Lifelong Learning Policies

and Practices in Singapore

Prepared by the Institute for Adult Learning, Singapore Workforce Development Agency

Abstract
This report outlines the lifelong learning policies and practices in Singapore. Since the 1960s,
efforts have been put into establishing comprehensive our pre-employment training (PET) system
and continuing education and training (CET) system, coupled with the support of a financing system.
Coming into the 21st century, Singapore has now entered a new phase of lifelong learning with the
launch of the SkillsFuture movement, focusing on providing individuals with opportunities to
develop their fullest potential throughout their life and attaining skills mastery, so as to drive
Singapore towards an advanced economy and inclusive society.

Table of Content
Acronyms ................................................................................................................................................ 3
Executive Summary ................................................................................................................................ 4
Chapter 1: Defining Lifelong Learning in Singapore ............................................................................... 5
Chapter 2: Pre-employment Training System ......................................................................................... 7
Chapter 3: Continuing Education and Training System ........................................................................ 15
Chapter 4: Financing System................................................................................................................. 18
Chapter 5: Learning Society for the 21st Century ................................................................................ 20
Chapter 6: Conclusion .......................................................................................................................... 24
Bibliography .......................................................................................................................................... 25

Acronyms
BEST

Basic Education for Skills Training

CET

Continuing Education and Training

CREST

Critical Enabling Skills Training

ITE

Institute of Technical Education

LLEF

Lifelong Learning Endowment Fund

PET

Pre-Employment Training

MOE

Ministry of Education

MOM

Ministry of Manpower

MOST

Modular Skills Training

NSRS

National Skills Recognition System

SDF

Skills Development Fund

TSLN

Thinking Schools, Learning Nation

WDA

Singapore Workforce Development Agency

WISE

Worker Improvement through Secondary Education

WSQ

Singapore Workforce Skills Qualifications

Executive Summary
Lifelong learning policies and practices in Singapore were implemented as early as 1960s
since Singapores independence. In order to equip our people with the right skills to stay ahead,
three key systems were developed:

The pre-employment training (PET) system provides foundational education for our people.
Our PET system is constantly evolving and undergoing improvements to meet changing
needs and aspirations. The policies and practices implemented can be categorized into three
different phases - survival driven (1959-1978), efficiency-driven (1978-1997) and abilitydriven (1997-present).

Parallel to the PET system is the continuing education and training (CET) system that serves
adults who have either missed out or left the PET system. CET plays a critical role in ensuring
that our workforce is constantly re-skilled and up-skilled to keep up with changing demands
at the workplace. To show the commitment of the government in supporting CET and
lifelong learning, a centralised government body was set up to oversee this important
national strategy, including developing a national CET system.

The success of the PET and CET systems is made possible by a corresponding financing
support system. The system has to be comprehensive, accessible and inclusive so as to
provide the necessary extensive benefits and impactful outcomes for everyone to achieve as
far as their ability allows them.

Singapore embarked on the SkillsFuture movement in 2014. As a national movement to

provide Singaporeans with the opportunities to develop their fullest potential throughout their life,
regardless of their starting points, it reinforces the role of every individual in driving Singapores next
phase of development towards an advanced economy and inclusive society. Details of the
SkillsFuture movement as well as the policies and practices being implemented to support the key
thrusts of the movement are shared in the second part of this report.
Finally, the report will identify possible areas that can be further enhanced to help make
Singapore a more inclusive learning society. These include creating flexible learning avenues,
recognising prior learning, encouraging participation from the older population, and using research
to design evidence-informed policies.

