Opening Statement by Minister of State for Defence Associate Professor Koo Tsai Kee on Changes to the NS IPPT System

The physical fitness of our serviceman is critical to the operational readiness of the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF). Today, the Individual Physical Proficiency Test, or IPPT, serves as the SAF's baseline standard for physical fitness. All regular servicemen, full-time National Servicemen (NSFs) and operationally ready national servicemen (NSmen) are required to meet their annual IPPT requirement.

RationaleSince the IPPT system was implemented in 1980, it has undergone regular reviews to ensure that it remains relevant and meets our needs. Some of the changes include the establishment of the fitness conditioning centres, the introduction of the IPPT birthday system, the Electronic IPPT Scoring System, or ELISS, for better efficiency, the IPPT Preparatory Training programme, or IPT, introduced for NSmen who needed assistance in meeting IPPT standards, and most recently, the "IPPT-In-Your-Community" initiative, under the RECORD V initiatives.

These changes have been well received by our NSmen. Early this year, the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) initiated a review on the NS IPPT system. This review was conducted based on feedback we received from NSmen, as well as to better apply principles of fitness training science to help our servicemen train more effectively. Recognising that our NSmen are citizen soldiers who will have to balance the demands of work responsibilities, family commitments and NS duties, the revised NS IPPT system will give NSmen greater flexibility in planning their fitness training and help them stay fit. NS IPPT RefinementsThere are two key refinements to the NS IPPT system. First, to provide sustainable and progressive fitness improvement, the current IPPT Preparatory Training or IPT will be enhanced from a voluntary 5-week programme, to a voluntary 9-month programme with customised Personal Performance Targets over the same number of training sessions. The enhanced IPT provides a more flexible booking system over the 9-month period, which allows NSmen to regulate their own fitness training regime in tandem with the IPT to better sustain their fitness. Secondly, the one-year window for NS IPPT, which opens annually on the individual's birthday, will also be recalibrated to nine months for IPPT and three months for remedial training, or RT. This is so that NSmen who may need more training to pass their IPPT will receive help sooner. My staff will elaborate on the details.

Conclusion

Fitness of our soldiers is a vital part of the SAF's operational capability, and over the years, the IPPT system has maintained the baseline standard for physical fitness in the SAF. The review of the NS IPPT system will better meet the changing needs of NSmen while achieving excellence in NS training and administration. These changes also reflect MINDEF's continued commitment towards partnering our NSmen to stay fit.

Thank you.

More Resources

Fact Sheet: Partnering NSmen to Stay Fit