Debate on President’s speech: Goh Hanyan on fundamental shifts to set youths on the right path

Set youths on the right path and address three fundamental shifts in their reality - from where they start in life to how they experience life and how they care for who they love, said Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Culture, Community and Youth and Sustainability and the Environment Goh Hanyan. Speaking in parliament on Thursday (Sep 25), she said firstly, youths will experience unequal starting points which if left unchecked, will likely widen with intergenerational wealth transfers. She stressed the need to adapt and channel accumulated wealth into increasing opportunity and social mobility. Secondly, youths today face a rapidly transforming world because of technology. But play remains most important and the government must ensure that youths have the opportunities to experiment, construct meaning from experience and interact in real life, she added. Thirdly, youths are growing up in an ageing Singapore that would place immense pressure on them as they enter adulthood. Hence the need to have systems where care is shared more fully, recognised more strongly and supported more holistically, she added.