SINGAPORE, Feb 24 – Offering graduate subsidies and loans for young Singaporeans taking their second diploma, degree or master’s courses was among the various suggestions by Members of Parliament (MPs) on the topic of youth and lifelong learning.

During the second day of the Budget 2023 debate on Thursday (Feb 23), a total of 29 MPs spoke about issues concerning the youth, including mental health and employability.

The debate was in response to Finance Minister Lawrence Wong’s Budget statement last week.

Why it matters

Education and training, as in past years, featured prominently in this debate, in line with national efforts to promote lifelong learning as one of the key thrusts of Singapore’s economy.

As the economy and the nature of work are both evolving rapidly, many MPs stressed the need to provide better educational and training opportunities for students as well as working adults so that they may be plugged into future economic opportunities an...