Mandatory Parenting Program For Divorcing Couples in Singapore

The parliament of Singapore has recently forwarded an amendment on Feb. 29 that would help couples who are planning to have a divorce. All divorcing couples would have to attend a mandatory parenting program before they can file for divorce.

Minister for social and family development Tan Chuan-jin told the parliament of Singapore that the existing law requiring divorcing couples to attend the mandatory mediation and counselling after filing a divorce is not ideal. It is because those couples who will attend the mediation and counselling have already been "too caught up with emotions" by that time.

According to Straits Times, Tan explained that the new law aims to have couples planning for divorce be educated with its consequences to their children in the future. He added that this would effective since this will "enable couples to be more informed and make child-centric decisions during the process of divorce."

Louis Ng who is one of the parliament members expressed his opinion that there should be an exception which will be explicitly stated for cases that involves domestic violence. He believes that if there is a spousal abuse then there may also be a child abuse happening. So this exception should be applied because this is not in the interest of the child.

Tan has mentioned that all the amendments were created because of the evolving trends in the society like the increasing dual income family and divorces, and the wives being the main provider of the family. The amended law also extends to marriage preparation programme for all those marrying couples who have a partner below the age of 21.

There will also be an extension for spousal maintenance for husbands and ex-husbands who are incapacitated. According to Parliament Member Lee Bee Wah, this includes those husbands who quit their job with mutual consent from their wife and have performed their roles adequately.

Louis Ng also agreed that the eligibility for spousal maintenance will not be based on gender but should be based on fairness. Another part of the amendment is to void all marriages where one of the couples have proven guilty of "marriage of convenience" under the immigration Act.