Singapore to set up new agency for continuous education

Singapore will create a new agency to drive its lifelong learning initiative called SkillsFuture, it was announced today.

The agency, tentatively named SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG), will help citizens learn new skills throughout their lives. It will work with universities, polytechnics, technical schools, and private training providers to create “high-quality, industry-relevant training”, said the Ministry of Education, which will house the new agency.

It will also work with businesses to ensure that their skills requirements are met. SSG will create a more consistent way to recognise qualifications from across vocational, academic, and adult training institutes.

The agency will absorb the Council for Private Education, which regulates the private education industry, and take over some functions of the existing Workforce Development Agency (WDA). WDA’s remaining functions will be given to a new agency to be called Workforce Singapore, which will help citizens find jobs. The two agencies will be created by the end of the year, subject to the necessary changes in laws.