The government fertility schemes are like insults to
Singaporeans. Basically, it goes like this: "Here, take some money,
and go make babies."
Having high healthcare costs, expensive milk powder, coupled
with insufficient time and money to spend with and on children, are
some reasons that were not addressed by the schemes.
And with so many foreigners, if you want to give more off
days/childcare leaves to Singaporeans, this will make local labour
less appealing to employers since non-Singaporeans do not get as
much benefits.
This can go on and on, and is definitely not a simple issue. But
I do not think current schemes will work.
Some suggestions could perhaps be
1) Substantially subisidise healthcare costs for babies who fall
sick often
2) Remove GST for baby-related products
3) Education is expensive in terms of study materials. More can be
looked into this area.
They solved the problem of not having "more talented" people in
the government by increasing salaries to a million dollars.
And they can tell you with a straight face that money cannot
solve the fertility problem?
Tomorrow, if they announce that every newly wed couple will get
$100,000 for every child they produce and you will see all these
couples take urgent leave from work immediately to go home and
procreate. 