By Keith Lin
THE Government is studying ways to increase the number of university places and whether to build a fourth university, Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong revealed yesterday.
The aim: to give more Singaporeans, especially polytechnic graduates, a chance to study at a university here.
Now, about one in four in each cohort receives a university education.
'We will up the percentage,' Mr Goh promised.
Speaking to about a thousand residents and grassroots leaders at a National Day dinner in his Marine Parade constituency last night, Mr Goh also pledged a stronger social safety net for those struggling to cope with changes in the economy.
Measures being studied include topping up the Central Provident Fund (CPF) accounts of lower-income senior citizens, securing higher returns on CPF savings and raising the retirement age, he said.
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong will discuss new ways to help Singaporeans work longer and build up their retirement savings during the National Day Rally next Sunday.
Mr Goh's announcement comes after several parents and students complained about the difficulty in securing places in the three local universities this year.
In June, Dr Tony Tan, who heads Singapore's high-powered International Academic Advisory Panel, suggested the setting up of a liberal arts college as one way to increase the number of university places.
If not for its decision to pull out in May, the University of New South Wales would have been the fourth university here, with a planned intake of 15,000 students by 2020.
Business administrator Elizabeth Moses, whose 18-year-old son is at a local polytechnic, said more local university places could save her the high cost of sending her son overseas.
'It's great news,' she said.
Turning to the outlook for Singapore as a whole, Mr Goh was upbeat, saying that 'our boat is now entering a favourable stretch of the journey'.
He cited several reasons for his confidence.
Economic restructuring was paying off and the economy was being upgraded.
The external outlook was also positive.
He said that the current turmoil in stock exchanges worldwide, sparked by problems in the United States mortgage market, was in his view 'temporary'.
On Singapore's other strengths, he said it was well plugged into the global economy and had a Government that thought long term and acted to solve problems.
It also has in place the unique practice of planned political leadership succession.
Mr Goh said that he was, however, also aware that some Singaporeans found it difficult to keep up with the fast pace of life or rising cost of living.
The Government would help them to cope better, he added.
He also called on those who had done well to share their wealth through acts of philanthropy, so as to 'give something back to the community on which their success has been built'.
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A little too late for that now. I'm already in perth.
If we choose to stay overseas and not come back you can only blame urselves
And why not? Shorter working hours, cheaper cars, an easier way of life than livin it up in the concrete jungle only to come back to bring squealing kids to tuition and wrapping up the housework
Not to mention NS
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