Chapter 1: Defining Lifelong Learning

in Singapore
Though Singapore does not have an official definition of lifelong learning; it is a key strategy
used by the government to push for economic success and is central to Singapores way of staying
competitive. Without any natural resources, Singapore has to rely on and develop our people as our
only valuable resource. From young, our people are encouraged and given the opportunities and
support to learn and progress as far as they can in our education system. Upon entering the
workforce, continuous upgrading remains essential to ensure that our people stay employable in this
competitive global market.
It is therefore not surprising that most people will feel that lifelong learning in Singapore has
close relation to our economy, as illustrated in the observation that Singapores perspective on the
concept of lifelong learning is contingent on the need for the workforce to constantly learn new skills
and adapt to new work conditions so that it can keep up with or stay ahead of global trends (Tan,
2015).
The importance of lifelong learning has always been critical, as explained by then-Minister
for Manpower, Dr Lee Boon Yang on the set up of the Lifelong Learning Endowment Fund:
We need lifelong learning to remain up-to-date and in possession of skills to drive
the economy. This is why the neighborhood mechanic is facing more competition.
The new cars come with a compute engine management system. The old
mechanics do not know how to service such hi-tech gadgets. Car owners prefer to
send their cars to the agents who have trained mechanics to maintain these new
cars. Mechanics who cannot or do not want to be upgraded may have to look for
another vocation. To put it simply, lifelong learning is no longer an option but a
necessity. (Lee, 2011)
This report positions lifelong learning as learning that starts from young to old, and
therefore encompasses two core systems, namely the pre-employment training (PET) and the
continuing education and training (CET). Singapores PET system comprises the primary, secondary
and post-secondary levels education, while CET system covers the learning and skills upgrading after
one leaves the former system. Figure 1.1 provides an overview of the Singapore education landscape
that covers PET and CET (MOE, 2015a).
Lifelong learning in Singapore is growing in importance with the volatile and fast-changing
economic and employment landscape. New technology and knowledge are being introduced in everincreasing pace, making skills and knowledge obsolete at a faster rate. Our aging population also
means that our human resource is depleting. Therefore, every individual is important and has to be
given the opportunities to develop and contribute to the fullest extent possible.

Figure 1.1: Singapore Education Landscape

Chapter 2: Pre-Employment Training

System
The Pre-Employment Training (PET) system under the Ministry of Education aims to give
students a broad and deep foundation for a lifelong journey of learning. It is a broad-based and
holistic education, which is about nurturing the whole child, developing in our children an enduring
core of skills, dispositions and competencies, steeped in values and character, to enable them to
thrive in the future workplace, and more importantly, lead purposeful and meaningful lives. The PET
system emphasises bilingualism, high teacher quality and integration of information and
communication technologies (ICT) to aid learning.

BRIEF HISTORY OF SINGAPORES EDUCATION SYSTEM

Singapores education system has evolved considerably since the Ministry of Education
(MOE) was set up about five decades ago. These changes can be broadly characterized by three
phases - survival-driven (1959-1978), efficiency-driven (1978-1997) and ability-driven (1997present). Our focus shifted from raising participation and enrolment rate to raising the quality of
teaching, and then to helping each child reach his/her fullest potential.
Survival-Driven Education (1959-1978): Building a National Education System
A key task when Singapore attained self-government in 1959 was to bring the four different
language streams into one national system and accord them equal status. The government also
made it a priority to ensure that every child had a place in school. Schools were built at a rate of
about one each month. The teaching force almost doubled from 10,590 to 19,216 between 1959 and
1968. To improve the quality of teaching in schools, measures were taken to upgrade both the
faculty and facilities of the teacher training campus. Bilingualism was made compulsory from 1966,
and all students had to study English (at first or second language level) and their mother tongue
language from Grade 1. Grade 7 students in 1966 were required to learn a second language which
was offered as an examination subject at the Grade 10 level from 1969.
By the end of this period, Singapore had achieved virtual universal primary education.
However, up to the late 1970s, almost 30 per cent of primary school pupils did not progress to
secondary schools. Proficiency in English language was low, and educational wastage (failure to
achieve the expected standards and premature school leaving) was high.
Efficiency-Driven Education (1978-1997): Raising Educational Quality
In 1978, a major review of the education system was undertaken with a view to reduce
attrition rates (seen as a sign of system failure to meet the needs of different learners) and to raise
the quality of education to power future growth and social development. The review resulted in key
structural changes. To address the diverse needs of different groups of learners, streaming (also
known as tracking) was introduced students were streamed into academic groups based on their
academic achievement. Curriculum was customized to the learning needs of each group so that
students could learn at a pace they were comfortable with, and stay in school for longer. The results
were impressive. At the primary level, the dropout rate fell from 6 per cent in the late 1970s to 0.5

