INTEGRATION OF DISABLED PEOPLE INTO MAINSTREAM

INTEGRATION OF DISABLED PEOPLE INTO MAINSTREAM:

(Responsibility of Ministries): 11.

Ms Denise Phua Lay Peng asked the Prime Minister and Minister for Finance (a) whether the responsibility of integrating disabled people into mainstream Singapore should primarily be under the domain of the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports and the charity sector; and (b) whether each Ministry can take ownership, develop basic policies and work plans to address these within the individual functions of health, housing, employment, defence, law, education and community integration.

The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs (Mr Wong Kan Seng) (for the Prime Minister and Minister for Finance): Mr Speaker, Sir, the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS) is responsible for defining the needs and issues of the disability sector. However, MCYS does not work in isolation. Instead it works with the other Ministries to formulate policies that assist the disabled and ensure their integration into society.

Sir, we have made progress in the last few years to promote integration. For example, we are making our transport and physical infrastructure friendly to both the frail elderly and persons with disabilities. Since 2000, the MRT stations have been retrofitted and made barrier-free. In 2006, the first wheelchair-accessible buses were introduced. By 2010, 40 per cent of our bus fleet will be wheelchair-accessible. The HDB and the Town Councils have begun work on making our housing estates barrier-free accessible. It will take time, precinct by precinct, but we will get there by 2011.

To help persons with disabilities get employment, MCYS set up the ENABLE Fund in July 2006. Funding was provided by the Workforce Development Agency (WDA) and MCYS works with the Singapore National Employers’ Federation (SNEF) to administer it. Last year, Infocomm Development Authority (IDA) and MCYS announced that they would work with the Society of Physically Disabled to set up an Infocomm Accessibility Centre to provide, among other things, IT training for persons with disabilities. This will enhance their learning, employment and connectivity with the world.

From 2004 to 2008, Ministry of Education will put in about $55 million a year to help children with special needs. Special Needs Officers (SNOs) have been deployed to mainstream schools to support and provide specialist intervention for children with learning disabilities. In addition, for Special Education, Ministry of Education has supported training of teachers, improvements in curriculum and the building of purpose-built schools. All these measures that I have mentioned above involve the relevant Ministries taking ownership and responsibility, and working closely with MCYS on the challenges at hand.

Many Helping Hands

On top of Government agencies working together, we firmly believe that there must be a "Many Helping Hands" approach if we are to address disability issues holistically. The National Council of Social Service (NCSS), voluntary welfare organisations, the community, employers, families and persons with disabilities themselves - all have a role to play toward the integration of persons with disabilities.

Enabling Masterplan

MCYS and NCSS have appointed an Enabling Masterplan Steering Committee with representatives from the people, private and public sectors. The Steering Committee was formed in September last year to chart the development of programmes and services in the disability sector for the next five years.

The Steering Committee has released its report this morning. I am pleased to say that in response to the Steering Committee’s call for an integrated, inter-Ministry approach to disability issues, the Government will set up an inter-Ministry standing committee at the senior management level led by the Permanent Secretary to address disability issues holistically. This committee will report to the Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports. It will be supported by two governing panels to look at the core areas of early intervention and education, and at employment.

The Government will study the other recommendations of the Enabling Masterplan Steering Committee. The inter-Ministry committee will closely monitor the implementation of these recommendations from the Enabling Masterplan report that are accepted by the Government.

Ms Denise Phua Lay Peng (Jalan Besar): Sir, if indeed each Ministry is very supportive of the PM's vision of an inclusive Singapore, then what is the role and the personal attention that will be given by each Cabinet Minister to ensure that disability issues are tabled at each Ministry's level, and that strategies and even Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to ensure there is impact of the resources spent are all evident at each ministry?

Mr Wong Kan Seng: Sir, knowing my colleagues, I know they take their jobs very seriously. They take a personal interest in all matters under their responsibility. Even in this area of disability, I am certain that my colleagues pay close attention to it.