Speeches | Dr Maliki Osman

Speech by Second Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Mohamad Maliki Bin Osman at MFA’s Committee of Supply Debate, 27 February 2023

1. Mr Chairman, Mr Don Wee, Mr Wan Rizal and Ms Sylvia Lim asked about our relations with Malaysia. Malaysia and Singapore are deeply intertwined, with strong people-to-people, cultural, and economic linkages. There is a high tempo of two-way exchanges and visits. Since the start of the year, there have been more than 10 high-level visits, including by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. President Halimah will make a State Visit to Malaysia next month.

2. We also devote considerable resources to deepening our links with the various Malaysian states. Apart from the visit by Johor Menteri Besar Onn Hafiz Ghazi earlier this month we also hosted delegations from Terengganu, Selangor and Sarawak.

3. I will be visiting Terengganu and Kelantan in April – to explore opportunities to work together for mutual benefit. Ultimately, the relationship between Singapore and Malaysia is undergirded by enduring people-to-people linkages, which we are committed to strengthening into the next generation.

4. Mr Chairman, please allow me to speak briefly in Malay.

5. Sebagai sebuah negara kecil tanpa hasil bumi, dasar luar negara kita ialah untuk mengeratkan hubungan dengan seberapa banyak negara asing dan terus relevan kepada dunia yang kian berubah dengan pesatnya. Dalam pada itu, kita harus terus bersatu dan akur bahawa dasar luar negara kita bermula dalam negeri kita sendiri. Setiap warganegara memainkan peranan untuk memajukan kepentingan negara kita di arena antarabangsa.

[Translation: As a small nation without natural resources, our foreign policy is to strengthen our relations with as many nations and to stay relevant in a rapidly changing world. Meanwhile, we have to be united and concur that our foreign policy begins at home. Every citizen plays an important role towards advancing Singapore’s interests in the international arena.]

6. Dasar luar negara kita berteraskan prinsip dan kepentingan negara kita. Setiap pilihan dan keputusan yang kita buat mengutamakan Singapura. Kita sedang menghadapi suatu tempoh persaingan kuasa besar yang sengit dan dunia yang semakin berpecah dan bergolak. Tetapi kita menghadapi cabaran-cabaran ini dari sudut kekuatan. Kestabilan politik dan ekonomi serta cara kita berurusan dengan konsisten merupakan reputasi utama kita di mata dunia. Dalam masa yang sama, perpaduan dan kepercayaan awam dalam negeri kita penting untuk kita mengemudi cabaran dasar luar negara. Dalam hal ini, warga Singapura mempercayai dan yakin terhadap pemerintah kita dan masyarakat kita semakin kekal bersatu. Saya menyeru warga Singapura untuk lebih peka tentang persekitaran luaran kita supaya mereka sedar tentang realiti dunia yang kita diami hari ini, tetapi pada masa yang sama mempunyai harapan dan keyakinan bahawa jika kita terus kekal bersatu, kita akan muncul dari cabaran-cabaran ini dengan lebih kuat lagi.

[Translation: Singapore’s foreign policy will always be based on our principles and interests. Every choice and decision we make prioritises Singapore’s interests. We are confronting a period of intense superpower competition and a more fragmented and turbulent world. But Singapore approaches these challenges from a position of strength. Our political and economic stability, and our consistency in managing our affairs are valued by others around the world. At the same time, our unity and public trust is crucial to navigating foreign policy challenges. In this matter, Singaporeans trust their government and remain more united than ever before. I urge Singaporeans to be more aware of our external environment, so that they know the realities of the world we live in today, but also have hope and confidence that if we stay united, we can emerge from these challenges stronger.]

7. Oleh itu, kita harus terus berusaha untuk menjalin hubungan erat dengan rakan-rakan negara kita, lebih-lebih lagi dengan bekerjasama dengan jiran terdekat kita. Izinkan saya bermula dengan hubungan kita dengan Malaysia. Seperti yang dikatakan oleh Perdana Menteri Lee Hsien Loong ketika lawatan Perdana Menteri Anwar Ibrahim ke Singapura pada Januari lalu, hubungan antara Singapura dan Malaysia tidak seperti hubungan yang lain. Tunggak utama hubungan kita adalah ikatan kekeluargaan dan perkongsian sejarah, bahasa dan budaya. Rakyat Singapura dan Malaysia saling mengunjungi antara satu sama lain sama ada untuk bekerja, beriadah atau menziarahi sanak saudara.

[Translation: We should continue to endeavour to strengthen relations with our neighbours, especially our most immediate neighbours. Let me start with Malaysia. As PM Lee Hsien Loong said during PM Anwar Ibrahim’s visit to Singapore in January, Singapore and Malaysia share a relationship quite unlike any other. A key pillar in our relations are the familial ties as well as our shared history, languages, and cultures. Singaporeans and Malaysians frequently visit each other’s countries, whether for work, play, or visiting relatives.]

8. Bagaimanapun, kita tidak boleh mengambil sikap sambil lewa terhadap kekuatan hubungan antara rakyat kita. Kita harus memastikan generasi muda kita menumpukan perhatian mereka pada hal ini. Kita perlu mewujudkan peluang untuk belia kita, belia Singapura dan Malaysia menjalin hubungan dan meluangkan masa bersama untuk mempelajari dan menghargai perspektif dan aspirasi masing-masing. Sistem pendidikan kita memainkan peranan penting, terutama sekarang selepas sekatan perjalanan COVID-19 mula dilonggarkan. Seperti yang kita tahu, untuk menjalin persahabatan yang erat, kita perlu meningkatkan interaksi secara peribadi. Sama juga untuk menghidupkan konsep-konsep yang dipelajari dalam bilik darjah tentang kebudayaan dan peradaban – kita perlukan interaksi secara peribadi. Maka itu saya sangat teruja ketika 41 pelajar yang mengikuti Program Elektif Bahasa Melayu bagi Maktab-Maktab Rendah berpeluang mengunjungi Selangor dan Ipoh tahun lalu, untuk mengikuti kelas di Universiti Putra Malaysia dimana mereka mempelajari warisan Melayu dan mencuba membuat ikan yang diperam di Kampung Beng di Ipoh!

