UNEMPLOYED DISABLED (Assistance for)

Encik Abbas Abu Amin asked the Minister for Community Development (a) whether figures are available on the number of the unemployed disabed in our society; (b) how the Government and non-governmental organizations can assist the disabled to find employment; and (c) whether there are schemes to provide skills training for them.

The Minister for Community Development (Mr Wong Kan Seng): Sir, the Ministry does not have comprehensive figures on the extent of unemployment among the disabled people in Singapore.

In 1985, my Ministry surveyed 4,385 disabled people aged between 16 and 55 years old. The results showed that 1,969 or 45% were employed, while 2,416 or 55% were unemployed. Of the 2,416 unemployed, 1,405 or 58% were unemployable. Of the remaining 1,011 disabled people, 531 of them were suited for open employment and 480 of them for sheltered employment.

The assistance given by the Government and non-governmental organizations to help disabled people secure employment are:

(a) Open Employment

Government helped the Singapore Council of Social Service to promote employment opportunities for disabled people through public awareness programmes; set up a Centralized Job Placement Service for disabled people; assist voluntary welfare organizations to upgrade their sheltered production workshops.

The Government provided a building to house the Central Job Placement Service and a production sheltered workshop at a nominal rental. It also gave $38,000 to start up the centre and an annual operating grant of $44,500.

In 1987, before the setting up of the Central Job Placement Service, 212 jobs were found for the disabled.

(b) Sheltered Employment

The Singapore Council of Social Service's sheltered production workshop for disabled people should be ready in August 1988. Five voluntary welfare organizations already provide sheltered employment for 435 disabled people in assembly work, packing, pasting and book binding.

(c) Additonal Employment Outlets

Since 1986, there is a scheme to allocate hawker licences and stalls to disabled people. 27 disabled people have obtained stalls through the scheme, but six have since given up their stalls.

A pilot scheme will start later this month to allocate purpose-built sales counters at Esplanade, Amoy Street and Telok Ayer Food Centres for disabled people to sell sundry goods. HDB is also shortlisting 20 food centres to set up sales counters for disabled people. This scheme is expected to begin in June 1988.

(d) Skills training Scheme for Disabled People

Two voluntary welfare organizations now provide formal training for disabled people who can be trained. The Singapore Association for the Deaf provides accredited training at NTC 3 level in dressmaking, furniture production and general welding for 112 hearing impaired people. The Society for Aid to the Paralysed provides pre-vocational training for physically disabled people in pre-press, offset printing and book binding. Five other voluntary organizations provide some form of informal on-the-job training for their respective clientele.

One factor impeding disabled people in vocational training is the low literacy level. My Ministry, in conjunction with the VITB and the Skills Development Fund, has assisted the Society for Aid to the Paralysed and the Handicaps Welfare Association to set up BEST classes for their members. Since October 1985 134 disabled people have gone through the BEST classes.

I have also set up a Vocational Training Co-ordinating Committee in October 1987 with members of the VITB, the Council for Social Service and the Voluntary Welfare Organizations to help identify, plan and implement appropriate skills training programmes for disabled people.

Mr Chiam See Tong: Sir, in the Minister's answer I notice that he has not mentioned or identified any organization or bodies which help the blind. Perhaps he could enlighten us whether or not the Government has any organization set up or any voluntary organization set up to assist the blind?

Mr Wong Kan Seng: Sir, the blind formed themselves into the Singapore Association for the Visually Impaired and they have their own training schemes too. And we have given them assistance.