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COMMITTEE OF SUPPLY - (Main and Development Estimates) - (Announcement by Mr Speaker) In accordance with the provisions of paragraph (7) of Standing Order 87 and paragraph (5) of Standing Order 88, I have fixed the times for the conclusion of consideration of the heads of expenditure in the Main and Development Estimates of Expenditure for FY 80 in the Committee of supply. These times have been notified to Honourable Members and will appear in the Official Report. (Cols. 1041 - 1044) Official Report - MAIN AND DEVELOPMENT ESTIMATES OF EXPENDITURE FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR 1ST APRIL, 1980 TO 31ST MARCH, 1981 (Cols. 1041 - 1044)
ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS - BUILDING OF JUNIOR COLLEGES asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education (a) how many junior colleges will be built during the next five years and where; and (b) whether there are plans to build a junior college in Ang Mo Kio, and when it will be completed.
ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS - BUILDING OF JUNIOR COLLEGES Mr Speaker, Sir, I am answering this question on behalf of my Minister. Seven junior colleges will be built within the next seven years, and these will be sited as follows: (1) in Marine Parade, to be completed by July 1983; (2) in Ang Mo Kio, to be completed by July 1983; (3) at Mount Sinai Road, off Holland Road, to be completed by December 1983; (4) at Jurong West, to be completed by December 1983; (5) at Tampines, to be completed by December 1984; (6) at Woodlands, to be completed by December 1985; (7) at Nee Soon, to be completed by December 1987.
HOSTELS FOR FOREIGN AND - LOCAL STUDENTS asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education whether the number of foreign students in Singapore has increased, and if he will consider introducing boarding schools for students from other Asean countries as well as local students.
HOSTELS FOR FOREIGN AND - LOCAL STUDENTS Prime Minister and Minister of Education): Mr Speaker, Sir, the number of foreign students studying in our schools has increased from 8,462 in 1973 to 12,502 in 1979. The Ministry of Education has approached some mission schools and Government-aided schools to set up hostels. St. Patrick's School is planning to build a hostel with a capacity of 128 pupils. Work will start in April this year and should be completed by 1981. Other schools are also planning to set up hostels. They are the Anglican High School, Chung Cheng High School, Anglo-Chinese Secondary School, St. Andrew's Secondary School, Presbyterian Boys' School, Chinese High School, Hwa Chong Junior College, Catholic Junior College and Nanyang Junior College. The total number of pupils who will be able to stay in these hostels comes to 1,456. Lay-out plans are being drawn up by the architects and the hostels are expected to be completed by the end of 1981.
HOSTELS FOR FOREIGN AND - LOCAL STUDENTS Sir, does it mean that by taking in these foreign students, Singapore students will be deprived of places?
HOSTELS FOR FOREIGN AND - LOCAL STUDENTS Mr Speaker, Sir, the answer is no. There are ample places for Singapore citizens in our schools. No Singapore citizen will be deprived of a place either in a primary or secondary school or in a junior college if he makes the grade.
TRAINING SCHEME FOR KINDERGARTEN TEACHERS asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education whether the Institute of Education plans to expand the present training scheme for kindergarten teachers.
TRAINING SCHEME FOR KINDERGARTEN TEACHERS Mr Speaker, Sir, the Institute of Education has no plans to expand the present training scheme for kindergarten teachers. In fact, it intends to stop these training courses after this year. The reason is that the IE is concentrating on the training of pre-primary teachers. It is recruiting and training 260 pre-primary teachers each year. At this rate of progress, we shall be able to introduce pre-primary classes in all schools by the end of this decade. This must take precedence over the training of kindergarten teachers.
TRAINING SCHEME FOR KINDERGARTEN TEACHERS Sir, would the Hon. Senior Minister of State for Education care to comment on the reply he gave to this House when I sought information on the question of providing pre-primary education to children in Singapore? If my memory serves me right, he said [Hansard, Vol. 38, col. 740] that this programme would be fully implemented by 1983, but now he says that it will be "by the end of this decade." Does that not seem to be a contradiction?
