“DEEPER STRUCTURAL CHALLENGES”
Experts and those in the industry said vocational schools play a vital role in bridging the gap between special education and adulthood for young people with disabilities, offering not only technical skills but also structure, purpose and stability.
Special needs educator Elaine Claire said vocational programmes give students with moderate to high support needs structure and stability, helping to manage behaviour and prepare for adulthood.
Without them, routines are disrupted, and these young people risk regression to unwanted behaviour.
Experts who spoke with CNA TODAY said possible reasons for MVS’ closure include high operational costs and a lack of teachers trained to adapt to students with complex needs.
Other possible reasons include the high costs of upgrading equipment and curricula to keep up with industry shifts such as digitalisation; the availability of similar programmes in other SPED schools; and the need to adapt to more diverse aspirations and abilities among students.
Dr Eunice Tan, head of the special education minor at the Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS), said the closure of MVS “reveals a significant shift” in Singapore’s approach to vocational education for students with disabilities.
Traditionally, specialised schools like MVS offered tailored, hands-on vocational training in areas such as hospitality, retail and basic trades, specifically designed to meet the unique learning needs of students with disabilities.
Many SPED schools, including Metta School and APSN already run similar programmes.
She added that the target population of MVS often falls into an “in-between” category, referring to individuals requiring less support and being able to travel independently and perform their activities of daily living (ADL).
ADL refers to basic self-care tasks that people typically do every day, such as eating, bathing, dressing, toileting and moving around independently.
For those who require less support, APSN offers programmes that prepare students for the Institute of Technical Education (ITE), which has also become more inclusive in recent years, said Dr Tan.
She noted that many of the services provided by MVS are also available through other institutions, including SG Enable, which offers a variety of programmes for adults with disabilities that extend beyond traditional roles in hospitality and retail, career options that many individuals and families now find more appealing.
SG Enable is a registered charity set up by MSF in 2013 that seeks to help people with disabilities live and work in an inclusive society.
Dr Lee Swee Yee, executive dean of @ASK Training, a SkillsFuture training provider, said the closure of MVS brings “mixed feelings” but also highlights an urgent opportunity for Singapore to reimagine how vocational education can be more “inclusive, integrated, and future-ready”.
@ASK Training is a SkillsFuture training provider that specialises in workforce upskilling, digital transformation and inclusive career development.
“While the nation has made commendable progress in expanding vocational training, important gaps remain, especially in delivering intensive, individualised support for learners beyond the age of 18,” said Dr Lee.
She added: “Many pathways are still clustered within a narrow range of industries, limiting both career choices and long-term progression for persons with disabilities.”
In response to queries from CNA TODAY, a spokesperson from SG Enable noted the importance of having longer runways for those over 18.
SG Enable partners with SPED schools on the School-to-Work Transition Programme. This programme lasts up to two years and works to place fresh SPED graduates into internships at workplaces with the support of job coaches, enabling them to gain real-world work experience and adjust to the demands of working life.
This allows SPED youths to build job readiness skills, improve workplace competencies through on-the-job training, and increase their confidence in the workplace with the help of an on-site job coach.
They would also have more time to find a better job match by aligning their skills, interests and strengths with suitable roles.
“This also gives disability-inclusive employers the opportunity to assess worksite accessibility and implement suitable accommodations,” said the SG Enable spokesperson.
Agreeing, Mr Ivan Chin, chief executive officer of Extraordinary People, said the post-18 runway is crucial to ensure SPED youths’ “survivability”.
Extraordinary People is a local charity that supports individuals with higher support needs, especially youth with autism and intellectual disabilities, through inclusive arts, education, and vocational training programmes.
“If you don’t support them close enough in the key years of development, from 18 to 25 years old they tend to lose the ability to work,” he said.
“So we need to nip it in the bud, to provide them with the right independent living skills, vocational skills, social skills, and independent mobility. “
