SINGAPORE – Less educated individuals from low-income families will
get financial incentives to further their education,
in hopes of boosting their employment prospects.
The ComLink+ Skills Upgrading Support pilot gives recipients $500 for each quarter they are enrolled in a course of study, such as for a polytechnic diploma or a National ITE Certificate (NITEC).
They will also get financial support for basic living expenses if they stop work to study full-time or undergo vocational training.
The pilot, which began in January, was announced by Minister of State for Social and Family Development (MSF) Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim on March 6 during the debate on the MSF’s budget.
It aims to benefit 100 participants, and can possibly be scaled up depending on outcomes, said MSF.
Mr Zhulkarnain noted that employment is one of the best ways to help low-income families work towards a better future, but these individuals may not have the educational qualifications to get better paying jobs.
He said: “Families bear some costs when they choose to upskill. For example, their income may be disrupted during their studies, and it is not certain that they will get a job with a higher salary after.
“MSF has observed that this deters some ComLink+ families from upskilling, even when they want to do so and even when they have the opportunity to do so.”
Hence, the pilot will offer support for “basic living expenses”, with amounts pegged to the Government’s financial assistance scheme, the ComCare Short-to-Medium Term Assistance.
For example, a sole breadwinner who is supporting a non-working spouse and two children in primary school will get about $2,000 a month for basic living expenses, said an MSF spokesperson.
The pilot targets those aged between 18 and 39, who have dropped out of school to work or are in jobs with lower wages, whose families are on the ComLink+ scheme. They can receive support for up to three years, depending on course length.