[Translation: However, we cannot take the strength of our people-to-people relationship for granted and must ensure our younger generation are invested in it. We have to create opportunities for our young Singaporeans and Malaysians to engage one another and to spend time together to learn about and appreciate one another’s perspectives and aspirations. Our education system plays an important role in this, especially now with the easing of COVID-19-related travel restrictions. As we know, we need to enhance in-person interactions to form close-knit friendships. Similarly, for classroom concepts such as shared cultures and civilisations to come to life – we need in-person interactions. So, I was delighted that 41 Junior College students in the Malay Language Elective Programme had the chance to visit Selangor and Ipoh last year to attend classes at the Universiti Putra Malaysia where they learned about Malay heritage and even tried their hand at making fermented fish in Kampung Beng in Ipoh!]

9. Yang penting, pertukaran pendidikan seperti ini tidak terhad kepada para pelajar kita sahaja. Guru-guru juga digalakkan untuk membina rangkaian profesional mereka dengan rakan-rakan mereka di Malaysia seperti menerusi Program E-Immersion di mana lebih 30 guru Bahasa Melayu dan pemimpin pedagogi MOE melibatkan rakan-rakan mereka dari Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) untuk bertukar-tukar amalan terbaik mengenai pengajaran bahasa, sastera dan budaya Melayu.

[Translation: Importantly, such educational exchanges are not limited to our students. Teachers are also encouraged to build their professional networks with their Malaysian counterparts. In January, both sides kicked off the inaugural E-Immersion Programme for Malay Language teachers in Perak, which saw more than 30 MOE teachers and pedagogical leaders engaging their counterparts from the Sultan Idris University of Education (UPSI) to exchange best practices on the teaching of the Malay language, literature, and culture.]

10. Selain daripada bidang pendidikan, kita juga mempertingkatkan pertukaran budaya dan agama. Bulan lalu, MUIS menjadi tuan rumah kepada pihak berkuasa agama dari Perak, yang dipimpin Mufti Negeri Dr Wan Zahidi Wan Teh, untuk membincangkan amalan terbaik berhubung penjanaan irsyad-irsyad agama (Fatwa) dan pengurusan asatizah. Dari aspek budaya, dengan sokongan Pemerintah, para pengamal pelbagai bentuk seni Melayu di Singapura sedang melibatkan diri secara lebih meluas dengan para artis dan penonton Malaysia.

[Translation: Beyond education, we are also enhancing cultural and religious exchanges. Just last month, MUIS hosted the religious authorities from Perak, led by its Mufti Dr Wan Zahidi Wan The, to discuss best practices regarding the generation of religious advisories (fatwa) and the management of religious teachers (asatizah). On the cultural front, with the Government’s support, practitioners of various Malay art forms in Singapore are engaging more widely with Malaysian artists and audiences.]

11. Namun, sebagai jiran yang rapat, kita akur bahawa akan terdapat perbezaan pengamatan dalam beberapa isu dari masa ke semasa. Tetapi kita harus mencari cara-cara praktikal untuk menangani isu-isu dua hala ini, sentiasa mengutamakan kerjasama demi memperbaiki kehidupan rakyat kita bersama. Kita berhasrat meneruskan semangat kerjasama pragmatik ini dengan PM Anwar dan pasukannya, sedang kita membina hubungan Singapura-Malaysia yang boleh dibanggakan generasi muda masa depan kita. Akhir sekali, saya ingin merakamkan penghargaan kami di atas bantuan yang telah dihulurkan pihak berkuasa Malaysia dalam menyelamatkan tiga rakyat Singapura selepas kejadian tanah runtuh yang tragik berhampiran dengan Genting Disember lalu.

[Translation: As close neighbours however, we acknowledge that there will be differences on some issues from time to time. . But we must seek practical ways in managing these issues, always prioritise working together to improve our peoples’ lives. We intend to continue this spirit of pragmatic cooperation with PM Anwar and his team, as we build a Singapore-Malaysia relationship which our future younger generations can be proud of. Finally, I would like to put on record our gratitude for the assistance provided by the Malaysian authorities in rescuing three Singaporeans after the tragic landslide near Genting last December.]

12. Mr Chairman, allow me to continue my speech in English.

13. Moving on to Singapore’s relations with Indonesia. Mr Chong Kee Hiong asked about how we are stepping up our cooperation with Indonesia. As the largest economy in ASEAN and an immediate neighbour, Indonesia is (an important partner and) a natural investment destination. Singapore has been the largest foreign investor in Indonesia since 2014 – a position we have maintained even during the COVID-19 pandemic.

14. Last year, I visited six Indonesian provinces for bilateral and G20 meetings. I met a wide range of political and business leaders, as well as Singaporeans living in Indonesia. Among these regions, the Riau Islands (KEPRI) is geographically the closest to Singapore and we have worked well with their leaders through the pandemic and will continue to support each other’s recovery. We have stepped up cooperation especially with Batam and Bintan. This includes establishing new data centres and efforts to develop tech talent, which could support the rapidly growing tech sectors in both Singapore and Indonesia.

15. There are new growth areas, for example, Indonesian companies are keen to boost exports to Singapore in the agri-food and energy sectors, which aligns with Singapore’s efforts to strengthen domestic food supply and security. EDB (Economic Development Board), together with ESG (Enterprise Singapore) and SFA (Singapore Food Agency), have been working to increase our imports of hydroponic vegetables from Batam.

16. To accelerate digital transformation and raise skill levels, MOE (Singapore Ministry of Education) and the Indonesian Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology signed a Human Capital Partnership Agreement last year to strengthen cooperation in technical and vocational education and training. MFA also supports these efforts by offering relevant capacity-building courses under the Singapore Cooperation Programme for Indonesian government officials.

17. Indonesia is an important partner in maintaining the continued prosperity and security in the region, strengthening ASEAN centrality and relevance, and upholding the multilateral rules-based order. In November 2022, PM attended the successful G20 Summit hosted by Indonesia against the backdrop of heightened global tensions. Singapore was happy to support Indonesia’s G20 Presidency as it is important to strengthen multilateral platforms. Singapore is also extending our full support to Indonesia as ASEAN Chair this year. Singapore will host the next Singapore-Indonesia Leaders’ Retreat. This will be a good opportunity for our leaders to enhance the bilateral relationship and explore new areas of opportunities and cooperation.

18. We have a special, unique and close relationship with Brunei. As mentioned by Minister Vivian, DPM Lawrence Wong visited Brunei at the start of the year reaffirming Singapore’s long-term commitment to nurturing this special relationship into the next generation. In addition, PM and Mdm Ho Ching attended His Majesty’s 76th birthday celebration in July 2022.

