Education in Singapore
In Singapore, education covers 20 percent of the annual national budget. State schools and government-assisted private schools are subsidized for Singapore citizens and for the Edusave program. Foreigners who are enrolling in Singapore schools pay higher study fees in both types of institutions. In 2000, enrolling children in schools was made mandatory by the government based on the Compulsory Education Act. The inability to enroll the children in school becomes a criminal offense for the parents. Exemptions are only for homeschooling and full-time religious school. The exemption must be applied by parents from the Ministry of Education and meet a minimum benchmark.