Availability of Student Care Places

31 Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong asked the Acting Minister for Education (Schools) (a) how many student care places are currently available at schools; (b) how many places are available at places outside of schools; (c) what is the mean and median waiting list for student care places; and (d) what are the Ministry's plans to gauge demand and adapt supply to fit demand in future.

Mr Ng Chee Meng: The Ministry of Education (MOE) recognises that Student Care Centres (SCCs) provide important after-school support for students. Over the last four years, we have steadily increased the number of school-based SCCs from fewer than 50 to 127, and the overall student enrolment from around 3,000 to more than 15,000.

Amongst SCCs registered with the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF), around 300 are in community spaces, with a combined enrolment of over 12,000 students. These centres complement school-based SCCs in the provision of after-school care.

The average and median number of waitlisted students in school-based SCCs is smaller than 10. However, the waitlist situation varies from school to school. MOE will continue to work with MSF to monitor the demand for SCC places both in our schools and in the community. We will also work with our schools to facilitate the setting up of new SCCs as well as expanding enrolment for existing ones at a pace that does not cause quality to be compromised.