Only 6.3% took SkillsFuture Credit?

By: Leong Sze Hian

126,000 benefited from the SkillsFuture Credit scheme

I refer to the article “126,000 Singaporeans pick up new skills in first year of SkillsFuture Credit scheme” (Straits Times, Jan 8).

It states that “The first year of a government scheme to spur Singaporeans to pick up skills saw more than 126,000 people benefitting from it.

2m S’poreans eligible

The SkillsFuture Credit scheme, which was introduced last January for more than two million people, gives Singaporeans aged 25 and older an initial $500 credit to pay for skills courses.”

“Scheme’s uptake is encouraging” – only 6.3%?

As to “said the scheme’s uptake is encouraging” – does it mean that the scheme’s utilisation was only about 6.3 per cent (126,000 divided by 2 million)?

Only 1 in 20?

Isn’t this rather low as it represents only about one in 20 eligible Singaporeans?

Why?

What are the reasons for this apparently low take-up rate?