Committee of Supply 2025 debate, Day 6: Melvin Yong on strengthening Singapore's social compact, quality of preschools
As Singapore commemorates 60 years of independence, it must continue to ensure that economic policies benefit all segments of society. This includes investing in skills training, supporting local small- and medium-sized enterprises and creating jobs that cater to different skill levels, said MP Melvin Yong in parliament on Friday (Mar 7). He asked how the government can better support low-income families in education, skills, training and job placement to break the cycles of poverty. He expressed concern about attracting quality professionals into the social service sector, and wanted to know the percentage of social service agencies that comply with the recommended starting salary and reference point salaries released by the National Council of Social Service. He also called for more to be done to encourage active citizenship and promote volunteerism, and to encourage philanthropy in all forms beyond just monetary donations. Turning to the quality of preschool education in Singapore, he asked the ministry to share the adoption rates of both the Early Years Development Framework and Nurturing Early Learners Framework among preschools in Singapore. Noting the shortage of qualified educators willing to enter the field with retention being a persistent issue, he called for the Early Childhood Development Agency to conduct a local study to understand why teachers leave the industry. He also wanted to know if there are any plans to further increase investment in the professional development of early childhood educators.
As Singapore commemorates 60 years of independence, it must continue to ensure that economic policies benefit all segments of society. This includes investing in skills training, supporting local small- and medium-sized enterprises and creating jobs that cater to different skill levels, said MP Melvin Yong in parliament on Friday (Mar 7). He asked how the government can better support low-income families in education, skills, training and job placement to break the cycles of poverty. He expressed concern about attracting quality professionals into the social service sector, and wanted to know the percentage of social service agencies that comply with the recommended starting salary and reference point salaries released by the National Council of Social Service. He also called for more to be done to encourage active citizenship and promote volunteerism, and to encourage philanthropy in all forms beyond just monetary donations. Turning to the quality of preschool education in Singapore, he asked the ministry to share the adoption rates of both the Early Years Development Framework and Nurturing Early Learners Framework among preschools in Singapore. Noting the shortage of qualified educators willing to enter the field with retention being a persistent issue, he called for the Early Childhood Development Agency to conduct a local study to understand why teachers leave the industry. He also wanted to know if there are any plans to further increase investment in the professional development of early childhood educators.
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