National Day Rally 2019

Key Concepts

• Bicentennial Commemoration
• Preschool Education Enhancement (Affordability, Accessibility, Quality)
• KidSTART Expansion
• Tertiary Education Bursary Enhancements
• SkillsFuture and Lifelong Learning
• Raising Retirement and Re-employment Ages
• CPF Contribution Rate Adjustments for Older Workers
• Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation (Sea Level Rise)
• Coastal Defense Strategies (Polders, Reservoirs)
• Greater Southern Waterfront (GSW) Development

1. Bicentennial Commemoration and National Identity

• Singapore is commemorating its Bicentennial, marking 200 years of modern history.
• Various community groups, businesses, and schools have participated in Bicentennial events, reflecting on their histories.
• Examples include the Eurasian Festival (100 years of the Eurasian Association), Natya Yatra (100 years of Indian classical dance), and community events in Teck Ghee and Jalan Kayu.
• The Bicentennial Experience at Fort Canning has been extended due to popular demand.
• These activities aim to trace Singapore's history, appreciate its context, and reinforce national pride.

2. Investing in Early Childhood Education

• The government is committed to giving every young person the best possible start in life, regardless of background.
• Preschool education is crucial for a child's development.
• Key initiatives include:
  • Doubling full-day preschool capacity to almost 180,000 places.
  • Upgrading preschool facilities, including new HDB void deck centers and mega centers.
  • Establishing MOE Kindergartens, co-located with primary schools, offering all 3 Mother Tongue Languages.
  • Improving training and career progression for preschool teachers through the National Institute of Early Childhood Development (NIEC).
• Example: Sheila, a Vice Principal at a PCF preschool, upgraded herself through diplomas and is now specializing in Tamil Language Teaching at NIEC.

3. Enhancing Preschool Affordability

• The government funds Anchor Operators and Partner Operators to keep preschool fees down.
• Preschool subsidies will be enhanced to support middle-income families.
• The income ceiling for means-tested subsidies will be raised to $12,000 per month, benefiting 30,000 more households.
• The quantum of preschool subsidies will be increased across the board.
• Example: The Low family, with two sons in preschool, will see their monthly expenses reduced from $560 to $370 per child.
• The medium-term goal is to bring full-day preschool expenses down to around the level of primary school plus after-school student care (approximately $300).
• The government aims to increase government-supported preschool places to 80%, similar to HDB.
• Government spending on early childhood education will more than double in the next few years, exceeding $1 billion per year.

4. Expanding KidSTART Program

• KidSTART provides extra help to children from less privileged families, focusing on nutrition, child development, and parent-child interaction.
• The program will be expanded to reach another 5,000 children over the next 3 years.

5. Enhancing Tertiary Education Bursaries

• MOE has reviewed tertiary fees and bursaries to ensure accessibility.
• Annual fees for full-time general degree programs in SIT and SUSS will be lowered from around $8,000 to $7,500.
• Government bursaries for university courses will be increased from up to 50% to up to 75% of general degree fees.
• Government bursaries for polytechnic diploma programs will be increased from up to 80% to up to 95% of the fees.
• Example: A lower-income student in NUS will pay only $2,000 per year with the enhanced bursary, compared to $4,000 previously. A lower-income poly student will pay only $150 per year, compared to $600 previously.
• Bursaries for medical school will be significantly more generous than those for other courses, ensuring that financial concerns do not deter good students from studying medicine. Lower income students will now pay at most $5,000 per year to study Medicine.
• These changes apply to both existing and new students from the next academic year.
• Universities, polytechnics, and ITE are encouraged to raise funds for their own bursaries, with government matching donations.
• Example: The Kwa Geok Choo Bursary at NUS Law School, established in the speaker's mother's name, helped student Quek Lu Yi.

6. Supporting Older Workers and Lifelong Learning

• Singaporeans are living longer, with a life expectancy at birth of nearly 85 years.
• Many seniors want to work longer to stay active, feel a sense of worth, and build up their nest egg.
• Employers must redesign training, jobs, and careers around the abilities of older workers.
• Employees must be ready to adapt, learn new things, and take on different responsibilities.
• SkillsFuture will help keep knowledge and skills up to date.
• Example: Nahariah Mohd Nor, a former bank teller, retrained as a Customer Service Officer for VTMs at DBS.
• Example: Chan Ban Kiong, 64, at Mencast Marine, is being trained to operate 3D printers for manufacturing ship propeller prototypes.

