Singapore*
(Last updated February 2007)
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Introduction and OverviewLocated in Southeastern Asia, Singapura or the Republic of Singapore is comprised of 63 islands, including the main island, between Malaysia and Indonesia. Singapore gained independence from the British in 1963 and joined the Malaysian Federation. In 1965, it separated from the Federation and became an independent country. It subsequently became one of the world's most prosperous countries with per capita GDP equal to that of the leading nations of Western Europe. Covering a total area of 264.6 sq miles, Singapore is slightly more than 3.5 times the size of Washington DC. Singapore is an island city-state and the smallest country in Southeast Asia. Located at the Southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, Singapore was a fishing village inhabited by indigeneous Malays when it was colonized by the United Kingdom in 1819. It was occupied by the Japanese Empire during World War II, but reverted to British rule in 1945 and was later part of the merger which established Malaysia in 1963. When Singapore acquired independence in 1965, having few natural resources, it was sociopolitically volatile and economically undeveloped. Foreign investments and rapid government-led island-wide industrialization has since created an economy relying heavily on electronics and manufacturing exports and entrepôt trade centering around its strategic port position. According to the quality-of-life index by the Economist Intelligence Unit, Singapore has the highest standard of living in Asia, and is ranked 11th in the world. In the United Nations Human Development Index, Singapore holds the 25th place, behind Japan, Hong Kong, and Israel in Asia. In terms of GDP per capita, Singapore is the 22nd wealthiest country. The geographically small nation has a foreign reserve of S$197b (US$119b). POLITICAL STRUCTURE The Constitution of the Republic of Singapore established the city-state's political system as a representative democracy while the country has official United Nations' recognition of a Parlimentary Republic. Since its independence, the country has been governed by the People's Action Party, which has won every election to date. Singapore is a republic with a unicameral parliamentary government representing different constituencies of Singapore. The bulk of the executive powers rests in the Cabinet, headed by the Prime Minister of Singapore. The office of the President of Singapore, historically a ceremonial one, was granted some veto powers in a few key decisions such as the use of the national reserves and appointment of judiciary positions. The legislative branch of government is the Parliament. Executive A president, elected to a six-year term, is Singapore’s head of state, and a prime minister is head of government. The president used to be elected by parliament, but by a 1991 constitutional amendment the president is now elected directly by the voters. In order to run for president, candidates must be declared eligible by the Presidential Elections Committee, a body composed of governmental ministers that screens candidates based on qualifications outlined in the Singapore constitution. The president acts on the advice of the cabinet, which is responsible to the parliament and headed by the prime minister. The cabinet is appointed by the president from among the members of parliament. The President of Singapore is S.R. NATHAN (since 1 September 1999) and the Prime Minister is LEE Hsien Loong (since 12 August 2004). The Deputy Prime Ministers are Shunmugan JAYAKUMAR (since 1 September 2005) and WONG Kan Seng (since 1 September 2005). Former Prime Minister GOH Chok Tong serves as Senior Minister (since 12 August 2004) and the first Prime Minister of the Republic LEE Kuan Yew serves as Minister Mentor (since 12 August 2004). The last presidential elections were held in August 2005 and parliamentary elections in May 2006 (the PAP won 66.6% of the votes). The next parliamentary elections will be held in 2011. Legislature Legislative power is vested in a one-house parliament, which includes 84 members who are popularly elected to serve five-year terms. They are elected from single-member and multi-member constituencies. For the latter type, known as group representation constituencies, members are elected in teams of 4 to 6, and at least 1 member of each team must be of a minority (non-Chinese) ethnic group. In addition to elected members, the parliament may also include up to 9 politically neutral members nominated by the president and up to 3 members appointed from opposition political parties. Nominated members serve two-year terms and have restricted voting rights. The purpose of the nominated and appointed members is to ensure parliament represents a wide range of views. Nominated members are distinguished professionals or public servants. Judiciary Judicial power is vested in the Supreme Court and the subordinate courts. The Supreme Court consists of the High Court and the Court of Appeal. Supreme Court judges are appointed by the president, with the consent of the prime minister. Singaporean politics have been dominated by the People's Action Party (PAP) since self-government in 1959. Foreign political analysts and several opposition parties like the Workers' Party of Singapore, the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) and the Singapore Democratic Alliance (SDA) have argued Singapore is essentially a one-party state. Many analysts consider Singapore more an illiberal democracy or procedural democracy than a true democracy. The Economist Intelligence Unit lists Singapore as a country with a "hybrid" system with democratic and authoritarian elements. Freedom House ranks the country as "partly free". Though general elections are free from irregularities and vote rigging, the PAP has been criticised for manipulating the political system through its use of censorship, gerrymandering and civil libel suits against opposition politicians. Political opponents like Francis Seow, J.B. Jeyaretnam and Chee Soon Juan perceive the Singaporean courts as favourable towards the PAP government due to a lack of separation of powers. Singapore has what its government considers to be a highly successful and transparent market economy. The PAP's policies contain some aspects of socialism. The Housing Development Board oversees a large-scale public housing programme and education in Singapore is a rigorous compulsory public education system. Government-linked companies are dominant in various sectors of the local economy, such as the areas of media, utilities, and public transport. Singapore has consistently been rated as the least-corrupt country in Asia and amongst the top ten cleanest from corruption