between 1996 and 2000. 8 Between 2002 and August 2006, the NIS Faculty of Law recorded nine resignations and eight new recruitments. The dean of NUS 9 Law School said the faculty`s numerical strength has remained relatively stable in recent years. 2.6 The number of faculty appointments may have remained stable over the past five years, in part due to the recruitment of NUS law professors abroad. That alone is admirable and, in a way, shows that Singapore is a sufficiently attractive magnet for some international lawyers. Nevertheless, the Committee is concerned that academia is becoming less attractive among local graduates. The youngest local academic at NUS Law School graduated from NUS in 1999, about eight years ago. In the Committee`s view, it is imperative that our local law schools be able to attract and retain a core of dedicated local academics. These academics are necessary for the organic development of Singaporean law and Singapore to gain international credibility and recognition as an important centre for legal thought and development. 2.7 Previously, the NUS Faculty of Law made vigorous efforts to position academia as a viable and attractive proposition for new graduates. This included a senior tutoring programme, where promising candidates were offered a faculty position with a scholarship within one year of graduation to pursue postgraduate studies. However, the Higher Guardianship Program has not been formally awarded since 1999. While there is a university-wide scholarship that largely pursues the same goal, it has only recently been used.

10 In addition, with the current economic recovery, the gap between faculty and practitioner salaries (including legal officials) is gradually widening. These factors put the law at a disadvantage in the competition to attract new talent. 8 See the Report of the 2002 Economic Review Subcommittee of the Task Force (Legal Services) on Service Industries, chaired by then-Minister of State Khaw Boon Wan. 9 Letter dated 28 August 2006 from Dean Tan Cheng Han SC addressed to the Chairman on the status of implementation of the recommendations of the 2002 report of the Working Group (Legal Services). 10 The NIS currently offers university-wide teaching scholarships, but this differs from a special scholarship for future law professors. Unlike the Senior Tutorship Scheme, the scholarship binds an applicant for three years after completing postgraduate studies, while the Senior Tutorship Scheme allows applicants to teach for one year before continuing their studies. If a candidate deems the science inappropriate after one year, it is likely that the financial and opportunity costs will be lower. Page 4 Develop and maintain a strategic continuing education plan and related training programs for members. YONG YONG, Disability Consultant, Ministry of Social and Family Development, said disability organizations have been key members of steering committees in the development of various laws and policies, including Enabling Business Hubs.

The early intervention program was also carried out in collaboration with an organization of persons with disabilities. Singapore`s approach is to include the protection of persons with disabilities in various laws. This approach led government agencies to take responsibility for laws that promoted specific rights of persons with disabilities. To fill the gaps, the role of the interdepartmental monitoring committee is crucial. The Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities today concluded its consideration of Singapore`s first report on the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The Committee`s experts commended Singapore for ratifying the Marrakesh Treaty, among other measures to promote the rights of persons with disabilities, and raised questions about the use of the death penalty and access to health insurance. M. Mr. MARKUS SCHEFER, the Committee`s expert and co-rapporteur, said that the State party had provided detailed explanations of its efforts in the fields of employment, health, education and others. Great efforts are still needed to comply with the provisions of the Convention. The Convention obliges States parties to broaden their views on human rights.

The objectives of the Convention cannot be achieved if its provisions are thoroughly adapted. States must assist persons with disabilities to participate in society on an equal footing and review legal systems accordingly. All persons with disabilities must be recognized as persons before the law. The Convention required Singapore to fundamentally reassess its national legislation, but the Delegation had not shown that willingness. M. Schefer calls on the State party to address the logic of the Convention and guarantee the rights of persons with disabilities from the perspective of the Convention. The Board of Directors of the Singapore Institute of Legal Education (“SILE”)¹, chaired by Justice V K Rajah, is currently developing the Professional Development Framework in Singapore. The aim is to ensure that our lawyers are kept up to date with Singaporean law and connected to the legal fraternity. SILE, a subsidiary of the Singapore Academy of Law, will serve as the umbrella institution to administer and oversee formal training programs for aspiring lawyers and CPD programs for practitioners. Criminal law and family law are no different from general practitioners in the medical field. As with general practitioners in the medical field, society needs a significant number of these lawyers to meet the legal needs of the population and ensure satisfactory access to justice. 2.24 The Committee also notes that some new law graduates may develop more effective communication skills.

In recent years, however, it has improved considerably. Nevertheless, it may also be possible to think more about whether law students generally need more intensive teaching and support for their communication skills. 2.25 While new A-level students should continue to be the preferred candidates for admission to law schools, the Committee believes that more attention should also be paid to older students, including second-career applicants. These students may have a more visible talent and passion for law. Perhaps the most capable of these students should have additional opportunities to study at a local law school. They can also bring their broader perspectives and experience to the law school student body, especially if they have worked in related fields such as medicine, engineering, banking, or even public service like the police. 2.26 Law school admissions policies should sufficiently recognize the non-academic strengths and qualities of these students. (II) LLB Course Structure 2.27 The length of the Bachelor of Laws (LLB) has a direct impact on the speed at which Singapore develops its legal talent pool.