21 May 2002

Ministry of Education
FY2002 Committee of Supply Debate
21 May 2002 12.30 p.m.
Speech by Parliamentary Secretary on
Social Cohesion and Racial Harmony

1. Sir, Dr Mohamad Maliki asked about programmes to promote ethnic integration and their effectiveness. Mr Zainul Abidin asked whether students appreciate the constraints and value the opportunities of a multi-racial society.

2. MOE actively promotes social cohesion among students of different races and different ability groups. Our education system and our school programmes foster social cohesion among the different races at every opportunity.

3. I would like to inform Dr Maliki that we have achieved a high level of acceptance and appreciation of ethnic diversity in schools. This is based on the National Education Study which MOE has been conducting annually since 1997. Findings, since the 1997 baseline study, also show that students generally have a better appreciation of racial harmony, as they proceed to the next higher level of their education. We will continue to strengthen inter-racial understanding and mixing in schools through the curriculum, co-curricular activities (CCA) and other programmes.

4. Through subjects like Civics and Moral Education, Social Studies and History, the formal school curriculum emphasises appreciation and respect for the cultures, customs and traditions of the various ethnic communities in Singapore.

5. MOE has also developed and implemented the National Education (NE) programme since 1997, which aims to build national cohesion and inculcate the instinct for survival and confidence in the future. It reinforces the important message that Singapore is a multi-racial society. As part of NE, schools set aside one day in the year - 21st July, to be precise - to commemorate Racial Harmony Day. This is the day when students reflect on and celebrate our success as a harmonious nation built on a rich diversity of cultures. Since its inception, this commemorative event has proven to be effective in promoting inter-racial understanding among our students. By learning about Singapore's strengths as well as constraints and vulnerabilities, through subjects such as Social Studies, History and Geography, as part of National Education and through other National Education activities, we are able to deepen understanding, foster comradeship and bonding among students, both inside and outside the classroom.

6. The Co-Curricular Activities programme also promotes social integration, by providing avenues for students from different social and racial backgrounds to engage in the same activities. Students train side by side in sports, organise club activities in committees, and participate actively in house competitions. In the process, they get to know one another better and learn to support one another in their common endeavour. This enriches students' social experiences and enables them to have a better understanding of the spectrum of our society.

7. Schools on their own have also embarked on various initiatives to knock down barriers between students of different races. Last year, for example, Ngee Ann Primary School set up a multi-racial "gamelan" Malay Cultural Ensemble Group. Nan Chiau Secondary School, which is a Hokkien Huay Kuan school, encourages its Secondary 1 Malay and Indian students to learn Chinese calligraphy and Chinese painting. There are numerous examples of how our schools have been able to foster comradeship, and to foster closer rapport among students of various ethnic backgrounds. Schools within the same cluster can also come together to organise joint projects and activities.

8. At our national schools, students of different races and religions go through a common curriculum, share a common experience of growing up together, studying together, playing together, and singing the National Anthem together, and reciting the Pledge together. These are invaluable life experiences, which help in building emotional ties, identification, and a sense of commitment to one another as fellow citizens.

9. Sir, on strengthening of racial harmony in schools, we have been successful in having an easy and relaxed relationship among our communities in Singapore. In the aftermath of the terrorist attacks in the United States, and the heightened sensitivities to race and religion that have followed, we need to further enhance racial and religious harmony in our schools. Let me highlight two major initiatives.

10. One change that MOE is effecting that can enhance cross-cultural interaction is in the extension of its third language programme. PM announced recently that, starting from 2004, MOE will offer Chinese as a third language to non-Chinese students with the aptitude for it, in the same way that Malay is now available as a third language to non-Malay students.

11. MOE will also be relaxing the eligibility criteria for the existing Malay as a Third Language programme, so that more non-Malay students can qualify. The relaxed criteria will also apply to Chinese as a Third Language programme.

12. MOE has also set up the Committee on Strengthening Racial Harmony in Schools to enhance inter-racial understanding and mixing in schools, and organise activities to strengthen racial harmony in schools. The Committee, which I chair, comprises representatives from schools, parent support groups, and the community.