in the world by Transparency International. Although Singapore's laws are inherited from British and British Indian laws, including many elements of English common law, the PAP has also consistently rejected liberal democratic values, which it typifies as Western and states that there should not be a 'one-size-fits-all' solution to a democracy. Laws restricting the freedom of speech are justified by claims that they are intended to prohibit speech that may breed ill will or cause disharmony within Singapore's multiracial, multi-religious society. For example, in September 2005, three bloggers were convicted of sedition for posting racist remarks targeting minorities. Some offences can lead to heavy fines or caning and there are laws which allow capital punishment in Singapore for first-degree murder and drug trafficking. Amnesty International has criticised Singapore for having "possibly the highest execution rate in the world" per capita. The Singapore government argued that there is no international consensus on the appropriateness of the death penalty and that Singapore has the sovereign right to determine its own judicial system and impose capital punishment for the most serious crimes. Despite restrictions on public gatherings in Singapore, a small group of activists organised events in 2005 and 2006 protesting the country's use of the death penalty. More recently the PAP government has relaxed some of its socially conservative policies and created a "Feedback Unit" to encourage citizens to share their views on policies and public services. Since Singapore is a city-state, there are no further administrative divisions. Singapore does however have community development councils and town councils that handle local matters. (CIA World Fact Book 2007; Wikipedia 2007 and Microsoft Encarta 2006) ECONOMY As one of the East Asian Tigers, Singapore enjoys a highly developed and successful free-market economy, characterized by a remarkably corruption-free environment, stable prices, and one of the highest per capita GDP in the world, equal to that of the four largest West European countries. The economy depends heavily on exports, particularly in electronics and manufacturing, and was hard hit in 2001 by the global recession and the slump in the technology sector and by an outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in 2003, which curbed tourism and consumer spending. In 2001, the GDP contracted by 2.2%. The economy has since recovered in response to improvements in the US economy. Fiscal stimulus, low interest rates, a surge in exports, and internal flexibility led to vigorous growth in 2004-06, with real GDP growth averaging 7% annually.In 2006, the GDP was estimated at US $138.6 billion. Singapore is the world's fourth largest foreign exchange trading centre after London, New York City and Tokyo. Less than 5% of Singapore's land is used for agriculture and its contribution to the GDP is negligible. In 2006, services and industry contributed 66.2% and 33.8% respectively to Singapore’s GDP. Singapore is one of the world's greatest commercial centers, with a large, modern port. Commerce has historically been the chief source of income. For many years the largest importer in SE Asia, Singapore is a free port and an entrepôt that reexports more than half of what it imports, notably rubber, petroleum, textiles, timber, and tin. It also exports locally manufactured goods such as computer and telecommunications equipment, petroleum products, oil drilling equipment, plastics, rubber products, and processed food and beverages. The country imports most of its food requirements. (CIA World Fact Book 2007) LABOR FORCE Singapore’s labor force consisted of 2.4 million people in 2006. Unemployment rate was estimated at 3.1% in 2006 (lower than its neighboring countries including Malaysia –3.5% and Indonesia – 12.5% but higher than Thailand – 2.1%). In October 2006, the government announced that Singapore had recorded its highest employment rate in 15 years with improvements, particularly, in the hiring of older workers. The Manpower Ministry's Research and Statistics Department said that in June this year, 76 percent of its resident population, aged 25 to 64, were employed. This was up from 73 percent in 2005 and 72 percent in 2004. In 2005, female labor force participation rate was 56.6%, up from 53.9% in 2003. Women constituted 45% of the employed work force in 2004. The average wage earned by females was S$2,865 (US $1,866) in 2005 – 72% lower than that earned by males. A report by the Ministry of Manpower in 2006 mentioned “More females were in lower-paying jobs and also tend to devote more time to child care and family commitments than their careers as men". (MCYS, 2006) Singapore's workforce is employed primarily in manufacturing, in the service industries, and in commerce. In 2003, labor force by occupation was classified as follows: manufacturing 18%; construction 6%; transportation and communication 11%; financial, business, and other services 49%; and other occupations 16%. (CIA World Fact Book 2007) Between 1995 and 2003, female employment was 18% in industry and 81% in services. Women’s political participation has increased significantly in Singapore. Seats in the lower house or single house held by women grew from 5% to 18.5% between 1990 and 2006. (UNDP 2006) CHILD PROTECTION Most of the children protection policies and programs in Singapore are pro-family because the family is considered the central unit responsible for the welfare of children. Though earlier child protection services dealt with children when problems occurred, the focus in recent years has been on taking a proactive and preventive approach. Formal protection of children in Singapore began with the 1927 Children’s Ordinance, enacted “to afford children protection against cruelty”. In June 1946, following the Second World War, Singapore’s first Social Welfare Department was established to look into various areas of social policy. In 1949 the comprehensive Children and Young Persons Ordinance was enacted. This was the precursor of the present day legislation – The Children and Young Persons Act. The Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS) bears the statutory responsibility to protect children from abuse and neglect, with duties spelt out in the current Children and Young Persons Act. Under the Act, a person “shall be guilty of an offence if, being a person who has the custody, charge or care of a child or young person, he ill-treats the child or young person or causes, procures or knowingly permits the child or young person to be ill-treated by any other person”. The Children and Young Persons Act (CYPA) provides legal protection for children below the age of 14 years, as well as for young persons aged 14 and below 16 