Seniors Go Back to School

Some seniors in Singapore are actively pursuing higher education to stay mentally agile and improve their job prospects beyond traditional retirement age.

At Temasek Polytechnic (TP), Dr Kwan Kian Hoong, director of Temasek SkillsFuture Academy, shared that retirees are redefining what lifelong learning means in today’s day and age. The polytechnic has observed an average, year-on-year increase of 50 per cent in senior applicants since 2023. Dr Kwan highlighted that seniors who return to education do it out of curiosity and a genuine desire to keep learning. The academy has also observed that some highly educated seniors are seeking further academic qualifications.

Mr Tey Beng Huan, a psychologist at the Centre for Applied Behavioural Sciences at TP, highlights that internal motivation remains the key driver for seniors to continue education in their silver years. External conditions, like subsidies from the government, provide the conditions for seniors to act on their desire for lifelong learning. 

Mdm Mohaini Ibrahim, 70, is currently taking a Specialist Diploma in Applied Psychology (Behavioural Insights) at Temasek Polytechnic. Through the course of her study, she was able to apply what she has learnt through her work as a school librarian and improved her relationship with her family.

Read the full story: Older adults embrace lifelong learning and higher education | The Straits Times