2. Changing Times &
Needs
Watch the video. With a partner, jot down
and describe what you see.
What can you infer from the video about
the living conditions in Singapore at that
time?
3. Buzz Break 1
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cymVNcpnXTY&feature=fvsr
4. Today’s Lesson
You will learn:
The negative effects of population growth.
The measures government took to reduce
these effects.
The effects of government measures and its
impact on Singapore society
Approach to SBQs – Inference Skill
5. Singapore’s population
boom (1950s to 1960s)
After the war there was a period of
stability and peace.
People had more children during this
period as they were:
More confident about the future. Life was
hard but at least health conditions and
nutrition was improving.
6. Measures to control
population growth –
1960s
The government launched three 5-year Plans to control
population growth between 1966 to 1981 (F).
First 5 year plan (1966-1971)
Plan emphasised need for smaller families, created
awareness of the negative effects of pop. growth.
Second 5 year plan (1971-1976)
Encouraged married couples to stop at two. This
measure was to reduce the size of the replacement rate.
7. Measures to control
population growth
measures
Measures from the 3rd Five-Year Plan
The third plan aimed to maintain the replacement
level of the population at 2.1
What is replacement level? –
Mothers having just enough children to replace the
population that is growing older or dying
8. Measures to control
population growth –
1960s
Measures from third plan (1976-1981)
No paid maternity leave to be given to the third and
subsequent children.
No priority given to large families in the allocation of
government flats
No income tax relief to be given for the fourth and
subsequent children
Delivery charges in hospitals to be increased with
each additional child.
9. What was the effect of
this?
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10. Effects of population
control measures
The three five year plans very effective in
controlling population:
Replacement level dropped and less
problems of population growth.
Resources and infrastructure were now
adequate to support smaller population…
…but a new problem arose.
11. Buzz Break 2
Discuss with your partner what do you think
was the new problem that emerged after
the success of the population control
measures?
12. Effects of population
control measures
1980s – Declining birth rate
Due to success of population control measures
Increased cost of living
Increased cost of medical care
High cost of raising children – FDWs, Tuition fees etc.
Later marriages and more Singaporeans remaining
unmarried – believe that children may lead to them
having less money for themselves.
Lack of child-care arrangements.
13. Effects of population
control policies
Declining birth rate - 80s had negative effects.
Need to promote population growth because:
Larger workforce - to sustain economic growth
Small labor market – difficult/expensive for MNCs to
set-up factories here. (Why?)
Country faced with ageing population- less young
people looking after older people
Fewer men to enlist in National Service (NS) – what
about Singapore’s sovereignty and security?
14. Effects of declining
population
Economic Effects
Unattractive to multi-national companies
With a small population Singapore would not be
able to produce enough talented people.
MNCs would find it more expensive to recruit
talented workers compared to other countries like
China and India.
Smaller market for goods and services produced
by MNCs. This would lead them to relocate to
other areas.
15. Effects of declining
population
Social Effects
Ageing population
Fewer babies ea. year = fewer young people in
the population.
The numbers of older people would be
proportionately larger.
Younger people would need to shoulder more of
the burden of looking after older citizens.
Also…more resources needed to look after
elderly (This is covered in the next lecture)
16. Effects of Declining
Population
Social Effects
Defence
Fewer babies born each year = less men to enlist for
National Service (military training)
This shortage could weaken Singapore’s defence in
the long run.
Make Singapore more vulnerable to attack from
external forces.
More resources needed to improve our military
advantage – reliance on high tech equipment
17. Measures to promote
population growth –
1980s
Graduate Mothers Scheme (1984)
Encouraged marriages among graduates and to have
more children. (F)
Create a more educated workforce. This would mean
less need for a large population. (El + Ex)
Scheme withdrawn in 85’ because of negative response
from all sections of population. (L)
Non-graduates - discriminatory and graduates felt this
government should not be involved in this area. (L)
18. Measures to promote
population growth – 80s &
90’s
“Have-more-children-if-you-can” policy
Parents encouraged to have 3 or more if they could
afford it.
Government encouraged this, by having measures to
relieve financial burden of having more children.
e.g. able to use MediSave to pay for delivery
charges for first three children.
Did not lead to large increases in population.
S’poreans believed having children was not affordable.
19. Measures to promote
population growth –
2000s
Pro-Family Measures – 2004
In 80s & 90s – population still not growing. Replacement
level still below 2.1. Negative effect on economy.
Government intro’ measures to encourage growth:
Five-day work week for the civil service
Grandparent care-giver relief (income tax)
Extended maternity leave (from 8 to 12 weeks)
Despite these measures, replacement rate still low and
dropping.
20. Measures to promote
population growth –
present
Policy to attract foreign talent:
Govt. still promoting population increase - worried that
economy will be effected by low birth rate.
Encouraged global talents to come to Singapore to work
& build economy - enhance S’pore’s competitiveness.
Relaxed immigration policy from 1989
Subsidized housing
Attractive education packages for children of new citizens
Policy needed but not welcomed by S’poreans – many
feel foreigners taking opportunities away from them.
21. Lesson Recap
List the measures that government put in
place to control population.
List one effect of large population
List one effect of declining population.
What are the parts of a SBQ question?
What are the steps to an SBQ question?