Following a carpark policy review by Singapore’s Ministry of Education (MOE), teachers at all national schools and junior colleges will be required to pay for parking from August this year.
Principals briefed teachers about the new charges this morning to ensure a “clean wage policy” – this prevents any hidden perks or subsidies for educators.
In 2016, MOE said it was reviewing carpark charges for schools according to civil service guidelines and was “taking the time to do this carefully”.
The review was sparked in 2015 by the Auditor-General’s (AG) disapproval that some institutions allowed their staff to park for free or were charging fees below the market rate.
The AG said such practices “are tantamount to providing hidden subsidies for vehicle parking” during an annual report of financial lapses at public sector bodies.
When the issue was first raised, MOE acknowledged the public’s reaction.
“We understand the concerns raised and we are with you in appreciating the dedication and hard work by all our teachers,” MOE said in a Facebook post.
“We seek your patience and understanding as we are still in the process of reviewing the carpark policy for schools, bearing in mind civil service guidelines and recent AGO observations.”
Some netizens had argued that teachers need to drive to work due to their long hours and early start. Others raised the issue that teachers sometimes need to drive students to the doctor or the hospital.
According to TODAY, there are separate charges for cars and motorcycles in schools for uncovered and covered lots respectively – between $720 and $960 annually for cars; between $123 and $135 annually for motorcycles.