Background Information

In Singapore, birth rates are falling and family sizes are shrinking. The total fertility rate is now 1.28 per woman in every couple. The fertility rate for the Chinese remained the lowest among all races. For the Chinese community, it was 1.02 in 2010 and 1.08 in 2009.For the Malay community, it was 1.65 last year,and 1.82 in 2009.The Indian community fertility rates is 1.19 in 2008 and 1.14 in 2009.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1105496/1/.html

Factors leading to low birth rates are late marriages, fewer marriages, falling and broken marriages, preferences for smaller families and many other reasons.

Faced with a rapidly ageing society, Singapore’s leaders have said that the country needs foreigners to maintain economic growth. Figures released have shown that Singapore’s total population crossed the five million marked boosted by the influx of foreign nationals in the past years.

More women are more financially independent and more inclined to priorities their careers over other aspects of their lives as they obtain higher academic qualifications. Results show that 55% of female in Singapore are university graduates. Women have made tremendous progress and made contributions to Singapore’s development in the last few decades. This advancement has brought unintended and worrying consequences like smaller talent people, ageing society and they have to pay higher taxes when public projects are funded by the taxes collected from the working populations.

Birth rate is also often linked with cost of living issues. Parents would look at the resources needed, especially for children to succeed in Singapore society. Some are concerned about attracting more immigrants will heighten competition for finite resources like jobs and housing.

More people are more concern about the economy in Singapore when planning to start a family. With more population but limited jobs, people are stressed up of they can keep up and mantain their jobs.

Although the government has introducted measures to encourage parenthood, such as longer maternity leave, baby bonus and taxes rebates, but despitethese the total fertility rate remain low.

As household size decrease, the ability to care for the elderly diminishges, the government helps by encouraging marriages and childbearing, building speacial facilities fo rhte elderly, extending retirement age and encouraging financial planning.


Methodology, Results and Analysis

Survey questions:
1. What is your age range? (10-20, 20-30, 30-40, 40, 50, 50-60)
2. What is your occupation?
3. What is your education level?
4. Are you married?
5. If yes, How many children do you have? Do you plan to have more?
If no, How many children do you plan to have?
6. Why do you want to have this (number) of children?
7. What do you think of Singapore’s current birthrate?
8. Do you know some possible consequences if Singapore continues to have such low birthrate? 9. Do you think the measures that government uses is helpful?

We interviewed 15 people from different age ranges from 10-60 years old. We interviewed them after school during one of the days last week. Here, we are summarizing their views and answers for women and men age range from 20-30. With Singapore’s fertility rate (average number of children born per female in her lifetime) the numbers show that it has dropped to a low record of 1.16 in year 2010.

A few couples said that marriage and setting up a family is not a top priority, as confirmed by numerous surveys for the current state of low birthrate. Singles are not getting married and married couples do not want kids are taking a short-term view of life, at their expense of long term benefits, such as care, concern and support, which they will need when they are old.

Most of those interviewed felt measures taken would not encourage Singaporeans to have more children. Some parents think that the main reason Singaporeans are not having children is because they feel that they first have to meet a certain set of conditions- like condo, cars and maid before they can have children.

And in order to afford the sort of lifestyle, people think that it is necessary in order to be a good parent requires earning a lot of money and earning a lot requires time and conflicts with taking care of young children.

Reasons like high financial cost of raising children, high opportunity cost in terms of career development, freedom to pursue other interest and concern about high pressure to raise quality children are also factors leading to low birthrate.

Singapore depends on foreigners from other countries to sustain the population. Couples look at the resources needed for their children to succeed in Singapore. People are concerned about foreigners competing on resources such as housing and jobs. Students from other countries are getting more intelligent and are taking over Singaporean kids. Parents do not want to have children as they think in order to succeed in Singapore; children have to get a good education. Children will be stressed up with school work and not able to happily enjoy their childhood.

