Gov’t says monthly childcare allowance of MOP1,500 may begin this summer

The government has announced an upcoming monthly childcare allowance of MOP1,500 for children under the age of three who hold a Macau permanent resident ID card, set to begin during this year’s summer holidays.

Citing 2023 data, the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, O Lam, highlighted that Macau’s local fertility rate stands at 0.8%, compared to 0.75% in Hong Kong, 1% in mainland China, 1.05% in Singapore, 1.2% in Japan, and 0.79% in South Korea.

This data underscores the challenges posed by Macau’s low birth rate, with projections suggesting that “by 2029, the region may enter a state of ultra-low birth rate.”

Addressing a Q&A session at the Legislative Assembly (AL) yesterday, the Secretary emphasized the government’s commitment to addressing the declining birth rate. The initiative focuses on three key areas: childbearing, childcare, and education.

According to her, the government’s top priority is to help young parents share the economic burden of raising children.

To accomplish this, a new childcare allowance of MOP1,500 per month will be introduced for each infant and child under three years old who is a permanent resident of Macau, along with an increase in the birth allowance to MOP6,500.

Additionally, the government is focused on enhancing support measures for childbirth and childcare. This effort includes revising the existing medical-assisted reproduction subsidy program, extending the current 15-year free education initiative to begin at the kindergarten level, and exploring the establishment of an evaluation system for childcare services in nurseries.

The Secretary stated that “considering Macau’s current situation, particularly the prevalence of dual-income families and those with members working rotating shifts, the Social Welfare Bureau has begun actively exploring the demand for childcare services for children under two years of age.”

This includes optimizing family leave, childcare leave, and prenatal check-up schedules.

She added that the government’s annual recurrent funding for subsidized childcare services has surpassed MOP240 million, with each nursery receiving MOP$34,000 in support.

Furthermore, the government is committed to implementing improved family-friendly policies. This involves establishing effective measures to review childcare support for vulnerable families and collaborating with businesses to promote family-friendly initiatives.

O Lam noted that the Social Welfare Bureau (IAS) has been collaborating with the city’s six integrated resort (IR) operators in recent years to promote family-friendly measures aimed at improving employees’ working environments.

Additionally, since 2012, the Education and Youth Development Bureau (DSEDJ) has signed cooperation agreements with five major companies to implement parent education programs.

“It is often said that parents do not need a license to fulfill their role. This statement can carry various meanings. While a license may not be required, we [the government] aim to provide essential knowledge to help prospective parents build confidence, enabling them to establish strong families and raise exceptional children. This is our core mission in addressing the challenges of an aging society,” she stated.

Meanwhile, she also highlighted the impact of the declining birth rate on Macau’s education system. In response, she emphasized the need for scientific planning and forecasting, aiming to stabilize the teaching staff, enhance teaching quality, and establish a forward-looking, resilient education system.

The official added that the DSEDJ will conduct research in six key areas to evaluate how the declining birth rate impacts the education system and to develop corresponding strategies.

These areas include the relationship between future education scales and birth rates, the structure and composition of student demographics, the size of future teacher teams, optimization of educational resources and school distribution, strengthening support measures for under-resourced schools, and enhancing school environments.