{"id":31926,"date":"2026-02-26T22:48:35","date_gmt":"2026-02-26T14:48:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/?p=31926"},"modified":"2026-02-26T22:48:35","modified_gmt":"2026-02-26T14:48:35","slug":"spore-needs-to-reset-views-on-marriage-parenthood-new-work-group-to-study-issues-indranee","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/?p=31926","title":{"rendered":"S\u2019pore needs to reset views on marriage, parenthood; new work group to study issues: Indranee"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">SINGAPORE &#8211;<!-- --> A new work group will be formed to look into marriage and parenthood issues, amid Singapore hitting its <a href=\"https:\/\/www.straitstimes.com\/singapore\/politics\/spores-total-fertility-rate-sinks-to-new-low-of-0-87?ref=inline-article\" rel=\"noopener\" class=\"gap-x-04 items-center inline text-primary-60 select-auto\" aria-label=\"link\" target=\"_blank\" data-testid=\"custom-link\"><\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular inline\" data-testid=\"paragraph-test-id\">lowest resident total fertility rate (TFR) to date<\/p>\n<p><\/a> at 0.87 in 2025, according to preliminary figures. <\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">A societywide reset on how marriage and parenthood are viewed and supported, how workplaces can better align work and family, and how everyone has a role to play is needed if Singapore is to change its trajectory, Minister in the Prime Minister\u2019s Office Indranee Rajah said in Parliament on Feb 26.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">The new work group to be formed with relevant agencies will be chaired by Ms Indranee, who is also Second Minister for Finance and National Development. <\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">The Government will also enhance its Marriage and Parenthood Survey in 2026 to gain deeper insights on how attitudes and perceptions have evolved, she said during her speech during the Prime Minister\u2019s Office\u2019s debate on its budget. <\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Singapore\u2019s preliminary resident TFR dropped from 0.97 in 2024 to 0.87 in 2025, a historic low for the country. <\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">\u201cTrying to raise our TFR has always been a priority, but with the latest figures, this has acquired a new urgency,\u201d said Ms Indranee, who oversees the marriage and parenthood portfolio. <\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">She noted that Singapore\u2019s low TFR is not unique. Countries long held as exemplars of higher TFR, like France and the Nordic countries, are also experiencing declines in their birth rates, she said. <\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Indranee to lead new workgroup for \u2018marriage and parenthood reset\u2019 in Singapore\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/5EtUS_q9HrM?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">In the region, the TFRs of Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam are also on the downtrend, while in China, the number of deaths exceeds births. <\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Ms Indranee said: \u201cThe Government is wholly committed to addressing this issue head-on and we will spare no effort to arrest and reverse this decline.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">But this cannot be the work of the Government alone, and all of society needs to play its part, she added.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">She was responding to several MPs, like Mr Shawn Loh (Jalan Besar GRC) and Non-Constituency MP Andre Low, who raised concerns and suggestions about the cost of childraising. Some, including Mr David Hoe (Jurong East-Bukit Batok GRC), asked for more childcare leave, and Ms Nadia Ahmad Samdin (Ang Mo Kio GRC) called for better fertility health support.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Ms Indranee said the new work group will consult members of the public, businesses, and the people sector to develop concrete plans in the coming months.<!-- --> <\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">It will build on current efforts while cultivating positive mindsets about marriage and parenthood, working with employers and engaging the whole of society. <\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Feedback and suggestions will help shape the work group\u2019s recommendations and guide the next phase of marriage and parenthood enhancements, she said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">While it is not about pushing a single \u201ccorrect\u201d path, Ms Indranee noted that two key mindset shifts are needed to create an environment where deeply personal decisions surrounding marriage and parenthood can be viewed positively, rather than with fear and anxiety. <\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Individuals who are hesitant to have children often look at parenthood through the lens of what they might lose, like being held back in their careers, the inability to pursue other life goals and the loss of personal freedom, she said. <\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Those with children or who intend to have them, on the other hand, see parenthood in terms of what they gain, like joy, fulfilment and personal growth. <\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">While finding a life partner, getting married and starting a family are major milestones that take time, energy and change, many Singaporean couples have<!-- --> <!-- -->shown that having a family and careers can co-exist alongside other life goals, Ms Indranee said. <\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">\u201cUltimately, it is a personal choice. But we need a mindset change to encourage couples to consider a more balanced picture when exercising this choice.