Some of the women think that government should extend paternity leaves so that fathers get a chance to spend more time with their children. Women would be more willing to have children as fathers will be taking care of them too and not only women.

A middle age women thinks government subsidies are very important to increase birthrate, but not enough for children in Singapore. One of them felt that is important to prepare children at a young age to handle stiff competition. She sighed up enrichment courses and tuitions for her son. She knows that it is expensive to raise a child but as parents, she want the best for their child. She is willing to work harder for her son, and working harder means longer hours at work and less time for her family.

A young men in his twenties thinks that taking care of a child is a lifetime responsibility and government only gives a limited amount of money at the beginning and they are not able to use it as this money until the child start schooling. The money cannot last long and in the end, parents are the one forking out money to pay their child expenses. A child needs tuitions and other courses in order to compete with others. All this cost money.

Most women think that living in Singapore is highly competitive and expensive. People are competing with jobs and housing. More women now obtain higher academic qualifications and more financial independent and do not depend on their spouse for money. Therefore, they do not want to have a child to keep them busy and not able to concentrate on their work. A woman is her thirties feel that it is a burden having a child.

Older married people want to have more children. They think that having children are blessings received from god and do not mind having child. They think that when they grow old, their children will be able to take care of them. They do not mind sacrificing their time and career for their children. They devote all their time for their love ones.

One lady mentioned that family cannot be replaced by anything in the world, especially your children. When you are sad, they comfort you and make you happy. Some men have children.


Conclusion

In conclusion, we realized that Singapore’s birthrate is declining at a rapid speed and we need foreigners to sustain and maintain the population. People are not getting married and not having children because of many reasons. Some do not want to take up such a big responsibility and some felt that to raise a child in Singapore. More women do not want to have children because of their careers as they obtain higher academic qualifications. They do not have the time to take care of them. More people in Singapore prefer to have smaller families. This is due to the number of people who is so stressed and busy at work. By the time they come home, they would feel tired to care about their children or even have babies. Parents would look at the resources needed especially for children to succeed in Singapore society. Most people are also concern about the economy in Singapore. With more population and lesser jobs, people are stressed up if they can keep their jobs and maintain their jobs.


Reflections

Rachel's
I have learnt many things. Singapore's low birth rate is decreasing drastically. Singapore is also looking into this matter. I think if Singaporeans don't care about this matter also, we will face a great problem. I know now even women also have a job, but we cannot use this as an excuse and neglect Singapore’s future. If we do not have enough people for the national service, many countries will know that, and they will attack Singapore and take over our land and many resources. Another matter is that people think that bringing up a child is very expensive. Yes, indeed it is, but Singapore is already helping to solve this problem by giving us baby bonuses. So to sum up, I think Singaporeans should really tackle this matter, and make Singapore a safe and green city.

Qinen's
I have learnt many things during the research on population in Singapore. Population in Singapore is declining at a rapid speed, consequences leading to the low population rate and the measures taken to encourage people to have more children. I have also learnt to be more confident and open where we were asked to interview people from different age ranges to share their views on having children. I realized that people from different generation have entirely different opinions on having children. I also realized that we can learn and absorb more by searching information on newspapers and internet rather than sitting in a classroom paying attention to what teachers are explaining.

Cassandra's
I have learnt many things. This is the first time I conduct surveys to outsiders about their views on Singapore's low birthrate. I was afraid to talk to strangers, but after this, it made me more confident. I learnt many things on population, the consequences like smaller talent pool. If Singapore continues to have such low birthrate, less people will serve and lead the country. After this, it made me more aware of the things happening around me. This type of project also helps me to understand Geography and have a deeper interest in it.

Xiya's
I have learnt many things. Originally, I do not know how to make a blog, from my friends; I learnt how to create a blog. I have also benefited many things. For exmaple,population in Singapore is declining at a rapid speed, which is leading to the low population and after I had done my research I understand what our government do to encourage Singaporeans to give birth to babies. I have also learn that when the rate of population in Singapore continues to decline we will face aging population