Bukit Merah Secondary School s1

BUKIT MERAH SECONDARY SCHOOL PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION 2009 SECONDARY 4 EXPRESS / 5 NORMAL ACADEMIC COMBINED HUMANITIES PAPER 1 SOCIAL STUDIES

2192/01

TIME 1 hour 30 minutes 15 September 2009

13 September 2009 Additional materials: Writing Paper

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READ THESE INSTRUCTIONS FIRST

Write your index number and name on all the work you hand in. Write in dark blue or black pen. Do not use staples, paper clips, highlighters, glue or correction fluid.

Section A Answer all parts of Question 1.

Section B Answer one question.

At the end of the examination, fasten all your work securely together. The number of marks is given in brackets [ ] at the end of each question or part question.

______

This document consists of 6 printed pages. [Turn over 2

Section A (Source-Based Case Study)

Question 1 is compulsory for all candidates.

Study the Background Information and the sources carefully, and then answer all the questions.

You may use any of the sources to help you answer the questions, in addition to those sources which you are told to use. In answering the questions, you should use your knowledge of the topic to help you interpret and evaluate the sources.

1 (a) Study Source A.

What is the message of this cartoon? Explain your answer. 5

(b) Study Sources B and C.

How different are these two sources? Explain your answer. 7 [7]

(c) Study Source D.

Does this source prove that the government is successful in promoting [7] population growth in Singapore? Explain your answer.

(d) Study Source E.

How useful is this source as evidence about efforts to increase the birth rates 6 in Singapore? Explain your answer. 3 How effective are the pro-family measures in increasing the birth rates in Singapore?

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Read this carefully. It may help you to answer some of the questions.

In 1957, Singapore's population was approximately 1.45 million, and there was a relatively high birth rate. Due to the limited natural resources and small territory, the government introduced birth control policies in the late 1960s. By the late 1990s, the population was ageing, with fewer people entering the labour market and a shortage of skilled workers was faced.

At the National Day Rally in 2000, Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong expressed his concern that Singapore’s total fertility rate had fallen from 1.96 in 1988 to 1.59 in 2000, way below the 2.1 required to replace the population. In an effort to encourage married Singaporeans to have more children, the Child Development Co-Savings (Baby Bonus) Scheme was first introduced in 2001, with enhancements made in 2004 and 2008. The scheme aims to improve Singapore's fertility rate by providing cash incentives. But how far will these measures ensure that the birth rates will increase? Study the following sources to find out.

Source A: A cartoonist’s impression of the population measures, published in the Straits Times.

[Turn over 4 Source B: A comment by a Singaporean on the government’s measures to encourage Singaporeans to have more children.

I feel frustrated when I read about ministers encouraging us to have more children. We simply cannot afford to take time out to have more babies. How can we, when we have to take a 25-year loan to buy a home? Or pay through our nose for a car? Our busy lives lack quality family time. By the time we get home after work, we are dog-tired. It is not easy to juggle family and career, not any more, anyway. The cost of living is rising, but the average man’s income is not keeping pace. How do they expect us to afford to have more kids? Stop talking about bankers, ministers, CEOs, doctors or top executives. Instead, think about the vast majority who are not any of the above. For many of them, having a family and a home of their own is becoming more a dream than a reality.

Source C: A comment by a Singaporean on the Baby Bonus Scheme.

I have two children and my third is on the way. My wife and I had thought carefully for a long time before finally deciding to have a third child. Even though it is very expensive and time-consuming to bring up a child in Singapore, the new Baby Bonus Scheme is really a big help. The government is also coming up with many new baby incentive packages to help us out. I know many friends who are also considering having more children because of these incentives.

Source D: An extract from an interview with Mr Wong Kan Seng, Minister in-charge of Population Issues conducted in August 2006.

It has been two years since we introduced the parenthood package. Overall, we have seen some positive results. However, while the numbers have gone up slightly, it is not realistic to expect our population trends to reverse overnight or even in a few years' time. A shift in trend requires a mindset change towards desiring parenthood and celebrating family life. We have seen some encouraging signs. In a recent survey of 3,000 married respondents, 83 per cent indicated that the parenthood package had created a friendlier environment for having and raising children. 56 per cent of the respondents also said that the parenthood package has influenced them to have or consider having more children or have children earlier. We must press on. 5

Source E: A cartoonist’s view on efforts by the government to increase the birth rates in Singapore.

Baby Bonus

Fertility

Sealed: Family Planning Board

Note : The man in the cartoon is the ex-Prime Minister of Singapore, Mr Goh Chok Tong. 6 [Turn over