| APPROACH |
OLD POPULATION POLICY
(1966-1983) |
EUGENICS PERIOD
(1984-1986) |
NEW POPULATION POLICY
(1987-1999) |
MORE NEW INITIATIVES
(2000-2003) |
ENHANCED INCENTIVES
(2004 TO PRESENT) |
| Income tax rebates |
1973: Child relief in income tax returns is only for first 3 children born on or after Aug 1, 1973. Previously, parents can claim up to fifth child. |
1984: Enhanced child relief for graduate mums, who can claim extra 5 per cent of annual income for first 3 children. 1985: Can claim 5 per cent for firstborn and more for second and third child, up to $10,000 each. Later, scheme extended to mums with at least 5 O levels. |
1. 1987: Enhanced child relief extended to mums with at least 3 O levels.
2. Special tax rebate of up to $20,000 per couple for a third child. Later, extended to fourth child.
3. Tax relief of up to $3,000 for expenses in having fourth child. Either parent may claim it. |
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1. Educational qualifications no longer a must for working mums to get child relief.
2. Child relief can be up to $25,000 for each child, up to 4 children.
3. Parenthood tax rebate: $10,000 for second child and $20,000 for third and fourth child. |
| HDB housing |
1. After 1968, families with fewer than 3 children or even none can get HDB flat. Before, minimum family size was 5.
2. 1973: Family size no longer a factor in deciding priority for flats. |
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1. Families get priority in flat allocation when they want a bigger home after third child's birth.
2. Bigger families can sell their flat in open market without having to occupy it for 5 years. |
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Extra grant for singles who marry. Already given $11,000 CPF grant to buy resale flat, they willl now get an HDB top-up grant of up to $29,000. Money can be used to offset existing mortgage or buy new flat. |
| Primary school registration |
1. Phase 1 registration open for second child with sibling in same school.
2. Priority for up to 3 children when mum is sterilised. |
Phase 1 registration for child of mums with at least 3 children and a university degree and if child has sibling in same school. |
1. Third-child disincentives scrapped.
2. Priority given to children from three-child families when competing for admission. |
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| Campaigns and rhetoric |
Stop at Two;
Boy or Girl, Two is Enough |
Graduate Mum Policy;
The Great Marriage Debate |
Have Three or More, if You Can Afford It |
1. Promote work-life harmony
2. Family-friendly work practices
3. 2003: Romancing Singapore campaign |
|
Government
bodies formed |
Singapore Family Planning and Population Board - to reduce number of births. Later, to achieve zero population growth. |
Social Development Unit - to promote marriage among university graduates. Later, similar matchmaking agency set up for nongraduates. |
Family Life Education Coordination Unit - to coordinate pro-baby programmes and in charge of mass media programmes. |
1. Family Matters! Singapore committee gives ideas to promote marriage and having a family.
2. Work-Life Unit works with unions and employers to boost practices like flexi-work. |
1. 2006: National Family Council - takes over tasks of Family Matters! Singapore and Committee on the Family.
2. 2006: National Population Secretariat in the Prime Minister's Office.
3. WoW (Work-life Works) Fund - gives companies financial aid for work practices that improve work-life harmony. |
| Family-planning policies |
1. 1970: Abortion legalised. Later years, easier to abort.
1972: Parents with 2 children, instead of 3, can be sterilised. |
Lower-educated, lower income couples encouraged to sterilise. |
Compulsory pre-sterilisation counselling for couples with fewer than 3 children. Abortion counselling for married women with fewer than 3 children. |
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| Cash grants and hospital fees for having a baby |
Progressively higher hospital fees as mum has more children. 7 days unrecorded full-pay leave for women civil servants who sterilise after third (or later) child. |
$10,000 cash grant for young, under-30 mums who sterilise after first or second child. But both parents must not have O levels and their combined monthly income is at most, $1,500. |
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1. Baby Bonus scheme rewards mums with cash for having second ($1,500) and third child ($3,000). Cash given over 6 years.
2. Government will match dollar-for-dollar savings in Child Development Account. But only for second and third child. Amount is up to a specified maximum. |
1. Baby Bonus raised and extended. $3,000 each for first 2 while third and fourth child get $6,000 each. Cash given over 2 years, not 6.
2. Government increases contribution to Child Development Account. Offer also made to fourth child.
3. Use of Medisave for birth expenses of every child. Before, only for first 3 children.
4. More Medisave can be used for Assisted Conception Procedures like in-vitro fertilisation. |
| Childcare subsidies |
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1. Women civil servants get longer no-pay leave for childcare: 4 years instead of one.
2. Working mums get $100 monthly subsidy for each child under age 6, to help pay fees at approved childcare centres. Only for first 3 children. |
Working mums get 8 weeks of paid leave for third child and amount is capped at $20,000. |
1. Paid maternity leave extended to 12 weeks, from 8 weeks.
2. Childcare leave of 2 days for working parents with any child under 7 years old.
3. Infant-care subsidy of up to $400 a month for fees at licensed centres.
4. Foreign maid levy reduced to $250, from $345, when household has child below age 12. |
Sources: The Population of Singapore by Saw Swee Hock, 1999; Fertility and the Family: An Overview of Pro-Natalist Population Policies in Singapore by Therasa Wong and Brenda S.A. Yeoh; Ministry of Communication, Development, Youth and Sports; and The Straits Times