years. Amendments to the CYPA enacted in October 2001 has enhanced child protection in Singapore. One key amendment expanded the definition of child abuse to include emotional/psychological abuse. While difficult to detect, emotional and psychological abuse can seriously undermine a child’s healthy development. In March 1996, the Child Abuse Prevention Team (CAPT) was introduced to institutionalize a multi-disciplinary and multi-agency team approach in the management of child abuse cases. CAPT provides a forum for child protection professionals to discuss, develop and follow through a plan of action for child abuse cases, ensuring that the best interests of the child are met. The Penal Code recognizes and provides for imposition of imprisonment and/or imposition of fine for persons who abuse and neglect children. The Penal Code also sets out such offences as infanticide, exposure and abandonment of children, causing hurt and grievous hurt and rape of a child. Singapore prohibits the employment of children below the age of 12 years. While a child or young person is allowed to work under the law, Singapore’s labor legislation restricts the type of work the child or young person can engage in and the maximum hours he or she may be employed. The Ministry of Community Development, Youth, and Sports (MCYS) works closely with the National Council for Social Services (NCSS) to oversee child protection services. Voluntary organizations, with assistance from government funds, operate most of the institutions for abandoned and neglected children. The Government funds up to 50 percent of all child costs, which included normal living expenses and overhead, as well as expenses for special schooling, health care, or supervisory needs. In some cases, the Government covers 100 percent of such costs. Community Development Councils also provide funds to children from poor families to cover education and transportation costs. Ethnic community organizations - Chinese Development Assistance Council, Mendaki and the Association of Malay Professionals, Singapore Indian Development Association (SINDA) and Eurasian Association, serving Chinese, Malays, Indians, and Eurasians respectively - all have educational focus. In October 1995, Singapore became Signatory to the United Nations Convention on Rights of the Child (UNCRC). In UNICEF’s ‘State of the World’s Children, 2001’, Singapore was ranked first along with Japan, Sweden and Switzerland, for the lowest under-5 mortality rates in the world. However a number of ‘new morbidities’ have arisen in this developed society – chronic medical illnesses, developmental disabilities, learning problems, behavioral disturbances and disorders, obesity and overweight die to unhealthy lifestyles and social and emotional disorders. Another major cause for concern is the rising number of suicide cases among teenagers because of stress and inability to deal with school pressures, and relationships with parents and peers. |
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Government Agencies
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Non-Governmental AgenciesThe Non-Government/Voluntary sector in Singapore has developed in partnership with the government to deliver social service programs. While Non-Government Organizations (NGOs) such as welfare organizations, community associations, charities, religious bodies, self-group groups and family and business service organizations manage and deliver social services, the government is essentially a facilitator and regulator rather than a deliverer. The funding of welfare schemes is shared both by NGOs and the government. NGOs in Singapore are engaged in a wide range of personal social services. These include providing care and support for the elderly and disabled, counseling for individuals and families in need or under stress, accommodation and support in kind for the destitute, and help for low-income families. They are also involved in pre-school education and supervision for school children before and after school, counseling and activities for children and adolescents with behavioral problems, and therapy and rehabilitation for drug addicts. NGOs receive funding from both private contributions and the government budget. Contributions from private individuals, businesses, endowment foundations, and other private organizations supplement the contribution of the government from budget funds. To facilitate and encourage donations, a state-managed charity fund, the Community Chest, was established in 1983 to which many of the donations are given on a regular basis. The money is then made available to the National Council of Social Service, which allocates the money in accordance with the requests and needs of the NGOs. Voluntary donations may also be given directly to an NGO, bypassing the intermediary agencies of the Community Chest/National Council of Social Service and the Community Development Councils. This constitutes a third source of funding for social service programs. The various public organizations in Singapore involved in social service provision (the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports and other Ministries, as well as the Community Development Councils, and the National Council of Social Service) do so for the most part indirectly. Their central functions are to provide the resource inputs to the NGOs and to exercise regulatory control over them. The main resource input is finance, which the above agencies allocate to NGOs from the government budget and/or channel to them from voluntary donations. Funding is largely undertaken by the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports, and in a few cases by other ministries, such as the Ministry of Health (nursing homes for the elderly and home care nursing), the Ministry of Education (education for the disabled), and the Ministry of Home Affairs (rehabilitation of ex-prisoners). Public funding, which is designed to offset both operating and capital costs, has risen steeply in the last few years. In 1994, financial assistance to NGOs (excluding child care centers) was just over $6 million; by 2000, it had risen to $58 million. As a result of its greater financial commitment to social services, the government now funds up to 50 per cent of what it considers an appropriate operating cost for an approved or licensed NGO program. Most NGOs, however, receive about 30% of their funds from the government. Both the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports and the National Council of Social Service wield a good deal of leverage over the voluntary bodies primarily through licensing and regulatory and management oversight. The Ministry of Community Development and Sports is responsible for licensing childcare centers and homes for the aged, and giving official approval for family service centers operated by NGOs. To be eligible for funding, an NGO should meet further requirements. It is expected to conform to an operational model applied to each category of social service. The model lays down the resource provision, management, staffing and professional requirements, and the service delivery standards of the NGO. The National Council of Social Service also exercises major responsibilities in overseeing NGOs, which receive funds from the Community Chest. To be eligible for funding, an NGO must be a member of the Council. Membership and funding are granted or renewed only if organizations fulfill certain conditions stipulated by the Council. To ensure that these conditions continue to be satisfied, each NGO is required to send to the Council a quarterly report on its work as part of the on-going monitoring exercise. |
