Committee of Supply 2026 debate, Day 2: Zaqy Mohamad on enabling NSmen to contribute meaningfully at every stage of their journey

As more opportunities are created for national servicemen (NSmen) to gain skills, this must be recognised beyond their service, said Senior Minister of State for Defence Zaqy Mohamad. The Ministry of Defence is partnering SkillsFuture Singapore to include NS certificates in the Careers and Skills Passport, which will boost NSmen’s employability. Meanwhile, operationally ready NSmen are being deployed into roles that better align with their civilian expertise. NSmen’s skills are also being tapped for cyber defence, which is critical to national security. From June, those with cyber expertise will be deployed into sectoral cyber defence teams to protect Singapore’s critical information infrastructure. In parliament on Friday (Feb 27), Mr Zaqy also announced the establishment of the Singapore Defence or SG Defence Volunteer Network this year to expand avenues for women, Permanent Residents, new citizens and foreigners to play a part in keeping Singapore safe.