3.7 We are also extending our focus beyond the post-secondary stage — beyond what we learn in school and at the post-secondary institutions. We have to do this because adult workers have to keep pace with a constantly changing economy. Lower-skilled workers are especially vulnerable to becoming displaced if they do not upgrade and pick up new skills, not just once but continuously. No matter what useful skills or knowledge we acquire in school and at the tertiary level, they will become less relevant over time.
3.8 Many more workers are in fact going for retraining, and some upgrading themselves against considerable odds. Like Madam Sabariah Bte Ahmad, who was retrenched as a production operator 18 months ago at Maxtor. Unfortunately, at age 48, and as someone who had suffered from cancer, she had difficulty getting re-employed. But she persevered, and last year, she got onto NTUC’s STPT (Screen, Train, Place and Train) scheme, and that got her onto a job as a cashier at the Kopitiam at Tan Tock Seng Hospital. She earns $900 a month, and is proud to be self-reliant, despite her illness.
3.9 The Government will increase its support for lifelong learning to all Singaporeans. We already spend up to $170 million a year on adult worker training, drawn from the Skills Development Fund (SDF) and the Lifelong Learning Endowment Fund (LLEF). But this is less than what several other developed countries are spending on continuous education and less than what is necessary for our citizens to keep pace with a globalised world. We must ramp up our investment in this area over the long term.
3.10 First, we need to allow individual workers to apply directly for subsidised training opportunities. We previously operated a system that was employer-centric — we reimbursed the employers who sent their workers for training. Over the past year, we have shifted to invest more in adult worker training institutions. This has lowered course fees and made training directly accessible to the individual — so that individual can himself or herself apply for a subsidised place at these training institutions. We will keep up our efforts on this front.
3.11 Next, we will implement more Place and Train programmes, to help workers renew their skills and secure new jobs. Like how Madam Sabariah managed to get her job. The training will cover all segments of the workforce, from the unemployed, to operations staff, to supervisors, craftsmen, professionals and managers.
3.12 Third, we will encourage more adult learners to take up post-diploma courses in the polytechnics as part of lifelong learning. These comprise Advanced Diplomas and Specialist Diplomas — for example, in areas like Infocomm Security, Logistics and Semiconductor Technology. They cater to both basic diploma and degree holders. Currently these courses are fully self-financed by those who take them. I have decided to subsidise 80% of the cost of these programmes for Singaporeans, starting from the 2007 intake. About 1,400 students enter such courses today, and we hope many more will do so in future. The polytechnics will also expand their range of post-diploma offerings over time in response to market needs.
3.13 These are only initial plans, towards the larger goal of providing continuous learning opportunities for all Singaporeans, and encouraging them to see this as a way of life. We will study this comprehensively — how to provide learning programmes that are relevant to every Singaporean and relevant to the job market, how they should be funded and how to foster a culture that makes lifelong learning the norm. Your certificate may lead to a diploma, your diploma may lead to a degree, and your first degree may not be your last. Or after getting your degree, you might get a certificate or diploma. That will be the culture. But this is not about the paper chase, but about the continuous refreshing of the skills and knowledge of Singaporeans that will prepare us well for the future.
3.14 We will have to invest much more in Continuous Education and Training. As an initial estimate, we expect to triple our annual expenditure on lifelong learning to $500 million a year in the medium to long-term. This year I will put another $100 million into the Lifelong Learning Endowment Fund. But we will have to fund this important ongoing initiative using not just the income from the Lifelong Learning Endowment Fund but also our operating revenues.
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