Policy Analysis
Theme 4 – e-Inclusion and
digital literacy; With the
exempt exception of the ACF.
SENIOR
DIGITAL
INCLUSION
SINGAPORE
Seniors Go Digital
Policy
Prepared for
Josephine Theo
Minister for Communications
& Information
Prepared by
Kobe Cortoos
Mirwais Safi
Inga Pokhodilo
,Executive Summary 2
Singapore's story as rising digital star 2
Aging population and its specific attributes 2
A looping problem entailing the factors of value, experience, policy interdependence, and impact 3
Recommendations to break this loop 3
Reference List 4
The challenges of senior digital inclusion: contrasting values, needs and interests 5
The historical, demographic, and social landscape surrounding the problem 5
The problem: Singaporean Senior digital inclusion is a multifaceted challenge 5
In detail: the interdependent problem of experience, value, policy interdependence, and impact 6
Reference list 8
Stakeholder mapping 9
Government 9
Civil society organisations 10
Private companies 10
Reference List 12
Close reading 13
Analytical framework 13
Argumented analysis 15
Reference List 16
Semi-Structured Interview 17
The list of questions 17
Argumented Description 17
Parliamentary question 19
Question for written answer to the parliament 19
Policy recommendations: Context driven and people-oriented 20
1. Policy recommendations around multi-ethnic, -cultural and -language issues 20
2. Policy recommendations serving long-term goals 20
3. Policy recommendation around System of checks and balances 21
*With the exempt exception of the ACF
, Executive Summary
Singapore's story as rising digital star
The small city-island state of Singapore (hereafter SG), with a population of nearly 6 million, is now
considered one of the world's most developed digital governments and economies. When SG rose from
poverty in the late 1980s, it simultaneously embarked on the ICT journey with the goal of transforming
the city-state into a world-class smart city, and its strategy has worked (Lee, 2011). After four decades,
SG consistently outperforms the majority of countries in the world in e-government, innovation index,
educational attainment, most competitive city and most networked country (Portulans Institute, 2022).
This success is reflected in the international rankings. In the Networked Readiness Index (NRI) 2021,
SG ranks first in Asia-Pacific and seventh worldwide. Its entire population has access to 3g, which,
among other factors, places it sixth worldwide for digital inclusion ( Portulans Institute, 2022). SG has
therefore achieved the maximum achievable score for government-wide digital inclusion by the NRI in
2021. With this success, the country is now competing with highly, digitally developed countries such
as the Netherlands, Sweden and Denmark.
Aging population and its specific attributes
Unfortunately, it is still the case that not everyone benefits equally from this favorable development, as
new challenges arise from prosperous social and economical developments. The main challenge is its
fast-growing elderly population. One in four Singaporeans will be 65 years or older by 2030
(Khalik,2018) and the number of elderly people is only expected to increase. This rapidly aging
population has its own unique characteristics that add a new dimension to their journey towards digital
inclusion. With its multi-ethnicity, specific digital needs and values, it stands in contrast to other tech-
savvy populations within SG. To bridge this contrast and digitally engage seniors, the Singapore
government has taken action through its Seniors Go Digital Policy (hereafter SGDP), see Figure 1.
Figure 1: Contextual landscape of Singapores’ Seniors Go Digital Policy
2
Theme 4 – e-Inclusion and
digital literacy; With the
exempt exception of the ACF.
SENIOR
DIGITAL
INCLUSION
SINGAPORE
Seniors Go Digital
Policy
Prepared for
Josephine Theo
Minister for Communications
& Information
Prepared by
Kobe Cortoos
Mirwais Safi
Inga Pokhodilo
,Executive Summary 2
Singapore's story as rising digital star 2
Aging population and its specific attributes 2
A looping problem entailing the factors of value, experience, policy interdependence, and impact 3
Recommendations to break this loop 3
Reference List 4
The challenges of senior digital inclusion: contrasting values, needs and interests 5
The historical, demographic, and social landscape surrounding the problem 5
The problem: Singaporean Senior digital inclusion is a multifaceted challenge 5
In detail: the interdependent problem of experience, value, policy interdependence, and impact 6
Reference list 8
Stakeholder mapping 9
Government 9
Civil society organisations 10
Private companies 10
Reference List 12
Close reading 13
Analytical framework 13
Argumented analysis 15
Reference List 16
Semi-Structured Interview 17
The list of questions 17
Argumented Description 17
Parliamentary question 19
Question for written answer to the parliament 19
Policy recommendations: Context driven and people-oriented 20
1. Policy recommendations around multi-ethnic, -cultural and -language issues 20
2. Policy recommendations serving long-term goals 20
3. Policy recommendation around System of checks and balances 21
*With the exempt exception of the ACF
, Executive Summary
Singapore's story as rising digital star
The small city-island state of Singapore (hereafter SG), with a population of nearly 6 million, is now
considered one of the world's most developed digital governments and economies. When SG rose from
poverty in the late 1980s, it simultaneously embarked on the ICT journey with the goal of transforming
the city-state into a world-class smart city, and its strategy has worked (Lee, 2011). After four decades,
SG consistently outperforms the majority of countries in the world in e-government, innovation index,
educational attainment, most competitive city and most networked country (Portulans Institute, 2022).
This success is reflected in the international rankings. In the Networked Readiness Index (NRI) 2021,
SG ranks first in Asia-Pacific and seventh worldwide. Its entire population has access to 3g, which,
among other factors, places it sixth worldwide for digital inclusion ( Portulans Institute, 2022). SG has
therefore achieved the maximum achievable score for government-wide digital inclusion by the NRI in
2021. With this success, the country is now competing with highly, digitally developed countries such
as the Netherlands, Sweden and Denmark.
Aging population and its specific attributes
Unfortunately, it is still the case that not everyone benefits equally from this favorable development, as
new challenges arise from prosperous social and economical developments. The main challenge is its
fast-growing elderly population. One in four Singaporeans will be 65 years or older by 2030
(Khalik,2018) and the number of elderly people is only expected to increase. This rapidly aging
population has its own unique characteristics that add a new dimension to their journey towards digital
inclusion. With its multi-ethnicity, specific digital needs and values, it stands in contrast to other tech-
savvy populations within SG. To bridge this contrast and digitally engage seniors, the Singapore
government has taken action through its Seniors Go Digital Policy (hereafter SGDP), see Figure 1.
Figure 1: Contextual landscape of Singapores’ Seniors Go Digital Policy
2
