The Skills Future scheme is a good initiative from the govt to help mid career Singaporeans to acquire new skills, additional skills or qualifications for job change or to improve their career development opportunities. For many, it is a perk to learn something new, to upgrade their interests or hobbies, or to learn something they like to do but would not have done without the financing from Skills Future.
For another big group of seniors, for various reasons they would not be able to make use of the funding from Skills Future. Some may be too old that after acquiring additional skills or qualifications they may still be unemployable. Some are simply too tired, having worked for 40, 50 or 60 years and just want to live in peace. Some are medically unfit and unable to attend courses or the courses or skills would be of no help.
The budgeted funds for the Skills Future have been provided and it is good that those who needed it could avail of this opportunities. But many as mentioned above, would not be able to benefit from this funding. The sum provided would be there, waiting, available, but would not be used.
The govt may want to think of ways to make the funds available, especially to the seniors and the medically unfit that are facing the wrath of high inflation caused by an inflation driven economy. The rapid and high cost of living is not a laughing matter to the no income seniors and the medically unfit and unable to work.
The generosity of the govt to create this funding would be meaningless if it is not put to good use to those that cannot take advantage of its existence. Maybe convert the unused funds to some kind of Skills Future voucher like the CDC vouchers as additional cost of living relief for the seniors, medically unfit and unemployable. The exceptionally high cost of medical and dental treatment that built in all the subsidies and still demanding the seniors to pay a huge sum for a small job is ridiculous and hideous, a kind of daylight robbery. If not addressed, this problem is a big loophole to rob the seniors of whatever is left in their savings or whatever subsidies the govt has provided for them. The inflated price must be brought down to a meaningful level and the net or actual price to be really affordable to the seniors as intended by the govt.
What do you think? Would Lawrence by addressing these issues in his National Day Speech?
13 comments:
I am still waiting for someone from the G to take responsibility for the lost of $40Million of skill future fund as reported below:
https://www.asiaone.com/singapore/40m-skillsfuture-scam-chief-money-mule-jailed-14-years-21m-still-lost
Total of 21million was unaccounted. Although the scammer was jailed, but base on various report the amount they got was less than 10million. So could it be the case of robber rob bank of 1million but bank said they loss 10million??
Our So called Leaders in their Respective Ministeries gasak buta just implement any schemes that they thought are beneficial to all but they never ever think carefully and brains storming how Scoundrols and Cheats can also schemed all sorts of loopholes to suck and siphoned these funds.
When such cheats and crimes are committed that their famous words We Shall do better next time.
Learnt from these mistakes.
As they said Government Officials are Usually straight jackets and one way streets "see nouns" aka dead brains.
Must put them firstly in the Black and Grey Corrupted and Scheming Make Monies Commercial Entities of all sorts of Schemings, cheatings and bribings to wise them up.
Skills Future for the seniors should be renamed Hobbies Future for seniors . . .
Learn from mistakes? Mistakes have been disclosed but never seems to have been learnt and year after year more mistakes have been disclosed. Are we sick and tired of hearing the same lame excuse?
There is a serious need to monitor and review the subsidised fees for dental treatment. Some procedures should be voluntary, not compulsory eg counting the number of teeth every 6 months. It was only for the first visit to a new dental surgeon. And this counting is very expensive, like $60. Also cleaning and polishing.
There is also a need to review the charges. eg filling should not be more than $50 per tooth esp minor or simple filling. And after subsidies, the net amount should not be more than $10 to be paid in cash.
What is the point of having big subsidies that goes to the dental surgeon and patient still has to pay a big sum, after subsidies?
Dentists are laughing all the way to the bank. All the unnecessary stuff added that the dentist can use to claim from the Government. Things really goes out of control after the subsidies were put in place.
Aiya patients the dental surgeons or dentists can have the dental assistants bring in the gong and hammer and beat the daylights out of the patient by chaos all his or her teeth out until bogeys to make the claims lah!
Old folks mostly their teeth all hair wired one lah!
Last time no subsidies who dares to go so many times as firstly scared of pains and secondly wow no need to making the next few days not because pains but pockets kosong.
Sorry "makan" not making.
Why Goggle don't know what's "makan" ah?
Last time, people dared not go to dentists because cannot afford to pay. Government introduced subsidies, so no need to pay after subsidies. Many people go to dentists, got treated and very happy.
Now, after subsidies still got to pay the amount like before, like no subsidies. Now, dare not go to see dentists. Cannot afford to pay even after subsidies.
All back to square one. Got subsidies, no subsidies, still pay the same amount, lucky if don't have to pay even more.
LPPL.
So easy to make money from the government and the seniors. Last time only the patient, the seniors, pay. Now the government also pay, can collect from patient and the government.
For example, last time a treatment cost $50, the patient paid.
Then government subsidised $50, patient no need to pay, government paid.
Then raised charges to $150, government subsidises and pays $75, patient pays $75. So easy to make money.
From collecting $50 now collects $150. And no one sees anything wrong with it.
Year after year the AG Auditors same same the reports of so many laspses and mistakes.
Aiyo now slapped on the wrists try to do better hoh!
LK's time heads shall rolled!
My time all our Departmental's Heads famous exhortations to us "Poo Yau High Ngoh ah"
Our heads rolled NOT yours.
LKY's quote First Time Get It Right!
It seems compassion and morality have been thrown out the window and are no longer important in some professions. Any opportunity to skin is greatly appreciated and taken advantage of. Please don't argue about them having also to have a good life, like in politics. Especially when it is sanctioned by the powers that be. Sanctioned meaning official approval.
As a retired senior, thought of signing up for a diploma course. But as a retiree, no $3,000 allowance. Thought regardless of age, will get the allowance? Last 12 months no income, therefore not entitled to allowance. Allowance computed from income of last 12 months, up to max 50% of average income.
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