TRAINING SCHEME FOR KINDERGARTEN TEACHERS Sir, originally it was envisaged that we would be able to expand the pre-primary classes to cater for all five-year old children within the next few years. However, I did say that this would be subject to teachers being available. And now that we have been able to quantify the need more accurately, we are able to make a more realistic estimate.
TRAINING SCHEME FOR KINDERGARTEN TEACHERS Sir, I do not see how the figure of 260 teachers to be trained in pre-primary education can be realistic enough if we take into account the number of parents who are anxious to see their children receive pre-primary education.
TRAINING SCHEME FOR KINDERGARTEN TEACHERS Sir, let me give some figures. In order to expand the pre-primary classes to cater for the whole cohort of five-year olds which number about 40,000 pupils each year, we will need some 2,000 teachers. At present, there are 364 non-graduate trainees in IE who are being trained to teach the pre-primary pupils. They are expected to graduate from IE by 1982. As I have said, from this year the IE plans to recruit about 260 'A' level holders each year to be trained as pre-primary teachers. It takes about three years to train them into qualified pre-primary teachers. So this recruitment and training schedule means that we can only expand the pre-primary programme to all schools by the end of this decade.
TRAINING SCHEME FOR KINDERGARTEN TEACHERS Sir, in that case, does the Ministry of Education have plans to ensure that there will be sufficient places in the schools?
TRAINING SCHEME FOR KINDERGARTEN TEACHERS I am not quite sure about the question asked by the hon. Member. If he means that we will make sure that there are sufficient pre-primary places in schools each year in order to keep in step with the number of teachers who are being trained, then the answer is yes.
TRAINING SCHEME FOR KINDERGARTEN TEACHERS No, Sir, I am thinking in terms of availability of space. The Hon. Senior Minister of State mentioned that the schools will be expanded. In other words, we must find sufficient space for the expansion of the schools in order to provide pre-primary education.
TRAINING SCHEME FOR KINDERGARTEN TEACHERS Sir, the answer is yes. We have taken into account the number of places which will be required in the schools in order to accommodate the larger number of pre-primary pupils.
TRAINING SCHEME FOR KINDERGARTEN TEACHERS In this case, would the Hon. Senior Minister of State inform this House as to the number of schools that are being expanded so that pre-primary education can be provided in those schools?
TRAINING SCHEME FOR KINDERGARTEN TEACHERS Sir, I regret I do not have these figures with me. In any case, the number of schools that will be built in this decade is not going to depend only on the expansion of the pre-primary programme. It will also depend on whether we will be introducing full-day schools in our education system within this decade. It will also depend upon the pupil-teacher ratio which we are aiming for within the next few years. All that I can assure the hon. Member is that the number of places necessary to accommodate the larger number of pre-primary pupils will be made available in line with the larger number of pre-primary teachers that we are now training.
MINOR OFFENCES ACT - (Measures to deal with noise pollution) asked the Minister for Home Affairs whether he will review the existing laws relating to noise pollution so as to ensure that the police can deal effectively with persons who cause nuisance to their neighbours through the inconsiderate use of audio equipment.
MINOR OFFENCES ACT - (Measures to deal with noise pollution) Mr Speaker, Sir, the Minor Offences Act (Cap. 102) contains provisions empowering the Police to deal with noise nuisance created by audio-visual or other equipment and musical instruments. However, these provisions were enacted in the days when few people had such equipment and instruments, and they have now become outdated. These provisions are also not wide enough because action against an offence of noise nuisance caused to neighbours can be taken only when it is committed between 12 midnight and 6 a.m. Besides, the maximum fine of $50 for such offences is not a deterrent any more. The Police have submitted some proposals to the Attorney-General's Chambers to remedy these shortcomings. In addition, the Police have proposed that the scope of the provisions be expanded to enable them to deal effectively with other types of noise nuisance, such as the roar of motor-cycles caused by the deliberate revving-up of the engine. The Police are also asking for powers to prevent offenders from continuing with the nuisance by removing the instruments or equipment or by dispersing those responsible, where warnings are not heeded. The Attorney-General's Chambers are now looking into the proposals. They have pointed out that the subject is complex because of the difficulty in determining objectively what noise level constitutes a nuisance. They are conducting a careful research into the subject by studying similar legislation obtaining in other countries, before drafting the necessary amendments.
