FREE EDUCATION AND BURSARIES FOR NON-MALAY CHILDREN

Inche Mohd. Ariff Bin Suradi asked the Minister for Education whether non-Malay children born in Singapore and adopted by Singapore-citizen Malays, are entitled to (i) free education from Primary to University level, and (ii) special Malay bursaries.

Mr Ong Pang Boon: Non-Malay children who have been legally adopted by Malay Singapore citizens are eligible for free education from primary school to university level. They may also apply for special Malay bursaries if they are studying in post-secondary educational institutions. Those in secondary schools are eligible to apply for bursaries and the rules governing the award of such bursaries will be applied liberally in their cases as in the case of other Malay applicants.

However, those who have not been legally adopted are eligible to apply for the following concessions provided they are Singapore born or have parents at least one of whom is a Singapore Citizen: -

(i) 6 years of free primary education between the ages of 6 and 14;

(ii) Waiver of payment of Terminal Fees, such as Sports, Library and Science fees, free spectacles and loan of free textbooks in primary and secondary schools;

(iii) Remission of school fees in secondary schools:

(iv) Bursaries in secondary schools and post-secondary education institutions.