Senior Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam spoke today (June 17) on the importance of a stronger and more cohesive society, in the face of challenges that society is facing now in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Societies around the world becoming more fragmented

In the fifth of six ministerial speeches on life after Covid-19, Tharman spoke of the severe impact of the pandemic on the economy, which he noted has "the makings of a profound social crisis, in one country after another."

While Singapore cannot escape the global downturn, he warned that the country must buck the trend of polarisation and loss of social cohesion that is evident in several fragmented societies in Asia and the West right now.

Tharman then proceeded to speak on ways Singapore will fortify and reinforce our social cohesiveness in three points: providing jobs (in particular for the middle-aged and mature workers), ensuring social mobility, and reinforcing a culture of solidarity.

Providing jobs, reducing unemployment

The minister noted that the government’s first priority is to save jobs, and help unemployed Singaporeans get back to work.

The National Jobs Council will secure the 100,000 jobs and training places targeted by the SGUnited Jobs and Skills package, said Tharman.

However, he noted that unemployment will rise significantly over the next year and beyond if Covid-19 remains a threat.

As such, the government will work with companies "sector by sector" to provide Singaporeans with temporary assignments, attachments, and traineeships. These will allow them to get work opportunities and get paid while waiting for permanent job opportunities.

Tharman also noted that the public sector will bring forward hiring for future jobs in healthcare, early childhood development, education and social services.

He stressed that while Singapore had faced conditions of high unemployment before, we are in a "much stronger position to address the challenge today".

This is because our economy is better diversified, our people are more skilled, and we have stronger trust and confidence from investors.

Helping older workers

The government is also making a “concerted effort” to help middle-aged and mature Singaporean workers,  with 60 per cent of the labour force 40 years or older.

This includes giving employers extra support when they hire middle-aged and older Singaporeans, such as scaling up the Mid-Career Pathways programme in the following months.

The programme allows such workers to get opportunities to work at companies and public sector agencies.

Tharman emphasised that this is a national effort which requires employers to give mature Singaporean workers a "fair chance".

“No Singaporean who is willing to learn should be ‘too old’ to hire. And no one who is willing to adapt should be viewed as ‘overqualified’.”

The government will also be investing heavily in reselling and upskilling the majority of Singaporeans who still have jobs, to better prepare the workforce which is being transformed by the digital revolution and technological advances.

“Everyone should have the courage to re-gear to stay on track, and make the effort to acquire new skills at regular points in your careers, possibly even learning whole new disciplines. Please take on the challenge.”

Ensuring social mobility

While good jobs help with social mobility, good schools are equally critical.

While Tharman noted that students from lower-income families in Singapore have a better chance of moving up the income ladder as compared to other countries, it gets more difficult to sustain social mobility across different sections in society with time, as parents who are well-to-do or with better education are more likely to invest more in their children.

“We must never become a society where social pedigree and connections count for more than ability and effort," he emphasised.

As such, the government has been investing in equalising opportunities, such as expanding the KidSTART programme to help lower-income families and their children, setting up the National Institute of Early Childhood Development and upgrading the preschool profession.

Tharman noted that the Ministry of Education (MOE) has been allocating extra resources to schools for students from disadvantaged backgrounds, and Education Minister Ong Ye Kung is accelerating plans to equip all secondary school students with a personal laptop or tablet for learning by 2021 — seven years ahead of schedule.

Reinforcing a culture of solidarity

In his final point, Tharman said that Singapore must strengthen our culture of solidarity, and provide Singaporeans with “a greater assurance of assistance” when they face difficulties.

He noted that we have seen this solidarity in action during the pandemic, with Singaporeans from all walks of life coming forward to support frontline staff and those affected by the crisis.

These efforts have complemented the government's social support schemes which helped Singaporeans through the crises. These government schemes, said Tharman, are part of a "broader re-orientation in our social policies" which were started before Covid-19 and will outlast it.

It's about how we journey together

Tharman ended his speech saying that Singapore's social strategies are aimed at strengthening the social compact that holds Singapore together, but it requires everyone's effort, which goes "much deeper than government policies".

"It is about the networks and initiatives that we saw spring up in this COVID-19 crisis. About the interest we take in each other, at workplaces and in the community, because we all make up the fabric of Singapore. About respecting every individual regardless of their job, and respecting their effort to overcome setbacks and make the best they can of life. And it is about how we draw closer to each other, regardless of race, religion or social background. It is how we journey together. A forward-looking, spirited and more cohesive society."

You can watch the entire speech here: