More can be done to encourage fathers to play a greater role in the family: Prime Minister Wong, Singapore News

SINGAPORE – Building strong family bonds is a lifelong journey, and supportive workplace strategies and practices can create an environment where work and family goals can complement each other rather than conflict, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said on May 25.

Calling the family unit the cornerstone and foundation of Singapore society, he stressed that the government’s policies will continue to strengthen the role of families in the country and help Singaporeans realize their hopes and dreams for their families.

Prime Minister Wong spoke as guest of honor at the launch of the National Family Festival (NFF) 2024 at Gardens by the Bay, organized by Families for Life (FFL).

The event is organized in conjunction with the inauguration of the Children’s Festival.

Prime Minister Wong cited the Tripartite Guidance on Flexible Work Requests published in late April as an example of progress towards a work culture that supports both career and family.

He said the goal is to foster a work culture that recognizes and supports the whole person, not just the employee.

“This means a work culture that promotes efficiency and productivity during working hours and also respects personal time after working hours. It stands for a work culture that embraces excellence and hard work, but also protects family time during holidays, public holidays and weekends.”

Prime Minister Wong added that some outdated stereotypes about family roles need to be changed, such as the old paradigm that men are breadwinners and women are homemakers. More can be done to encourage fathers to play a greater role in the family.

While he was heartened by the statistics that more than half of new fathers were now taking paternity leave, which was double the figure from a decade ago, it also meant that around half of new fathers were still not taking paternity leave.

He said the government would continue to review and update policies to better support families.

In recent years, there have been increases in subsidies for carers, investments in kindergartens and greater support for young couples who have previously purchased their first apartment from the Housing Authority.

These changes reflect the recognition that families require different types of support at different stages of life – young couples starting their marriage journey and looking to buy their first home will have different needs than families with seniors looking for retirement and health care security.

Prime Minister Wong concluded by saying that strengthening family bonds is not something that happens without effort. He compared it to a gardener caring for and nurturing plants from seed to maturity, which takes time, effort and patience.

Larger National Family Festival

The NFF will last from May 25 to June 23. For the first time, the event, previously known as National Family Week, has been expanded into a longer event.

The festival offers many activities and resources aimed at strengthening family relationships in the domain, work and play, in cooperation with over 140 corporate and social partners.

The Attorney-General’s Chambers, the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth and the Singapore Correctional Service, among others, enabled staff to participate in family bonding activities during NFF.

Private sector participants such as CapitaLand, DBS Bank, PSA Corporation and ST Engineering have introduced family-friendly activities such as family days and holiday programs for employees’ children.

FFL Council member Keith Magnus said the longer duration of the festival signified the council’s commitment to nurturing and encouraging Singaporeans to prioritize these key relationships more broadly.

“This is the beginning of a vibrant national movement to highlight how important and crucial families are to Singapore, further strengthening our social fabric,” he added.

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This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission to reproduce required.