Metrics to Assess Effectiveness of UPLIFT Enhanced School Resourcing and GEAR-UP Programmes and Results for Past Five Years
Ministry of EducationSpeakers
Summary
This question concerns the metrics and performance data for the UPLIFT Enhanced School Resourcing (UESR) and GEAR-UP programs over the past five years. Minister for National Development Desmond Lee identified regular school attendance as the key metric for assessing student engagement and educational progress among disadvantaged students. Since 2019, these initiatives have expanded to reach 100 and 120 schools respectively, benefiting over 11,000 students annually and helping 30% of target students with previous absenteeism issues achieve regular attendance. The programs provide additional resourcing and community partnerships to support students with higher needs and encourage their learning progress. Starting in 2026, both initiatives will be integrated into a new enhanced support package to consolidate and strengthen school-based support for disadvantaged backgrounds.
Transcript
12 Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim asked the Minister for Education (a) what metrics the Ministry uses to assess the effectiveness of (i) the UPLIFT Enhanced School Resourcing programme and (ii) the Guiding and Empowering Students for Affiliation and Resilience to Unlock their Potential (GEAR-UP) program; and (b) what the corresponding figures have been for each of the past five years.
Mr Desmond Lee: As part of the Ministry of Education's (MOE's) efforts to uplift students from disadvantaged backgrounds, selected schools were given additional resources and worked with community partners to encourage their students with higher needs to attend school regularly – a key factor that reflects the students' engagement in learning and enables them to make educational progress. Uplifting Pupils in Life and Inspiring Families Taskforce (UPLIFT) Enhanced School Resourcing (UESR) and GEAR-UP were rolled out across different phases since 2019. By the end of 2025, UESR provided additional resourcing to 100 schools, while GEAR-UP was implemented in 120 secondary schools, with some schools running both initiatives. Collectively, more than 11,000 students benefited annually from these initiatives. About 30% of the target students who previously had absenteeism issues managed to achieve regular school attendance over time.
As part of a holistic review to strengthen support for students from disadvantaged backgrounds, UESR and GEAR-UP have been folded into a new enhanced support package for schools from 2026, which MOE had recently announced at this year's Committee of Supply debate.