In Singapore’s earlier years of development, economic growth was high and incomes rose for many. Standards of living increased, and the next generation had more opportunities to do better than their parents.

As Singapore’s economy matures, and economic growth slows, new challenges have emerged that make it tougher to sustain this advancement for all. Our economic progress has created prosperity for many, but over time has also seen different levels of resources going to families of different incomes and backgrounds.

Given that their families have greater access to resources, children from more affluent families today tend to do better in school compared to those from lower-income families, and this has given rise to a new concern that disadvantaged children today have increasingly unequal starting blocks, which will eventually create unequal outcomes over time.

Inequalities in income and wealth are inevitably present in a free and open market economy like Singapore’s. But if left unchecked, these trends can combine to cause less advantaged Singaporeans to fall behind, and feel that the opportunities available can only be accessed by a privileged few.

As society’s needs and views become more diverse, such situations of inequality will make it easy for new fault-lines to emerge between the haves and have-nots, or the will-haves and the won’t-haves.

The Shifts We Need To Make

The government’s approach to improving equity has been to lift the bottom, making Singapore a society of opportunities for all, at every stage of life.

To do this, it is important to ensure that everyone, regardless of their background, is able to fulfill their potential and progress well throughout life through education, skills and good jobs. This also means boosting support for those who start life at a disadvantage to keep social mobility alive and lessen inequalities over time.

• For a Child’s Early Years:

  • We are increasing preschool capacity so that there are enough places for every child aged three and above.
  • Subsidies have been enhanced to make preschool more affordable. For example, a low-income working family with a child enrolled in full-day childcare in an Anchor Operator preschool pays $3 per month after subsidies.
  • Support is also given to low-income families to help achieve good health, social and child development outcomes through KidSTART programmes.
    • Read more about the KidSTART programme below.

• For a Child’s Years in School:

  • We resource all schools well, with those with greater needs being given additional resources for more targeted interventions.
  • During the recent circuit breaker, our schools and teachers extended additional help to students from less advantaged backgrounds and those at risk.
  • This is part of our broader push to provide more support to students from disadvantaged backgrounds, starting from their earliest years of childhood.
    • Read more about the UPLIFT programme below.

• In the Working Years:

  • Along the way in life, many Singaporeans will face setbacks, whether economic or social.
  • The government will strengthen efforts to build up resilience among all Singaporeans and extend temporary support for them to recover faster and minimise the ill effects on their families.
    • For example, to help save jobs and create new ones, the government has introduced the Jobs Support Scheme and the SGUnited Jobs and Skills Package in response to the global COVID-19 pandemic.