“Forward Singapore” Report presents policy changes and recommendations to redefine success and create a shared Singaporean dream for all citizens, addressing family support, fair job recognition, lifelong learning, social empowerment, elderly care, sustainable investments and community unity.
Led by Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and other fourth-generation (4G) political leaders to review and refresh Singapore’s “social compact”, the 16-month long “Forward SG” exercise that canvassed the views of over 200,000 Singaporeans and stakeholders, has unveiled the 180-page ‘Forward Singapore’ Report on Friday (Oct 27), paving the way for a fresh perspective on success in our nation.
Set to reshape how we define and achieve the Singaporean dream, the ‘Forward Singapore’ Report encompasses various policy adjustments designed to provide Singaporeans with the assurance that their fundamental needs will be met, while also fostering a shift in mindset.
A notable highlight of the ‘Forward Singapore’ report is its integration of valuable insights and recommendations stemming from the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) #EveryWorkerMatters Conversations (#EWMC). These recommendations have played a pivotal role in shaping several key policy shifts detailed in the report. Specifically, these shifts include:
- Targeted support for involuntarily unemployed jobseekers
- Training allowances for mature mid-career workers to build deep skills.
- Encouraging more employers to introduce workplace support for caregivers.
Let’s now delve into the key aspects outlined in the “Forward Singapore” report as well as the recommendations and support put forth by NTUC’s #EWMC that can steer us collectively towards a brighter and more inclusive future.
1. Supporting Families through every stage of life
With Singaporean families facing greater stress, the Forward Singapore report seeks to provide more support for them through every stage
- The government will work towards making Singapore family-friendly by offering more support to new parents, including possible increases in paid parental leave, infant care and childcare options. Singaporeans will also get more support to enhance mental well-being and work-life harmony and increase affordability of early intervention, education, and care services for children with special needs will be improved.
- NTUC will continue to work with the Government particularly on encouraging more employers to introduce workplace support for caregivers, such as providing caregiver leave to employees as well as build on ongoing tripartite initiatives to help more employers implement flexible work arrangements (FWAs) and make FWAs more prevalent.
2. Respect and Reward Every Job
The Forward SG Report stresses the need to further reduce wage gaps across professions to avoid entrenching a rigid hierarchy of jobs based on salary sizes and to recognise and reward all jobs more fairly:
- This key shift will require further reducing wage gaps for those in “hands” and “heart” jobs, like professional tradespeople and healthcare worker. NTUC will continue to work with the Government and employers to strengthen the Progressive Wage Model and review the Local Qualifying Salary to uplift lower-wage workers, and also work closely with the Ministry of Manpower to explore the professionalisation of skilled trades through the Career Progression Model.
- The government will study how it can help the Institute of Technical Education graduates by defraying the costs of obtaining a diploma and possibly topping up their Central Provident Fund (CPF) when they graduate.
- The government will also support career switchers with a more personalised career guidance by leveraging on digital tools.
- A new support scheme for “involuntarily unemployed jobseekers” will also be introduced (NTUC has called for the Government to provide short-term financial support to workers who experience involuntary unemployment, conditional on their active engagement in reskilling or job search efforts, since 2014).
3. Embrace Learning Beyond Grades
Instead of getting caught up in an education arms race, Singaporeans should reorientate mindsets towards becoming a full-fledged learning society, in order to learn and improve throughout their lives, the Forward SG Report outlines government plans to support Singaporeans to fulfil their diverse potentials:
- With a significant boost to SkillsFuture, including a top-up of SkillsFuture credit, this will support mid-career Singaporeans’ reskilling and upskilling.
- A broader definition of merit and diverse pathways will be encouraged, such as subject-based banding in secondary schools.
- More attention will be given to children from lower-income families, to cultivate a love for learning.
4. Empower Those in Need
The report emphasizes on the need to do more to provide equal opportunities, temper unequal outcomes and prevent people from getting trapped in a permanent underclass, so that everyone can improve their circumstances and chase their own dreams:
- The government will work towards setting up a better social support system that includes extending childcare subsidies to lower-income families and providing support for vulnerable families and enhancing support for people with disabilities to pursue lifelong learning and live independently.
5. Enable Seniors to Age Well
Being one of the fastest ageing nations in the world, the Forward SG Report outlines policies that could help ageing Singaporeans live a better quality of life:
- The government will encourage active aging, by expanding the network of active ageing centres, strengthening the community-based aged care system, and make improvements to seniors’ living environments as well as enhancement of existing schemes like the Silver Support Scheme and Matched Retirement Savings Scheme.
- NTUC strongly believes that efforts to ensure workplaces are made age-inclusive for older workers, should press on. This can be done through initiatives such as micro-jobs, job redesign and making training opportunities readily available to enhance older workers’ employability.
6. Investing in A Shared Future
- Singapore can deal with today’s challenges while providing a strong foundation for the future with responsible stewardship of limited resources to secure a climate-resilient future, strengthening food and water security, and upholding fiscal prudence for the needs of both today and the next generation.
- NTUC also recognises that with climate change and the burgeoning impetus for the green transition, these trends may pose both opportunities and threats to existing jobs and is encouraged by the Government’s efforts to build up Singapore’s climate resilience, and believe that tripartite collaboration will play a critical role in helping to shape just transition policies to safeguard workers’ rights as Singapore transitions to a Green Economy
7. Singaporeans to Do Their Part as One United People
The final key aspect is having Singaporeans do their part as “one united people”, which means to nurture a stronger culture of giving, strengthen the country’s multi-racialism, and foster the Singaporean identity as well as encourage civic participation and unity among Singaporeans.
As we move forward with this transformative vision, let’s seize the opportunities it presents. Success is no longer confined to a select few; it is now a shared dream where every Singaporean has the chance to thrive.
‘Forward Singapore’ is not just the government’s commitment to making the Singaporean dream a reality for all or the Labour Movement’s commitment to protect workers’ wages, welfare, and job prospects, ensuring that no worker groups are left behind. Moving forward, it is a collaborative commitment of the government, labour movement, businesses and civil society to ensure the well-being and prosperity of Singaporean citizens.
