Adding Outdoor and Indoor Sports Halls of Institutes of Technical Education and Institutes of Higher Learning to Dual-Use Scheme
Ministry of EducationSpeakers
Summary
This question concerns whether the Ministry of Education will expand the Dual-Use Scheme (DUS) to include outdoor and indoor sports facilities, as well as classrooms, at Institutes of Technical Education and Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs). Nominated Member of Parliament Ms See Jinli Jean inquired about establishing a more systematic framework for sharing these spaces to support rising community demand for sports and continuing education. Minister of State for Education Ms Gan Siow Huang replied that while some facilities are already accessible, further expansion depends on student usage levels and the feasibility of creating separate access points for campus security. She noted that several IHLs already lease lecture theatres and classrooms to external providers for private programmes and events outside of regular teaching hours. Ultimately, she clarified that organizations may approach institutions directly to request the use of facilities for community initiatives and educational purposes.
Transcript
17 Ms See Jinli Jean asked the Minister for Education (a) whether the Ministry will consider making available (i) the outdoor fields and indoor sports halls of the Institutes of Technical Education and the Institutes of Higher Learning for the Dual-Use Scheme (DUS) and (ii) other spaces for non-sport DUS purposes including classrooms to be used for continual education programmes; and (b) if not, why not.
The Minister of State for Education (Ms Gan Siow Huang) (for the Minister for Education): Mr Speaker, some sports facilities in our Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs) are available for public use today. For example, tennis and badminton courts in the National University of Singapore are part of the Dual-Use Scheme (DUS), while several stadium-based running tracks in our other IHLs are open to public during operating hours. Outside of regular teaching hours, some IHLs do rent out their facilities. For example, lecture theatres and classrooms for continuing and education training, programmes that are run by external training providers or events.
Mr Speaker: Ms See.
Ms See Jinli Jean (Nominated Member): I thank the Minister of State. I do understand that there is an increase in demand for various facilities because of the resumption of activities post-COVID-19, as well as also Healthier SG and various initiatives at the community level. Would there be intention to look at, on a broad base, for both sports as well as non-sport use, whether there could be a more systematic way in which these facilities can be made available for different users?
I do understand that there is a certain workflow for sports activities. But for non-sports activities, would there be, perhaps, a more systematic way in which these facilities can be made available to different groups for booking?
Ms Gan Siow Huang: Mr Speaker, as mentioned in my reply, selected sports facilities in our IHLs are available to public today. Other sports facilities in our IHLs could be heavily utilised by students, staff, alumni and their community partners after school hours and even on weekends, for co-curricular activities and campus events.
An important consideration for whether these facilities are suitable to be placed under the DUS for public use, would be whether there are physical boundaries that allow separate access points to the sports facilities. This is for the sake of operational safety and security.
As for non-sports facilities, Temasek Polytechnic and the Nanyang Technological University lease their facilities to external training providers to run private programmes. Nevertheless, members of public or other organisations may approach our IHLs directly to request to lease lecture theatres, classroom facilities for activities – Healthier SG included – if they wish to.