per cent in 1997. At the secondary level, the rate fell from 13 per cent to 3.3 per cent over the same
period.
Greater emphasis was placed on language acquisition in lower primary to help students
acquire a strong foundation for the learning of content in the other subjects at the upper primary
level. The Curriculum Development Institute of Singapore was set up in 1980 to develop all
curriculum and teaching materials in order to improve the quality of teaching materials. School
appraisals were implemented from 1980, focusing on school organization, instructional programs,
extracurricular activities and pupil welfare. School appraisals were both an accountability exercise
and a process to help schools evaluate their effectiveness and identify areas for improvement.
Enabling these changes was the emphasis placed on the status of and recognition for
teachers and school leaders. In line with the overall philosophy to pay competitive salaries in the
public sector, educators saw two major rounds of revisions in salaries and career prospects. The first
was in 1982 and the second round in 1996, arising from the recommendations of the Education
Service Review Committee. More competitive salaries and faster promotions were introduced,
together with strong emphasis on continual upgrading and professional development. By the mid1990s, efficiency-driven education was receiving positive affirmation, with Singapore students doing
well in both mathematics and science for the Third International Mathematics and Science Study
(TIMSS) in 1995.
Ability-driven Education (1997-present): Developing Every Child to His/Her Fullest Potential
In 1997, then-Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong unveiled the vision of Thinking Schools
Learning Nation (TSLN). TSLN describes a nation of thinking and committed citizens capable of
meeting the challenges of the future, and an education system geared to the needs of the 21st
century. It continues to be the over-arching descriptor of the transformation in the education
system, comprising changes in all aspects of education. It provided the context for curriculum
reviews that aimed to develop creativity and habits of independent learning among our students.
Content was judiciously trimmed to make room for development of thinking skills.
Our Desired Outcomes of Education were also formulated in 1997, which articulated the
end-objectives of formal education and described the skills and values deemed important for our
young to possess in an increasingly globalized world. To ensure continued relevance, these desired
outcomes were reviewed and refreshed in 2009.
To support these strategies, school management structures were strengthened schools
were organized into geographical clusters where each cluster was overseen by a superintendent
who provided mentorship for the principals. The School Excellence Model was introduced in 2000 to
provide schools with a framework and holistic approach for self-assessment and guide schools on
self-improvement.
Teacher quality was again affirmed as a key determinant of quality education. The National
Institute of Education was restructured and its nexus with schools and MOE was strengthened to
facilitate close alignment between overall educational policy and teacher training. Career
development and compensation for teachers were continually being improved, with significant
enhancements being made in 2001, 2006 and 2007.
In 2003, MOE focused more on one aspect of our Desired Outcomes of Education, i.e.
nurturing a spirit of Innovation and Enterprise, which can be described as building up a core set of
life skills and attitudes that we want in our students.
8

From 2005, MOE took the transformation one step further, from structure and systems into
the heart of the education endeavour the quality of interaction between teacher and students, and
the teacher, school leader and school factors that would support this. This is the Teach Less, Learn
More movement.
In 2008, MOE placed the spotlight on what our learners would need for the future, and
sharpened its focus on the need to develop 21st century competencies among our young (Figure
2.1). The changes are being introduced, starting from the early years in primary schools, under the
aegis of the Primary Education Review and Implementation Committee, before extending into the
secondary and post-secondary years.
Figure 2.1 Framework for 21st Century Competencies and Student Outcomes

(Source: www.moe.gov.sg)
As teachers are critical to this effort, capacity building became a key priority for MOE. This
led to a 72% increase in the size of the teaching force for primary, secondary and pre-university
level, from 19,132 teachers in 1990 to 32,898 in 2014 (MOE, 2015). Correspondingly, the ratio of
students to teaching staff dropped from 25.8 for primary schools and 21.2 for secondary schools to
16.5 and 12.5 respectively by 2014 (Figure 2.2).

Figure 2.2 Ratio of Students to Teaching Staff

The Academy of Singapore Teachers, established in late 2010, aims to build a teacher-led
culture of professional excellence centred on the holistic development of the child. The academy,
together with other specialized centres for English language, physical education and sports and the
arts, serve as catalysts and enablers for teachers professional development. These complement
existing centres that cater to the professional development of Malay, Chinese and Tamil language
teachers. Together, they enable teachers to move our education system to a higher plane for the
next decade.1

OVERVIEW OF SINGAPORES EDUCATION SYSTEM

The Singapore education system comprises the Primary, Secondary and Post-secondary
levels education. Education is compulsory for the six years of primary education, but completion of
10 or 11 years of general education is virtually universal. Students progress to post-secondary
education of two to three years along an academic, applied-oriented or vocational pathway, before
one-quarter of each cohort go on to pursue university education.
English Language, Mother Tongue Language, and Mathematics make up a significant part of
the primary school curriculum, with Science being introduced as a subject from Primary 3. At the end
of Primary 6, students will take the Primary School Leaving Examination, following which they will
enter secondary level education and be placed into the course (Express, Normal Academic or Normal
Technical) that most suit their ability and pace of learning. Throughout their secondary school
education, students will have opportunities to transfer across courses based on their readiness at
that time to study the curriculum offered in each of these courses.
Students in the Express course take the Singapore-Cambridge General Certificate of
Education (Ordinary Level) or GCE O level examination at the end of Secondary 4. Students in both
1

The three phases of Singapore education system were extracted from the Report by Ministry of Education,
Singapore, Building a National Education System for the 21st century: The Singapore Experience, 2010,
paragraphs 6 to 20.

