Illustrative photo (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – Preliminary estimatesindicated that the total fertility rate in Singapore dropped below one for thefirst time to 0.97 in 2023, said Indranee Rajah, Singaporean Minister in thePrime Minister's Office (PMO).
Speaking before the country’s Parliament on February 28, shesaid that Singapore recorded 26,500 resident marriages and 30,500 residentbirths during the year.
Indranee noted that fewer Singaporeans married and gave birthto babies annually on average over the last five years compared to thepreceding five-year period.
She gave reasons for the falling fertility rate in Singapore,such as the COVID-19 pandemic delaying some couples' marriage and parenthood plans, thefinancial cost pressure of raising children, work-life balance worries, andgenerational change in priorities.
Today, young people may not even see marriage or parenthoodas important life goals, she added.
She said that the Singaporean Prime Minister's Office hasplans to solve the issue including measures to reduce financial pressure forcouples and create favourable conditions for child rearing.
According to her, the Ministry of Social and FamilyDevelopment (MSF) has been ramping up infant care capacity and plans to growchildminding services as an additional infant care option for families, Indranee said, adding that the ministry will provide more details later.
On concerns regarding child-raising costs, she said the MSF willlower childcare fee caps in the anchor and partner operator preschools in 2025.
Indranee pointed to measures announced in Budget 2023 toboost support for parents and families, such as increasing government-paidpaternity leave to four weeks.
Besides providing leave, the government is also exploringother sustainable ways such as flexible work arrangements to help parentsbetter manage work and family commitments, she said./.
