Subsidies for Dyslexic Students in Specialised Independent Schools

Mr Hri Kumar Nair asked the Minister for Education what is the rationale for excluding students in Specialised Independent Schools who are suffering from dyslexia from receiving subsidies to participate in the dyslexia remediation programme conducted by the Dyslexia Association of Singapore and whether the Ministry will review that policy.

The Minister of State for Education (Ms Sim Ann) (:

for the Minister for Education): Madam, the set-up of Specialised Independent Schools is a recent development in our diversified education landscape. They offer a customised curriculum to students who have an aptitude and inclination towards mathematics and scientific inquiry, applied learning and creativity, sports or the arts. Currently, there are a few students in the specialised independent schools attending the Dyslexia remediation conducted by the Dyslexia Association of Singapore (DAS). And we have worked with the schools to provide school based financial assistance for students in need.

MOE will rationalise the existing subsidy arrangements to extend the subsidy to eligible students from Specialised Independent Schools when they participate in the DAS remediation programme. This will take effect from January 2016.

3.00pm

Mdm Speaker: Order. End of Question Time.

[ Pursuant to Standing Order No. 22(3) Written Answers to Question Nos. 13, 15-16, 18-22, 25-26, 28, 31-32, 34-46, 48 and 50-51 on the Order Paper are reproduced in the Appendix. Question Nos. 12, 14, 17, 23-24, 27, 29-30, 33, 47 and 49 have been postponed to the next available sitting of Parliament. ]