\u201d <\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Another prevailing mindset that surfaced during engagements was the immense pressure couples put on themselves to be the \u201cperfect parent\u201d, she noted. <\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Ms Indranee said one young doctor felt guilty that he could not spend more time with his son because of his work schedule, and he felt that he was not being a good father. Another young, newly-wed woman was hesitant to have a child as she was not sure if she could provide the best possible resources for her child to succeed in life. <\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">\u201cWanting more time to spend with your children or providing them with the right resources stems from good intentions. However, in hindsight, many parents reflected that parenthood was not about providing the best for their children or having all the answers from the start,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Rather, it was about being willing to learn, adapt and grow alongside their children, doing the best they can within their circumstances and relying on community support where possible, she added. <\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Many parents feel pressure to help their children excel academically for fear that they may not succeed in life, she said. This largely stems from the fear that there is only a narrow gate to success.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">These are real anxieties that the Government wants to help address, and the Ministry of Education has made progressive changes over the years to develop multiple pathways for children and reduce over-emphasis on academic results, she added. <\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">These structural reforms will work only if cultural attitudes towards competition and success shift in tandem, Ms Indranee said, adding that society must move away from viewing education in Singapore as a competition, and instead see it as an open highway with many lanes.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">To this end, the MOE will start a series of engagements to look at how to mitigate <a href=\"https:\/\/www.straitstimes.com\/singapore\/inside-singapores-education-arms-race-stress-inequality-and-the-push-for-change?ref=inline-article\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" class=\"gap-x-04 items-center inline text-primary-60 select-auto\" aria-label=\"link\" target=\"_blank\" data-testid=\"custom-link\"><\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular inline\" data-testid=\"paragraph-test-id\">the education \u201carms race\u201d<\/p>\n<p><\/a>, including by reducing the stakes of examinations. <\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">The work group will also work with employers to foster family-friendly workplace cultures and practices, which make a big difference to parents, said Ms Indranee. <\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">She cited the example of Mr Edmund Seah, a medical social worker who took two weeks of paternity leave during his daughter\u2019s first month to support his wife\u2019s confinement. He later took the remaining two weeks and three weeks of shared parental leave during the child\u2019s first year. <\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">This flexibility allowed the 31-year-old to be present for his wife and baby when it mattered, she said. He paid it forward by covering his colleague\u2019s workload when she went on maternity leave. <\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Mr Seah told The Straits Times he was concerned about having enough time for his family, given the demands of his job, and had early conversations with his employer, St Luke\u2019s Hospital, to plan ahead for his leave.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Having a supportive employer has given him greater peace of mind, he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">\u201cI believe that when employees feel supported in important life transitions, they are more committed and willing to contribute meaningfully to their organisations,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Said Ms Indranee: \u201cThe latest TFR figures have not deterred us from our quest to boost marriage and parenthood. If anything, it underscores the urgency of the task before us, and it has made us even more determined to turn things around.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">\u201cThe Government will redouble its efforts to address this existential challenge.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Addressing Ms Hany Soh\u2019s (Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC) clarification on the timeline of the work group\u2019s engagements and recommendations, Ms Indranee said some measures could be implemented earlier, while more complex policies could take longer. <\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">\u201cTime is of the essence. It\u2019s an existential issue. We can\u2019t afford to sit back and wait,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">\u201cIn this term of government, you can be assured that we will be preoccupied with trying to make sure that we have more Singaporean babies born.\u201d<!-- --> <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.straitstimes.com\/singapore\/politics\/spore-needs-to-reset-views-on-marriage-parenthood-new-work-group-to-study-issues-indranee\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Read Full Article At Source <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>SINGAPORE &#8211; A new work group will be formed to look into marriage and parenthood issues, amid Singapore hitting its lowest resident total fertility rate&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":31928,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2611],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-31926","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-buzz-headlines","wpcat-2611-id"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31926","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=31926"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31926\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/31928"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=31926"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=31926"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=31926"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}