Ministries to 'rigorously enforce' against vaping, strengthen support for students' well-being

The Government will take strong action against vaping and enhance support for students' holistic development to build a fairer and more inclusive society that supports Singaporeans at every stage in life.

These plans were announced on Wednesday (Sept 17) in their addenda to President Tharman Shanmugaratnam's address at the opening of Parliament, by the Ministry of Health (MOH), Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) and Ministry of Education (MOE).

In his address on Sept 5, President Shanmugaratnam highlighted the importance of "comprehensive social support systems in place" that will support social mobility and help Singaporeans navigate through challenging and uncertain times.

As such, the ministries will enhance support for families, nurture the youth, and strengthen care for the elderly so that all Singaporeans can be reassured throughout their various stages of life.

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Here are the highlights from the statements by each ministry:

Ministry of Health (MOH)

• MOH will transform Singapore's healthcare system to adapt to the nation's ageing population and increasing patient load so that it remains high quality, accessible and affordable, said Minister for Health, Ong Ye Kung.
• The ministry aims to expand healthcare infrastructure by adding 2,800 acute and community hospital beds and opening six new polyclinics — in Bidadari, Kaki Bukit, Serangoon, Tengah, Yew Tee, and Taman Jurong — by 2030.
• Together with the Ministry of Home Affairs and other agencies, MOH will "rigorously enforce against vaping", especially etomidate-laced vapes, said Ong.
• MOH also plans to increase the healthcare workforce by 20 per cent by 2030, while broadening and deepening its expertise. Family Medicine will be formalised as a specialty, and modular work-study training pathways will be provided to nurses and allied health professionals so that they can acquire the necessary skills to take on more complex and varied roles in palliative care, critical care, and community health.
• The ministry will continue to adopt the latest technologies and incorporate artificial intelligence (AI) with impactful systemwide use-cases.
• MOH will also review the S+3M system (Subsidies, MediShield Life, MediSave and MediFund) so that healthcare remains affordable. It will work with the industry to strengthen the role of general practitioners and address significant wastage and cost escalation in private healthcare, "made worse by overly generous health insurance policies".
• The ministry will also aim to help young Singaporeans build healthier habits and reduce risks from sedentary lifestyles and excessive screen time, placing special focus on their mental health.

Ministry of Education (MOE)

• MOE aims to enhance Singapore's education system by empowering students with relevant skills to thrive in an AI-transformed future and reducing an over-emphasis on academic results, said Minister for Education Desmond Lee.
• The ministry will place a stronger emphasis on students' holistic development. Revisions will be made to the Primary School Leaving Examination scoring system and the Junior College admission criteria, and support for students’ social-emotional development and well-being will be strengthened.
• MOE will also do more to support students of different strengths and interests, such as specialised programmes for students with Special Educational Needs (SEN). Teacher capacity, accessibility, affordability and quality in Special Education (SPED) schools will be enhanced. Students with SEN will also be provided with additional support to transition smoothly into employment or community pathways after completing their education.

Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF)

• MSF will nurture resilient individuals, strong families, and a caring society by taking family-centred, proactive and strengths-based approaches, said Minister for Social and Family Development, Masagos Zulkifli.
• The ministry will support families with young children by ensuring access to affordable and quality early childhood (EC) services — 80 per cent of preschoolers will be offered places in Government-supported preschools by the end of 2025.
• MSF will review the Mental Capacity Act to better support families with vulnerable adults, and strengthen safeguards against misuse or abuse of the Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPA).
• The ministry will enhance home-based, community, and employment support, as well as expand lifelong learning opportunities, to enable persons with disabilities to live and participate fully in the community.
• Lower-income families will also be supported through MSF's ComLink+, guided by family coaches and volunteer befrienders. Progress Packages will also be provided to recognise their efforts.
• MSF will also strengthen the legal framework for protecting survivors of domestic violence through a new Domestic Violence Act.

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dana.leong@asiaone.com