新加坡內政部長尚穆根，在國會書面答覆拉丁馬士單選區議員楊益財，有關修習第4級駕駛課程的平均等候時間問題。
以下內容為新加坡眼根據國會英文資料翻譯整理：
楊益財（拉丁馬士單選區議員）先生詢問內政部長：
(a)過去一年，申請人開始修習第4級駕駛課程的平均等候時間是多長？
(b)這些課程是否嚴重供不應求？
(c)如果是，內政部計劃如何解決因駕駛課程時段短缺而導致的申請人積壓問題？
尚穆根（新加坡內政部長）先生：在2023年10月至2024年9月之間，申請人開始其第4級駕駛課程的平均等待時間約為五個月。最近等待時間增加的原因是外申請4級駕駛執照的外籍工人增加，以及駕駛學校教練短缺。
交警部門（TP）將允許駕駛學校雇用外籍教練，以補充當地教練員隊伍，緩解駕駛教練員短缺問題。這將提高培訓能力。此外，交警部門將優先考慮因職業目的而需要第4級駕照的申請人。
新加坡安全駕駛中心目前是唯一一家提供第4級駕駛培訓和考試設施的駕駛學校。交警部門準備向更多符合《2011年道路交通（駕駛教練和駕駛學校）（豁免）令》附表規定的第4級培訓要求的中心頒發牌照。
以下是英文質詢內容：
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丨翻譯
HQ丨編審
新加坡國會丨來源
