新加坡人力部：提供奖学金、助学金和企业资助，让年轻人从中受益
2024年3月6日，新加坡国防部兼人力部高级政务部长扎吉哈，回答议员有关如何协助年轻人学习以及就业的议题。
以下内容为新加坡眼根据国会英文资料翻译整理：
扎吉哈先生：主席，我想回答安迪先生刚才提出的第二个问题。多年来，我们很幸运地得到了企业的支持，因为社会发展理事会（Mendaki）一直专注于教育工作。尤其是奖学金和助学金，因为这是我们工作中最重要的一部分。我们曾与新加坡航空公司、新加坡政府投资公司、美光科技 、MiRXES等企业合作。
但这不仅仅是关于奖学金和助学金。如果你看看我在发言中提到的贡献，例如美光科技为许多年轻学生提供了实习机会，这些学生以前可能从未接触过半导体，也不会考虑在这一领域从事职业。这是很好的例子。
穆罕默德沙拉塔哈先生也分享过一些年轻人去了劳斯莱斯等地参观，让他们了解增长中的行业，一些人还去了最近的航空展，了解了一些国防科技。
所以，我们正在利用各种平台和机会与许多来自低收入家庭的年轻人进行交流。这些年轻人可能从未有过这样的机会，现在却得到了实习机会和指导。
正如我分享的，默克药厂等公司通过他们的数据科学家、人工智能专家、网络安全专家为年轻人提供了机会，并让他们与专业人士接触，这些专业人士可能通过常规渠道从未见过。
我认为这是建立社会资本的一种方式。是的，我们已经与一些企业合作，但我不会低估这种影响和效果。我们希望能有更多的企业加入，特别是通过专业网络。正如我所提到的，我们去年开始了这个项目。现在我们已经有大约450名专业人士参与，其中许多被部署为导师。拉哈尤玛赞女士也分享过她的网络中有大约1,000人，我们希望这能帮助在马来/穆斯林社区中建立社会资本。
我们鼓励更多的人以小的方式回馈社会。这不一定是大企业。我们也有商人。有些印度-穆斯林社区的成员也出来设立基金，因为一些印度-穆斯林人不符合TTFS的资格。但也有一些自发的努力，因为他们想为社区做些事情，包括那些符合某些计划资格的人。
所以，我们提供了各种各样的机会，但我认为这不仅仅是关于奖学金和助学金，还包括提供机会、社会资本和指导。我认为这会带来变化。
主席：沙礼尔先生。
沙礼尔先生：我想感谢部长、高级部长助理和高级国会议员拉哈尤玛赞女士对问题的澄清。接下来我想用马来语问一些澄清问题。
（用马来语）感谢人力部兼国防部高级政务部长扎吉哈先生分享MTS（马来语教育补习课程）已扩大范围，包括附加数学和生物科目。
我想建议高级部长助理鼓励中学三年级和四年级的学生参加学习之旅等活动，这样他们可以了解在增长行业中所需的工作和技能。
我的第二个问题是：我们能否提供专门的课程，鼓励学习人工智能和网络安全等领域的技能，这样我们的学生和工人才能在增长行业中获得最佳的工作机会？
扎吉哈先生：（用马来语）感谢沙礼尔先生提出好的问题。如果我们看我们的MTS课程，我们会发现课程相当紧凑，我们的孩子每周在MTS中心学习三到四小时。在这些课程中，他们今天需要学习两门课程。有些人还会在面授课后参加虚拟课程。所以，我们也需要优先考虑他们的学校和补习课程。
然而，我也承认我们想让他们参加的项目之一是，我刚才对安迪先生提到的，我们也希望他们有机会进行实习、参加学习之旅，有时在“知识月”期间，例如，通过FA3（教育、就业与参与发展中心）让他们有机会参加户外的学习之旅。
我们希望年轻人也能获得指导的机会。在这里，他们可以在#amPowered项目以及拉哈尤玛赞女士在FA3的指导计划下，与专业人士分享经验。
我们旨在为更多的MTS年轻人提供这些机会，并将这一网络扩展到其他M3（新加坡伊斯兰宗教委员会（MUIS）、回教社会发展理事会（MENDAKI）和人民协会活动执行委员会（MESRA））的年轻人。我们希望利用我们在M3的所有资源，以便更多年轻人能够从这些项目中受益。
我希望沙礼尔先生会继续给予支持，这对其他议员来说也一样，这样我们才能为学生提供更好的机会。
以下是英文质询内容：
Mr Zaqy Mohamad: Chairman, I will take the second question Member Saktiandi asked earlier. We are quite fortunate that we had corporates who have come forward to support us over the years, given MENDAKI’s focus, especially on education. Particularly starting with scholarships and bursaries because that is, I think; while I would say lowest hanging fruit, but I think it is quite core to much of the work that we do. So, we have had SIA over the years; we have had GIC; Micron; MiRXES and others, who have come forward and given us.
But it is really about also the community coming forward because it is not just about scholarships and bursaries, but if you look at the contribution that I have shared in my speech, such as Micron providing opportunities, or internship opportunities, for many of our young students who have perhaps never seen the insides of a semiconductor and would never have considered careers in that space. These are good examples.
Sharael has shared how some of the youths were taken to Rolls Royce and others, so that they can look into growth industries and some also visited the Airshow recently to have a look at some of the defence technologies that are available.
So, we are using various platforms and opportunities to open minds, open conversations with many of our youths who may come from low-income families especially, who may not have had the exposures, but now given the chance to be exposed, to have internship opportunities, to be mentored.
As I shared, MSD Pharma, for example, with their data scientists, AI specialists, cyber security specialists to give them opportunities and mix around with professionals who they may never have met through regular channels.
I think this is one way in which we want to build social capital. So yes, we have started with certain corporates but I would not underestimate the impact and effect. We hope that more will come forward, especially through the professional network. We started this last year, as I shared. We have about 450 professionals already onboard, many deployed to mentor. Rahayu has shared about 1,000 on her network too, with our youths. We hope that this brings about building up social capital within the Malay/Muslim community.
We want to encourage more to contribute back in small ways. It does not have to be big corporates. We have businessmen too. We have members from the Indian-Muslim community as well, who came forward to set up funds because some Indian-Muslims did not qualify for TTFS, for example. But there are efforts on the ground that came ground-up because they want to do something for the community, including those who have qualified for certain schemes.
So, we are providing a wide range of opportunities but I think it is more than just scholarships and bursaries; but providing opportunities, providing social capital, providing mentorship. I think that will make a difference.
The Chairman: Mr Sharael Taha.
Mr Sharael Taha: I would like to thank the Minister and Senior Minister of State and Senior Parliamentary Secretary Rahayu for the clarifications. Just some clarifications in Malay, Mr Chairman.
(In Malay): My thanks to Senior Minister of State Zaqy for sharing that the MTS has been expanded further to include subjects, like Additional Maths, as well as Biology.
May I suggest to the Senior Minister of State that we encourage Secondary Three and Four students to participate in programmes, like Learning Journeys, so that they can be acquainted with the kind of jobs and skills that are required in the growth industries?