19. We were honoured to welcome His Majesty Sultan Bolkiah last year on his fifth State Visit to Singapore. That same month, His Royal Highness Crown Prince Billah visited Singapore for the 8th Singapore-Brunei Young Leaders’ Programme when both sides agreed to establish a bilateral scholarship programme.

20. Mr Zhulkarnian asked about how we have built on our relations with Brunei following the visits (last year). During the Sultan’s visit, four MOUs were signed to boost cooperation in areas such as energy and green economy, trade and investment in food and medical products, youth education scholarship, and public service capacity development.

21. Let me move on to other ASEAN countries. With Cambodia and Thailand, Singapore has worked closely with both to support their successful chairmanships of ASEAN and APEC in 2022 respectively. We are also expanding our collaboration in emerging areas such as the digital economy, innovation and sustainability.

22. We celebrate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations with Vietnam and the 10thanniversary of our Strategic Partnership. Vietnamese PM Pham Minh Chinh visited Singapore earlier this month. We look forward to a series of high-level exchanges to strengthen our trade and investment links and expand cooperation in new areas like renewable energy, carbon credits, digital economy, and sustainable infrastructure.

23. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr of the Philippines visited Singapore last year for his first overseas trip since taking office. We have expanded our partnership with the Philippines in areas ranging from digital cooperation, data privacy and counterterrorism, to water collaboration, urban development, and the deployment of healthcare workers.

24. Last June, we started importing hydropower from Laos under the Lao PDR-Thailand-Malaysia-Singapore Power Integration Project (LTMS-PIP). This marks the first renewable energy import into Singapore and serves as a pathfinder towards an eventual ASEAN Power Grid.

25. In addition to the warm relations with our neighbours, ASEAN remains a cornerstone of Singapore’s foreign policy. As noted by Mr Henry Kwek, the combined GDP of all ten ASEAN countries currently stands at about US$3 trillion. ASEAN is expected to become the fourth largest single market in the world by 2030. ASEAN is home to over 660 million people, with 60% of our population under the age of 35 – a significant demographic dividend.

26. We intend to enhance regional economic integration through ASEAN-led frameworks and Free Trade Agreements, which provide greater economic opportunities for our Member States. The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), which came into effect at the start of 2022, eliminates the tariffs of about 92% of goods traded amongst the signatory parties. ASEAN is also pursuing FTAs with new partners like Canada. In addition, we are upgrading existing ones, such as our ASEAN-China Free Trade Area (ACFTA) and ASEAN’s FTA with Australia and New Zealand (AANZFTA) to ensure that these agreements remain relevant in the post-pandemic economy.

27. Beyond trade, ASEAN is looking at how to best harness digital technology to transform our economies. The ASEAN Smart Cities Network Initiative (ASCN) was launched when we were chair of ASEAN in 2018. Two major aspects or projects are worth highlighting here. First, the ASCN Online Portal, that seeks to provide up-to-date information on ASEAN smart cities priorities. It can help position Singapore as a marketplace for ASEAN’s smart cities solutions and support Singapore firms exploring commercially viable smart city projects in the region. Second, the ASEAN Smart City Investment Toolkit, that provides information of various options available for funding and financing smart city initiatives.

28. ASEAN is set to commence negotiations on an ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA) that aims to create a seamless digital trade ecosystem across the region. Such initiatives provide opportunities for our people and businesses to tap into the digital economy and narrow the digital divide within our societies.

29. As noted by Mr Seah Kian Peng, it has been two years since the coup in Myanmar and the situation remains grave. Singapore and ASEAN remain deeply disappointed with the lack of progress in the implementation of the ASEAN Five-Point Consensus. The ASEAN Leaders reviewed this issue at their Summit in November and agreed that Myanmar will only be invited at the non-political level for the ASEAN Summits and Foreign Ministers’ Meetings. Myanmar remains a member of ASEAN. We will continue engaging them at the civil service level.

30. Ms Rachel Ong and Mr Louis Ng asked about the humanitarian assistance that ASEAN and Singapore have provided to Myanmar. The dire situation in Myanmar has unfortunately diminished the prospect of a safe, voluntary, and dignified return of refugees. Singapore supports ASEAN’s efforts to facilitate the refugees’ safe return, and has contributed over S$1 million in bilateral aid to meet the urgent humanitarian needs of displaced persons. In addition, Singapore has contributed US$100,000 to the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on disaster management. There are no quick fixes. We will work with relevant partners to scope our assistance in a way that would meet the specific needs and circumstances in the affected countries.

31. Looking beyond our immediate region, we are working to further deepen collaboration with other key partners.

32. Mr Murali Pillai asked about Singapore’s relations with India post-pandemic, the steps taken both to deepen bilateral cooperation, as well as ensure that India remains engaged in the region. India is an important friend and partner to Singapore. Last September, DPM Lawrence Wong and Ministers Vivian, Gan Kim Yong and S Iswaran were in New Delhi to participate in the inaugural India-Singapore Ministerial Roundtable (ISMR) with their Indian counterparts. This leaders-driven platform allows both sides to explore potential collaboration in emerging areas such as food security, energy and green projects, and digitalisation, including enhancing digital connectivity. On 21 February 2023, PM and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the linkage of Singapore’s PayNow and India’s Unified Payments Interface or UPI. Singaporeans will now be able to send and receive funds from their family and friends in India in a safe, simple, and cost-effective manner.

33. We commemorated the 30th Anniversary of ASEAN-India Dialogue Relations and the establishment of the ASEAN-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) in 2022. The CSP will serve as a springboard for mutually beneficial cooperation. This will create more opportunities for our peoples and enhance contributions to an open and inclusive region.

34. India assumed the G20 Presidency in 2023 and we thank India for inviting Singapore to participate in the G20 meetings this year. Singapore will continue to contribute constructively in the G20 framework, including in our capacity as Convenor of the Global Governance Group (3G), with a view to enhance the inclusiveness of the G20 process and strengthen global governance.

35. Mr Ang Wei Neng asked how we can enhance our relations with Australia and New Zealand. With Australia, we are constantly exploring ambitious areas of cooperation under our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. The Singapore-Australia Green Economy Agreement (GEA) that Minister Vivian mentioned earlier is one such example. The GEA will reduce barriers to cross-border trade in clean energy as well as green trade and investment. This in turn promotes the growth of the green sector in our economy and creates new job opportunities for Singaporeans.

