Speech by Minister of State for Defence and Education Lawrence Wong at the Committee of Supply Debate 2012
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Mr Chairman, let me start by elaborating further on our NS policies. MINDEF earns the trust and support for NS from all Singaporeans, only when we adhere strictly to three fundamental principles. First, NS must be to meet a critical national need for security and survival because it imposes considerable cost both to the individual and to the nation. Second, NS must be universal. All young Singaporean males who are fit to serve are eligible for conscription. The third principle is equity, which means that NS policies are applied equitably to everyone regardless of background or status.
Dr Lim Wee Kiak asked if our disruption policy can be made more flexible in view of the changing tertiary education landscape. MINDEF is very mindful about the changing trends in the education as well as employment of NSmen. We do exercise flexibility in considering disruption requests, but we have to balance this against the impact that disruptions have on the training and operational readiness of the individual and his unit. At the same time, in looking at disruption matters, we continue to uphold the fundamental principles that I outlined earlier. For this reason, disruption for studies is considered only on the basis of equity, so that individuals in the same Singapore school cohort but in different enlistment intakes can still proceed for their degree studies at the same university at the same time.
Er Dr Lee Bee Wah and Mr Pritam Singh asked about our deferment policy for athletes and sportsmen. In particular, Er Dr Lee spoke very passionately about this and I would like to assure her that we understand the concerns that are raised. MINDEF also exercises flexibility to allow deferment from full-time NS for exceptional sportsmen, who have been strongly supported by MCYS and selected to represent Singapore in major competitions like the Olympics. For every such case, MINDEF considers the individual's past achievements, his potential and the need for long deferments. In addition, MINDEF also exercises flexibility to grant deferments of shorter periods to national athletes representing Singapore in major competitions. For example, 13 athletes were deferred for a period of two to six months to participate in the 2011 SEA Games and 2010 Asian Games.
Sir, the strength of our NS institution is drawn primarily from the commitment of our NSmen past and present. We must continue to preserve this sense of shared commitment and responsibility towards NS.
As several members have noted, this year marks the 45th anniversary of the establishment of NS. It is a significant milestone. We have chosen the theme of "NS: From Fathers to Sons" for the NS45 celebrations, to highlight that NS is a truly shared legacy across generations. As we go through the COS debate this week, some 3,000 Singaporean sons will be going through their first week of Basic Military Training, most of them following in their fathers' footsteps into the service of our country. Just as their fathers did years ago, they will train, sweat and persevere together with other Singaporean sons, and in the process, form friendships, forge bonds and learn the soldiering skills to defend our country.
Mr Alex Yam asked how MINDEF intends to commemorate NS45 both at an institutional and individual level. Let me highlight two of the key activities. First, we are engaging Singaporeans through an online effort, to ask them to reflect on their NS experiences. Even today, I'm sure many of us continue to reminisce about our time in NS. Because no matter how long ago we did our NS, there is always something special about our NS experience that we all cherish and remember, especially when we get together with our unit mates. I invite all Singaporeans to share their stories and engage in conversations on our NS45 website as well as through our online story competition, "My NS Story", which is taking place from now till the end of the year. Your reflections will be shared with other Singaporeans during NS45 events throughout the year.
Second, the Army Open House in May will also serve as an anchor event for the commemoration activities. For the first time, the Army will hold its Open House in the heart of the city, at the F1 Pit Building, so as to reach out to more Singaporeans. To bring the NS45 celebrations even closer to our people, we will also have a mobile NS showcase that will visit various heartland communities after the Army Open House. I encourage all Singaporeans to participate in these activities.
Mr Ong Teng Koon asked how we can better recognise the contributions of our NSmen. Over the years, the Government has been recognising the contributions of NSmen in different ways. We have the National Service Recognition Award, or NSRA, to recognise our national servicemen throughout their NS training cycle. We have various initiatives to help NSmen better balance their NS obligations with their civilian commitments, like the IPPT-In-Your-Community Project, which has rolled out 100 fitness centres with IPPT training facilities in different housing estates. We also provide NSmen and their families with quality recreational facilities, like the SAFRA clubs and NSRCC. SAFRA is presently undertaking a strategic review to see how it can better serve our NSmen, not just by offering attractive clubhouses and facilities, but also by playing a more active role in engaging NSmen and fostering unit cohesion.
As announced by Dr Ng earlier, MINDEF has conducted a review of the NS rank allowance, which was last revised in 2009. From April this year, the rank allowance for all servicemen in the SAF, SPF and SCDF will be increased by $60 per month across all ranks. This latest allowance review goes one step further in signalling our acknowledgement of our servicemen's commitment and service, as we mark 45 years of NS.
Going forward, MINDEF will continue to look at ways in which we can better recognise the contributions of our NSmen.
Sir, let me move on now to how we are improving learning and training in the SAF, issues which Associate Professor Fatimah Lateef and Ms Ellen Lee asked about. Our current generation of NSFs is a technology-savvy group, more accustomed to a self-directed learning environment from their days in school. We have observed that they learn better when they collaborate and exchange knowledge with their peers. In doing so, they become more adaptive and take greater ownership of their training. These abilities - to sense-make and adapt rapidly, to work together collaboratively - are essential for today's soldiers in the modern battlefield.
