Singapore’s Lawrence Wong unveils major pro-family measures amid record low fertility
Singapore will increase its spending on pro-family measures focusing on easing childcare costs, with Prime Minister Lawrence Wong calling them “one of the best investments” on Sunday, as the city state aims to reverse its declining fertility rate. The policy shifts announced by Wong at the annual National Day Rally, Singapore’s biggest political speech of the year, are some of the most…
Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong introduced a series of significant pro-family measures during the annual National Day Rally on Sunday, aiming to combat the country's declining fertility rate. Wong emphasized that these measures, seen as one of the best investments, were crucial for boosting support for families to have children.
Some of the key pro-family initiatives include increasing childcare leave based on the number of children a family has, with the government covering the full cost. The leave will now range from eight to 12 days, depending on the number of children, up from the current six to two days. Wong also pledged to reduce full-day childcare fees at government-supported schools to S$150 (US$118) a month and infant care fees to S$300.
Additionally, the government will expand affordable housing opportunities under the build-to-order (BTO) scheme, raising the income ceiling for eligibility from S$14,000 to S$16,000. Wong also announced plans to explore offshore power generation infrastructure and improve social media age verification to protect children from harm.
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