SINGAPORE - He called for a national conversation on the issue of inequality at a youth dialogue earlier this month. Now, he is poised to do more to address the problem when he takes full charge of the Ministry of Education (MOE) next month.
Mr Ong Ye Kung, 48, who oversees higher education and skills at MOE, will take over the schools portfolio from Mr Ng Chee Meng on May 1, when the ministry reverts to having only one minister.
Mr Ng was appointed deputy secretary-general of the National Trades Union Congress on Monday (April 23), and is expected to take over as labour chief from Mr Chan Chun Sing who is returning to Government.
As part of the Cabinet reshuffle announced on Tuesday, Mr Ong will relinquish his appointment as Second Minister for Defence.
He will also give up his position as minister-in-charge of public service innovation.
The job will be given to Mr Chan when he becomes the minister-in-charge of the public service along with being the Minister for Trade and Industry.
In a Facebook post on Tuesday (April 24), Mr Ong said Mr Ng has made "bold, significant moves" in education such as revamping the Primary School Leaving Examination scoring system and doing away with general academic ability tests in the Direct School Admissions Scheme.
"I will build upon the strong foundation laid by my predecessors, and continue to improve our education system. Education has been, and will continue to be, an uplifting and integrating force in society."
He added: "I look forward to working with our dedicated teachers and staff to achieve this."
Widely seen as one of three front runners to be the next Prime Minister, Mr Ong has been tasked with reshaping how people approach learning since he joined the Cabinet soon after being elected as Sembawang GRC MP in the 2015 general election.
The former chief executive of Singapore Workforce Development Agency, the predecessor of Workforce Singapore, Mr Ong has expanded aptitude-based admissions and lifelong opportunities in an increasingly diverse higher education landscape during his time as Education Minister (Higher Education and Skills).
He has also been a strong proponent of shifting the focus of the education system away from academic qualifications to skills and aptitude.
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This philosophy could now be applied further upstream, in pre-tertiary schools.
Some recently-announced policy moves that he will implement include the scrapping of general academic tests in the direct school admissions scheme, which will start in March next year, as well as an increase in the number of MOE Kindergartens, set to hit 50 by 2023.
In his role driving innovation in the public service, Mr Ong has called on civil servants to "think big, start small, act fast". Some observers are hoping to see this slogan applied to the education system in an age of disruption.
Although Singapore's students topped global charts in mathematics, science and reading in a 2015 study by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, it also suggested they score high on test anxiety.
Mr Ong, who is in Hong Kong on an official visit at the invitation of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, has been stepping up engagement with schools lately.
Last week, he attended a dialogue with students from Raffles Institution, at which he addressed such issues as the relevance of the arts and humanities, soft skills and bridging socio-economic inequality.
Singapore Management University provost Lily Kong cheered that the MOE will have continuity with Mr Ong at the helm.
"Even while there was clearly close coordination (between Mr Ng and Mr Ong)... to have Mr Ong now overseeing the entire ministry will ensure the whole educational journey can be addressed still more holistically and seamlessly."
Mr Bruce Poh, former chief executive of the Institute of Technical Education (ITE), said Mr Ong is decisive and those who work with him enjoy doing so.
"He always had a soft spot for ITE students and communicates well with them. When he visited the ITE colleges, for example, he took up a challenge from design students to sketch a Darth Vader cartoon to drive home the importance of skills.
"He knows his audience and there is no doubt that he can do this with pre-schoolers, primary and secondary school students as well."
National Institute of Education don Jason Tan added that he hopes to see Mr Ong make bold moves in revamping examination and admission processes to reduce the over-emphasis on academic achievement.
"When he was in higher education, he pushed universities to offer vocational training for working adults, which was not easy to pull off as it is disruptive to their operations. I don't think he will shy away from implementing potentially controversial moves in education, if it is necessary."
Mr Chan Chun Sing and Mr Ong Ye Kung see major changes in their portfolios, and Mr Heng Swee Keat has his wish answered by continuing at the Ministry of Finance in the latest Cabinet reshuffle.
SINGAPORE: Much has been discussed and written since the start of the year in an attempt to divine who the next Prime Minister of Singapore might be, and the focus has fallen squarely on Chan Chun Sing, Heng Swee Keat and Ong Ye Kung.
In the latest round of cabinet changes, Mr Chan has been recalled from his stint at the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) to head the Ministry of Trade and Industry. In doing so, he will also relinquish his appointment in the Prime Minister’s Office.
He will also take over responsibility for the Public Service Division from Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean, as well as continue being the deputy chairman of the People’s Association.
Mr Ong, meanwhile, will continue at the Ministry of Education, where he will now be the sole Minister taking on the whole ministerial portfolio. His counterpart, Mr Ng Chee Meng, has been tasked to lead the Labour Movement and will take up the role of Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office.
Finally, Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat has had his wish answered after he retained his current portfolio. He had earlier this month said he would be “very happy” to continue in his role as “there are many things that we need to do” as announced in this year’s Budget.
He also picked up additional responsibilities, as he will be taking over assisting the Prime Minister on National Research Foundation matters from DPM Teo.
