SINGAPORE - The splitting of the statutory board running the SkillsFuture initiative into two new boards is a timely move, said Acting Minister for Education Ong Ye Kung said on Wednesday (Jan 13).
"Education and life-long learning will be integrated as one. This will make us look at education differently - that it is no longer just confined to schools and institutes of higher learning, but is a life-long pursuit for mastery and excellence."
The Singapore Workforce Development Agency (WDA), which runs SkillsFuture, will be restructured into two new boards, SkillsFuture SG and Workforce SG. The former will be handled by the Ministry of Education and the latter by the Ministry of Manpower.
Mr Ong was speaking at the Ngee Ann Polytechnic (NP) in his first public appearance since he was revealed as the new head of SkillsFuture on Monday.
He also announced new SkillsFuture initiatives for the power engineering sector, such as enhanced internships and Earn-and-Learn programmes.
Seventeen companies, such as Singapore Power, Sembcorp Design and SBS Transit, and four educational institutions, including NP, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Wednesday.
Under the MOU, more than 800 polytechnic and Institute of Technical Education students will embark on six-month Enhanced Internships from March in the sector.
Two Earn-and-Learn post-graduate diplomas for polytechnic graduates will also be launched by NP and Singapore Polytechnic (SP) later this year.
