A new support package in Singapore provides around 70,000 Singapore dollars, equivalent to 55,048 U.S. dollars, for every child up to the age of 17. The initiative aims to encourage couples to start families and halt the decline in the birth rate.
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Prime Minister Lawrence Wong introduced a series of economic and social measures through which the government hopes to ease parents’ expenses and strengthen support for families.
The scheme begins immediately after birth, with a payment of 10,000 Singapore dollars. In addition, two further installments of 5,000 dollars each will be provided for medical and educational expenses.
Children will also receive annual credits of 2,000 Singapore dollars from the age of 1 to 16. At the same time, monthly fees for subsidized preschools will be reduced to 150 Singapore dollars, while parental leave will be extended. However, financial assistance has not been enough to convince all couples to become parents.
A YouGov survey published this month found that one in four Singaporeans does not plan to have children. The main reasons cited were the high cost of living, the responsibilities of parenthood and the changes a child would bring to their lifestyle.
Lee, 34, who works in the financial sector, lives in eastern Singapore with his wife and their two cats. The couple does not plan to have children because they are concerned about the difficulties of raising them and the impact this would have on their daily lives.
“We are happy with the life we have now, so a child would complicate it somewhat,” he says, referring to the restrictions that would also affect travel and going out to restaurants.
With a total fertility rate of just 0.87 children per woman, Singapore ranks among the countries with the lowest birth rates in the world. The figure is far below the level of 2.1, which is considered necessary to replace one generation with the next.
The consequences of this trend extend beyond social issues. The decline in births is reducing the number of young people and those of working age, while the share of the elderly population is increasing.
Singapore is expected to be classified as a “super-aged” society this year. According to the United Nations’ definition, this status means that more than 21% of the population is over the age of 65.
The new government measures have prompted mixed reactions. Couples who want to have children consider them an important source of help, particularly in covering childcare costs.
Iqbar Hisham, 27, describes living in Singapore as “extremely expensive.” However, she says the new support has given her and her fiancé hope of starting a family in the future.
“The support encourages me to have children as soon as possible after I get married,” she says, particularly welcoming the assistance provided for childcare.
But the decision to have children is not determined solely by financial circumstances. Social pressure, the highly competitive education system and long working hours are other factors influencing couples.
Educational competition has also driven the development of a large private tutoring industry, as parents try to prepare their children for success from an early age. Sociologist Teo You Yenn, author of the book “Unease: Life in Singapore Families,” has noted that parents in Singapore place great importance on their children’s extracurricular activities and additional studies from the preschool years onward.
Prime Minister Wong has acknowledged that many Singaporeans fear for their children’s future and worry that they may not be able to help them succeed.
For Lee, the main obstacle is time, not just money. He says the government assistance has not convinced him and his wife to become parents.
“We would have to sacrifice a large part of our time to raise a child properly. That is something we are not able to offer at the moment,” he says.
Meanwhile, Shu Rong Teo, 41, a mother of three, says that combining her career with family life has required the help of a domestic worker and living with her in-laws.
“Our experience shows that raising a child requires an entire community and that family support remains essential for working parents,” she says.
Teo welcomes the new package, particularly the extension of childcare leave. Previously, she had only two days of leave available for this purpose and had to use her annual leave for the remaining days. Under the new changes, she and her husband will each have 12 days of leave to care for their children.
