INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS IN SINGAPORE (Non-admission of Singaporeans)

Mr Lew Syn Pau asked the Minister for Education why Singaporeans are not permitted to send their children to International Schools in Singapore.

The Minister for Education (Mr Lee Yock Suan): Mr Speaker, Sir, international schools in Singapore are set up specifically to cater to the educational needs of the children of the expatriate community.

Singapore citizens residing in Singapore should receive their education in our schools where citizenship education consistent with our national values and aspirations is taught. If they attend foreign system schools, they will miss out on the curricula and activities conducted in our schools which seek to inculcate in our students desirable social values and a sense of national identity.

Mr Lew Syn Pau (Tanglin): Sir, I do not quite understand the policy because the Minister has decided not to make education compulsory in the first place, which means that, effectively, children can stay at home. But, at the same time, they cannot attend international schools. So I do not understand the inconsistency in the policy.

Mr Lee Yock Suan: Sir, there is no inconsistency. We want all our Singaporean children to attend school. We have not made education compulsory because there is no need to. Almost every child of school-going age is in school. The reason why we insist that they go to Singapore schools is for the purposes I have explained. We have our own curriculum. We have, for example, a bilingual policy. We also try to inculcate in our children certain values. International schools are meant for expatriates. For Singaporeans, we want them to go to our schools.

Mr Lew Syn Pau: Sir, if for some reason like personal family circumstances, would the Minister be prepared to give a waiver on this policy and allow them to attend international schools?

Mr Lee Yock Suan: Yes, we have done so in some cases. The majority of the children who go to these schools are either expatriates or they are children of mixed marriages, eg, European or American men married to local women. Their children may be allowed to attend international schools. There could be other cases of children with special problems, eg, they are autistic or they have other psychological problems, and if these schools offer special facilities, we may consider allowing them to go to these schools.