Hence, the SAF has started to transform its learning and training systems to take into account these considerations, which also serve to help ease the transition into NS for our enlistees, and make NS a more positive experience for them. First, we are adopting a more learner-centric pedagogy to create a training experience that is consistent with the learning habits and expectations of our soldiers. For example, our trainers today employ more coaching and facilitation methodologies. Trainees have more team-based active learning, with time allocated for them to consolidate and share their knowledge. We also invest in simulators to enhance experiential learning. Second, the SAF is introducing modern learning tools, such as videos and interactive ‘apps', to improve access to training materials and enhance collaborative learning. With these interactive tools, trainees can exchange learning points from recent training experiences.
Last year, MINDEF updated members about our pilot roll-out of LEARNet to the Basic Military Training Centre, Officer Cadet School, Specialist Cadet School and Signal Institute, enabling trainees in these units to access learning resources through portable devices. The trainees have provided positive feedback that they were able to learn at their own pace, and gain the confidence to apply these lessons out in the field.
Following the success of this pilot, the SAF plans to extend LEARNet progressively over the next five years to some 80 other units.
Sir, even as the SAF employs modern pedagogies, learning tools and simulation technologies, we will continue to uphold rigorous standards of training, to prepare our soldiers to meet the demands of military operations. Our efforts to leverage technologies and platforms such as LEARNet have, in fact, allowed the SAF to reduce the time our soldiers spend in classrooms by 15 to 20 percent, and we reinvest this time into tough, realistic and rigorous training for our soldiers.
For our NSmen, we also leverage technology to improve the efficiency of In-Camp Training (ICT), to minimise inconveniences and "standing around" time, and to help our NSmen focus on their training and operational duties. As members may know, we already have a computerised registration and scoring system for the IPPT. Last year, we introduced electronic equipment at the firing range. Previously, firing ranges were operated on a manual basis. Some of us may recall, during our NS times, doing butt party duties, counting bullet holes on targets, and covering them with stickers so that the targets can be re-cycled. Now, everything is automated - NSmen can register for their range sessions by scanning their identity cards, they do their firing, and their scores at the range are electronically recorded, resulting in significant time saved.
We have received positive feedback on these initiatives from many NSmen, like 3SG (NS) Murugan s/o Ratnam, from 724 Guards. He said: "This is my sixth ICT, and I see that a lot of feedback has been heard, and changes have been made. I can see progressive improvements each time I come back for ICT." Indeed, with these efficiency gains, our NSmen have more time for field training. Each time they come for their ICT, they can focus on improving their combat proficiency, and thus feel more confident about their skills.
Associate Professor Fatimah Lateef and Ms Ellen Lee also asked about professional development and continuing education, which go hand-in-hand in improving the overall professionalism of our Regular servicemen. Under our continuing education efforts, the SAF has established education tie-ups with various Institutes of Higher Learning, such as Nanyang Polytechnic, UniSIM and NTU, which also cater to the different educational start points of our servicemen. This allows the SAF to have a high-quality Regular corps that is able to lead and train our NSFs and our NSmen.
For example, in partnership with Nanyang Polytechnic, the SAF introduced the Certificate in Business Management programme for Warrant Officers, Specialists and Military Experts to pursue their Diploma in this field. For our officers, they can take up modules at the Goh Keng Swee Command and Staff College in SAFTI Military Institute, and these modules are accredited towards NTU Master's programmes. Since then, 12 graduates have embarked on this programme. The SAF will continue to collaborate with our polytechnics and universities, to give our servicemen full opportunities for continuing education and lifelong learning. And as Ms Ellen Lee said, these are competencies and skills which we believe will be useful not just for our servicemen in the SAF, but also if they were to choose to pursue second careers in the private sector.
Mr Ong Teng Koon asked how MINDEF ensures the safety and well-being of our servicemen during training. Sir, while we train realistically and rigorously to prepare our servicemen for military operations, we will never compromise on safety. The SAF has put in place many measures - safety briefings, lesson plans, training safety regulations, multi-tier supervision. These all complement one another to ensure the safety of our soldiers. MINDEF is also committed to ensuring that our safety systems are robust and constantly reviewed. We emphasise safety as a key responsibility of our commanders, who are charged with the duty to look out for the men under their care, and mitigate potential risks during operations and training. Our commanders are trained to educate and actively engage our people on the importance of tough but safe training. Units are also encouraged to provide feedback in an open manner on safety issues. Through these efforts, we have built a culture of safety throughout the SAF.
We recognise that a robust system does not guarantee zero incidents in the SAF. From time to time, unfortunately, incidents do happen, resulting in injuries and casualties. In such cases, let me assure Members that we will take all steps to investigate and manage the case well, provide support to the families, as well as take immediate corrective actions to prevent further similar incidents.
Conclusion
I will now hand over to Dr Maliki, who will speak on Total Defence and our efforts to strengthen commitment to defence.
