新加坡内政部长尚穆根，在国会书面答复拉丁马士单选区议员杨益财，有关修习第4级驾驶课程的平均等候时间问题。
以下内容为新加坡眼根据国会英文资料翻译整理：
杨益财（拉丁马士单选区议员）先生询问内政部长：
(a)过去一年，申请人开始修习第4级驾驶课程的平均等候时间是多长？
(b)这些课程是否严重供不应求？
(c)如果是，内政部计划如何解决因驾驶课程时段短缺而导致的申请人积压问题？
尚穆根（新加坡内政部长）先生：在2023年10月至2024年9月之间，申请人开始其第4级驾驶课程的平均等待时间约为五个月。最近等待时间增加的原因是外申请4级驾驶执照的外籍工人增加，以及驾驶学校教练短缺。
交警部门（TP）将允许驾驶学校雇用外籍教练，以补充当地教练员队伍，缓解驾驶教练员短缺问题。这将提高培训能力。此外，交警部门将优先考虑因职业目的而需要第4级驾照的申请人。
新加坡安全驾驶中心目前是唯一一家提供第4级驾驶培训和考试设施的驾驶学校。交警部门准备向更多符合《2011年道路交通（驾驶教练和驾驶学校）（豁免）令》附表规定的第4级培训要求的中心颁发牌照。
以下是英文质询内容：
AVERAGE WAITING TIME FOR LESSON SLOTS FOR CLASS 4 DRIVING LICENCE
7 Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye asked the Minister for Home Affairs (a) what is the average waiting time for an applicant to start lessons for a Class 4 driving licence in the past one year; (b) whether demand for these lessons has exceeded supply significantly; and (c) if so, how does the Ministry plan to resolve the backlog of applicants due to the shortage in driving lesson slots.
Mr K Shanmugam: Between October 2023 and September 2024, the average waiting time for an applicant to start their Class 4 driving lessons was about five months. The recent increase in waiting time is attributed to an increase in foreign workers applying for Class 4 driving licences and a shortage of instructors in the driving schools.
Traffic Police (TP) will allow driving schools to employ foreign instructors, to supplement the local pool and alleviate the shortage of driving instructors. This will increase training capacity. In addition, TP will prioritise applicants who require Class 4 driving licences for occupational purposes.
Singapore Safety Driving Centre is currently the only driving school that provides facilities for Class 4 training and testing. TP is prepared to license more centres that can meet the requirements for Class 4 training, which are set out in the Schedule of the Road Traffic (Driving Instructors and Driving Schools) (Exemption) Order 2011.
KS丨翻译
HQ丨编审
新加坡国会丨来源
