Teachers In Singapore Will Need To Pay For Their Parking Lots This Year

“It has become increasingly clear that the current treatment of allowing school staff to park for free constitutes a taxable benefit, as the vast majority of school carparks are located near chargeable carparks and the carparks are intended for the use of staff and authorised visitors, with no access given to the general public,” said a spokesman from the Ministry of Education, according to The Straits Times.

It is said that season outdoor parking will cost SGD75 (RM223) a month during school terms, and SGD15 (RM45) per month during the school holidays in June, November and December.

For sheltered lots, charges are SGD100 (RM298) monthly during school terms and SGD20 (RM60) monthly during the holidays.

Motorcyclists will also be charged SGD13 (RM38) per month for uncovered lots, and SGD2 (RM6) during the holidays. For sheltered parking their fees will be SGD14 (RM42) and SGD3 (RM9) during school term and holidays respectively.

A primary school teacher in his late 30s, who has been driving to school for 10 years said, “I am in school by 6.30am and work about 10 to 12 hours each day, and sometimes more if there are school events. So, I will drive to work.”

“If there is season parking and it is affordable, I will drive. But I will still be deeply unhappy to be made to pay,” a 26-year-old teacher working in a junior college told The Straits Times.

However, another secondary school teacher said it was “unfair” for teachers to pay for carpark charges during the school holidays. “We don't really come back every day, so what's the point of paying?” she said, according to Today.

“Due to their proximity to public amenities, the carparks in these camps are deemed to have market value,” the ministry said.