NTU & NUS Tuition Fees

Name and Constituency of Member of Parliament

Steve Chia Kiah Hong, (Non-Constituency Member of Parliament)

Question

To ask the Minister for Education (a) if he will provide a list of all approved tuition fee increases for the National University of Singapore and Nanyang Technological University since 1990; (b) how much have tuition fees gone up now, compared to the fees payable in 1990; and (c) whether the jump in the tuition fees payable since 1990 has been higher than the annual rate of inflation.

Response

Undergraduate fees at NUS and NTU have been increased regularly since 1990. The exceptions, where fees were kept unchanged were in 1999-2000 and 2002-2004, which followed periods when the economy was in decline. (Table of NUS and NTU fees over 1990-2006 can be found in the Annex.)

Undergraduate fees in the two universities increased by an average of 8% per year in the 1990s, and by an average of 2% per year from 2000-2006. For the period as a whole since 1990, fees have increased by an average of 5% per year. This includes a large increase of 45% in 1991. After 1991, fee increases have averaged 3% per year.

Mr Chia asked how this compares with the rate of inflation. The most relevant benchmark of inflation or cost pressures for a university is wage inflation. This is because universities are essentially human enterprises, with 70% of their costs coming from expenditure on manpower.

From 1990 to 2005, wages went up nationally by an average of 5% per year. As we know, wage increases for professionals have been even faster.

In short, fees have been increased regularly in our universities. They have allowed the universities to meet cost pressures while improving on the quality of education they provide. However, the fees at our universities remain competitively priced, compared to overseas universities of equivalent quality, such as in Australia, the US and UK.

The Government remains committed to substantially funding the costs of undergraduate education. The universities will continue to exercise prudence in their expenditures and keep costs in check. Together, the Government and the universities will work to ensure that University education remains affordable and that Singapore students who are admitted to our universities can enjoy a top-quality education.

Annex