Introduction

In a bold leap towards fostering a society where every citizen has a fair and equitable opportunity, Singapore has made significant strides across essential sectors, including education, housing, and health, according to official reports.

Public Sector Outcomes Review 2024

The Ministry of Finance recently unveiled the Singapore Public Sector Outcomes Review 2024 on November 1, showcasing impressive outcomes from early childhood education to retirement. This biennial assessment illustrates how well Singapore is responding to its citizens' needs and aspirations.

Education Initiatives

In early childhood education, the availability of full-day preschool slots has skyrocketed, now exceeding 200,000 seats to accommodate the growing demand from families. This initiative aims to provide children with a robust educational start, contributing positively to their future learning experiences.

Employment Growth

When it comes to employment, a remarkable 82.6% of residents aged 25 to 64 held jobs in 2023, a notable increase from 80.8% in 2019, prior to the pandemic. The growth of available positions has been robust, with 56.3% of newly created roles in 2023 designated for professional, managerial, executive, and technical (PMET) workers. Impressively, the percentage of employed residents in PMET jobs climbed from 58.4% in 2019 to 62.6% in 2023, indicating a positive shift towards higher-skilled employment opportunities.

Prime Minister's Remarks

This insightful review dives deep not only into job creation but also into broader themes such as sustainable living, a collective future, and Singapore’s global standing. Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, who also functions as Finance Minister, emphasized the importance of these statistics in ensuring that Singapore’s growth remains balanced and inclusive. He stated, “On the whole, we have made good progress. But there are still areas to improve. Together, we can explore new frontiers and advance Singapore further.”

Housing Improvements

Addressing the housing sector, the report notes a decrease in waiting times for public Housing Board flats, dropping from around five years in 2022 to three years and ten months in 2023. By September 2024, about 94% of the delayed flats due to the pandemic were completed, with remaining projects expected to wrap up by early 2025. Such advancements have positively influenced the average application rates for Build-To-Order flats, which saw a drop from 5.8 in 2022 to 2.9 in 2023.

Health Sector Insights

In the health sector, Singaporeans enjoy one of the longest life expectancies globally, currently pegged at 87.7 years for females and 83.6 years for males. While strides have been made in reducing high cholesterol and diabetes rates, concerning trends emerged, with rising obesity and high blood pressure rates observed over the same period. Alarmingly, waiting times for adults in public hospitals spiked from two hours in 2019 to a staggering 7.2 hours in 2023, reflecting the strains of an ageing population and increased healthcare complexities.

Healthcare Commitment

Yet amidst these challenges, the government is committed to enhancing healthcare infrastructure, with plans to expand public hospital capacity from 11,000 to 15,000 beds by 2030. The review highlighted that Singapore’s economy remains resilient, with real GDP growth averaging 2.6% annually from 2019 to 2023, despite external pressures.

Forward Singapore Initiative

Additionally, the government has actively engaged citizens in shaping a brighter future through the Forward Singapore initiative, which unites over 200,000 Singaporeans in discussions for the nation’s development trajectory. The Mentoring SG program is another highlight, successfully connecting 2,500 skilled mentors to more than 6,000 young individuals, fostering community collaboration and personal development.

Conclusion

In summary, the outcomes report paints a promising picture of progress across vital sectors. As shared by Leo Yip, the Head of Civil Service, “This review underscores the strides Singapore has made, revealing a commitment to create an environment where citizens thrive, live safely, and enjoy a resilient economy.” As Singapore continues on its path of development, citizens are encouraged to remain engaged with their community and the government to cultivate a flourishing future together.