LOCAL DIPLOMA AND DEGREE COURSES TAKEN UP BY PRISON INMATES SINCE 2018

The Singapore Prison Service and its partners put in a lot of effort to ensure that prison inmates do not reoffend once they are released. One recent initiative in connection with this effort is the ability of prison inmates to take up Diploma course by Ngee Ann Polytechnic (since 2018) and Degree course by SUSS (since 2020) whilst serving sentence. I sought an update of this initiative. Pursuant to my question, the Minister for Home Affairs revealed that that 120 inmates have taken Diploma courses and 15 have taken up the Degree courses. In total, 400 inmates undergo educational programmes a year. This is a decent number. The Minister also revealed that, in partnership with ITE College Central, more NITEC courses are being offered too. All these will enable our prison inmates to pursue meaningful careers upon release and leave their criminal past behind. My PQ and the Minister’s answer may be accessed below.

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Mr Murali Pillai asked the Minister for Home Affairs (a) how many prison inmates have taken up the Diploma in Business Practice (International Supply Chain Management) course offered by Ngee Ann Polytechnic since 2018; (b) how many prison inmates have taken up the Bachelor of Science in Logistics & Supply Chain Management programme offered by the Singapore University of Social Sciences since 2020; and © whether there are plans to increase the number of such courses offered.

Mr K Shanmugam: Since 2018, 120 inmates have taken up the Diploma in Business Practice (International Supply Chain Management) course offered by Ngee Ann Polytechnic. Since 2020, 15 inmates have taken up the Bachelor of Science in Logistics & Supply Chain Management programme offered by the Singapore University of Social Sciences.

About 400 inmates per year undergo education programmes including those leading to the General Certificate of Education (GCE) ‘O’ levels, GCE ‘A’ levels, GCE Normal Academic, GCE Normal Technical, National Institute of Technical Education Certificates (NITEC), Diplomas, and Degrees.

The Singapore Prison Service (SPS) is continually expanding the number of education courses offered, to benefit more inmates. New education courses introduced in 2021 and 2022 include the NITEC in Business Services, in partnership with ITE College Central. SPS takes into consideration the interests and aspirations of our inmates, the skillsets in demand in the various sectors, and the feasibility of conducting such courses in prisons.