10

the Normal (Academic) and Normal (Technical) courses will sit for the Singapore-Cambridge General
Certificate of Education (Normal Level) or GCE N level examination at the end of Secondary 4.
Students in the Normal (Academic) course who demonstrate sufficient depth of academic
knowledge in their GCE N level examination can go on to a fifth year of study, and sit for the GCE O
level examination. Students who performed well academically in Secondary 2 or 3 can also sit for the
GCE O level examination at Secondary 5 without needing to sit for the GCE N level examination at
Secondary 4. In addition, students in the Normal (Academic) course who sit for the GCE N level
examination also have the option of being admitted directly to polytechnics through the Polytechnic
Foundation Programme, or via the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) through the Direct Entry
Scheme to Polytechnic Programme, if they satisfy the respective qualifying criteria. Students in the
Normal (Technical) course are admitted to the ITE for a NITEC course after they complete their GCE
N level examinations. They can also be transferred laterally to the Normal (Academic) course at
Secondary 4 if they meet the academic requirements.
With the completion of secondary level education, students can proceed to post-secondary
education, comprising diverse institutions such as Junior College / Centralised Institute, Polytechnic,
Institute of Technical Education (ITE), and Arts Institutions. Junior College or Centralised Institute
equips students with the skills and knowledge required for universities or institutes of higher
learning in Singapore and abroad. Polytechnic education offers hands-on experience and prepares
students with industry-relevant skills and competencies for the workplace. ITE develops students
with the technical skills and knowledge to meet the workforce needs of various industry sectors.
These diverse pathways are deliberately structured to allow students to pursue their educational
journey based on their strengths and their future aspirations. Although placement into these
institutes is based largely on their school results, junior colleges and polytechnics have some
flexibility in admitting students, whose talents cannot be measured by standardised examinations,
through pre-set transparent and meritocratic criteria. Thereafter, students can enter universities or
into the workforce.

11

Figure 2.3 provides an overview of Singapores education system from primary, secondary to
post-secondary levels.
Figure 2.3 Overview of Singapores Education System

12

EVIDENCE OF SUCCESS
We have achieved almost universal education for our people and enabled most of them to
progress to post-secondary level. The mean years of schooling have increased significantly from 6.6
years in 1990 to 10.6 years in 2014 (Figure 2.4).
Figure 2.4 Mean Years of Schooling

Correspondingly, we also see a significant increase in the proportion of adults aged 25 years
and over having post-secondary education, from 13 per cent in 1990 to more than 50 per cent in
2014. Specifically, there are increasing number of people with diploma and professional
qualifications and university degrees; with the latter showing the biggest jump within two decades
from 4.7 per cent in 1990 to 27.7 per cent in 2014. (Figure 2.5)
Figure 2.5 Highest Qualification Attained of Resident Population Aged 25 Years and Over

13

According to the Global Competitiveness Report 2013 2014, Singapore was ranked among
the top in Quality of the Educational System and Quality of Math and Science Education.
Singapore students were also ranked among the top in Reading, Mathematics and Science in the
Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2012. (MOE, 2015b) These international
benchmarking results are testimony to our PET system achievements, not just in quantity expansion
but also in upholding the rigor and quality of the system.

14

Chapter 3: Continuing Education and

Training System
The Continuing Education and Training (CET) system refers to the provision of adult training
and post-PET learning in Singapore. It also provides continuous upgrading opportunities for those
who have either missed out on or left formal education.

EVOLUTION OF THE CET SYSTEM

The money spent on adult education should be treated as a national investment an
investment to ensure a better society and a better future for us all (as cited in Koh, 2014, p. 37).
Recognising the importance of having a skilled and cohesive workforce, the Singapore government
set up the Adult Education Board in 1960 to plan, regulate and implement adult education. Its
offerings were wide ranging, covering basic education to industry-focused job training and
enrichment-type courses. They enabled many to get a head start, improve their qualifications and
progress in their careers. The Adult Education Board was subsequently merged with the Industrial
Training Board to form the Vocational and Industrial Training Board (VITB) in 1979 to prepare
students for vocational careers.
In the 1980s when the PET system achieved success in serving almost everyone among the
younger population, the main challenge for the CET system was to provide training for people who
did not have proper basic education. This led to the introduction of critical schemes like the Basic
Education for Skills Training (BEST) which aimed to provide basic education up to Primary 6 level,
especially English and Mathematics; the Worker Improvement through Secondary Education (WISE)
which upgraded workers to Secondary level; and the Modular Skills Training (MOST) which provided
basic trade skills on a part time, modular basis. In the 1990s, emphasis was also placed on the
training of foundational skills, for example learning to learn, literacy and personal effectiveness skills,
with the launch of the Critical Enabling Skills Training (CREST).
Following the Asian financial crisis in the late 1990s, Singapore needed to find new ways to
enhance the capabilities of its people as the economy developed into knowledge based economy.
One of the key recommendations suggested by the Committee on Singapores Competitiveness was
to establish a National Skills Recognition System to promote skills upgrading. Therefore, in 2000,
Singapore had its first national skills training system, known as the National Skills Recognition System
(NSRS), which encompassed competency based training and issuance of national skills certification
to certify trainees with the relevant skills.
The next milestone in our CET development was the establishment of the Singapore
Workforce Development Agency (WDA) in 2003. The function of WDA is to help workers advance in
their careers and lives by developing and strengthening skills-based training for adults (Source:
www.wda.gov.sg). At the official opening of WDA, then-Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong highlighted
WDAs role as building a first-class lifelong education and training system for our workers (Goh,
2003). The setting up of WDA, a statutory board under the Ministry of Manpower, enabled the
development of a coordinated and comprehensive CET system for the workforce.

15

DEVELOPMENT OF THE SINGAPORE WORKFORCE SKILLS QUALIFICATIONS

In 2005, the Singapore Workforce Skills Qualifications (WSQ) System, which was built on the
foundation of the NSRS, was launched. It was benchmarked against similar systems in Britain and
Australia, but adapted to Singapores context. The first WSQ framework, Employability Skills WSQ,
absorbed BEST, WISE and CREST. By 2014, 34 WSQ frameworks had been developed to certify
trainees with foundational, occupational, industry and cross-industry skills in different sectors, such
as retail, landscape, precision engineering, tourism, human resource, and leadership and people
management.
The WSQ system trains, develops, assesses and recognises workers for competencies they
need to stay employable. It is established based on four principles:

Authority to give workers assurance that the qualifications are nationally endorsed,
employer-recognised and industry-validated.

Accessibility to ensure clear training pathways so that workers can choose learning
routes that best suit them. Instead of academic prerequisites for entry, the WSQ
recognises existing skills, relevant working experience and other credentials.

Relevance to workers and businesses, as training is competency based and meets

industry- and job-specific needs.

Progression for workers as the training enhances workers employability and

competitiveness. Workers have definite paths to skill up as they progress in their career
and achieve excellence in their respective fields.
(Singapore Workforce Development Agency, 2005)

One of the critical and major enhancements from NSRS to WSQ was the availability of
progression in training for the trainees. Under the WSQ, there are six qualification levels and seven
types of certification (Table 3.1).
Table 3.1 WSQ Qualification Levels
Level

Types of Certifications
WSQ Graduate Certificate

6
WSQ Graduate Diploma
5

WSQ Specialist Diploma

WSQ Diploma

WSQ Advanced Certificate

WSQ Higher Certificate

WSQ Certificate

The modular-based training and open access nature of the system helped ensured the
success of WSQ. It achieved its one millionth trainee in 2014 and is currently training about 300,000
people a year. A survey conducted by the WDA found that 97% of company respondents indicated
that they would continue to send their employees for WSQ training, while 91.3% of trainee
16

respondents indicated that they were able to apply the skills learnt through WSQ training, and
perform more efficiently and effectively at work. (Singapore Workforce Development Agency, 2016)
Similar to the PET system, the CET system also placed emphasis on the quality of its trainers
and providers. WDA set up the Institute for Adult Learning in 2008 with the objective of building
capabilities and continuing professional development for an effective, innovative and responsive
Continuing Education and Training (CET) sector. Besides nurturing a progressive CET Community, IAL
also conducts research to inform policy making, CET practice and programme design.

UPHOLDING THE SPIRIT OF TRIPARTISM

A common feature in Singapores policy decision making is the emphasis on tripartism,
where the government, workers union and employers work together for mutual gains and benefits.
This is especially so in the development of the CET system. For example, tripartite committees were
set up for the development of WSQ frameworks. By involving the industry in skills development, we
can ensure that the training is relevant and meets the industrys needs. In addition, the process of
engagement with the various stakeholders ensures early buy-in and consensus between the
government and the stakeholders on the way forward. This strategic tripartite relationship will
become even more important in the future as individuals and employers take on greater ownership
in skills development.

17

Chapter 4: Financing System

Undergirding the Pre-employment training (PET) and Continuing education and training
(CET) systems is the financing system. The strategy of financing our people through the two systems
is critical in Singapores move to encourage and sustain lifelong learning. It is principled on making
funding comprehensive, accessible and inclusive. Education is heavily subsidised in Singapore. The
expenditure for education in financial year 2016 is estimated at S$12.8 billion, which is the second
highest in terms of expenditure by sectors (Source: www.singaporebudget.gov.sg).
Under the PET system, the school fee for Primary level education is free and heavily
subsidized for Secondary to Post-Secondary levels. In addition, the Edusave scheme, launched in
1993, provides resources for school enrichment activities. This is to support students holistic
development and encourage them to excel in both academic and non-academic areas. Since 2014,
eligibility to receive Edusave contributions has been extended to all Singaporean children aged 7 to
16, including those not studying in MOE-funded schools. In addition to funding for every
Singaporean student, there are also scholarships, awards and bursaries for different groups of
students. For example, the Edusave Merit Bursary is meant for students who performed well and
their household income does not exceed $6,000. There are also awards for students who perform
well in non-academic areas, such as the Edusave Awards for Achievement, Good Leadership and
Service (EAGLES), to promote achievement beyond academic and encourage holistic development of
students. (Source: www.moe.gov.sg)
The CET system is funded by two main sources of fund, namely the Skills Development Fund
(SDF) and Lifelong Learning Endowment Fund (LLEF). The SDF was established in 1979 with the
promulgation of the Skills Development Levy (SDL) Act. Its primary objective is to encourage
employers to invest in skills upgrading of their workforce by offering funding assistance as an
incentive. This is offered on a cost-sharing principle and the training must be relevant to the
economic development of Singapore. The amount of incentives that a company can obtain is not
tied to its levy contribution. (Source: www.wda.gov.sg)
The LLEF came into effect in 2001 with the establishment of the Lifelong Learning
Endowment Fund Act. Its objectives are to support the individual acquisition of skills and expertise
and enhance his/her employability; as well as the promotion of the acquisition, development and
upgrading of skills and expertise to enhance the employability of persons (Republic of Singapore,
2002). The Lifelong Learning Endowment Fund provides a secure and continuing stream of income to
sustain our lifelong learning efforts. It is testimony to the Governments commitment to continuous
upgrading and re-skilling of workers. By setting aside part of our budgetary surpluses to build up this
Fund, we are investing the fruits of economic growth in the development of our people (Lee, 2001).
Similar to the PET system, other than providing a generous level of funding as a baseline,
enhanced funding in the form of enhanced course fee funding, training allowance and absentee
payroll is given to companies and individuals who require greater support to help promote inclusive
growth. They include low-wage and low-skilled Singaporeans, mature Singaporeans age 40 and
above, persons with disability and small and medium enterprises. The objective of having enhanced
funding is captured in Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loongs speech:
We have trained our workers to be able to do these jobs and progressively we
have upgraded these workers in order to lift their skills to take on higher jobs. For
those who cannot move up, who are still at the bottom end - low-skilled workers,
low-wage workers - we give them extra help, especially Workfare, which we have
18

been talking about and try to get people to understand and take advantage of.
(Lee, 2010a)

19

Chapter 5: Learning Society for the 21st

Century
In moving into the next phase of our economic and social development, the importance of
staying competitive and employable through lifelong learning becomes even more crucial. The lowskilled, low wage workers are no longer the only ones who are at risk. Such risks apply to the skilled
and knowledge workers as well, as recent data on unemployment revealed that of those made
redundant in 2015, 71 per cent are Professionals, managers, executives and technicians and they
formed the bulk of redundancies (MOM, 2016a):
We are essentially embarking on a new phase in our development in education,
and as a nation. We have built a school and tertiary system that is amongst the
best-regarded internationally In our next wave of development, we will build a
first rate system of continuing education and training: learning through life. It will
intertwine education and the world of work in ways that strengthen and enrich
both. It will make the workplace a major site of learning. It will enable every
Singaporean to maximize his or her potential, from young and through life.
(Deputy Prime Minister Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam at the official opening of
the Lifelong Learning Institute, 2014)

SKILLSFUTURE MOVEMENT
In 2014, Singapore embarked on the SkillsFuture movement which seeks to provide
Singaporeans with opportunities to develop to their fullest potential and throughout their lives,
regardless of their starting points. With the direction set by the SkillsFuture, the current paradigm of
frontloading education in the first 20 years of a persons life will see a shift to a lifelong journey of
learning for its citizen (Heng, 2014). Through this movement, there is an increased emphasis on
ownership by individuals and employers, with the government playing the role of an enabler. The
skills, passion and contributions of every individual will drive Singapores next phase of development
towards an advanced economy and inclusive society.
There are four thrusts under the SkillsFuture movement:

Help individuals make well-informed choices in education, training and careers;

Develop an integrated high quality system of education and training that responds to
constantly evolving needs;

Promote employer recognition and career development based on skills and mastery; and

Foster a culture that supports and celebrates lifelong learning.

Table 3.1 outlines some of the key initiatives under SkillsFuture.

Table 3.1: Initiatives under SkillsFuture
Initiatives
Education
Career

Details

and To equip students and adults with the necessary knowledge, skills and values to
make informed education and career decisions. Students and adults will be
encouraged to learn more about their own interests, abilities and passions. By
20

Guidance

exploring the learning or education pathways and career opportunities available

across different industries, they will be able to take positive steps towards
realising their aspirations and embrace learning throughout their lives.

Individual
learning
Portfolio

An online, one-stop portal for education , training and career guidance resources
that will help Singaporeans plan for their education and training needs starting
from their time in secondary school.

Earn and Learn To provide the Polytechnics and ITE graduates a head start in their careers. They
Programmes
will be placed in jobs and receive a salary while undergoing structured on-the-job
training that leads to an industry-recognised qualification. In order to encourage
both the trainees and employers to come on board the programme, substantial
support will be given by the government. This is a step forward to integrate the
study and work for the students.
iNnovative
Learning 2020

A learning innovation initiative led by the Singapore Workforce Development

Agency that will drive the use of blended learning in Continuing Education and
Training (CET) to meet the dynamic learning needs of business enterprises and
individuals. This learning innovation initiative aims to foster closer collaboration
among CET partners and practitioners, such as training providers, adult educators,
enterprises, consultants and technology vendors to enhance the quality,
accessibility, and effectiveness of learning.

Industry
Manpower
Plans (IMP)

To identify future development plans and future skills that will be needed and
sets out a strategy for developing those skills in our local workforce. To improve
attraction and retention of local workers, the IMP will also articulate skills-based
career progression pathways, set out strategies to re-design jobs to make them
better, and propose initiatives to enhance HR practices and working conditions.

SkillsFuture
Study Awards

To encourage Singaporeans to develop and deepen specialist skills needed by

future economic growth sectors or in areas of demand. It also supports
Singaporeans who already have deep specialist skills to develop other
competencies.

SkillsFuture
Fellowships

To recognise Singaporeans who have achieved a significant depth in their skills

base and help them continue their pursuit of skills mastery.

SkillsFuture
Leadership
Development
Initiative

To support aspiring Singaporeans in developing the necessary capabilities to take

on increased roles and responsibilities in their respective companies. Education
and training providers will work with different industries and companies to offer
relevant, quality leadership and managerial development courses and
programmes.

SkillsFuture
Mid-Career
Enhanced
Subsidy

To support and encourages lifelong learning and helps Singaporeans stay

responsive to a changing workplace. Recognising that mid-career individuals may
face greater challenges in undertaking training, the Government has implemented
this programme to encourage mid-career Singaporeans to upskill and reskill.

SkillsFuture
Credit

To encourage individual ownership of skills development and lifelong learning. All

Singaporeans aged 25 and above will receive an opening credit of S$500 from
January 2016.
(Source: www.skillsfuture.sg)

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As the movement only started in 2014 and the initiatives are progressively being rolled out
only recently, effectiveness and impact of these schemes are not yet evident. Nevertheless, there
has been wide support for this movement from individuals and organisations alike embarking on
these initiatives. It has been most encouraging to also see organisations offering similar initiatives to
their workers, on top of these national initiatives, to support and recognise the importance of
continuous skills upgrading.