HOTEL IN UPPER CHANGI AREA asked the Minister for National Development whether the Urban Redevelopment Authority has any plan to build a hotel in the Upper Changi area, in conjunction with the Changi Airport project, to accommodate persons on short stay or stopover in Singapore.
HOTEL IN UPPER CHANGI AREA Sir, the Urban Redevelopment Authority has offered a site at the end of Upper Changi Road for the development of a hotel in its 8th Sale of Sites. Several tenders have been received and they are being evaluated. An award is expected to be made soon.
HOTEL IN UPPER CHANGI AREA Sir, may I ask the Hon. Minister why this hotel project was not planned earlier in line with the airport project which is expected to be completed and become operational by the first quarter of 1981?
HOTEL IN UPPER CHANGI AREA Sir, at that time, i.e. a few years ago, the Urban Redevelopment Authority was not very certain whether the offer of a hotel site near the Airport would have any takers because the commuters could easily travel from the Changi International Airport to the City area in a very short time by the construction of the East Coast Parkway. However, recently we have received several enquiries from parties who are interested in the development of a hotel in that area. For this reason we have offered a site.
HOTEL IN UPPER CHANGI AREA May I ask the Minister the likely date that this project will begin?
HOTEL IN UPPER CHANGI AREA I think the site will be awarded most probably sometime next month, If the successful tenderer accepts the offer, he will have to start construction within 12 months. The hotel itself will take another two years to complete. So I would say the project will be completed within three years.
ANNUAL BUDGET STATEMENT Order read for Resumption of Debate on Question [5th March, 1980] [2nd Allotted Day], "That Parliament approves the financial policy of the Government for the financial year 1st April, 1980 to 31st March, 1981." - [Mr Goh Chok Tong, Minister for Trade and Industry]. Question again proposed. 2.48 p.m.
ANNUAL BUDGET STATEMENT Mr Speaker, Sir, allow me to continue with my speech which was interrupted on Friday when the House adjourned. As I was saying, Sir, the message which the Hon. Minister had tried to convey to our people in order to meet the country's need for restructured effort and the development of skilled manpower, was loud and clear - that every one should try to realise his full potential, by upgrading his skills in order to earn a better income and attain better living standards. As our only resources are human resources on which our future economy depends, the development and realisation of the full potential of our population, are very crucial. They have to be done along all fronts - in the schools, the universities, and the colleges. Our institutions have to be geared to produce the best talents to meet the needs of our rapidly developing economy and changing society. Every able-bodied person, male and female, young and old, must contribute something towards the building of our economy. In this respect, Sir, let me make further observations on some aspects of education which have been singled out in the Budget statement as one of the important areas to be focused in this restructuring effort to produce the required skilled manpower to meet the needs of the 80's. Mr Speaker, Sir, to ensure the success of our restructuring exercise, as rightly mentioned by the Hon. Minister in his statement, "we need an abundant supply of skilled, technical and professional manpower. We are, therefore, assessing the requirements for professional, technical and skilled manpower in the 80's." Sir, I would like to cast the spotlight on schools because this is an area that I know best and which I can speak with some authority. Sir, if our aim is to produce quality education, to bring out the right calibre of people to meet the requirements of skilled manpower, then what I have to say has some relevance in the context of our restructuring effort, especially when there have been many cases in the past of putting "round pegs in square holes" or vice-versa, as evidenced by the recent reorganisation of the Ministry of Education. 1. School Appraisal Sir, it is quite obvious that a new management culture is emerging in education. The concept of accountability has caught on and schools will be expected to subject themselves to periodic external assessment and self-evaluation. While this is welcomed, it has to be accompanied by an appreciation that the ground must be prepared for the realisation of the concept. There is evident apprehension among principals that they may lack the skills and expertise to reorganise their schools to accommodate the concept and to assess progress. They envisage that their teachers will be required to undertake additional chores for the purpose and may not be fully appreciative of this. Hence, there would appear to be two prerequisites: first, the prior preparation of principals to measure up to the task, and second, to adequately publicise the concept and expectation of schools so that teachers are psychologically prepared for the innovation. Carrying the field with the new idea will be the surest way of ensuring its success. 