More information, including trainees’ rating on courses to be published on SkillsFuture portal

SINGAPORE: From this month, SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG) will progressively publish more information on the MySkillsFuture.sg portal, including information on how past trainees have rated the courses they have attended.

Speaking in Parliament on Wednesday (Jan 10), Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Education Low Yen Ling said this is to help Singaporeans and course applicants make better informed decisions, based on the feedback by other course participants.

She explained that SSG will publish information on course quality and the trainees’ rating on course outcomes. This, she said, covers areas like effective learning, standards of the trainers, course content, impact on job performance and job scope, as well as customer service.

“Course applicants can be assured that the key criteria of quality, course transparency and accountability really underpins SSG’s efforts to enhance Singaporeans’ learning needs,” she added.

Ms Low was responding to a clarification from MP Lee Bee Wah, who asked if the Government would consider allowing course applicants to consider an open review of courses, similar to reviews of hotels and restaurants that are widely available online.

Ms Low noted that since the MySkillsFuture.sg portal was launched, it has been the intent of SSG and the Ministry of Education to put more information online. She added that a community feedback feature was also recently introduced in the portal, which allows course participants to directly provide their feedback and views on the quality of learning on the respective SkillsFuture Credit-eligible courses they attended.

She also stressed that SSG has a six-pronged criteria to evaluate training course providers before accrediting them to offer Singapore Workforce Skills Qualification (WSQ) courses. This includes course materials, training delivery, system of assessment as well as the training organisation’s financial management practices.

“The training provider must meet these standards and requirements before it can be appointed as an Approved Training Organisation (ATO) to deliver WSQ’s programmes,” she said. “To ensure their compliance, SSG regularly audits the ATO’s systems and processes, and the outcomes of such audits are reviewed and considered by SSG for the renewal of the ATO’s application to offer training.”

In response to a supplementary question from Nominated MP Chia Yong Yong, Ms Low also stressed that the track record of the organisation will also be taken into consideration.

“If any members of the public are aware that the particular organisation in terms of history, or if their background is dubious due to their linkages with other service providers, we welcome them to step forward and share this information with SSG.”