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Here’s a closer look at the three men touted to be next in line to lead Singapore:
CHAN CHUN SING (48)
File photo of Mr Chan Chun Sing. (Photo: Gaya Chandramohan)
Life before politics: A military man, Mr Chan Chun Sing’s time at the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) saw him hold various appointments such as Chief Infantry Officer, Chief of Staff of Joint Staff and Chief of Army.
These didn’t stop him from serving in other capacities though, with stints on various statutory boards and government-linked companies including Singapore Totalisator Board, ST Kinetics, Civil Service College, Defence Science and Technology Agency, Defence Science Organisation and International Enterprise Singapore.
Life in office: Mr Chan later left the SAF, and like Mr Heng stood for election in 2011. As he was fielded in Tanjong Pagar GRC – the stronghold of founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew – his first General Election was a walkover after an opposition team failed to submit their application forms in time.
Upon being elected, he was appointed Acting Minster for Community Development, Youth and Sports as well as Minister of State for Information, Communications and the Arts for about a year – one of the youngest in the Cabinet then. He was also given a stint with the Ministry of Defence as its Senior Minister of State.
Of the appointment of office holders from the new MPs then, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said: “It is a faster pace than normal but I decided to bring them in early and test them out quickly because I think there is urgency in the task of preparing for leadership succession as I have explained many times before.”
Mr Chan’s full ministerial post came in September 2013, when he helmed the newly formed Ministry of Social and Family Development, although he had been its Acting Minister for some time before the promotion. He was also Second Minister for Defence.
His next move, however, saw him relinquish his post at MSF and MINDEF, to take up the position of Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office. He had earlier been appointed Secretary-General of NTUC.
Mr Chan is currently the deputy chairman of People’s Association as well as the Party Whip at PAP, having taken over from current Health Minister Gan Kim Yong.
Private life: Mr Chan, 48, is married with three children – a daughter and two sons. During a Mediacorp talk show in 2016, he shared that he met his wife during a training course and was in the same project group, and their first “date” was having a meal at the MINDEF canteen.
More nuggets of information on his relationship with his wife, how he proposed and where they got married can be found on this Toggle programme.
ONG YE KUNG (48)
Life before politics: Mr Ong Ye Kung was a long-time civil servant who started off at the then-Ministry of Communications in 1993, before moving over to the Ministry of Trade and Industry at the turn of the 21st century where he was the deputy chief negotiator for the Singapore-US Free Trade Agreement. The pact was signed in May 2003.
He was also the press secretary and principal private secretary to the current Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong during the period of 1997 to 2005.
Mr Ong was then appointed the Chief Executive of the Singapore Workforce Development and followed that by joining NTUC. He was later appointed the Labour Movement’s Deputy Secretary-General and oversaw its employment and employability programmes.
After his GE2011 loss, he stayed on at NTUC for a year before joining Keppel Corporation where he was director of group strategy. There, he was responsible for the long-term strategic planning of the organisation’s activities until decided to stand again in the next election.
Life in office: In the watershed elections of 2011, Mr Ong and his team-mates – including then-Foreign Affairs Minister George Yeo and Second Minister for Transport and Finance Lim Hwee Hua – lost to a Workers’ Party slate led by Mr Low Thia Khiang in Aljunied GRC. This was the first time PAP had lost a GRC to an opposition party.
The setback didn’t deter the 48-year-old from standing again four years later, when he was part of the five-man Sembawang GRC team that won against the team by National Solidarity Party. He was thrust straight into office by being appointed the Acting Minister for Education (Higher Education and Skills) in October 2015, which oversees the ITE, polytechnics, universities and SkillsFuture.
He was subsequently promoted to a full Education minister, as well as the Second Minister for Defence, a year later.
Mr Ong disembarking from a Light Strike Vehicle after a familiarisation ride. (Photo: Aqil Haziq Mahmud)
Explaining the changes, Mr Lee said then: "These changes are part of the renewal process, to reinforce my Cabinet and get a younger team in place, ready to take over."
Private life: Mr Ong is married to Ms Diana Kuik Sin Leng, daughter of property magnate and executive chairman of Sim Lian Group Kuik Ah Han. They have two daughters. In a recent Straits Times interview, he admitted the loss in GE2011 was difficult to take but one good thing to come out of it was he got to spend more time with his family while the children were still young.
His father is former Barisan Socialis Member of Parliament Ong Lian Teng.
HENG SWEE KEAT (57)
Life before politics: Mr Heng Swee Keat was a long-time civil servant before he stepped into the arena of politics, serving in various places including the Singapore Police Force, as the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Trade and Industry and as the CEO of the Trade Development Board.
He was the managing director for the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) from 2005 before deciding to stand in the 2011 GE.
He was also the Principal Private Secretary to the then-Senior Minister Lee Kuan Yew from 1997 to 2000.
Life in office: Mr Heng was named Education Minister by PM Lee in May 2011 – only the second time a new MP was named a full minister immediately after being elected.
It is in this ministry that he cut his teeth in policy-making, moving Singapore’s education system towards a student-centric, values-driven phase, most notably doing away with school rankings altogether.