2. Educational Structure Since 1979 various changes have taken place in the content, structure and organisation of our education system. Much of this has been adequately publicised. There is indication that other changes are in the offing - that a Curriculum Development Institute of Singapore will be established (as is published in today's Straits Times) as well as replacement of professional officers by administrators and those with talent in creative writing at HQ and CDIS respectively. There is also considerable speculation on things to come. The ground is attempting to anticipate these changes in order not to be caught on the wrong foot. There is a feeling, Sir, that if the ultimate shape of things can be made known, rather than to see them take place piecemeal and on an ad hoc basis, there would be greater certainty of the direction and, therefore, greater confidence. Uncertainty breeds insecurity and the latter must necessarily slow down the pace. 3. Educational Technology Emphasis to be placed on educational technology will gladden the hearts of teachers. However, to encourage the use of technology, there has to be an appreciation of conditions on ground level which could limit full use of technology. Physical limitations are known, as also is the need for non-teaching manpower. There has to be an organisational set-up within each school, which allows for a lead teacher to guide and promote the use of technology. The teacher will need to carry a lighter teaching load so as to be able to assist other teachers. Teachers themselves must be so placed as to be able to have sufficient time to set up aids they plan to use. It cannot be assumed that the mere provision of adequate technological aids will lead to an increased use. Ground conditions must be examined and adjusted to promote greater use of technology. 4. Communication The frequency with which meetings of principals are called by the different departments has fallen. There is need, however, for principals to be periodically briefed on the thinking and emphasis of HQ, to come into contact with senior HQ officers, to obtain clarification direct from them, to get to know them and their thinking, and also to find out how principals are faring and adjusting to changes, problems encountered, etc. There used to be provision for all these through residential and non-residential seminars for principals. Perhaps either through reviving them or by some other means a more formal direct communication link can be established. 5. Moral Education It has been sufficiently publicised that steps are being taken to develop syllabuses and textbooks for moral education. Much of the reinforcing, however, will have to come from a deliberately structured school programme of varied activities. Coupled with this there must be a programme to cultivate leadership traits, group spirit, a sense of respect and responsibility, etc. The teaching curriculum, however, is so rigid that there appears to be little scope to structure activities which promote such qualities. With plans to examine the overall curriculum, this point should be borne in mind so that there is ample scope for schools to build into its activity programme practical experiences to nurture such qualities and characteristics. Principals and teachers are concerned with the limited scope there is to develop the individual per se, as they are so caught up with covering syllabuses and preparing pupils for examinations. 6. Staff Development If quality is to emerge in education, one of the basic requirements is an ongoing staff development programme. The Ministry of Education, no doubt, will seek to meet broad organisational needs and planning its own staff development programme. At the school level, individual needs exist and school-based in-service education has also to be conducted. Teachers are keen on such programmes which have more direct relevance and less inconvenient to them. Schools will need to plan and conduct such programmes drawing on whatever expertise is locally available or even available funds for the purpose as School Funds cannot be used or even if they can be are hardly adequate for the normal school programme. Sir, I would like to support the Member for Whampoa for his very strong view on the issue of energy conservation which the Hon. Minister referred to, in passing, in his Budget statement without stating the full plans for the conservation of energy efforts. The Hon. Minister remarked that oil prices would continue to rise and that we could not avoid this trend but we "can