Meritocracy Beyond Grades: DPM Lawrence Wong’s 5 Key Changes for Singapore’s Future

SINGAPORE – Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong outlined five key shifts that Singapore will undertake to shape its future, focusing on broadening the concept of meritocracy, enhancing social support, and creating a new definition of success. Speaking in Parliament on April 10 during the debate on the President’s Address, Wong emphasized that the next stage of nation-building requires new approaches to education, employment, and caring for seniors, while fostering a sense of collective responsibility.

Redefining Meritocracy
Wong stressed that Singapore’s current concept of meritocracy, which heavily emphasizes academic achievements and grades, needs to evolve. Many parents and students feel trapped in a “rat race” to achieve top grades. The government plans to address this by broadening the definition of success and encouraging lifelong learning, reskilling, and upskilling.

Strengthening Skills Development
With slower economic growth and technological disruptions, the government will reduce the cost of SkillsFuture courses and work with businesses to shift focus from credentials to skills. This ensures that Singaporeans, especially those from Institutes of Technical Education and polytechnics, have access to meaningful career opportunities and competitive wages.

Providing Targeted Re-employment Support
The government aims to design a targeted re-employment support system to help displaced workers re-enter the workforce while continuing their upskilling. This will replace the idea of automatic unemployment benefits, encouraging workers to stay engaged in the job market.

Caring for Seniors
As Singapore’s population ages, Wong outlined plans to expand community care apartments, active ageing centres, and improve access to home-based care services. Seniors will be supported in staying active, healthy, and socially connected while remaining in their own homes as long as possible.

Fostering Collective Responsibility
Wong called on all sectors of society—government, businesses, unions, and citizens—to play their part in shaping a fairer, more inclusive society. This involves nurturing a culture of philanthropy, volunteerism, and co-creating solutions to address shared challenges.

These initiatives come at a time when Singapore faces external challenges, including global economic uncertainty and geopolitical tensions. Wong expressed confidence that Singaporeans have the resilience to adapt and thrive in this evolving landscape, emphasizing the importance of unity and collective effort in building a better future.