Education, jobs among areas S'pore has made progress: Public sector review

Report card highlights more opportunities created for citizens across age groups

- Tham Yuen-C

Amid efforts to forge a refreshed social compact where everyone gets a fair shot in life, more opportunities have been created for Singaporeans of any age, according to official figures.

The Singapore Public Sector Outcomes Review 2024, released by the Ministry of Finance on Nov 1, cited outcomes from early education to employment and retirement to illustrate progress in key areas.

In early education, for instance, the number of full-day pre-school places has increased to more than 200,000 to meet demand.

When it came to jobs, the employment rate of residents aged 25 to 64 was 82.6 per cent in 2023 compared with the pre-pandemic level of 80.8 per cent in 2019.

There was also a steady supply of jobs in growth sectors, with 56.3 per cent of newly created positions in 2023 for professional, managerial, executive and technical (PMET) workers.

The share of employed residents in these PMET jobs also rose from 58.4 per cent in 2019 to 62.6 per cent in 2023.

This snapshot of the opportunities created for people is part of a biennial review, which takes stock of how Singapore has fared in key areas of national interest.

Besides opportunities for all, it covered three other broad themes: quality and sustainable living, the shared future and Singapore's place in the world, and a strong and resilient economy.