IPS study: Singapore parents value holistic education but tuition spending surges to S$677 a month
A new IPS study finds Singapore parents increasingly value holistic development, yet monthly tuition spending has more than doubled to S$677 since 2016. While 90.2 per cent rate the education system highly, parental stress and arguments over schooling have risen sharply.
A study by the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) published on Friday (Sep 25) has found that Singapore parents increasingly value holistic development in their children's education, but academic signals remain important and families are spending more on tuition than a decade ago.
The study, conducted by IPS Social Lab researchers Dr Mathew Mathews, Dr Melvin Tay and Dr Teo Kay Key, surveyed a nationally representative sample of 1,500 Singaporean and permanent resident parents with children in local primary schools. Fieldwork was carried out from May to August 2026, with the survey administered online or in person.
Mean monthly tuition expenditure rose to S$677 in 2026 from S$318 in 2016. Adjusted for inflation, this represents a rise from approximately S$386 to S$677. Mean monthly enrichment expenditure rose to S$355 from S$125 over the same period, or from about S$152 to S$355 when adjusted for inflation.
Despite the increase in spending, nearly nine in 10 parents agreed that children spend too much time on tuition and enrichment. About 74.9 per cent of parents believed that parents need to heavily invest in quality tuition to succeed in Singapore's education system, down slightly from 78.9 per cent in 2016.
The study found that 90.2 per cent of parents continue to rate Singapore's education system highly in 2026, similar to 90.3 per cent in 2016. Fewer parents believed the system caused unnecessary stress to children, with the proportion falling to 68.7 per cent from 76.3 per cent. More parents also believed children should be allowed to fail and learn from their mistakes, rising to 79 per cent from 62.2 per cent.
However, parental stress has not declined. The proportion of parents who reported arguing with their spouse over their children's education increased to 59.7 per cent in 2026 from 42.8 per cent a decade ago. Those who reported feeling stressed about their child's education rose to 87.9 per cent from 73.1 per cent.
Dr Mathews said parents reported less stress over homework or exam preparation, but greater concern about whether their child is reaching his or her full potential. “One step into a particular school does not mean an end of their future,” he added.