minimise its toll on our economy by stepping up energy conservation efforts and diversifying our sources of supply to reduce political risks." Sir, I would like to take up the idea which I suggested last year at a balloting ceremony that the Government should carry out a study to see whether it was feasible to close some Government departments and statutory boards on Saturdays in order to save electricity, in view of rising oil prices. I do know, Sir, that some big firms have already switched to a five-day-week, and this arrangement so far has not affected their productivity and efficiency. The working schedule could be readjusted so that the maximum of a 42-hour week could be spread over a five-day week instead of five and a half day week as at present. I suggested then that the PUB should consider conducting comparative studies in terms of electricity consumption with other countries before such a suggestion was adopted. I regret to say, Sir, that there was no response publicly to my suggestion, although I was told unofficially by a PUB high ranking official that it was not a bad idea. Sir, why do I make this suggestion again this time, in this House? I think that the need is more felt now than last year and the situation will get worse in the next few years. Unless we introduce some drastic measures to conserve energy, we will be caught when the situation becomes critical. Sir, I am sure most workers will no doubt be happy to put in longer hours during the week to make up for the time lost by closing on Saturdays. There is thus, Sir, no loss of production involved and, in fact, productivity might actually go up in a five-day week. Most department heads and office managers are, after all, only too familiar with the Saturday Syndrome which affects most workers. The mood is casual and very few workers put their minds fully on their work. It would be a safe guess to say that little or real work gets accomplished on Saturdays, especially in commercial houses which in any case have less business to transact with the closing down of international dealings. Members of the public, Sir, who traditionally pay Government bills, renew licences, permits and the like on Saturdays, may find it inconvenient if all Government and statuto;y board offices are shut on Saturdays. But this is not an insurmountable problem and can be got round by naming a day in the week in which those offices dealing with the public remain open till late in the evening. Alternatively, some of these offices could keep to the existing six-day week with the officers manning the counter working on rotation on a five-day week basis. With offices switching to a five-day week, some electricity savings will accrue. At most, there will be marginal savings in air- conditioned premises. But fuel saved by taking thousands of cars and hundreds of buses off the roads can be considerable. There might even be an additional bonus for bus commuters who, despite the improvements in SBS services of late, still suffer from the inconvenience of too many bus breakdowns. Sir, the rationale for a non-working Saturday is really the saving of time, energy and money currently being expended on travelling to and from work. Sir, not many of us have the good fortune to live close to our work place or even have a direct bus to our destination. A two-way journey between office and home may take as much as two hours; reasonable enough if one works eight hours, but a most inefficient use of time if one's working time is only four hours. By the time most people reach home on Saturday, the better part of the day is gone. How much better it would be to work an hour or more each day during the week and be left with a full uninterrupted two-day weekend in which one could get away totally from work, and relax or engage in leisure activities such as a family gathering or even complete household chores left over during the week by the wife, thus helping to build a firmer and stronger family unit which we need badly these days. After all, the five-day week has long been the norm in most developed countries and not a few of the less developed ones. So long as the workers do not work less than the required number of 42 hours per week, I see no reason why this suggestion could not be given a try. Perhaps, Sir, a study team could be appointed to look into the details and other implications that may arise if this measure is implemented. I wonder whether the Hon, Minister would comment on the feasibility and practicability of this suggestion. Finally, Sir, this year's budget is undoubtedly the most talked-a bout budget. It has brought joy to most people. We must, however, be prepared to face and tackle the challenges ahead. In rejoicing, we must also take heed of the warning the Government has underlined. Sir, I give my full support to the motion moved by the Minister for Trade and Industry. 3.03 p.m.