MOVING FORWARD
Singapore has made great progress by placing emphasis on the development of our human
resource. We are ranked fourth this year in the world most competitive economy. The IMBD World
Competitiveness Yearbook in 2015 states that Singapore has one of the most skilled labour pools in
the region due to sound education policies, the ready availability of training programmes and
attractive incentives for local and foreign talent (Source: www.edb.gov.sg).
At the government level, in order to sharpen our focus on skills and employment, we will be
reorganising our functions for effective implementation of two key priorities: the national
SkillsFuture initiative and the need to ensure competitiveness and quality jobs for Singaporeans over
the long term. A new statutory board under the Ministry of Education (MOE), SkillsFuture Singapore
(SSG), will be formed to drive and coordinate the implementation of SkillsFuture. It will take over
some of the functions currently performed by the Singapore Workforce Development Agency (WDA)
and absorb the Council for Private Education, an existing statutory board under MOE. At the same
time, WDA will be reconstituted into a new statutory board, Workforce Singapore (WSG), focusing
on jobs and ensuring enterprises can become manpower-lean while remaining competitive. The new
statutory board will remain under the Ministry of Manpower (MOM). (MOM, 2016b)
Study and work will no longer be sequential, but interspersed with each other throughout a
persons life. We are moving from education as a concept of flow, i.e. preparing young students to
enter the workforce, to a concept of stock, i.e. helping everyone in society learn through their lives
(Ong, 2015). Therefore, there needs to be a shift in mind-set that learning should not be restricted to
the formal learning pathways and classrooms. Training providers have started to harness technology
to embark online learning to make training more accessible and effective. However, there is a need
for greater effort to expand the prevalence of workplace learning and recognition of prior learning in
Singapore, to help further remove the barriers to learning.
In addition, more needs to be done to facilitate the inter-operability of qualifications, so that
whatever an individual learns under one qualification system can be recognised by other
qualification systems. This will better ensure every training achievement is a step forward in a
system where there are no dead ends (Ong, 2016).
Based on the statistics provided by Ministry of Manpower, the proportion of elderly
residents aged 65 and above among the resident population has increased from 3.4 per cent in 1970
to 11.8 per cent in 2015. This percentage will continue to rise. Greater efforts should therefore be
put into studying the learning needs of the elderly and encouraging higher training participation
among them. The setup of the National Sliver Academy in 2016 targeting at individuals aged 50 and
above is a good start (Source: www.nsa.org.sg). In addition, as part of our community development
initiatives, the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore has put in place a Sliver Infocomm
Intiative to help bridge the digital divide for seniors by addressing their differences in education
background, language and infocomm competencies. The initiative comprises a set of customised
curriculum to increase infocomm literacy among seniors, ten senior-friendly IT learning hubs

22

conveniently located island-wide to offer these courses to the seniors, and 90 hotspots that provide
access to computers and internet services for seniors free-of-charge. (Source: www.ida.gov.sg )
To design effective policies and practices, it is important to underpin them with robust
research findings, so that they can be targeted and effective in fulfilling its objectives. Research on
workforce development and adult learning pedagogies has been given greater emphasis to help the
policy makers made informed decisions.
While indicators to track the take-up and completion of the initiatives are in place, indicators
to measure the impact and effectiveness have yet been established. The challenges include
identifying the appropriate indicators to measure what SkillsFuture set out to achieve, of which
some of them require proxies, and the ability to track these indicators over the long term to properly
study their effects.

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Chapter 6: Conclusion
SkillsFuture is more than just these schemes and programmes to drive higher productivity and
mastery, and it is certainly not just about the $500 SkillsFuture Credit. It is also about societal mindset, and the way we value and recognise people of different talents, beyond traditional definitions of
success. (Ong, 2016)

The policies and systems for lifelong learning in Singapore have evolved over the past five
decades, constantly undergoing changes to adapt to new environments and changing needs.
Learning for life has remained as our focus, although the way we implemented it has changed with
the times. In the past, there was a heavy reliance on the government to chart the lifelong learning
route, with the support of the employers and unions. Now we are encouraging individuals and
employers to take up the ownership, with the government playing the role of the enabler.
Ensuring quality education and training, creating fair and open access systems, and removing
barriers to learning through comprehensive financial support are some of the critical enablers to
achieve lifelong learning in Singapore. There are more that needs to be done to enhance the
avenues and effectiveness of learning and inter-operability of qualifications. Nevertheless, lifelong
learning is also beyond the establishment of hardware, but to be ingrained into the mind-set and
become part of peoples life.
In this next phase of change, the capacity and capabilities of our educators in both PET and
CET systems will be critical to support our mission. With the emphasis on learning for life, we have to
equip our educators with not just the ability to teach, but also to facilitate and support our people in
their learning. Learning can no longer be accomplished with the traditional form of rote learning or
just focusing on the imparting of knowledge. New learning pedagogies enhanced with learning
technology have to be part of the education and training landscape in Singapore.
The journey of lifelong learning started decades ago and has expanded under the
SkillsFuture movement. This report has traced the development of policies and practices of lifelong
learning in Singapore, as they laid the foundation for the current movement. It will take years for
Singapore to know if the movement can create a new mind-set and culture of lifelong learning, but it
is definitely the way to move forward in the near future.

24

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