SINGAPORE: The federal government will overview housing insurance policies and paid depart measures to raised assist Singaporeans beginning households, Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong mentioned Monday (October tenth).
Talking at a Ahead Singapore Dialog for Social Service Practitioners, Mr. Wong outlined the route of social insurance policies on strengthening households, supporting the aged and enhancing social mobility in Singapore.
He additionally promised to take a look at pension adequacy for older individuals and to make lowering earnings inequality a key precedence.
On the problem of encouraging younger households to have extra kids, Wong famous that lengthy wait occasions for brand spanking new HDB flats and rising resale house costs are main issues for a lot of younger individuals. Singaporeans.
“That is partly as a result of disruptions to the development program attributable to COVID-19 and the pandemic over the previous two and a half years. However HDB has stepped up the availability of latest flats and can be capable of launch extra. flats to shortly meet demand,” Wong mentioned.
“As well as, we may also be reviewing our housing insurance policies to see how we will help first-time house consumers get an residence shortly and affordably.”
To assist mother and father higher stability work and household obligations, the federal government may also encourage versatile working preparations and revise paid depart measures.
“That’s beneath overview,” Mr. Wong mentioned. “That doesn’t imply that we are going to do all the pieces, as a result of we have now to consider all of the constraints and all of the wants of the completely different stakeholders.”
As well as, Singapore will take into account how monetary assist applications for folks could be improved, and can overview and regulate present marriage and parenthood measures.
“We have to make Singapore one of the best place for households – a society the place younger {couples} really feel nicely supported to begin and lift a household, and may give their kids the very best begin in life,” Mr Wong mentioned. , who can be Minister of Finance.
He urged fathers to get extra concerned in parenting, as in most households right here alone, moms nonetheless do many of the childcare. Singapore ought to purpose for a fairer sharing of parenting, Wong mentioned.
“It is not one thing we will change by means of coverage alone. Finally, it is about how we will carry a few broader mindset shift in particular person attitudes in addition to societal norms. “, he added.
One other main space is supporting kids of their early years, Mr Wong mentioned, assuring mother and father that extra might be completed to put money into early schooling. He promised that tuition in government-funded preschools will develop into extra inexpensive and ultimately be much like what mother and father pay for major college and after-school care.
“It’s going to take time to get there…however that is what we’re working in direction of,” he mentioned.