7. Raising Retirement and Re-employment Ages and CPF Contributions

• The Tripartite Workgroup on Older Workers made key recommendations, which the government accepts in full.
• The Retirement Age will be raised from 62 to 65, and the Re-employment Age from 67 to 70, gradually by 2030.
• CPF contribution rates for workers above 55 will be increased, starting in 2021, with full rates for those 60 and below.
• The government will implement a support package for businesses to adjust to these new arrangements.
• The Public Service will raise its Retirement and Re-employment Ages one year early, in 2021.
• There are no changes to CPF withdrawal policies or CPF withdrawal ages.

8. Addressing Climate Change and Rising Sea Levels

• Climate change is one of the gravest challenges facing humankind.
• Singapore is especially vulnerable to rising sea levels due to its low-lying island status.
• Three key strategies:
  • Understand: The Centre for Climate Research Singapore (CCRS) studies the specific impacts of climate change on Singapore and Southeast Asia.
  • Mitigate: Singapore is part of the Paris Climate Agreement and has committed to slow down and cap CO2 emissions by 2030. A carbon tax has been introduced.
  • Adapt: Local measures include building MRT stations with elevated entrances and requiring new developments to be built on higher platforms (at least 4 meters above mean sea level, and 5 meters for critical infrastructure).
• Coastal defenses are needed to protect entire areas, particularly the City-East Coast and Jurong Island.
• The Marina Reservoir and Marina Barrage protect the city area from flooding. A second Pump House will be built.
• Polders (land reclaimed from the sea) are a serious option for protecting the eastern coastline. A small polder is being built at Pulau Tekong.
• Another option is to reclaim a series of islands offshore and connect them with barrages to create a freshwater reservoir.
• The estimated cost to protect Singapore against rising sea levels is probably $100 billion over 100 years.

9. Developing the Greater Southern Waterfront (GSW)

• The GSW comprises 30km of Singapore's southern coastline, from Gardens by the Bay East to Pasir Panjang, covering 2,000 hectares.
• The PSA city terminals will move to Tuas by 2027, and the Pasir Panjang Terminal by 2040, freeing up prime land for redevelopment.
• The GSW will be a new place to live, work, and play.
• Keppel Club's lease is expiring, and the land will be used to build 9,000 housing units.
• More office space will be developed in the GSW, such as Mapletree Business Park.
• The two old power stations in Pasir Panjang will be redeveloped.
• Pulau Brani will be developed with new attractions, similar to Universal Studios on Sentosa.
• Sentosa's beach areas will be revitalized, and nature and heritage trails will be expanded.
• The GSW will be linked up with surrounding green areas, creating a green heart in the city.
• NTUC will be allocated land to build a resort on Pulau Brani (Downtown South).

10. Historical Context and Future Vision

• Singapore's city comprises multiple layers and imprints of different eras.
• Traces of ancient Singapore survive, such as the "historical lines of Singapore" (an ancient defensive line) along Stamford Road.
• Parts of the Civic District and Central Business District are still laid out according to Raffles' first town plan.
• The development of Marina Bay and the decision to build Pasir Panjang Terminal were acts of faith and ambition.
• The GSW represents another opportunity to imagine and build a vision for Singapore.
• Major projects like Jewel at Changi Airport, Punggol Digital District, Jurong Lake District, Changi Terminal 5, and Tuas Port are progressively taking shape.

Synthesis/Conclusion

The National Day Rally speech outlines Singapore's commitment to investing in its people, particularly in early childhood and tertiary education, and supporting older workers through lifelong learning and adjustments to retirement policies. It also emphasizes the critical need to address climate change and protect the nation from rising sea levels through comprehensive coastal defense strategies. The development of the Greater Southern Waterfront is presented as a long-term vision to create a vibrant and sustainable city for future generations. The speech underscores the importance of unity, good governance, and a long-term perspective in building a better Singapore.