04/03/2026
[🏛 15th Parliament Session 6 – Committee of Supply Debate 2026: Ministry of Education]
During the Committee of Supply Debate for MOE, I spoke on lifelong learning, career mobility and the merger of SkillsFuture Singapore and Workforce Singapore.
I focused on three priorities that will determine whether lifelong learning continues to strengthen our social compact.
🎓 (1) Progression, not just participation:
When I speak with students and working adults, their question is not about the number of courses available. It is whether effort will genuinely move them forward. Beyond enrolment and initial placement, what matters are sustained wage growth, employment stability and strong skills-job matching. Training must shift trajectories, not just transcripts.
🏛 (2) Coherent policy architecture:
The merger of SkillsFuture Singapore and Workforce Singapore is significant because careers are now longer and less linear. Support must be integrated across skills acquisition, job transitions and progression. But integration alone will not secure trust. With the new agency reporting to both MOE and MOM, a clear framework is needed to prevent gridlock, especially when employment outcomes and longer term career development priorities diverge.
💼 (3) Incentives that align with advancement:
Lifelong learning succeeds only when employers recognise upgraded skills in promotion, pay and job redesign. If retraining does not lead to visible advancement, workers will hesitate regardless of subsidies. Effort must continue to open doors, as it has long done in Singapore.
📈 In a changing economy, every Singaporean willing to adapt should see a clear path forward. If implemented well, this reform will strengthen confidence in upward mobility for the next generation.
See Full Video Here: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/watch/committee-supply-2026-debate-day-3-choo-pei-ling-new-agency-lifelong-learning-5964061