Do more to improve social mobility

In a fast-changing globalised and technology-driven world, income gaps may widen among the various sectors of society.

People may fall through the gaps, and the poor, needy and disadvantaged among us will have a harder time surviving, let along catching up.

The Government can do more and do better in managing social spending and improving social mobility.

For example, we can mobilise professionals to help ordinary persons in the streets to improve their financial literacy skills

However, it can be hard to control a top-down approach to ensure optimal benefits reach every deserving person. There may also be operational wastage, and it may never make everyone happy.

The authorities have to galvanise the energies of Singaporeans on bottom-up and peer-to-peer bases.

One example is to catalyse more non-governmental organisations to help our workers and graduating class of students to improve their employment and employability prospects, and develop successful careers. Proactively involve key stakeholders in the nation-building process, and foster a stronger community spirit to help the last, the least, the lonely and the lost.

Together, we should mobilise all available resources to address a potential lack of self-efficacy among the disadvantaged, and break the poverty cycle.