SINGAPORE: From May, self-help group Chinese
Development Assistance Council (CDAC) will raise its income
eligibility criteria to help the bottom 20 per cent of the Chinese
community.
CDAC is expected to set aside another S$600,000 to
help an additional 1,000 low-income families.
One of those set to benefit is lorry driver Ho Chun
Chew, who makes about S$3,000 a month.
Mr Ho's wife is a homemaker and they have two children.
Despite his financial burden, the 51 year old has been trying to
make ends meet without any assistance.
But from next month, CDAC will make it easier for workers -- who
are struggling to support their families on one salary -- to apply
for financial help.
The income ceiling for tuition, co-curricular activity and family
assistance schemes will be raised from S$2,700 to S$3,000.
Those with a per capita income of less than S$800 can also apply
for financial assistance, up from the previous S$700.
With the revised income criteria, Mr Ho no longer has to worry
about his children's tuition fees.
He can also upgrade his job proficiency through the skills training
award scheme.
"With a Class 5 driving licence, I can drive bigger vehicles. This
could help me handle the bigger company trucks....which means I
could get promoted and earn more. Previously, it would cost me
nearly S$1,000 to get this licence," Mr Ho said.
Mr Ho can get up to 95 per cent course subsidies under the skills
training award scheme.
CDAC Community Outreach & Co-ownership chair Grace Fu said:
"CDAC wants to be relevant to the Chinese community so we will
review schemes and income criteria from time to time.
"And this year, after reviewing the salary statistics, we felt that
to continue to be relevant, we'd like to help one in five families
and therefore, we've set a higher income ceiling for family as well
as per capita to be relevant to our recipients."
The revised income ceiling will help CDAC reach out to a total of
64,000 beneficiaries.
Four hundred needy students are also expected to receive higher
subsidies for tuition and enrichment programmes.
- CNA/wk
