SINGAPORE: School fees for permanent residents, or PRs, and
foreign students will go up next year.
But these changes will be gradual and will only be fully
implemented in 2008.
All PRs and foreign students will be affected by the fee increase,
says Education Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam.
But the changes will not be too drastic and they will be made in
stages as foreign students might then decide to become PRs, and the
PRs, citizens.
Mr Tharman assured that the changes are not to turn away foreign
students.
"We don't want to make ourselves uncompetitive. Singapore has to
remain an education hub and a place of choice for people around the
region as well as from further afield like from China, India.
"It's a calibrated exercise. We don't want to jack up fees by very
large sums all at once but we have to start making a clearer
differentiation."
Mr Tharman said that his ministry has been studying the changes for
some time to ensure that it is fair for citizens while at the same
time, keeping Singapore attractive and competitive for foreign
students.
He also assured that the new price structure will not drive away a
significant number of foreign students.
Mr Tharman, who was speaking at a "Toys on Wheels" event for needy
children, says more details will be announced soon.
Similar changes have been made in healthcare and the aim is to
ensure that citizens come first when it comes to subsidies. -
CNA/so
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