36. We established a new “Climate Change and Green Energy” Pillar under the Singapore – New Zealand Enhanced Partnership in April 2022. This will pave the way for low-carbon and sustainability solutions, and include initiatives on energy transition technology, carbon markets, sustainable transport, and waste management.

37. Meanwhile, we will continue to strengthen our engagement of the Middle East and Central Asia. Mr Zhulkarnian asked about our relations with the Middle East, and Singapore’s role in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Our ties with the key Gulf countries remain excellent and there is growing interest to deepen cooperation in areas like renewable energy, which the Gulf states have ambitious plans on. We look forward to elevating our ties with Saudi Arabia. PM met Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman on the sidelines of the APEC Economic Leaders Meeting in November 2022. Minister Vivian also visited Saudi Arabia in September 2022, while the second Saudi – Singapore Joint Committee meeting was held in November 2022. We are also glad that the Hajj for 2023 has resumed without restrictions and look forward to Saudi Arabia’s favourable consideration to increase our Hajj quota, which was discussed during PM’s meeting with Crown Prince Mohammed.

38. We enjoy excellent ties with the United Arab Emirates (UAE), our top trading partner in the Middle East. As small states and hubs in our respective regions, we share many mutual interests. There has been a healthy exchange of visits between the UAE and Singapore. In May 2022, I accompanied President to attend the mourning for the late UAE President Sheikh Khalifa. The Abu Dhabi-Singapore Joint Forum was held earlier this month and I will co-chair the Singapore – UAE Joint Committee meeting later this year.

39. Several high-level exchanges also took place last year with other Gulf countries. Minister Shanmugam and I had good discussions with our counterparts during the inaugural Singapore – Oman Strategic Dialogue in December 2022. To signal our shared commitment to deepen the strategic and economic links between our two countries, we agreed on the mutual upgrade of our diplomatic representation to the Embassy level. I plan to visit Oman later this year to take a look at some of those opportunities. With Qatar, our third-largest trading partner in the region, we look forward to continued engagement as fellow small states. Last year, Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean, Minister Shanmugam and I made separate visits to meet various Qatari leaders. Later this year, Singapore will host the 8th High Level Joint Committee to explore new areas of cooperation.

40. We remain concerned by the escalation of the violence in Israel and the West Bank. Certainly, we are always very concerned with the escalation of violence there. We are saddened by the loss of lives on both sides. There can be no justification for attacks on innocent civilians. Both Israelis and Palestinians deserve to live in peace and security. Singapore has been steadfast in our support for a negotiated two-state solution that allows both Israelis and Palestinians to live side-by-side in peace and security, in accordance with the relevant UNSC resolutions. As a friend of both sides, we continue to urge both Israel and the Palestinian Authority (PA) to return to direct negotiations. A two-state solution requires both sides to have the political will to negotiate with each other in good faith and make the necessary concessions. The recent decision by Israeli government to retroactively legitimise nine outposts in the West Bank is deeply worrying. Such unilateral moves will only further heighten tensions and undermine any prospect for peace. We urge all parties to avoid taking further unilateral actions. The status quo at the Temple Mount/Haram Al Sharif should be maintained. In addition, Singapore supports Jordan’s custodianship of the Christian and Muslim holy sites in Jerusalem.

41. Our ties with the Palestinian Authority remain strong. Both Minister Vivian and I made separate visits to Ramallah in the West Bank last year. During my visit, I officiated the opening of the Singapore Representative Office there. In October 2022, we welcomed the visit of PA Prime Minister Dr Mohammad Shtayyeh to Singapore. PM Shtayyeh was the first high-level Palestinian leader to visit Singapore, and he expressed appreciation for Singapore’s support for the PA’s capacity building efforts. Singapore will continue to do so through the Enhanced Technical Assistance Package which we had established since 2013.

42. Mr Chairman, given the turbulence and challenges that the world continues to face, it is more important than ever for Singapore to further strengthen our ties with our international partners and friends. We will seek common cause, including on pressing global issues, as well as in bilateral collaboration. In doing so, we will also find opportunities for the benefit of Singapore and Singaporeans.

43. Thank you.

MOE FY2023 Committee of Supply Debate Response by Second Minister for Education Dr Maliki Osman

LEARN FOR LIFE: FORGING OUR COLLECTIVE FUTURE

Mr Chairman

1. MOE is committed to bringing out the best in every student and support them to their full potential. As our education system evolves to keep pace with global developments, we must pay special attention to students with greater needs and ensure that they have the opportunities and resilience to grow up well, regardless of their starting point in life or the challenges that they faced.

Uplifting every student

2. As Mr Shawn Huang and Ms He Ting Ru pointed out, some students from disadvantaged families find it harder to keep up in school due to their home circumstances. This may lead to long-term absenteeism issues, struggles with motivation and even lower self-esteem.

3. To safeguard social mobility and ensure that these students receive the support and develop resilience to overcome challenges in spite their difficult home circumstances, we established the "Uplifting Pupils in Life and Inspiring Families Taskforce", or UPLIFT, in 2018.

4. In 2020, we piloted the UPLIFT Community Network, or UCN, to strengthen the support ecosystem for students from disadvantaged families, and address school attendance issues early. As the pilot showed positive outcomes, I updated Members last year that the UCN will be rolled out nationwide progressively from 2022.

5. Let me provide an example of the support provided by the UCN. Daania was a Secondary Four student who skipped school frequently and felt disengaged from her teachers and peers. She has five other siblings, including a newborn. With her father being the sole breadwinner, and mother juggling child-minding responsibilities, Daania did not have a good relationship with her parents as they found it difficult to set aside the time and energy to engage and support her. Despite Daania's attendance issues, her teachers continued to reach out to her to encourage her to attend school more regularly. The school also offered financial and academic support to help her cope.

6. The UCN complements the school's efforts in two ways. First, the Town Level-Coordinators in the UCN ropes in community resources to provide supplementary support to students' educational and developmental needs. Daania was enrolled in MENDAKI's Tuition Scheme, where she received additional academic and mentoring support.

7. Second, the Town Level Coordinators support parents to improve and stabilise the home environment, including having volunteer family befrienders mentor these families. With the relaxation of COVID-19 restrictions, befrienders resumed in-person visits from last June, allowing them to better connect with the families. In Daania's case, the Coordinator worked with two befrienders to provide Daania's mother with emotional and financial support. The befrienders helped Daania's mother with the childcare application for her youngest child, freeing her to better support her other children. With their support and advice, the relationship between Daania and her mother improved tremendously.

