By Dawn Tay

DO AWAY with streaming in secondary schools.

Involve more Singaporeans in policy-making and make Nominated Members of Parliament (NMPs) a permanent fixture in the Government.

Those suggestions from MPs for reviewing government policies came yesterday, even as they emphasised the need to focus on "fundamentals" like education, retraining workers, and promoting local entrepreneurship.

MP Cynthia Phua (Aljunied GRC) said that the process of streaming "channels the child into a mental tunnel".

"In the process, it inhibits self-confidence and self-esteem," she told Parliament.

Instead, she suggested that the Education Ministry consider adopting the modular system in secondary schools, which is similar to that in polytechnics and universities.

In response to President S R Nathan's call for Singapore politics to evolve in his Address last week, NMP Loo Choon Yong suggested changing the terms of the Constitution to enable the NMP scheme to be a permanent fixture.

Currently, each new Parliament decides if it wishes to have NMPs.

Calling the views from NMPs "non-partisan" and "independent", Dr Loo said: "Collectively, I think Parliament and Singapore have been well served through the diversity of opinions and views brought into this House and...our national debates."

Other suggestions on how the country's political system should evolve included the introduction of nominated ministers and scaling down of group representation constituencies.

NMP Thio Li-ann, on promoting electoral competition and diversity, said: "There should be a clear rule stipulating a minimum floor of minority MPs to ensure their adequate representation.

"Diversity can be encouraged, without undermining a strong effective Government, by increasing the number of single- member constituencies."

Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Community Development, Youth and Sports & Transport Teo Ser Luck also called for a more "bottom-up approach" to "meet the real needs of people on the ground".

Mr Teo said: "The Government cannot be the sole provider of all public-policy solutions.

"Instead, management of public- sector programmes should involve a wide range of players from the people, (both from the) public and private sector."

dawnt@sph.com.sg

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