According to data from the Singapore Department of Statistics, the full fertility rate (TFR) in Singapore fell to 1.1 in 2020, a record low and down from 1.14 in 2019. TFR is the typical number of kids a girl can have in during its lifetime, and a rate of two.1 is required to take care of a stable population.
The data also showed that births in Singapore fell to 34,170 in 2020, down 7.9% from the previous 12 months. This is the bottom birth rate since 2009 and the seventh consecutive 12 months of decline.
The falling birth rate is a cause for concern in Singapore because the country’s population ages rapidly. The percentage of Singapore’s population aged 65 and over is predicted to double from 14.4% in 2019 to twenty-eight% in 2039, in keeping with the Department of Statistics.
An aging population poses a challenge for the federal government as it would put pressure on health care and social security systems. A falling birth rate can also be worrisome for the economy since it may lead to employee shortages and slower economic growth.
To address this problem, the Singapore government has introduced quite a lot of measures to encourage couples to have more children. These include the Baby Bonus Scheme, which provides parents with money bonuses, and the Enhanced Marriage and Parenthood Package, which offers support to families in areas resembling health care and education.
Despite these efforts, TFR continues to say no. Some experts attribute the decline to the high cost of living in Singapore, which makes it difficult for young couples to afford to have children. Others point to changing attitudes towards marriage and parenting, with many young people prioritizing profession and private goals over raising a family.
The declining birth rate will not be unique to Singapore and is a trend seen in lots of developed countries. According to the United Nations, the worldwide fertility rate has fallen from 3.2 in 1990 to 2.5 in 2020. This trend is attributed to aspects resembling increased access to education and contraception, changing cultural norms and values, and increased empowerment. women and participation within the labor force.
Taken together, Singapore’s declining birth rate and low TFR are a cause for concern for the country’s future economic and social stability. While the federal government has implemented measures to encourage couples to have more children, tackling the foundation causes of the issue, resembling the high cost of living and changing social values, will likely be crucial to reversing this trend.
Bibliography:
Singapore Department of Statistics. (2021). Population trends 2021. Source: https://www.singstat.gov.sg/-/media/files/publications/population/population2021.pdf
United Nations. (2021). World Population Outlook – Highlights for 2019. Retrieved from https://population.un.org/wpp/Publications/Files/WPP2019_Highlights.pdf
