EDUCATION FOR CHILDREN OF SINGAPOREANS WORKING OR DOING BUSINESS OVERSEAS

The following Question stood in the name of Mrs Yu-Foo Yee Shoon -

Mrs Yu-Foo Yee Shoon: To ask the Minister for Education, in view of the Government's policy of encouraging more Singaporeans to work or do business overseas, what are his plans for the education of the children of these Singaporeans and whether the plans will include having more boarding schools for these children who stay behind in Singapore.

Mr Koo Tsai Kee (Tanjong Pagar GRC): Question No. 7, Sir.

The Minister of State for Education (Dr Ker Sin Tze) (for the Minister for Education): Mr Speaker, Sir, Singaporeans working overseas are generally able to send their children to the international schools at their places of work. Nevertheless, with the increasing number of Singaporeans venturing overseas, the Ministry will consider setting up Singapore-styled schools at the primary level in places where there is a critical mass of Singapore families. Such a school was set up in Hong Kong in 1991 for the 6,000-strong Singaporean community there. In places where there is no critical mass of Singaporeans, the Ministry may set up language tuition centres if there is sufficient demand for instruction in the mother tongue.

Singaporeans venturing overseas who want their children to continue schooling in Singapore can place them in our student hostels and a few privately-run hostels. The total capacity of all these hostels is about 1,600. The Ministry has recently approved the building of 800 more places in boarding schools and hostels which should be ready by 1995 to cater to the anticipated increase in demand by Singaporean parents.