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Demographic ProfileSingapore’s population has undergone significant changes over the last three decades. From a high fertility and high mortality society in the 1960s, Singapore has transformed and reached a state of low-fertility and low-mortality today. Singapore’s population growth rate was estimated at 1.71% in 2004 and declined to 1.42% in 2006, among the lowest in the world. At the time of the 1990 census, Singapore had a population of 2.7million; by the 2000 census, the population had grown to 4 million and the 2006 population estimate was 4.4 million. The annual population growth rate is expected to decline to 0.9% between now and 2015 as much of the population ages beyond the childbearing years. The fertility decline of Singapore is often cited as a success story of a developing country’s effort to balance population growth with economic development. Since achieving nationhood in 1965, Singapore’s fertility has fallen by almost 70 percent in about 20 years: the Total Fertility Rate (TFR) dropped from 4.66 in 1965 to a historic low of 1.44 in 1986 and 1.5 in 2003 after breaking through the replacement level of 2.1 children/woman in 1975. The TFR reached a new low in 2006 at 1.06 children born/woman. The 1980 census also pointed out that better -educated women were not replacing themselves while the lower-educated ‘over-reproduced’. The rapid fall in Singapore’s TFR is due to two factors: the decline in female marriage rates and the reduction in average family size. Realizing the adverse implications of continuing its anti-natalist policy and old age dependency ratio the government decided in 1987 to reverse the declining fertility rates and announced a package of incentives to promote higher births. One such policy called the ‘Graduate Mother Scheme’ that provided incentives to highly-educated women who have at least three children was introduced and abandoned after just one year because of its unpopularity among both graduates and non-graduates. However the government has continued its efforts to encourage educated women to have more than 2 children (for more details on other incentive programs, see section on Maternity Benefits). It is anticipated that these policies will eventually lead to an increase the TFR of Singapore. More than 85 percent of Singapore Island is built up for residential, commercial, and industrial use and 100% of its population live in urban areas. Singapore’s population density at 6,208 persons per sq km (2,397 persons per sq mile) in 2006 is one of the highest in the world. Singapore’s population has grown older over the years. The median age of the population increased from 29 years in 1990 to 36.2 years in 2006 and is expected to further increase to 41 by 2030. The old age dependency ratio increased from 6 to 11.8 per 100 working-age persons while the child dependency ratio dropped from 68 to 26.8 per 100 working-age persons between 1970 and 2006. While the young-dependency ratio is expected to drop to 26, the old-age dependency ratio is expected to rise to 30 by 2030. This will mean not only that Singapore will have an older workforce, but will also have to take care of a much larger elderly population. 76.1% of Singapore’s age structure in 2006 was made up of persons between 15-64 years of age, 15.6% of persons between the ages of 0-14 and 8.3% of persons over the age of 65. (Statistical Department of Singapore 2007) Singapore’s population is ethnically diverse. Chinese constitute more than three-fourths of the population. Malays form the next largest group (13.9%). Indians constitute 7.9% and other groups constitute 1.4% of the population. The country’s four official languages are Chinese, English, Malay, and Tamil. Chinese is the primary language spoken in the majority of homes. English is the language of administration and business and it is widely spoken as a second language. Singapore’s principal religions are Buddhism, Islam, Hinduism, and Christianity. The majority of Chinese Singaporeans follow Buddhism, although Daoism (Taoism), and more recently Christianity, are also popular. Malay Singaporeans are predominantly Muslim, while more than half the Indian Singaporeans profess Hinduism. Other religions followed include Sikhism and Confucianism. |
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Social ProtectionSingapore’s social security program is a comprehensive private account system called the Central Provident Fund. The Central Provident Fund operates four types of individual accounts:
All employed persons earning more than US$31 (S$50) a month and some self-employed persons are covered under this program. Only those persons who have an approved equivalent private plan are excluded from the program. Certain categories of public-sector employees are covered by a special pension system. The insured person contributes 20% of earnings if his/her monthly earnings are over US $464 (S$750); 0.6% of the amount over US $309 (S$500) if monthly earning are between US $309 (S$500) and US $464 (S$750); and no contributions if monthly earnings are less than US $309 (S$500). The Employer’s contribution to the fund is 16% of payroll if monthly earnings are US $31 (S$50) and over; no contribution is required if monthly earnings are less than US $31 (S$50). The maximum earning for contribution purposes is US $3705 (S$6000). Contributions for fund members aged 55 and older are paid at lower rates. The government does not contribute anything towards the fund. Depending on the fund member’s age, between 3% and 4.25% of the above contributions are placed in the medisave account to cover the cost of hospitalization and medical expenses. The maximum monthly contribution to this account (depending on age) is between US $111 and US $157 (S$180 and S$255). Self-employed persons make an annual contribution of 6% to 8% (depending on age) of annual net income. The maximum contribution