining a fair and just society," he said.

Secondly, it is key to base the study of social issues and the current generation of solutions on evidence, because as our environment grows more complex and diverse, Singapore has to be more rigorous and clear-headed in the way it studies evidence and its meaning, Mr Heng said. This is so it can draw inferences from facts in meaningful ways, to formulate policies that are appropriate in the current context. CHANNEL NEWSASIA