SINGAPORE: The SG Youth Plan was initiated by President Tharman Shanmugaratnam over last weekend when he unveiled more than 20 initiatives that will be put into practice to help out an estimated 500,000 youngsters within the next five years, according to The Straits Times. The SG Youth Plan curiosity credits scheme comes amid many other schemes focused on career, wellness, and socialization of young Singaporeans.

SG Youth Plan

The government of Singapore is going to launch a scheme of curiosity credits worth S$500 (US$387) for certain youths between the ages of 13 and 17 within a newly announced five-year national plan that allows teens to follow their interests, learn new things, and do whatever they want other than study. The SG Youth Plan’s curiosity credits program is just one part of the wider movement to help young people.

The credits for the SG Youth Plan will only be given to youths who are under the care of self-help organizations like Mendaki so that they can participate in other forms of activities apart from academics. The aim is to ensure that even those youths who may not have the opportunity to engage in other activities will be able to do so together with their peers.

The process of career exploration is the core of the initiative. In 2026, more than 10,000 placements for job tasting will be made available, and by 2030, their amount will rise to 30,000 annually. The youth will have the opportunity to explore various industries through short placements that will allow them hands-on experience. This will occur in Singapore, which is among the world's wealthiest nations, ranked by The Economist as the second richest nation in terms of GDP per capita in 2025.

In addition to the SG Youth Plan curiosity credits, the government will provide another 8,000 slots for the Asia-Ready Exposure Programme by 2030, bringing the total number of short-term overseas exposure programs and internships for students from institutions of higher learning to 20,000. This is indicative of a concerted effort to expose Singaporean youths to experiences beyond their own region and even country.

The framework was developed after discussions held by the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth, and the National Youth Council which involved more than 60,000 youth from November 2024 to March 2026. According to the report, 76 percent of the participants felt positive about the future of Singapore while 66 percent felt positive about their future, according to reports by Channel News Asia.

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Despite 91 percent having aspirations of productive careers, 52 percent were worried about lacking the required skills to cope with the changes in the economy. 40 percent regarded AI as an obstacle in the future rather than a facilitator, while 30 percent had mental problems.

To enhance social connectivity amongst the young, the Singapore government is looking to create 12 free third spaces in the community by the year 2026. There will also be over 100 subsidized units from two co-living providers that will provide an avenue for young people to learn about independent living and form community links, as reported by Mothership, Singapore-based news media outlet. The National Youth Fund will allocate a budget of $20 million in the next five years for youth-led initiatives. Youth Corps Singapore will aim to raise volunteer initiatives from 10,000 to 16,000 annually.

Singapore’s SG Youth Plan curiosity credits can serve as an interesting comparison for the readership from Pakistan. In Pakistan itself, despite having one of the biggest young generations in the world, there remains a high level of unemployment among youth in the country, lack of skills training and career-oriented programs for youth.

While Singapore ensures funds for hobbies and mentoring as well as international exposure for young people, Pakistani youth policy has always been inclined towards wide employment programs rather than investing in individuals’ personal and non-academic development right from the beginning. It may be of interest for some policy experts in Pakistan to look into how Singapore’s policies can be replicated and used as a template by them especially considering their current concerns about youth unemployment and the fast-changing world of artificial intelligence.

Complementing the initiative, an SG Youth Policy Network is to be established in Q1 of 2027, providing a platform for youths to engage in dialogue and discuss issues on public policy that are of direct interest to them. Combined with the curiosity credits in the SG Youth Plan, the network represents yet another example of the efforts made by Singapore to bring youth into decision-making on the country’s future course.