to the medisave account for the self-employed person (depending on age) is between US $2667 and US $ 3556 (S$4320 and S$5760). At age 55 fund members are required to place US $46,307 (S$75,000) in the retirement account (part of which is a prescribed cash amount, the remainder can be pledged property) to ensure continued periodic income from age 62. Draw down of funds from the members ordinary and special accounts is permitted for such purposes as children’s education fees, the purchase of a home, and the purchase of approved financial products. As a result of these high rates of contribution, Singapore has the highest savings rate in the world. It also has the highest home ownership rate, with about 92 percent of the population living in homes they own. While the Ministry of Manpower provides general supervision, the Central Provident Fund is responsible for custody of the fund and the administration of the program and is managed by a tripartite board and a chairman. Apart from old age and sickness benefits, parents of Singaporean children receive financial assistance. A Baby Bonus is given for four children with the cash paid out over 2 years. Parents receive a baby bonus of US $1852 (S$3,000) cash if the baby is their first child, up to US $5,556 (S$9,000) cash and matching contributions if the baby is their second child, and up to US $11,112 (S$18,000) cash and matching contributions if the baby is a third or fourth child. The objective of this is to give parents more immediate support, as costs are generally higher when the child is younger. The matching contributions can be used readily to defray expenses such as infant care, childcare and kindergarten expenses for all children in the family. Parents of Singaporean children also benefit from enhanced income tax benefits. The Parenthood Tax Rebate provides tax rebates of US $6173 (S$10,000) to US $12,346 (S$20,000), depending on the birth order of the child. The Working Mothers’ Child Relief makes provision for a working mother to claim a tax relief of 5% of her earned income for her first child, 15% for her second child, 20% for her third child and 25% for her fourth child, capped at a maximum of $25,000 (US $15,087) for each child inclusive of other child relief. According to the ILO World Labor Report, 2000; Singapore’s total social security expenditure (total social security expenditure covers expenditure on pensions, health care, employment injury, sickness, family, housing and social assistance benefits in cash and in kind, including administrative expenditure) was 3.3% of the GDP, pensions (pension expenditure includes expenditure on old-age, disability and survivors’ pensions) was 1.4% of the GDP, and health care (health care expenditure covers expenditure on health care services) was 1.3% of the GDP in 1996. The expenditure as a percentage of GDP for social security, pensions and health care was the lowest among Asian countries (6.4%, 3%, and 2.7% respectively) and highest among European countries (24.8%, 12.1%, and 6.3% respectively) between 1990 and 1996. |
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Child, Youth and Family Policy RegimesMaternity BenefitsThe Employment Act and the Children Development Co-Savings Act provide maternity protection and benefits for female employees. Under the Children Development Co-Savings Act, an employee is entitled to maternity benefits if:
An employee covered under the Employment Act is entitled to maternity benefits under the Act for all other births. An eligible female employee is entitled to leave for four weeks immediately before and eight weeks immediately after delivery, totaling 12 weeks. The extended four weeks (9th to 12th week) of maternity leave can be taken flexibly over a six-month period after the child's birth in mutual agreement with the employer. The employee can consume an equivalent of four weeks' worth of working days flexibly, up to a maximum of 24 days. Under the Employment Act, an employer is required to continue paying an employee her usual salary, i.e. her monthly gross rate of pay including allowances for the first eight weeks of maternity leave if the employee: has been employed for at least 180 days before the date of delivery; has less than two children of her own at the time of delivery, and has given the employer at least one week's notice before going on maternity leave, and informed her employer as soon as practicable of her delivery. In the case of multiple births (e.g. twins, triplets etc) during the first pregnancy, the employer is still required to pay the next 8 weeks maternity leave. Otherwise, the employee is only entitled to half the payment during the maternity leave, unless she can show sufficient cause that prevented her from giving such notice to the employer. If the employee qualifies for government-paid maternity leave under the Children Development Co-Savings Act, she is paid during the entire 12 weeks of maternity leave. If the employee does not qualify for government-paid maternity leave, payment beyond the first eight weeks is voluntary and subject to contractual agreement. In case of a stillbirth, an employer is required to give the employee full maternity leave. Maternity benefits do not apply to cases of abortion or miscarriage. However, an employee is entitled to paid sick leave. [Ministry of Manpower, Singapore 2007] |
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Child Care SubsidiesChild care subsidies available to families in Singapore are: Community Development Councils of the MCYS administer the Centre-based Financial Assistance for Child Care Centre Scheme. This scheme provides funds for low-income families to pay for child care services for their pre-schoolers below 7 years old. This scheme aims to assist working parents, especially mothers from disadvantaged families, to remain in the labour force. The subsidy ranges from S$100 to S$250 (US $65 – US $ 163) per child per month and it can be for a period of 6 months or 12 months. In addition to this, the Back-to-work Child Care Scheme assists eligible mothers who have dependent children of pre-school age with the start-up costs such as to pay for the enrolment fees, uniforms, etc. for child care. It is designed to assist mothers from low-income families to take up full-time employment by relieving them of their workload by providing child care. A grant of up to maximum of S$1,000 (US $653) is given to women from lower-income families for up to two children per household and paid once for each eligible child in the household. To be eligible, the household income of the family should not exceed S$1,500 (US $979) per month. Working mothers whose children are below 12 years of age and are being cared for by their grandparents receive a Grandparent Caregiver tax relief of S$ 3000 (US$ 1,848).
