Singapore - Senior citizens returning to a university will receive discounts and 150 courses to choose from as part of a drive to keep Singapore's rapidly ageing population in the workforce, educators said on Tuesday. Students over 50 who enroll at SIM University next year will receive 10 per cent off their course fees while those above 60 get a 20 per cent discount.
Other concessions are being made to enable seniors to study at their own pace while interacting with younger classmates in a campus setting.
They can sign up for a course without the minimum five O-level passes provided they pass an interview or a test, according to the concessions outlined in The Straits Times.
Examinations are not compulsory if elderly students want to qualify for a certificate of attendance instead of a full certificate.
Those who do qualify for a certificate can go on to accumulate enough courses to graduate with a diploma and then on to a degree.
The courses range from languages and sciences to technology and culinary arts.
Among the eager participants is Jagjeet Singh, a 62-year-old retired teacher pursuing a degree in counselling.
"Why sit at home when I can learn new things every day," he was quoted as saying.
Singapore's leadership has been stressing that people living longer will increasingly need to stay employed in their senior years.
Lifelong learning "promotes greater self-confidence and keeps us mentally alert," said Lim Boon Meng, minister in the prime minister's office. "It also opens doors to new worlds of social networks and knowledge."
