Resources and Opportunities for Pursuit of Education for Households with Both Singapore Citizen and Non-resident Children
Ministry of EducationSpeakers
Summary
This question concerns the number of households with both Singapore citizen and non-resident children and how the Government prevents higher education costs for non-resident siblings from disadvantaging citizen siblings. Minister for Education Lawrence Wong noted that approximately 500 families in MOE schools have siblings with different citizenship statuses and emphasized that heavy subsidies for Singaporean students reduce overall household out-of-pocket expenses. This financial support allows families to allocate resources toward other needs, such as the higher fees payable by a non-resident child. For non-Singaporean students with Singaporean parents who need support, MOE and schools exercise flexibility and assess situations on a case-by-case basis. Special consideration is specifically given to low-income households to ensure that educational resources are extended to those with the greatest needs.
Transcript
81 Ms Mariam Jaafar asked the Minister for Education (a) what is the current number of households with both Singapore citizen and non-resident children (ie at least one child who is on a Long-Term Visit Pass or student pass); and (b) how does the Government ensure that the higher cost of education for the non-resident siblings does not lead to less resources and opportunities for their Singapore citizen siblings.
Mr Lawrence Wong: MOE does not have full data on the number of households with both Singapore citizen and non-resident children of all ages. Across all of MOE’s primary and secondary schools, and junior colleges and Millennia Institute in 2020, there are around 500 families with siblings of whom one is a Singapore citizen and the other has a different citizenship status (i.e. Permanent Resident or International Student). This number is less than 1% of the total families with at least 2 siblings that are attending these schools.
Education is heavily subsidised for Singaporean students at all levels, with additional government support for those from lower-income households. The financial support provided for Singaporean students bring down the overall out-of-pocket education expenses for households. This allows the family to channel its financial resources to other needs, which could include any higher fees payable by a non-Singaporean child.
Nonetheless, MOE recognises that there are non-Singaporean students with Singaporean parents, who may also be in need of support. These families can approach their schools or institutions for assistance. MOE and the institutions will assess their situation and exercise flexibility on a case-by-case basis. We will give special consideration for low-income households, so that resources are appropriately extended to those with greater needs.