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Early Childhood EducationThe area of early childhood concerns children aged 0–6 years. Children enter primary school at 7 in Singapore. In Singapore, Preschools and Child Care Centers are the two main early childhood services. Child Care Centers, which come under the responsibility of the MCYS, cater for children from 2 months to 6 years. Preschools, on the other hand, cater for 4 to 6-year-olds only and are under the auspices of the Ministry of Education (MOE). The MCYS also runs preschool classes in its childcare centers for 4 to 6 year olds. The MCYS and the MOE are the two main ministries involved in early childhood education. However, the government only monitors and finances these services, it is not involved in the delivery, that is, the management and operation of services. Childcare centers and preschools are operated and run by Individuals, communities, NGOs or enterprises. There are no public early childhood services in the country. In 2006, it was estimated that about 90% of children aged 4-6 years were enrolled in preschool education. 23% of this age cohort attended MCYS’s Child Care Centers. 90% of children in grade 1 had at least one year of preschool education. In addition to childcare centers and pre-schools, stand-alone playgroups are also offered by businesses. Childcare centers provide regular full day and half day programs and operate from 7.00 a.m. to 7.00 p.m. to cater to the child care needs of both working and non-working parents. Some centers also offer flexible childcare programs to meet the diverse working arrangements of parents who work part-time or flexible hours Most childcare centers also provide preschool classes for 4- to 6-year-olds. Such classes do not come under the MOE’s jurisdiction; they remain within the purview of the MCYS. Preschools under the MOE have daily programs ranging from two to four hours. Childcare fees are state-subsidised, and poor children are eligible for further financial assistance from NGOs. Preschool fees are much lower and are not state-subsidised, although financial assistance is available for poor children. The Child Care Subsidy, available for all children through Child Care Centers, totals 150 Singapore dollars (US $92) a month for fullday and S$75 for half-day programs. The Centre-based Financial Assistance Scheme, available only for poor families, pays out S$110- S$265 (US $72 – US $173) per month. Unlike in most other countries where government subsidized care services tend to be attended by poor children, in Singapore the Child Care Centres are attended by both poor and rich children and they are located in the neighborhoods of both groups. The daily program in most childcare centers and preschools includes learning activities that develop language and literacy skills, basic number concepts, simple science concepts, social skills, creative and problem solving skills, appreciation of music and movement and outdoor play. Children learn in two languages, English as the first language and Chinese, Malay or Tamil as a Mother Tongue language. In order to address issues of effectiveness and efficiency, and ensure that children, wherever they are, receive quality-controlled services; the MCYS and MOE have developed a common scheme of training and qualification requirements for preschool teachers working in Childcare Centers and Preschools. |
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Child EducationEducation in Singapore is managed by Ministry of Education (MOE), which directs education policy. The ministry controls the development and administration of public schools which receive government funding but also has an advisory and supervisory role to private schools. For both private and public schools, there are variations in the extent of autonomy in their curriculum, scope of government aid and funding, tuition burden on the students, and admission policy. Children with disabilities attend special special education (SPED) schools run by Voluntary Welfare Organisations (VWOs), which are and partially funded by the Ministry of Education. Education spending usually makes up about 20 percent of the annual national budget, which subsidises public education and government-assisted private education for Singaporean citizens and furnishes the Edusave programme. In 2000 the Parliament of Singapore passed the Compulsory Education Act, which codified compulsory education for children of elementary school age, and made it a criminal offence if parents fail to enroll their children in school and ensure their regular attendance. Exemptions are allowed for homeschooling or full-time religious institutions, but parents must apply for exemption from the Ministry of Education and meet a minimum benchmark. Primary education is a four-year foundation stage (Primary 1 to 4) and a two-year orientation stage (Primary 5 to 6). Primary education is free, though there is a fee of up to SGD 13 (US $8.5) monthly per student that goes to the school to help cover miscellaneous costs. In 2003, Net Enrollment Rate at the primary stage (age 6-11) was 94% and at the secondary stage (age 12-15) was 93%. Since 1987 English has been the language of instruction, but a policy of bilingualism requires that children also be taught Chinese, Malay, or Tamil. At secondary level, students have the choice of three courses designed to match their learning abilities and interests. Children undergo four or five years of secondary education with different curricular emphases. Between 1998-2002, Gross Primary School Enrollment Ratio (The number of children enrolled in a level (primary or secondary), regardless of age, divided by the population of the age group that officially corresponds to the same level) was 93% for females and 95% for males. During the same period, Gross Secondary School Enrollment Ratio (The number of children enrolled in a level (primary or secondary), regardless of age, divided by the population of the age group that officially corresponds to the same level) was 77% for females and 70% for males. This indicates a greater number of females making the transition from primary to secondary schooling in comparison to their male counterparts. Youth Literacy Rate (The percentage of people ages 15–24 who can, with understanding, both read and write a short, simple statement related to their everyday life) increased from 99% to 99.5% between 1990 and 2004 showing that almost all persons