Funds Disbursed under Young Entrepreneurs Scheme for Schools Programme

14 Mr Leon Perera asked the Minister for Trade and Industry (Industry) (a) how much has been disbursed under the Young Entrepreneurs Scheme for Schools (YES! Schools) programme in each year since its inception, broken down by disbursements to Polytechnics, ITE colleges and Junior Colleges (JCs)/Secondary schools; (b) how many schools have made use of the grant in each year since its inception, broken down by Polytechnic, ITE college and JC/Secondary school; and (c) how does the Government follow up on its implementation in each school that has received the grant to ensure that the learning outcomes are met.

The Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministers for Trade and Industry (Ms Low Yen Ling) (for the Minister for Trade and Industry (Industry)): Mdm Speaker, the seeds of our Entrepreneurship are being sown in our schools and among our young people. The Young Entrepreneurs Scheme for Schools (YES! Schools) programme aims to stimulate interest in entrepreneurship and nurture a pro-innovation and entrepreneurial culture in our youth. Administered by SPRINGSingapore, the programme provides grants of up to $10,000 for structured entrepreneurial learning activities and projects in Polytechnics, JCs and Secondary schools. SPRINGSingapore has also funded projects in some Primary schools.

Since YES! Schools was launched in October 2008 till 2016, about $4.3 million has been disbursed to 149 unique schools, of which 95 schools have been awarded the grant more than once. Of the unique schools, 64 are Primary schools, 79 are Secondary schools and JCs, and the remaining six are ITE colleges and Polytechnics. On average, about $184,000 has been disbursed to Primary schools annually, $270,000 to Secondary schools and JCs, and $87,000 to Polytechnics and ITE colleges. So far, more than 40,000 students have participated directly in entrepreneurship learning activities conducted by the schools under the YES! Schools programme. In addition, the funding has also reached out to thousands of other students in the schools.

To ensure that the programme objectives are met, and also to review SPRINGSingapore's level of support, the agency monitors key outcome indicators in all participating schools. This includes the overall number of participants in the programme, the number of working prototypes developed by the students as well as the number of students participating in external competitions, such as Tan Kah Kee Young Inventors' Award and so on, and internal entrepreneurship showcases. A study conducted by NTU showed that students who participated in the YES! Schools programme have stronger entrepreneurial inclination.

The YES! Schools programme is complemented by other programmes that also expose Primary, Secondary and JC students to entrepreneurship-related activities and this include the MOE's Applied Learning Programme (ALP) for Business and Entrepreneurship, the option of Elective Modules on Entrepreneurship, and the availability of entrepreneurship-related Co-curricular Activities (CCAs), such as Entrepreneurship Clubs. Entrepreneurship is also promoted in our Post-Secondary Education Institutions (PSEIs) through different programmes and the establishment of incubators. Students have ample opportunities to learn and experience or take the first step in starting their own business.

Besides the Yes! Schools programme, students passionate about entrepreneurship can also join the youth chapter of Action Community for Entrepreneurship (ACE). This youth chapter is called EDGE, which stands for Empower, Develop and Groom Entrepreneurs. This youth chapter attracts student representatives from the various IHLs. They are an enterprising force promoting entrepreneurship amongst our youths.

Mr Leon Perera (Non-Constituency Member): I thank the Parliamentary Secretary for the very detailed and very helpful answer. I think these various programmes are very important because of the need to cultivate an entrepreneurial sense and inclination so that we can develop local SMEs as a strong third leg to the economy. So, my supplementary questions are centred on how can you increase the number of students who are affected by these programmes and in whom we can instil that kind of entrepreneurial inclination.

My main supplementary question is really about the model that we adopt. It seems that for this particular programme, the Yes! grant and also the other programme which is the 50 SMEs Initiative, which I have asked about in a separate written question, the model seems to be one of a "pull" model where the schools and the students can elect to participate and make use of the fund and resources.

But would the Ministry consider more of a "push" model, so that all schools and all students will, at minimum, be required to engage in at least some activity that exposes them to the entrepreneurial world? It need not be a very high-level activity like an attachment where you should opt in, but it could be a very basic exposure like a tour of some local companies, talks or taking part in some basic activities.

Mdm Speaker: Mr Perera, put your question, please. No long preambles, please. Members, let me remind you again.

Mr Leon Perera: Yes, that is all. Thank you.

Ms Low Yen Ling: I want to thank the Member for the supplementary questions. Earlier on, I took efforts to explain and update the numbers. In MOE and MTI, we are heartened by the healthy take-up of the YES! Programme since it was launched in 2008: 64 Primary schools, and that would be 35% of Primary schools; 79 Secondary schools, and that would be slightly more than half of Secondary schools; and six ITE, Polytechnics, which means four out of five Polytechnics, are already on board, bearing in mind they also have their own respective Elective Modules or Advance Elective Modules. Two out of three ITE campuses involved.

The NTU survey that was done has shown that because of the exposure to entrepreneurship through the YES! Programme, it has allowed them, through hands-on entrepreneurship-related learning opportunities to spark the interest of entrepreneurship in our students. This is important to nurture their interest at the early stage, so that, for those who are interested to further their interest, we can then complement the YES! Schools programme with other programmes like CCAs, as I have mentioned, or the Elective Models on entrepreneurship, and even invite some of these youths to join the Youth Chapter of ACE.

We are heartened that there are many examples of how schools have embarked on working out prototypes, participating in various competitions like the National Youth Business Challenges and so on. We are heartened by the healthy take-up.

Also, I want to explain, looking at the number of YES! schools, that one data point may not be a true reflection of the schools' interest in entrepreneurship because we complement it with the various advanced Applied Learning Programme (ALP), Elective Models and CCAs. Suffice to say that based on the last eight years of experience, SPRINGSingapore will certainly continue to work with MOE, schools and also the PSEIs to nurture an enterprising spirit and entrepreneurial mindset in our youth and ensure that those whose interest in entrepreneurship has been sparked will continue to have various pathways to nurture that interest.

Even for students who may not have an immediate interest after school to go into venture creation, the mere fact that an enterprising spirit and entrepreneurial mindset have been nurtured will stand them in a very good stead in the future.

Mr Lim Biow Chuan (Mountbatten): May I ask the Parliamentary Secretary whether this Programme also highlights the risks of entrepreneurship to the students? I am concerned that you paint a rosy picture of entrepreneurship and that you do not highlight the risks of failure to such students. At the end of the day, many of them may go into business without knowing the risks involved.

Ms Low Yen Ling: I want to thank the Member Mr Lim Biow Chuan for a very good question.

Indeed, knowing how to manage risks is a very important part of entrepreneurship and innovation. Under the YES! programmes, there are various platforms where students will be given some understanding of entrepreneurship and innovation, developing the ability to be enterprising, resourceful and innovate and persevere under difficult circumstances, and also the ability to recognise opportunities and how to manage risks, and even to cut loss and manage the resources – bearing in mind that we live in a resource-constrainted world.