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A 'ONE-STOP' marriage resource centre will be set up to provide education, counselling and research programmes to help couples strengthen their marriages, as more of them are breaking down and ending in divorces.
To be called Marriage Central, it will be fully funded by the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports in the first three years to allow the centre to focus on building its capability, said MCYS Minister Vivian Balakrishnan on Friday morning.
Speaking at the opening of a marriage convention, he said the centre, to be set up in the next few months, was proposed by the National Family Council (NFC) last year.
'For a start, Marriage Central will focus on streamlining the various marriage education programmes provided by community partners. They will make these programmes easily accessible to married couples and those preparing to tie the knot, through a resource point at the Registry of Marriages,' said Dr Balakrishan.
'Couples can drop by for advice, pick up information to enhance their married life, or seek help early when facing difficult issues. They can also look forward to a virtual Marriage Central on the Internet, available 24/7.'
He said the centre will be set up under NFC and overseen by an Advisory Board headed by Ms Anita Fam, chairperson of the NFC Workgroup on Strengthening the Institution of Marriage. The Board will comprise individuals of standing in the community, who share the vision of encouraging more and stronger marriages.
To help couples in their effort to strengthen marriages, MCYS works closely with marriage educators and counsellors to provide training and education to couples. These include marriage preparation workshops for soon-to-weds, and enrichment programmes for married couples.
These programmes are available island-wide, covering wide-ranging topics such as roles and responsibilities in a marriage, finance management, intimacy, conflict resolution and communication.
In his address, Dr Balakrishnan said while marriages in Singapore are still strong, there is a rising trend in divorces.
The divorce rate rose from 3.8 per 1,000 married resident females in 1980 to 8.0 in 2006.
Marriages are also breaking down earlier. Two decades ago, only 2.6 per cent of civil marriages registered in 1987 lasted less than five years. Now 3.8 per cent of those who married in 2002 marriage were divorced before the fifth year.
'We must enhance our efforts to nurture healthy and happy marriages,' said Dr Balakrishnan.
'A strong marriage is the foundation for the rest of our lives - namely family, work, social and mental well-being. A broken marriage can have adverse impact on the individual in many aspects. The problem is compounded when children are involved.'
Dr Balakrishnan, a father of four, who said he has had '21 years of a very happy marriage' so far, spoke of three key ingredients to nurture a strong marriage: shared values, conscientious commitment and family support.
'A long and happy marriage is an impressive achievement,' he added.
He also noted that 73 per cent of marriages in Singapore are now solemnised in the community - from 1,900 couples in 1994 to 14,000 last year. This is a 7.5 fold increase over 13 years.
But marriage solemnisers should go beyond their ceremonial role, said the minister.
Since 2002, fifteen training sessions have been conducted to equip solemnisers with skills to offer advice, guidance and support to the soon-to-wed couples.
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