RESIDENT SINGLES

RESIDENT SINGLES: **

(Profile and trends): **

6.

Ms Irene Ng Phek Hoong asked the Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports (a) what is the number of singles over the last five years; (b) what is their profile in terms of age, educational qualifications and gender; and (c) how will the trend of singlehood pan out over the next five to 10 years and what are its implications.

Dr Vivian Balakrishnan: The number of resident singles aged 20 to 44 increased from 480,500 in 2000 to 514,500 in 2005. About 11 to 13% of them are students. The profile of resident singles by age and education is in Tables 1 and 2.

In 2005, 56% of singles were male, as was the case for 2000. 65% of the singles were between the ages of 20 and 29. Using the past five years as a gauge, we do not expect the percentages in the next few years to vary too far from the present in terms of age and gender.

While single males aged 35 to 44 tend to be less educated than their female counterparts (in 2005, 37% of single males aged 35-44 have below secondary educational qualification, as compared to 20% of single females in the same age group), singles as a whole have become increasingly better educated over the last five years. 68% of non-student singles had at least a post-secondary education, up from 56% in 2000. The proportion of singles who are not students, but have attained at least a post-secondary qualification is likely to increase further in the future.

With better educated singles, we expect them to be more sophisticated and have higher expectations of their marriage partners. It would also seem that more singles are opting for success in work and studies over getting married and starting a family. The median age at first marriage for male and female residents increased from 28.6 (males) and 26.2 (females) in 2000 to 29.7 (males) and 26.8 (females) in 2005. As a result of later marriages, the average number of children born to ever-married resident females fell from 2.2 in 2000 to 2.1 in 2005. This would negatively impact our total fertility rate and may affect our economic competitiveness in the long term. The Government has therefore put in place a comprehensive marriage and parenthood package to address this situation.

These trends, against a backdrop of an ageing population, will also have implications on whether the immediate family will remain the first line of care and support. It is necessary to strengthen family ties beyond the conventional nuclear family or the traditional three-generation definition of children, parents and grandparents. Bonds between extended family members, especially ties between adult siblings, whether married or single, should be strengthened. If the relationship among the adult siblings is strong, there is greater possibility of support from nieces, nephews, and the single elderly

Column: 1483

would have the support of the extended family for their emotional well-being and personal care.

** Table 1: Age Profile of Resident Singles (in Percentages) **

Year: |

2000: |

2005: ---|---|---

20-24

|

37.5

|

37.5

25-29

|

27.6

|

27.6

30-34

|

14.5

|

15.6

35-39

|

11.3

|

10.2

40-44

|

9.0

|

9.2

Table 2: Educational Profile of Resident Singles (in Percentages)

Year: |

2000: |

2005: ---|---|---

Below
Secondary

|

19.2

|

12.8

Secondary

|

24.5

|

18.8

Post Secondary

|

36.3

|

40.6

University

|

20.0

|

27.8

(Note: Excludes student population)

Column: 1483