8. Daania also regained motivation and confidence in her studies. Her school attendance improved, and she did well enough to progress to a course of her choice in ITE. The term has started for a few months now, and I am glad that she is coping well.

9. Stories like this illustrate how collaboration between schools, families, and the community can benefit our students, for those who need help. Parents share that they felt more supported by the UCN, appreciate the increased community support and have seen positive developments in their children. Schools similarly appreciate the closer collaboration with social service agencies (SSAs) from the UCN support. This gives us the confidence to continue with our plans to roll out the UCN nationwide to 12 more towns in 2023. We expect to support about 1,300 students and their families this year.

10. Beyond UCN, many community partners have stepped forward to support and befriend students from disadvantaged backgrounds under UPLIFT. For example, we partnered the Singapore Management University (SMU)'s Centre for Social Responsibilities to pilot befriending programmes for primary school students in need. SMU students and schools co-created activities that served to build students' motivation and resilience. We are grateful for the help of our community partners and will strengthen our partnerships with the community.

11. To strengthen the support provided to disadvantaged and at-risk students within the school environment, we have provided additional manpower resourcing to schools through the UPLIFT Enhanced School Resourcing initiative. These additional resourcing support schools in establishing more targeted programmes for students with higher needs. For example, some teachers have been deployed to provide mentoring and additional academic support for students with absenteeism issues. The number of schools supported under this initiative has grown from 23 schools in 2019 to 47 schools in 2022. We plan to further expand this to 100 schools in the next few years, to support about 13,000 students. This is in addition to existing programmes like the Learning Support Programme for English (LSP) and Learning Support for Mathematics (LSM) for lower primary students who need additional support in these subjects.

12. We will also continue to work closely with other government agencies to explore how best to strengthen whole-of-government social service delivery for higher needs students and those coming from disadvantaged backgrounds. This will include further integrating our processes with other social service initiatives, like ComLink and KidSTART, so that students and their families receive more coordinated and seamless support from the Government.

13. In addition to our UPLIFT efforts, MOE provides education subsidies and financial support to ensure that our national schools and institutes of higher learning (IHLs) remain accessible and affordable. For example, we recently enhanced financial assistance and bursary provisions for Singapore Citizen (SC) students from lower income households in our schools and IHLs respectively. This ensures that no Singaporean student is unable to access schools and IHLs because of financial reasons.

14. Mr Faisal Manap asked if we could extend financial assistance to non-citizen students studying in national schools with at least one SC parent. Financial subsidies are differentiated by students' citizenship status to reflect the benefits of citizenship, in line with the broader Government policy of differentiating benefits by citizenship status. Non-citizen students with financial difficulties can approach their schools for assistance. MOE will assess their situation and exercise flexibility on a case-by-case basis, with special consideration given to those from lower income households.

15. Mr Faisal Manap also asked if MOE's financial assistance scheme and Edusave Awards, currently only available to SCs in national schools, can be extended to madrasah students. This is not the first time he has given this proposal and this will not be the first time we will be giving a considered response. All SCs, aged 7 to 16, receive yearly Edusave contributions for their educational uses.

16. However, students in private schools, including those in madrasahs, are not eligible for MOE's financial assistance scheme and Edusave awards. This reflects our preference for all SCs to enrol in national schools, to go through a common educational experience so as to build a national identity and social cohesion. Parents are aware and thus make informed choices when they decide to enrol their children in private schools instead of our national schools.

17. Notwithstanding, the Government recognises the role of madrasahs in the community. MUIS provides financial assistance and alternative awards for madrasah students. For example, MUIS assists madrasah students from low-income families through the Progress Fund Madrasah Assistance Scheme (PROMAS), and administers the Madrasah Student Awards to recognise academic excellence and progress.

Strengthening Support for Students with Special Educational Needs

18. Let me move to another group of students – those with special educational needs (SEN). We will continue to enable them to lead meaningful lives and fulfil their aspirations despite their learning difficulties.

19. The challenges faced by families and students with SEN are multifaceted and require whole-of-community support across their life stages. MOE works closely with various government agencies and SSAs to meet the children's and families' needs at different stages of their journey. I will focus on the schooling years today, and my MSF colleagues will share more on the additional support that will be provided beyond the school setting.

20. I thank Mr Shawn Huang, Ms Rahayu Mahzam and Ms Denise Phua for their suggestions and passionate call to MOE to provide more support for students with SEN. We hear you. We feel you and we are with you. Indeed over the years, we have enhanced SEN support in the education landscape significantly. And we will continue to explore what more we can do with our partners to support our students with SEN.

21. We are committed to strengthening structures and teacher capacity for consistent enactment of inclusive practices across all our mainstream schools, in order to lower barriers to learning and help our students with SEN build key life skills. Today, our schools are supported with teachers trained in special needs and SEN officers. These educators are guided by a dedicated case management team that monitors students' progress and overall well-being. They work closely with parents to develop holistic intervention plans, and support students' transition at different stages of their educational journey. Schools have also worked hard to grow an inclusive culture where peers actively appreciate and support each other. These friendships bring joy and teach students with SEN how to build meaningful relationships and thrive in school and life.

22. For students with moderate-to-severe SEN, we have enhanced accessibility to quality Special Education (SPED) schools by strengthening curriculum efforts and ensuring sufficient capacity to cater to different disability profiles. We recently announced a fifth SPED school for students with Autism Spectrum Disorder who can access the national curriculum.

23. The IHLs similarly provide targeted support for students with SEN, from pre-enrolment to graduation. This includes course advisement for prospective students, helping students identify courses that better suit their interests and learning needs, and partnering educators to support students' learning needs. The IHLs also work with SSAs to prepare and ease students' transition to internship and employment.

24. We will continue to work with schools and IHLs to strengthen support for our students with SEN across their educational journey.

25. Let me focus on two key enhancements in the SPED sector.

26. First, with growing emphasis in education to recognise diverse strengths among our students and the vision for an inclusive Singapore, a key focus is to help peers from diverse profiles integrate and learn from each other.

27. Since 2007, under Satellite Partnerships, SPED schools have been partnering General Education (Gen Ed) schools to conduct joint learning activities, such as learning journeys and camps. These activities promote inclusion between students with and without SEN, build capabilities for peer support and inculcate positive values.

28. From 2023, Satellite Partnerships will be replaced by School Partnerships (Gen Ed – SPED) to broaden and deepen existing partnerships while cultivating stronger and more collaboration between SPED schools and Gen Ed schools.