ANNUAL BUDGET STATEMENT Mr Speaker, Sir, I would like to join my colleagues in this House in congratulating the Hon. Minister for Trade and Industry for presenting a painless and acceptable Budget in Parliament on 5th March 1980. He also granted tax concessions on several items as well as a general reduction in personal income tax rates and granting tax relief for handicapped children, which we appreciate very much. I am glad that Singapore's economic performance in 1979 is better than 1978 and the real GDP growth rose by 9.3%. It is more heartening to know that all sectors of our economy expanded, i.e. manufacturing, transport, communication, construction, etc. With the full cooperation of the Government, management and labour, we can make the year 1980 another year of economic progress, industrial expansion and better achievements. I am confident our target of 8 to 10% annual growth in the 80's is possible. I fully agree with the Government's policy of giving higher wages to the workers and to induce employers to mechanise, automate and computerise and to switch to less labour-intensive processes, but we have to see that employers should not take advantage of the workers through unfair retrenchment. The job security of the workers should be protected. Also, workers should be willing to undergo educational and training programmes to update their skill. Sir, I sincerely hope that the price of oil will stabilize as soon as possible. The frequent increases in the price of oil has caused great difficulties to several developing countries to improve their natural economy and industrial development. These developing countries still cannot overcome the problems of inflation, recession, unemployment, poverty, hunger and frustration. I hope the oil producing and industrialised countries will get together to solve these heart-aching problems. Unless all these problems are solved as soon as possible, the people of the developing countries will be so frustrated and disgusted that there will be global economic chaos and more unemployment leading to more revolution, bloodshed and aggression. Sir, it is gratifying to see the full cooperation and unity of ASEAN. It has achieved full recognition as a regional grouping and gained the respect of USA, Britain, Europe, Japan and various other countries. Recently, ASEAN signed an Economic Cooperation Agreement with the European Community in Kuala Lumpur. Sir, ASEAN must keep a good watch on our own region and the world situation, especially the occupation of Kampuchea by Vietnam and the invasion of Afghanistan by the Soviet Union. It is very clear that both countries are indulging on territorial expansionism which is a danger to world peace. ASEAN should maintain its non-aligned policy and not allow itself to be used as a pawn by the superpowers. We should always maintain our ASEAN interest and help whatever we can to achieve world peace and understanding. However, the United Nations Organisation must do its best to see that the Soviet Union and Vietnam withdraw from Afghanistan and Kampuchea respectively without further delay. Sir, I fully support the intention of the Minister for Trade and Industry to harness our workers to produce higher value-added and skilled manufactures and services, and to develop our human resources, Also, we have to seriously look into the question of giving some monetary incentive payment to the workers for upgrading their skills and increasing their productivity. More productivity committees should be formed and the scheme of productivity payment should be worked out between the management and the union. Sir, the Hon. Minister for Trade and Industry stated in his Budget statement that for FY 1980, income tax is expected to yield $1,423 million. I am happy to know that there is an increase of 30,459 taxpayers for the year 1979. May I congratulate him for giving us this good news. Also, the good work of the Comptroller of Income Tax and all his staff should be appreciated. I hope, for the year 1980, another 40,000 new taxpayers could be included, especially the self-employed. Surely the self-employed people who are owners of private houses, bungalows, luxurious flats, with Mercedes cars, can afford to pay income tax. The Registrar of Companies, the Registrar of Title Deeds and the Registrar of Vehicles can help to net in more tax evaders. Sir, I would like to thank the Hon. Minister for Trade and Industry for his general reduction in personal income tax rates which gives relief to all without shrinking our taxpaying population with effect from Year of Assessment 1980. Sir, I appreciate the granting of a tax relief of $750 if a taxpayer maintains a brother or sister who is incapacitated by physical or mental infirmity and who does not earn any income and continues to depend on the taxpayer. Although the amount granted is not really substantial, something is better than nothing. Perhaps it may be necessary to put ail handicapped persons in a comfortable place with medical staff to look after them on the payment of a reasonable fee so that the handicapped person's mother, brother or sister can go to work and earn some income to help the family and so need not be tied down to care for them. Mr Speaker, Sir, I support the motion in the name of the Hon. Minister for Trade and Industry. 3.10 p.m.