13. Mr Zainul asked for an update on the Committee's work. The Committee aims to broaden and deepen inter-racial understanding and mixing in schools through articulating desirable programmes and strategies, seeding initiatives and raising the profile of Racial Harmony activities, such as the celebration of Racial Harmony Day. The Committee will also consider how the impact of racial harmony initiatives in school could be assessed.

14. The Committee has come out with several preliminary ideas to deepen understanding and mixing among students. One way is to raise the profile of the Racial Harmony Day by organising an annual symbolic event for all schools to participate in. This year, the event will be known as a Racial Harmony Games Day, to be celebrated on Saturday, 20th July, to promote inter-racial interaction through enjoyable games. Another initiative is through the sharing of good practices and useful resources from schools and external organisations.

15. Mr Zainul also shared with this House efforts by the Community Development Councils to promote racial harmony. The Committee has noted that external organisations such as CDCs and Parent Support Groups have a key role to play in promoting racial harmony and suggests that schools leverage on these organisations to maximise efforts in promoting racial harmony.

16. The Committee will be meeting community leaders, parents, teachers and principals in focus group discussions to gather their views on how to broaden and deepen further inter-racial understanding and interaction.

17. Sir, Mr Zainul asked about racial quotas for Primary One intake in schools. We tried implementing in 1987 a Primary One racial quota where Primary One Malay student intake in each school was limited to 25%. However, there were many implementation problems. The HDB's housing quota, introduced in 1989, has helped to reduce the problem and maintain certain balance in our primary schools. We will continue to monitor the situation and, if necessary, see what action needs to be taken. For secondary schools, streaming has helped us to ensure a better mix of students in our schools.

18. Sir, to conclude on this point, let me just say that we try to integrate students of various ethnic communities through cultural activities and traditions of the different communities as well as through better mixing. This can be done through the curriculum, through outside the classroom activities, CCA, and enrichment programmes as well as through the National Education programme. We celebrate four major events in a year in school - Racial Harmony Day, International Friendship Day, Youth Festival and National Day. These are all activities which can prove to be useful in strengthening further racial cohesion among our students.

19. Sir, Dr Teo Ho Pin asked about school planning and the design of schools. MOE plans the provision of school places such that no child in Singapore will be denied a school place. We ensure that every Primary One-going child will have a place in a school in the town where he lives. However, it is not possible to ensure that every child will be placed in a primary school located no further than one kilometre from where he lives. To do this, we would need to build many more primary schools.

20. In planning for the building of new schools, MOE takes into account the actual number of school-going children living in a town and potential demand due to new residents moving in, based on data from the Housing and Development Board. MOE does not just look at total demand for school places, but ensures that there will be enough Primary One places each year to cater to projected demand.

21. To assist students who move house and need a school place nearer their new home, MOE conducts what we will call a Student Transfer Exercise for Primary School Children, or STEPS, every year, to facilitate their transfer. These students should be able to get a school place nearer their home, provided they have no specific choice of schools.

22. While there are sufficient vacancies for all, MOE recognises that parental demand for places in popular schools will always exceed available vacancies. Where demand for places exceeds available vacancies, balloting will be conducted. Allowing parents to register for Primary One two years ahead of actual intake would not remove the need for balloting, as parents would still continue to opt for popular schools, but two years earlier. Hence, the "Build-to-Order" approach is not likely to work for the provision of school places since parents would still not be guaranteed of a school place for their children in the more popular schools.

23. Sir, on school design, school development projects are constantly guided by design criteria that are crafted to ensure value for money and that they meet users' functional requirements such as safety, flexibility and maintainability. School designs are rigorously checked at various stages to ensure compliance with our design parameters and standard specifications. Features that are not functional or costly to build and maintain will be rejected. Our schools are functional, and yet aesthetically pleasing, with each having a unique identity.

24. I agree with Dr Teo that durability and maintainability are two key design considerations in the development of schools. Over the past five years, the buildability scores of our schools have ranged from 72 to 77. This is higher than the requirement of 64 for schools set by the Code of Practice on Buildable Design under the Building Control Act. Based on the records of our managing agent, the maintenance cost of our schools is generally lower, at $9.40 per square metre per year, as compared with about $15 per square metre per year for other low-rise buildings maintained by them.

25. "Design and Build" (D&B) is one of the contract procurement methods used by both public and private sectors, and MOE has called a number of D&B contracts in the past for school projects. When used, we will ensure overall control of the design.