Monitoring SkillsFuture Courses Undertaken by People of Different Age Segments
Ministry of EducationSpeakers
Summary
This question concerns MP Mr Chong Kee Hiong’s inquiry regarding the monitoring of SkillsFuture course categories by age group, marketing oversight, and student eligibility. Minister Ong Ye Kung noted that 126,000 Singaporeans used credits in 2016, primarily for Information and Communications Technology, Productivity and Innovation, and Security and Investigation. Younger participants focused on emerging skills like data analytics, while older participants learned fundamental computer functions. Minister Ong Ye Kung stated that SkillsFuture Singapore conducts marketing checks and lists minimum requirements in the course directory where relevant. However, basic qualifying criteria are not mandatory for all courses to avoid limiting access to training that Singaporeans might find useful.
Transcript
43 Mr Chong Kee Hiong asked the Minister for Education (Higher Education and Skills) with regard to the SkillsFuture programme (a) whether the Ministry monitors the general categories of courses taken by the different age segments and, if so, what is the breakdown; (b) whether there are regular checks of how courses are marketed; and (c) how does the Government ensure that course providers do not enrol students who lack basic qualifying criteria, such as language competency, education background or work experience, to benefit from the courses.
Mr Ong Ye Kung: The SkillsFuture Credit was launched in January 2016 to empower Singaporeans to take charge of their training and learning journeys. More than 126,000 Singaporeans used their credits in 2016.
Information and Communications Technology (ICT) courses were the most popular courses for all age groups. Younger Singaporeans enrolled for courses on emerging ICT skills, such as data analytics, while older Singaporeans learnt more fundamental ICT skills, such as using the basic functions of a computer. Other popular areas of training include Productivity and Innovation, and Security and Investigation.
SkillsFuture Singapore conducts routine checks to ensure that courses are marketed in line with guidelines.
The SkillsFuture Credit course directory includes information on minimum requirements for course registration, where relevant. Nonetheless, while some training providers may set basic qualifying criteria for their courses, we do not require that they do so for all courses, as this may limit Singaporeans’ access to training which they might otherwise find useful.