ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
Amid concerns over the impact of AI on jobs, Mr Wong assured Singaporeans that they remain the central focus of the country’s economic strategy.
While technology will lead to some roles evolving and others disappearing, Mr Wong said new jobs will also emerge.
The WP said that while AI and new technologies will help businesses, they will also “alter the employment landscape permanently, leaving many Singaporeans behind”.
It reiterated its proposal in its manifesto for more collaboration between the ministries of education and manpower, to ensure that Singapore’s school curriculum aligns with “evolving needs”.
Singapore should implement “skill-demand feedback loops” from industries for the design of the curriculum, funding for “structural skill-gap areas” and career guidance.
“This targeted approach ensures that our education system can provide students with the knowledge and skills needed to achieve high-value career pathways both domestically and globally,” the WP said.
It called for an increase in the number of allied educators, which can lead to “a meaningful reduction” in class sizes.
The party also urged a shift away from high-stakes examinations and towards continual assessment and a through-train approach.
“Ultimately, our goal is to create an education system that develops well-rounded individuals with the confidence and capabilities to succeed in an ever-evolving world,” it added.
The party also called for improvements to social safety nets, including the introduction of redundancy insurance and the mandating of retrenchment benefits for people who are laid off from companies with at least 25 employees.
In his speech, Mr Wong also announced a new government-funded traineeship programme.
It will provide training opportunities for graduates from the Institute of Technical Education, polytechnics and universities. The scheme will kick off with a “more focused roll-out” and will be scaled up if the economy worsens, he said.
The WP said the programme should be designed with safeguards to ensure that state-sponsored internships and apprenticeships are not used by firms as a “source of cheaper, subsidised labour”.
“There should be clear performance metrics and a transparent commitment from participating companies to consider trainees for full-time employment once the training period ends,” it added.
All trainees should also receive basic workplace protections, said the WP, including paid sick leave and safe working conditions.