between the ages of 15 and 24 have the ability to read and write. In 2005, the Government estimated that 95% of the population were literate, 61.6% had secondary or higher qualifications, and residents had an average of 9.3 years of schooling. [Ministry of Education 2006] The majority of primary and secondary schools in Singapore are run by the government or are financed by the government. A small number of schools (18 secondary and 3 schools which have both primary and secondary sections) are independent or autonomous schools. The education of children with disabilities is provided in special education (SPED) schools. As at January 2004, there were 20 SPED schools run by Voluntary Welfare Organisations (VWOs) receiving funding from the Ministry of Education (MOE) and the National Council of Social Service (NCSS). The SPED schools run different programs catering to distinct disability groups of children who are unable to benefit from mainstream schooling. The Gifted Education Program (GEP) was set up by the Ministry of Education in 1984 amid some public concern to cater to the intellectually gifted students. As of 2005, the schools participating consisted of 9 primary schools and 2 secondary schools. 7 secondary schools originally started the program, but with the introduction of the Integrated Program, most have included the GEP programs into their IP curriculum. Pupils enter the program through a series of tests at Primary Standard 3, which identifies the top 1 percent of the student population. A second selection is conducted at Primary Standard 6 for those who do well in the PSLE. In the program, pupils are offered special enrichment programs to cater to their needs. However, not all students in GEP are successful. Some are not accustomed to the fast pace of study which affects their performance in the core subjects and may choose not to continue the program at the secondary level. The Gifted Education Program is expected to be discontinued as of end-2008 as more students take the Integrated Program. The Integrated Program, also known as the "Through-Train Program", is a scheme which allows the cream of secondary schools in Singapore to bypass the regular exams and take the International Baccalaureate or an equivalent examination directly at the age of 18 after six years of secondary education. The program allows for more time to be allocated to enrichment activities. By bypassing the regular examinations, the students are supposedly given more time and flexibility to immerse them selves in a more broad based education which will eventually lead to the International Baccalaureate examination. Generally, only the top performers are eligible to be part of the IP program. Critics of the education system, including many parents, state that the Singapore’s education system is too specialized, rigid, and elitist. Often, these criticisms state that there is little emphasis on creative thinking, unlike education systems in other societies, such as those in the United States. Those defending the current education system cite that Singaporean students have regularly ranked top when competing in international science and mathematics competitions and assessments, along with South Korean students. Detractors to the education system would state that this is more an indication of students' skills of using rote to prepare for a certain style of competition or examination, than their ability to think critically. Recently, significant changes implemented by the Ministry of Education have introduced a greater focus on creative and critical thinking, and on learning for life-long skills rather than simply learning to excel in examinations. [Wikipedia 2007] |
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Child HealthLife Expectancy at Birth of Singaporeans increased from 69.5 years to 78.6 years between 1970 and 2005. This is one of the highest life expectancies of a country in the world. The Infant Mortality Rate in Singapore declined from 22 deaths per 1000 live births in 1970 to 3 deaths per 1000 live births in 2004. The Under-5 Mortality Rate too declined from 27 deaths per 1000 live births to 3 deaths per 1000 live births during this period. The Maternal Mortality Ratio (reported) has remained constant at 6 deaths per 100,000 live births from 1990 - 2004. In Singapore, healthcare services are provided by both the government and the private sector. The public healthcare system is managed by the Government while the private system is provided by the private hospitals and general practitioners. The healthcare delivery system comprises primary health care provision at private medical practitioners' clinics and outpatient polyclinics, and secondary and tertiary specialist care in the private and public hospitals. 80% of the primary healthcare services is provided by the private practitioners while the government polyclinics provide the remaining 20%. For the more costly hospital care, it is the reverse situation with 80% of the hospital care being provided by the public sector and the remaining 20% by the private sector. Public health services are subsidized through general taxation. Healthcare is financed by individual responsibility and community support and involves a combination of taxes, employee medical benefits, compulsory savings in the form of Medisave, insurance and out-of-pocket payment. Patients are expected to co-pay part of their medical expenses and to pay more when they demand a higher level of service. At the same time, Government subsidies help to keep basic healthcare affordable. To help Singaporeans to pay for their medical expenses, the Government has put in place a financing framework, which consists of Medisave, Medishield, ElderShield and Medifund. In 2005, Singapore spent about S$ 7.6 billion or 3.8% of GDP on healthcare. Out of which, Government expenditure on health services was S$1.8 billion or 0.9% of GDP. The four health subsidy schemes available to Singaporeans are: · Medisave, introduced in April 1984, is a national medical savings scheme which helps individuals put aside part of their income into their Medisave Accounts to meet their future personal or immediate family's hospitalization, day surgery and certain outpatient expenses. · MediShield, introduced in 1990, is a low cost catastrophic illness insurance scheme. It is designed to help members meet the medical expenses from major or prolonged illnesses from which their Medisave balance would not be