It was also during his tenure as Education Minister that he coined the phrase “Every school a good school” – one he used to reduce the emphasis on elite schools and create a vision where every school is good in its own way.
In October 2015, he was moved from the education portfolio to take the reins at the Finance Ministry, replacing current Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam.
Minister for Finance Heng Swee Keat arrives in Parliament to deliver Budget 2018. (Photo: Gaya Chandramohan)
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong had this to say then: “He has proved himself in education, which is a very demanding portfolio. As a former civil servant, he is familiar with many different ministries: MHA, MAS and MTI.
“Now, he will oversee our national finance, allocate resources to implement our agenda, work closely with economic ministries to continue creating opportunities and jobs, and make sure we spend within our means.”
During this time, Mr Heng was also chairman of the SG50 steering committee, which oversaw the year-long celebration of the country’s 50th year of independence, and currently chairs the Future Economy Council that drives the growth and transformation of Singapore’s economy for the future.
Private life: The 57-year-old is married to National Heritage Board CEO Chang Hwee Nee, and has two children. He has a Master of Arts in Economics from Cambridge University, and also holds a Masters in Public Administration from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.
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SINGAPORE: Of the three men who have been mentioned as potential prime ministers, Mr Chan Chun Sing will be moving on to head the Ministry of Trade and Industry, while Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat and Education Minister Ong Ye Kung will be staying on in their existing roles but with expanded responsibilities, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced on Tuesday (Apr 24).
Other ministries will get new ministers and a new female minister, Ms Indranee Rajah, was appointed in a Cabinet reshuffle that marks the mid-point of this Government's term.
Mr Lee said in a Facebook post on Tuesday that this year's reshuffle is "more extensive than usual".
"I have decided to stretch the younger ones, giving many of them two ministries and additional responsibilities," he wrote.
"The younger ministers will progressively take over more responsibility for governing Singapore. After this reshuffle, they will head two-thirds of the ministries."
Mr Chan, 48, currently a Minister in the Prime Minister's Office, was asked by Mr Lee to return to Government after three years with the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC).
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He will also take over responsibility for the Public Service Division from Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean and continue to be deputy chairman of the People’s Association.
Mr Heng, 57, will stay on at the Finance Ministry, which he has headed since 2015.
He had said last week that he would be "very happy" to continue at the ministry as there are many things it needs to do which he announced in this year's Budget.
Mr Heng will take over responsibility for assisting the Prime Minister on National Research Foundation matters from DPM Teo Chee Hean, Mr Lee said in his statement.
Mr Ong, 48, will also be staying on at the Ministry of Education. However, he will now be helming the full ministry by himself as Mr Ng Chee Meng, 49, heads to NTUC and is expected to replace Mr Chan as labour chief.
Mr Ng will be appointed Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office and relinquish his appointments as Minister for Education (Schools) and Second Minister for Transport. Mr Ong will relinquish his appointment as Second Minister for Defence.
Ms Indranee Rajah, 55, has been promoted to be a full minister serving in the Prime Minister's Office. The former Senior Minister of State for Finance and for Law will also be appointed Second Minister for Law until Jun 30, when Mr Edwin Tong becomes Senior Minister of State in the Ministry.
Mrs Josephine Teo, 49, will be appointed Minister for Manpower. She will continue as Second Minister for Home Affairs, but will relinquish her appointment in the Prime Minister’s Office.
She takes over from Mr Lim Swee Say who will be retiring from the Cabinet.
Mr S Iswaran, 55, will be appointed Minister for Communications and Information, in place of Dr Yaacob Ibrahim who is also stepping down. Mr Iswaran will continue in the Ministry of Trade and Industry but be redesignated Minister‐in‐charge of Trade Relations.
The appointments are to take effect on May 1.
Three senior office holders, Mr Yaacob Ibrahim, 62, Mr Lim Swee Say, 63, and Mr Lim Hng Kiang, 64, will be stepping down. However, the latter will be appointed as Special Advisor to MTI. In this role, he will provide advice on MTI's "economic strategies to grow Singapore's capabilities and international economic space", MTI said in a statement.
Mr Masagos Zulkifli will be in charge of Muslim affairs and Dr Janil Puthucheary will be responsible for cybersecurity, taking over from Dr Yaacob.
Several office holders were promoted in this reshuffle, which Mr Lee said would involve changes in "almost all the ministries".
PM Lee Hsien Loong has just announced the new Cabinet line-up, and I will be taking on the full education portfolio as Minister for Education. I thank PM for giving me this opportunity. There is a lot of important work ahead, and I look forward to working with my Cabinet and parliamentary colleagues – Ms Indranee Rajah, Mr Chee Hong Tat, Assoc Prof Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim and Ms Low Yen Ling.
I must thank my good friend and colleague, Minister Ng Chee Meng, for laying t...he ground work in general education. He has made some bold, significant moves such as changes to the PSLE scoring and Direct School Admissions systems, laid plans to implement applied and outdoor learning in all schools, and paved the way for a significant improvement in the pre-school sector.
