Study mama

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Peidu mamas (陪读妈妈), or study mamas are women who accompany their children to Singapore to receive primary and secondary-level education. The study mama phenomenon began in 2000, after the Singapore Government relaxed its immigration policies to attract more foreigners. Most of the study mamas are from mainland China.^[1]

1 Introduction
2 Jobs
3 Government
4 Murder incident and crackdown
5 Protest at Chinese Embassy
6 References
7 See also

[edit] Introduction

The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority of Singapore possesses records that suggest that there are at least 7800 study mamas of various nationalities, with two-thirds of the 6800 study mamas in Singapore in July 2005 coming from China. Of these 6800 study mamas, only 1000 work permits were issued to them.^[1] Most of the working study mamas are employed in the service sector.

[edit] Jobs

In an article in People's Daily, it is estimated that peidu mamas require RMB$1 million (approx S$217,000) of living and education expenses for their child to receive education from Primary 1 to Secondary 4 in Singapore.^[2] The Singapore Government allowed them to come to Singapore, primarily to accompany their children during their studies here. ^[1] Peidu mamas are only allowed to obtain work permits after staying in Singapore for a year and are permitted to work in certain service sectors only.^[3]

[edit] Government

The government places restriction on the employment of study mamas, arguing that their primary purpose of stay here is to take care of their children. Hence they should not be working, especially not as hostesses in bars or pubs at night. They are not allowed to work at food stalls, but can work in other services industries if given permits. ^[1]

[edit] Murder incident and crackdown

In June 2006, a Chinese national woman who owned a massage parlour, which allegedly provided sex services to clients, was stabbed to death in Ang Mo Kio. This drew public and media attention to vice-related activities at some of these massage parlours. In early July 2006, the government conducted a crackdown on illegal employment at the parlours and imposed stricter regulation on their operations. This led to some peidu mamas to hold a protest outside the Chinese Embassy, despite the prohibition of such gatherings in Singapore.^[3]

[edit] Protest at Chinese Embassy

About 30 mainland Chinese peidu mamas gathered in response to a circulated SMS message outside the Chinese Embassy in Tanglin Road. They hoped the China embassy would help them in their predicament. They petitioned the Chinese Embassy twice to ask them to convey to the Singapore government about the difficulties they face and help to amend Singapore's laws, especially the employment restriction and the new rules on massage parlours.

Many of their personal stories were exchanged and reported by the media, such as incidents of being cheated by agents in their country. It was reported that some agents in China had approached single mothers to offer them good education for their children in Singapore, but misled them that they would be able to find a good job and lead a better life in Singapore. This resulted in some peidu mamas to come to Singapore with the misconception that they can find jobs easily. They also had to pay a security deposit of a few thousand dollars to undertake that they will not engage in any illegal activities.^[3]

Some protestors told the media that due to the bad publicity surrounding the murder and massage parlours affair, peidu mamas face increasing discrimination and stereotyping from the locals by being associated with vice and illegal activities.^[1]Some reported receiving solicitation for sex by Singaporean men.

A spokesman of the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority had assured that "the vast majority of study mothers do not abuse the passes issued to them by getting involved in vice-related activities."^[4] Before the crackdown, Wong Kan Seng, the Minister for Home Affairs, wrote that "Out of more than 6000 study mother in Singapore, fewer than 40 were caught for illegal activities from January to July 2005." Many study mamas have valid jobs in the service sector, while some are working without valid work permits.^[1]