Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song (Aljunied): Sir, I declare that I am an owner and director of a company that provides software for the administration of SkillsFuture-funded courses.
Persons with disabilities (PwDs) need access to training and lifelong learning just as much as their able-bodied counterparts. However, they sometimes face access barriers to attending courses.
According to the Disabled People’s Association, PwDs have encountered SkillsFuture-funded courses that use charts and diagrams with no text descriptions, creating difficulties for visually-impaired persons.
Accessibility should be embedded in all SkillsFuture-funded courses. There should be a set of guidelines to ensure that reasonable accommodations are provided. MOE could also establish a disability support office to provide support to PwDs and training providers to implement reasonable accommodations for SkillsFuture courses.
I appreciate that SG Enable is curating courses suitable for the disability community and the Enabling Academy will assist in creating accessible courses. However, to be fully inclusive, PwDs need access to all courses which are open to the general public, not just a curated subset.
Can I ask the Minister what proportion of SkillsFuture courses are currently accessible to PwDs? How is SSG ensuring that most SkillsFuture courses are accessible and will there be a standardisation of accessibility in all SkillsFuture courses?
Ministry of Education
28 February 2023
https://sprs.parl.gov.sg/search/#/sprs3topic?reportid=budget-2073
Office of the Leader of the Opposition 