29. Besides providing students with opportunities to develop deeper relationships through sustained and meaningful interactions, School Partnerships (Gen Ed – SPED), i.e. between Gen Ed and SPED schools, will also focus on professional exchange between teachers to build capabilities, something suggested by Ms Denise Phua in her speech yesterday. Such mutual professional learning can enhance pedagogical practices in the classroom, and strengthen how teachers facilitate integration between students from partner schools to nurture them into empathetic, confident and independent learners.

30. An example of a successful partnership is between Bukit Merah Secondary School and Tanglin School.

31. Partners since 2018, students from both schools share their passion for sports and co-curricular activities (CCAs) together through training sessions jointly organised by their teachers. Sudip from Bukit Merah Secondary School shared in his reflections that he learnt how to better work in a team and tap on one another's strengths through floorball practices with peers from Tanglin School. Likewise, James from Tanglin School shared that having the opportunity to train with peers from Bukit Merah Secondary School for the Play Inclusive Badminton matches brought them closer and taught him how to work alongside peers new to him. I am heartened by the inclusivity shown by these students, and the friendships formed over the years.

32. We will work closely with Gen Ed and SPED schools to develop more meaningful partnerships by finding synergy through shared strategic directions, niche offerings and location proximity.

33. Second, MOE will continue to enhance the quality of teaching and learning in SPED schools to prepare students to be active in the community as contributing citizens.

34. Since 2020, we have embarked on developing SPED Teaching and Learning Syllabus across seven SPED learning domains to raise the quality of curriculum in SPED schools and provide them with greater resources to achieve the desired SPED outcomes, including lifelong learning for our students.

35. Three SPED syllabuses were launched in the past two years for the learning domains which include (i) Visual Arts, (ii) Daily Living Skills, and (iii) Vocational Education. These syllabuses have strengthened curriculum design and lesson delivery, and promoted stronger collaboration between educators and allied professionals, and partnerships with families and the community.

36. Two additional SPED syllabuses in (i) Communication and Language, and (ii) Social-Emotional Learning will be launched this year:

The Communication and Language syllabus will place stronger emphasis on communication and strengthen the partnership between teachers and Speech and Language Therapists to equip students with skills to connect meaningfully with others.
The Social-Emotional Learning syllabus will introduce skills of self-determination to give students' agency in pursuing their aspirations, and nurture confidence and resilience to cope with challenges and changes in their lives.
These are important life skills to better support students with SEN in their transition to post-school as they integrate with the larger community, helping them live independently, learn continuously and work productively.

37. Alongside these curriculum enhancements, we recognise the need to continue working with schools to build capacity and develop the skills of educators to support the implementation of these syllabuses. We will also continue to deepen our partnerships with SSAs to attract talents and study the suggestions by Members to keep SPED schools forward looking.

38. Ms Denise Phua asked whether the formal SPED school exit age can be extended from 18 to 21 years old. While the exit age remains at 18 years old, MOE has extended funding for SPED students who can offer vocational certification. These students can access open and paid employment, and so a longer runway of up to 21 years old is given to them to attain these national certifications.

39. For majority of SPED students, we have pegged the exit age at 18 years old taking into consideration that a post school option would be more meaningful in supporting their transition from school to community. For all SPED graduates, MOE is committed to working with SG Enable and the SSAs to facilitate their post-school transition, and to co-create avenues of continual supports for them.

40. We fully appreciate the effort of all our SPED schools in equipping our students with skills to prepare them to lead independent and fruitful lives. It has not been an easy journey but we have made significant progress. MOE will continually enhance our support for SPED schools, and more details will be shared at upcoming platforms this year.

Building Resilience in Our Students

41. Aside from targeted support and programmes, we want to develop resilience in all students, for them to persevere in the challenges that will inevitably come.

42. It is not easy being a youth in today's complex and fast-paced environment. Our youths face pressure on multiple fronts, including on social media. Many youths have spoken up and expressed concerns on mental health issues. In fact, for many of us, when we meet young people at our engagement sessions, mental health issues are key on their minds. Dr Wan Rizal also spoke on the importance of supporting our students' mental well-being. We would like to assure our students and parents that mental well-being will always be a key priority for MOE.

43. Over the past few years, aside from systemic changes to reduce overemphasis on academic grades and to nurture a joy for learning, we have strengthened measures to help students stay resilient amidst challenges, and enhanced the overall system of support.

44. First, the refreshed Character and Citizenship Education (CCE) curriculum provides greater emphasis on Mental Health Education. The curriculum aims to help students tap on their natural strengths and develop a wider repertoire of skills and habits so that they can overcome the hurdles they face, whether at home, in school or in the community. The roll out for the refreshed CCE curriculum started in 2021 and will be completed by this year.

45. These resilience and social-emotional skills are further practised and reinforced beyond the classroom, such as through CCAs and camps. I encourage all students to make good use of these platforms and develop deeper bonds with your friends who will walk with you through good and bad times.

46. These educative efforts also extend to the IHLs where there already are a good range of programmes in place to raise awareness on mental health issues.

47. Second, we have strengthened the support eco-system for our students. All schools have peer support structures, and students are taught how to look out for, offer support to their peers, and refer them to trusted adults where necessary.

48. Struggling students manifest their distress in different ways, such as social withdrawal or acting out behaviours. Teachers are equipped to look out for signs of distress and understand underlying needs so that they can provide the right support and guidance. We are also enhancing mental health literacy to enable teachers to better identify and support students of all ages with mental health struggles. Schools have also set aside dedicated time and space at the start of each term for teachers to engage students on issues affecting their well-being.

49. We have also stepped up efforts in the recruitment of school counsellors and will continue to grow our pool of teacher-counsellors. Students who need professional support will also be referred to community resources.

50. These efforts ensure the early identification of students with mental health issues and that support will be provided in a timely manner.

51. Beyond these school-based initiatives, we need strong partnerships with all stakeholders, including parents, community partners and agencies. I encourage parents to actively journey together with their children and schools to facilitate a more holistic development for their children.

52. MOE is involved in inter-agency collaborative efforts, such as the Interagency Taskforce for Mental Health and Well-Being, to better support the mental health needs of families, children and youths. One area that the Taskforce is looking into is identifying ways to help youths and parents better access coordinated mental health services. MOH will share more details on these efforts.

