Parliamentary Replies
Social Mobility Through University Education (Tracking and Indicators)
Name and Constituency of Member of Parliament
Ms Sylvia Lim, Non-constituency Member
Question
To ask the Minister for Education (a) whether the Government tracks social mobility vis-à-vis access to local university education and what are the indicators used; and (b) of the students entering NUS, NTU and SMU in the last 3 years, how far does the distribution of household income of the undergraduate population in the 3 local universities mirror or differ from the household income distribution of the general population.
Response
The Ministry of Education (MOE) tracks participation in local university education of the different socio-economic groups by housing-type. Table 1 provides the housing-type distribution of the students from the 1990-1992 Primary 1 cohorts. These cohorts would be age 22 to 24 in 2007 and have been admitted to NUS, NTU or SMU if they had qualified.
Table 1: Housing-type Distribution of the 1990-1992 SC/PR P1 Cohorts
| Housing Type | % of SC/PR from the 1990-1992 P1 Cohorts | % of SC/PR University Students from the 1990-1992 P1 Cohorts |
|---|---|---|
| 1,2,3-room HDB flat | 23 | 13 |
| 4-room HDB flat | 37 | 31 |
| 5-room & Exec HDB flat | 28 | 36 |
| Private housing | 12 | 19 |
The data shows a positive picture. Students from all socio-economic groups are making it to local universities. 1 of every 8 undergraduates comes from poorer families who live in 1- to 3-room flats. When compared with the distribution of households of Primary 1 cohorts, students whose parents are more successful are more likely to make it to university. This is a trend seen in most stable, developed societies. It is not surprising that this is happening in Singapore too, after one and a half generations of our meritocratic system. Able students from poor households have done well in their studies, risen in life, and now have children of their own who also tend to do well.
Admission to our publicly funded universities is strictly on the basis of merit. All those who qualify will have a place, regardless of socio-economic status. The Government and universities have put in place the Post-Secondary Education Account (PSEA) and a range of scholarships and financial aid schemes to ensure that no deserving student needs be held back due to financial difficulty, and in practice nearly all go to university.
Our efforts to enhance social mobility extend to other levels, with high subsidies for education in our schools, ITE and polytechnics. We actively ensure that students at all levels are able to progress through the many education pathways, and that promising students from poorer families are given every encouragement and support to pursue ambitious goals.