sufficient to cover. MediShield operates on a co-payment and deductibles system to avoid the problems associated with pre-paid insurance. The premiums for MediShield can be paid with the funds in the individual's Medisave account. · Medifund, is an endowment fund set up by the Government in April 1993 to help needy Singaporeans who are unable to pay for their medical expenses. This is a safety net for those who cannot afford the heavily subsidised charges despite Medisave and Medishield. Medifund was established with an initial capital of S$200 million. Capital injections will be made when budget surpluses are available. The capital sum currently stands at S$1 billion. Only the interest income from the capital sum maybe used. · ElderShield, introduced in June 2002, is an affordable severe disability insurance scheme designed to help Singaporeans meet with expenses incurred in the event of severe disability. The premiums of ElderShield can also be paid with the funds from the individual's Medisave accounts. Health services for the country are provided through 3 different Ministries, as well as by the private sector. The Ministry of Health (MOH) is responsible for providing preventive, curative and rehabilitative health services in Singapore. MOH formulates national health policies, co-ordinates the development and planning of the private and public health sectors, as well as regulates health standards. The Ministry of the Environment (ENV) is responsible for environmental health services such as sewerage, drainage and waste disposal systems, control of air and water pollution and of toxic chemicals and poisons, the control of outbreak of infectious diseases, vector or insect control and the safety of the food prepared and sold in Singapore. The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) is responsible for the industrial and occupational health of the workers. The leading causes of morbidity and mortality in Singapore are the major non-communicable diseases such as cancer, coronary heart diseases, strokes, pneumonia, diabetes, hypertension and injuries. Cancer, stroke and cardiovascular diseases together accounted for approximately 65% of the total causes of death in 2003. Although Singapore has come a long way in improving its health status and standard of medical service, it still faces many concerns and challenges. These include the increasing cost of providing healthcare, rising expectations and demand for better and more sophisticated health services by an increasingly well-informed and more affluent public, a rapidly ageing population, and the shortage of nurses and allied health professionals such as dieticians and nutritionists. [Ministry of Health 2007] HIV/AIDS The first case of HIV infection in Singapore was reported in 1985. Between 1991 and 1998, the number of reported cases of HIV and AIDS increased rapidly before stabilizing from 1999. The total number of HIV/AIDS cases diagnosed in Singapore as of June 2006 was 2852. The year 2004 has had the highest number of HIV infected persons, at 257. Heterosexual transmission has been the most common mode of HIV transmission among Singaporeans since 1991. Most persons contract the infection through casual sex and sex with prostitutes in Singapore and overseas. In 2006, the majority of HIV infected Singaporeans were male with 2533 cases; 319 are female, giving a sex ratio of eight males to one female. Among the males, 60% were single at the point of diagnosis. For the females, however, the majority (61%) were married. About 83% of HIV cases were Chinese, 9% were Malays and 5% were Indian. About a fifth of the HIV cases were working in the sales and service sector and another 16% were production craftsman and plant/machine assemblers. However, 17% of the cases reported in the first half of 2006 were professionals.. Most of these cases involved homosexual transmission. A multipronged control program comprising public education and education of high-risk groups, legislation, protection of the national blood supply, management of cases, and epidemiological surveillance has been put in place to combat the spread of HIV/AIDS in Singapore. [Ministry of Health 2007] |
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Special Groups of ChildrenChild LaborThe Employment Act prohibits employment of children under the age of 12. Restrictions on the employment of children between the ages of 12 and 16 are rigorous and fully enforced. Children under the age of 14 generally are prohibited from employment in the industrial sector. Exceptions include family enterprises; children may work in a business in which only members of the same family are employed. A child of 12 or older may be employed in light work, subject to medical clearance. Employers have to notify the Commissioner of Labor within 30 days of hiring a child between the ages of 14 and 16 and attach a medical certification of the child's fitness for employment. The incidence of children in permanent employment is low, and abuses are almost nonexistent. The Ministry of Manpower regulations prohibit night employment of children and restrict industrial work for children between the ages of 14 and 16 to no more than 7 hours a day, including the hours spent in school. Children may not work on commercial vessels, with moving machinery, on live electrical apparatus lacking effective insulation, or in any underground job. The Minister of Manpower effectively enforces these laws and regulations. |
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Child Trafficking/ProstitutionThe law prohibits trafficking in persons; however, trafficking in persons occurs in Singapore. It is observed that thousands of young girls are trafficked from the southern part of China through either Singapore or Malaysia into Thailand. Singapore is mostly used as a transit route by traffickers. There is no confirmed data on whether children are trafficked from Singapore to other countries. The three major laws that govern trafficking and prostitution are the Women's Charter, the Children and Young Person's Act, and the Penal Code. Trafficking in women and children, whether or not it is related to prostitution, is punishable by up to 5-years imprisonment, a US $5,700 (S$10,000) fine, and caning. Traffickers can be prosecuted under the Penal Code's "wrongful constraint" provision, which carries maximum punishments of 10 years imprisonment and a fine. |
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