Expanding Opportunities to Support Students' Strengths and Aspirations

Updates on recent moves in the polytechnic and ITE sector

53. Let me now speak on the progress we have made in the polytechnics and ITE. We agree with Ms Maariam Jaafar and Dr Wan Rizal on the need for our applied education pathways to support the growing interests and learner profiles among our youth.

54. In January 2022, I announced the recommendations from the Review on Opportunities and Applied Education, which studied how to better support the diverse needs and aspirations of students and graduates from the polytechnics and ITE while ensuring that they have the relevant skills to thrive in the future economy. Good progress has been made in two key areas.

55. First, to enhance students' career readiness and aspirations, ITE introduced the enhanced three-year ITE curricular structure leading directly to a Higher Nitec from the 2022 intake. Interim indicators from the first phase of implementation have been positive. More students indicated interest for courses under the enhanced curricular structure compared to similar past Nitec courses. Lecturers also observed that students enrolled in three-year courses are more motivated and attrition rates in the first six months have improved.

56. ITE will continue to monitor the outcomes from the first phase of implementation closely. They are on track in transitioning the remaining courses to the enhanced curricular structure by 2026. Students can look forward to courses such as the 3-year Higher Nitec in Nursing, and International Logistics, which will be launched next year.

57. Second, in recognition of the growing diversity in students' interests and learner profiles, the polytechnics are piloting flexible modular loads. Under this pilot, students can spread their learning beyond three years by taking fewer modules per semester. Such flexibility allows students to pursue other interests and take more time to build their academic foundation. The preliminary take-up rates have been encouraging.

58. In addition to this pilot, students are given the flexibility to take up electives, where feasible. With limited curriculum hours, institutions have to balance between allocating time for electives and that for equipping students with the necessary specialised skillsets and knowledge to meet industry needs.

59. MOE will work closely with the polytechnics and ITE to monitor the progress of these enhancements and make necessary adjustments to ensure they fulfil its intent.

Expanding Opportunities and Porosity in Admissions Pathways

60. As mentioned by Minister Chan, Full Subject-Based Banding (Full SBB) will be fully implemented in secondary schools for the Secondary 1 cohort from next year onwards. This means that streaming will be removed. This is a significant move in our overall General Education landscape. With this move, students can customise their learning by taking a combination of subjects at different levels, suited to their strengths and pace of learning.

61. In line with this shift, MOE will adjust the admissions criteria for post-secondary pathways to recognise more diverse profiles of learners and provide them with more options. The range of post-secondary pathways that students could be eligible for will no longer be limited by streams but by their performance at different subject levels. Let me elaborate on these changes.

62. First, more students will be able to access the Polytechnic Foundation Programme (PFP). Today, the PFP is only open to eligible students from the Normal (Academic) stream.

63. To allow a wider learner profile to benefit from the PFP, access to PFP will be expanded to include students taking G3 subjects or a mix of G3 and G2 subjects. This change will take place from the 2028 PFP intake and the number of students accepted every year could increase up to 2,600 from about 1,700 today. The PFP admissions criteria will be maintained to ensure students continue to have the fundamentals to cope with the rigour of the PFP.

64. We will also adopt a cluster-based admissions approach for the PFP from the 2026 intake. Today, students are admitted directly to specific diplomas in their PFP year. In 2026, students will be admitted to broad clusters, such as Sciences and Humanities, Art, Media & Business, before choosing a specific diploma in the cluster after their PFP. Students will have more time to make informed choices. Polytechnics can also better match students' interest and abilities with specific diplomas. This builds on our efforts to expose students to multiple courses in a cluster before deciding on a specific diploma that they want to pursue, an approach currently adopted by Common Entry Programmes in the Polytechnics.

65. Second, MOE will review admissions to Polytechnic Year 1 to better recognise the different subject levels taken by students. For example, today students have to take five G3 subjects to be eligible for Polytechnic Year 1. With Full SBB, some may take subjects at the G2 level, and we are exploring allowing one G2 subject to be considered for admission.

66. In addition to these enhancements, ITE students will have more opportunities and flexibility to deepen their skills and competencies through the expansion of ITE diploma offerings. These offerings will enable students to better attain work-ready skills in line with changing industry needs.

67. ITE's Work-Study Diplomas (WSDips) and Technical Diploma (TDs) are apprenticeship-based, which cater to students who prefer a more hands-on learning style. WSDips also place students in jobs related to their discipline of study, allowing them to deepen their skills through a structured training programme. Thus far, about 1,600 students have graduated from ITE diploma programmes with positive employment outcomes and salaries comparable to that of polytechnic graduates.

68. In 2023, ITE will expand its WSDip offering by launching four new programmes, bringing the total to 40 programmes. ITE will also double its TD offerings to six TDs, up from three today. A total of 1,400 places will be offered across ITE diploma programmes, enabling more than 10% of ITE Nitec and Higher Nitec graduates to progress through these pathways.

69. One student who has benefitted is Izz, who enrolled in the Nitec in Space Design (Architecture) before progressing to the Higher Nitec in Architectural Technology. Izz interned at an architectural firm as part of his Higher Nitec course. The firm was impressed by his hard work and dedication and decided to sponsor his WSDip in Architectural Building Information Modelling (BIM) & Design while concurrently employing him as an architectural assistant. This has allowed Izz to directly apply what he learnt in class and work to client projects, giving him a head start in his career.

70. With these enhancements, we hope to better support the needs of diverse student profiles, their aspirations, and strengthen their career readiness and resilience for jobs of the future economy.

71. We would also like to take the opportunity to assure Mr Leon Pereira that internship is an important feature of our polytechnic and ITE education. Internships allow students to apply what is taught in the classroom to the real world and equip them with deeper industry ready skills. All polytechnics and ITE have made internships a compulsory component of their courses. Institutions also work closely with industry to offer quality internships to their students, regardless of their socioeconomic backgrounds.

72. Mr Chairman, allow me to continue in Malay.

73. MOE komited untuk memupuk serta menggilap potensi setiap pelajar dengan pelbagai keperluan dan kekuatan.

74. Bagi pelajar berkeperluan khas, kami akan mengukuhkan usaha untuk memupuk sikap inklusif di sekolah-sekolah dengan memperdalam kerjasama antara sekolah-sekolah pendidikan Khas (SPED) dan sekolah-sekolah pendidikan awam. Ini akan mewujudkan lebih banyak peluang berinteraksi dan bertujuan untuk membantu pelajar kita bersikap lebih inklusif dan bertimbang rasa terhadap orang lain. Kami akur bukan mudah untuk mengasuh pelajar berkeperluan khas. Justeru itu, kami akan meneruskan usaha kami untuk meningkatkan pengajaran dan pembelajaran di sekolah-sekolah SPED. Kami akan menyalurkan lebih banyak sumber kepada sekolah-sekolah SPED.

