Source

Bibliographic data

Song, Tan Kim; Seng, Tan Tor: Secondary school geography, Express Course. Vol. 3. Curriculum Development Institute of Singapore Singapore: Pan Pacific Book Distributors, repr. [Nachdr.] ed., 1988 [1985], 282, 284.

"Population Planning and Control in Singapore"


[p. 282]

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Population Planning and Control in Singapore

After its independence in 1965, Singapore had been concerned with the growing population within the small island. Without any natural resources of its own, it was important that the population be kept within the means available to support it. The Singapore

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Family Planning and Population Board (SFPPB) was then set up in 1966. The various aims of the Board were:

  • to provide family planning services to married women.
  • to reduce the birth rate from a high 30 per thousand to a low 17 per thousand.
  • to promote acceptance of a two-child family.
  • to promote sterilization among married couples who have completed their families.
  • to promote awareness and importance of family planning among newly-married couples.
  • to achieve a Zero Population Growth by the year 2030.

Much publicity was given to the idea of family planning in Singapore. […]

In addition to the efforts of the Board, laws were also passed to legalize

[p. 284]

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abortion and sterilization in 1970. Incentives such as priority in registration for primary classes in schools were given to children whose parents underwent sterilization. Certain categories of people were even offered cash incentives to have a small family. (Find out what conditions are attached to such awards and how much is given to each family.) However, disincentives like the withdrawal of tax allowance for children were enacted for those who insisted on having a large family.

Sterilization, abortion, and other birth control techniques were generally accepted as means of controlling population growth. Most married Singaporeans had accepted the idea of having a small family.

However in March 1985 the SFPPB was dissolved and the many functions concerning family planning were taken over by the Ministry of Health.

Has Singapore been successful in planning and controlling its population growth?

In recent years, the government has reviewed its population policy of encouraging Singaporeans to have a small family. Incentives are now available to encourage married people to have more children.

[...]

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