hi ppl, i seriously need all the guys hlp, i was wondering if i
could take my degree first for about 2yrs before enlisting to army,
i'm 18 this yr, jus got graduated from MDIS and would lke
to futher my study...any hlp and advise would be great..thank you
so much in advance..cheers
Source: www.mindef.gov.sg
Reply by Minister
Teo Chee Hean to Parliamentary
Questions on Deferment
Posted: 21 Jul 2008, 1935
hours (Time is GMT +8 hours)
Minister for Defence Teo Chee Hean.
Mr Speaker, Sir, let me first explain the basis of our deferment
policy.
Under the Enlistment Act, NS-liable males can be called up for
NS as soon as they turn 18 years of age. There is a reason for this
enlistment age. The SAF must be able to maintain a credible defence
force for our security and survival. Given our small population,
national servicemen form the backbone of the SAF. We train them to
become soldiers and leaders in their 2 years of full-time NS and
they continue to play these critical roles during their
operationally ready service. For many, this means they are required
to serve up to at least age 30. By enlisting them at around 18
years of age, we optimise the ability of the SAF to fulfil its
missions with an energetic and able-bodied defence force.
Despite the legislated
enlistment age, MINDEF exercises flexibility by granting deferment
from full-time NS for pre-enlistees pursuing their studies under
certain circumstances. In determining our policy, MINDEF applies
the key principles of universality and equity to ensure that
everyone is given the opportunity to attain an 'A' levels,
international baccalaureate, or polytechnic diploma or equivalent
qualifications before enlistment.
MINDEF therefore grants deferment for pre-enlistees to
gain their basic
educational qualifications of up to 'A' levels, polytechnic
diploma, international baccalaureate or equivalent
qualifications. This is reasonable as most
of our NS-liable males would either have completed or are
completing their basic educational qualifications when they turn 18
years of age. NS-liable males are therefore enlisted at
the earliest opportunity after turning 18 or when they have
finished such courses, whichever is later. As university degrees are
considered higher educational qualifications, deferments for
university studies will not be allowed. This
will strike an appropriate balance as our NS liable males will be
given the opportunity to complete the basic qualification at 'A'
levels, polytechnic diploma or equivalent, and be enlisted for
military training while they are young and fit.
Educational opportunities in Singapore have increased over the
past years. There has been a proliferation of private
institutions and courses offered. Some of these private
institutions offer to admit students directly into their
undergraduate programmes upon the completion of their 'O' levels
without them having to first attain 'A' levels or diploma
qualifications. Some NS-liable males have enrolled for such
undergraduate programmes upon the completion of their 'O' levels
before they turned age 18. They subsequently asked to be deferred
to complete their university studies or their semester examinations
before enlisting. Mr Yeo has asked whether MINDEF can
exercise some flexibility by allowing such students in private
institutions to defer till their end-of-semester examinations.
Sir, MINDEF does not allow deferment for university
studies, regardless of whether the deferment
is for part of or the entire duration of the undergraduate course.
Allowing such students deferment would be unfair to the vast
majority of their peers studying in Junior Colleges, Polytechnics
and other institutions, who do not have the same opportunity to be
deferred for their university studies. This would also undermine
our key NS principles of universality and equity. The NS system
will not work if we allow individuals to choose when they would
like to be enlisted. Hence, NS-liable males who commence their university
studies before their enlistment would be enlisted at the first
opportunity after age 18. They will have to disrupt their
university studies as they will not be granted
deferment.
In line with the above, MINDEF has stopped granting deferment
for university studies since the end of 2005. This change to our
deferment policy was announced during the Committee of Supply in
2006. Our deferment policy can be found on the NS Portal on the
internet and in the information package that is sent to all
NS-liable males when they turn 16 1/2 years of age. MINDEF has also
informed major private institutions of our deferment policies and
has more recently requested them to remind their potential students
at the point of application that deferment will not be granted for
university studies. For the minority who complete their basic
educational qualifications before age 18, they can apply for early
enlistment if they are above age 16 1/2 under the Voluntary Early
Enlistment Scheme. This will enable them to enlist slightly earlier
and complete their full-time NS before proceeding for university
studies.