75. Selain dari sekolah SPED, kita juga telah membuat peningkatan di sektor politeknik dan ITE. Lanjutan daripada Perlaksanaan dasar Pengumpulan Berdasarkan Subjek Secara Penuh (FSBB), sistem aliran Ekpress, Normal Akademik dan Normal Teknikal akan digugurkan. Ini adalah satu perubahan besar dalam lanskap sistem pendidikan kita. Dengan FSBB, kriteria kemasukan untuk laluan posmenengah tidak lagi ditentukan menerusi aliran tetapi berdasarkan peringkat subjek dan kelakonan para pelajar. Perubahan kepada kriteria kemasukan politeknik akan mengenal pasti profil pelajar yang lebih luas dan menyediakan mereka dengan lebih banyak pilihan. Bermula dengan kohort yang akan memasuki Politeknik pada tahun 2028, Program Asas Politeknik (PFP), yang sebelum ini terbatas kepada pelajar-pelajar aliran Normal (Akademik), akan dibuka lebih luas lagi kepada lebih banyak profil pelajar. Kami akan menyemak kriteria Politeknik Tahun 1 untuk mengenal pasti dengan lebih baik lagi peringkat subjek yang berbeza yang diambil pelajar kita.

76. Kita akur keperluan industri akan terus berubah. Justeru untuk menyediakan pelajar kita , ITE akan memperluas tawaran Diploma Kerja sambil Belajar (WSDips) dan Diploma Teknikal (TDs) untuk membolehkan pelajar memperdalam kemahiran dan kecekapan mereka melalui pedagogi guna tangan atau hands on. Perluasan program-program WSDips dan TDs adalah untuk menyokong aspirasi para pelajar ITE untuk meningkatkan diri, kemahiran mereka dan mendapatkan kelulusan di peringkat Diploma. Sejauh ini seramai 1,600 pelajar ITE telah lulus kursus Diploma WSDips dan TDs dan berjaya mendapat pekerjaan baik dengan gaji yang setaraf dengan graduan politeknic kita.Saya menggalakkan para pelajar ITE untuk menggunakan peluang ini memandangkan peluang pekerjaan yang positif ini. Kita akan terus menggalak lebih ramai di antara mereka untuk menggunakan peluang ini.

77. Di peringkat sekolah rendah dan menengah pula, MOE maklum tentang pentingnya menyediakan asas Bahasa Melayu/Bahasa Ibunda yang kukuh kepada pelajar-pelajar kita. Hal ini akan membolehkan mereka menghargai warisan dan budaya dan berkomunikasi secara efektif dengan masyarakat Asia dan dunia.

78. Dalam usaha ini, kami telah menyediakan lebih banyak peluang kepada pelajar untuk menggunakan Bahasa Melayu di luar lingkungan bilik darjah. Contohnya, Jawatankuasa Pembelajaran dan Penggalakan Penggunaan Bahasa Melayu (MLLPC) telah bekerjasama dengan Kumpulan Hidupan Liar Mandai (Mandai Wildlife Group) untuk melancarkan program Kembara Nusantara. Program ini menggalakkan pengajaran dan pembelajaran Bahasa Melayu untuk kanak-kanak prasekolah, ibu bapa dan guru mereka melalui kegiatan-kegiatan yang menyeronokkan di Taman Haiwan Singapura. Mereka belajar Bahasa Melayu ketika mereka mengunjungi Taman Haiwan Singapura. Kami akan terus menyemak usaha-usaha kami untuk menjadikan pembelajaran bahasa Melayu lebih autentik dengan menggunakan kaedah-kaedah yang kreatif supaya Bahasa Melayu terus hidup dalam jiwa pelajar-pelajar kita.

[MOE is committed to nurture and develop the potential of students with different needs and strengths.

For students with special educational needs, we will strengthen efforts to nurture inclusivity in schools by deepening partnerships between SPED schools and Gen Ed schools. This will provide more sustained opportunities for interaction, which help students to become more inclusive and thoughtful towards others. We recognise it is not easy to nurture students with SEN. Therefore, we will continue our efforts to improve teaching and learning in SPED schools. We will also channel more support to SPED schools.

Aside from SPED schools, we will also make improvements in the polytechnic and ITE sector. With Full SBB, the Express, Normal (Academic) and Normal (Technical) streams will be removed. This is the major change in our education system landscape. In line with Full SBB, the admission criteria for post-secondary pathways will no longer be determined by streams but by the subject levels and performance of our students. Changes to the polytechnic admissions criteria will recognise a wider profile of learners and provide them with more options. From the 2028 intake, the PFP, which is limited to students in the N(A) stream today, will be open to more learner profiles. We are also reviewing the Polytechnic Year 1 criteria to better recognise the different subject levels taken by students.

In response to changing industry needs, ITE will expand their WSDips and TDs offerings to allow students to deepen their skills and competencies through a more hands-on pedagogy that focuses on learning-by-doing. The expansion of these offerings will also support ITE students in their aspirations for upgrading their skills and to acquire Diploma qualification. So far, about 1,600 students have graduated from ITE's diploma programmes with good employment outcomes and salaries comparable to other polytechnic graduates. I encourage ITE students to make full use of opportunities, given the positive employment outcomes among ITE diploma graduates.

At the primary and secondary levels, MOE also recognises the importance of equipping students with a strong foundation in Malay/Mother Tongue Languages. This will enable our students to appreciate their heritage and culture, and communicate effectively with communities across Asia and in the world.

In this regard, we have provided more opportunities for students to experience the use of ML beyond the classroom. For example, the Malay Language Learning and Promotion Committee (MLLPC) collaborated with the Mandai Wildlife Group to launch Kembara Nusantara. This programme promotes the teaching and learning of the Malay Language through fun-filled activities for pre-schoolers, their parents, and teachers at the Singapore Zoo. We will continually review our efforts to make language learning more authentic using creative approaches and bring MTL to life for our learners.]

Conclusion

79. Mr Chairman, in conclusion, as we enhance our education policies in response to changing needs, we will help every student make the best of these opportunities and nurture them into skilful and resilient Singaporeans. We must also work together to strengthen the inclusiveness of our education system, so that no one is denied a good education because of their circumstances. Thank you.