SJI 2026 SS QP+MS

CANDIDATE NAME CLASS INDEX NUMBER HUMANITIES Paper 1 Social Studies No Additional Materials are required. 2260/01 2260/02 24 August 2026 1 hour 45 minutes (08:05 – 09:50) READ THESE INSTRUCTIONS FIRST An answer booklet will be provided with this question paper. You should follow the instructions on the front cover of the answer booklet. If you need additional answer paper ask the invigilator for a continuation booklet. Section A Answer all parts of Question 1. Section B Answer two questions. The number of marks is given in brackets [ ] at the end of each question or part question. This document consists of 8 printed pages and 1 blank page. [Turn over ST JOSEPH’S INSTITUTION PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION 2026 (YEAR 4)

2 Section A (Source-Based Case Study) Answer all questions. Exploring Citizenship and Governance Study the Background Information and the sources carefully, and then answer all the questions. You may use any of the sources to help you answer the questions, in addition to those sources which you are told to use. In answering the questions, you should use your knowledge of the issue to help you interpret and evaluate the sources. 1 Study Source A. Why did the cartoonist draw this? Explain your answer using details from the cartoon. [6] 2 Study Sources B and C. Both sources differ in their perspective of workplace culture affecting TFR. Does this mean that one of them is wrong? Explain your answer. [6] 3 Study Source D. Source D is an Instagram comment. Does it mean that it is unbelievable? Explain your answer. [6] 4 Study Sources E and F. How different are these two sources? Explain your answer. [7] 5 Study all sources. ‘The government should be responsible for raising the Total Fertility Rate.’ Using the sources in this case study, explain how far you would agree with this statement. [10]

3 Have countries been successful in raising the Total Fertility Rate? BACKGROUND INFORMATION Read this carefully. It may help you answer some of the questions. Globally, fertility is on the decline. Singapore’s Total Fertility Rate (TFR) fell to a historic low of 0.87 in 2025. Other than Singapore, low TFR below the replacement level of 2.1 is now the norm for advanced economies like USA and Canada, with the very lowest rates found in Japan and the Republic of Korea. As a result, the world faces the long-term prospects of a shrinking workforce, an aging population, and increased economic and national security vulnerabilities. To combat this trend, governments introduce pro-family policies, such as financial cash gifts, housing priorities for young married couples, and subsidised childcare. However, these measures frequently clash with the realities of modern society, where individuals face high costs of living, discriminatory workplace practices towards parents, and changing personal priorities regarding family life. While some argue that the state must step in heavily to secure the nation's future demographic survival, others believe that deciding whether to have children is a deeply personal lifestyle choice that lies outside the responsibilities of governance. Study the following sources to examine how successful countries have been in raising the Total Fertility Rate. Source A: From a cartoon published in America in 2022. The baby pram carries luxury items like a CCTV camera, Moët Apple Juice, 100% cashmere towel, organic peas and a portable television with remote. [Turn over

4 Source B: From an article published on an American website on South Korea’s TFR. Compared to about 10 years ago, the mood has shifted and companies are giving benefits that employers are required to provide. In the past, managers, mostly middle-aged men, had a low level of understanding about parental leave. But now, the atmosphere has shifted to ‘Of course you should take it,’ so I think the burden has eased somewhat. Another South Korean mother interviewed often finds public attitudes unfriendly toward children. For instance, mothers may receive “a lot of negative looks” if their babies cry in public. “Taking care of a baby requires so much effort, but when you go outside, everyone seems uncomfortable, and you constantly have to be mindful of others and shrink back because of the baby,” she said. “Then when you come home, your husband is exhausted in his own way because he has to go to work, so inevitably you end up taking on the caregiving by yourself.” Source C: From a news article published in Japan on Japan’s TFR. When it comes to childcare support in Japan, concerns are also growing about social division. One example is the trend of sneering at co-workers with children as ‘parents with privileges’. Behind it is a sense of unfairness among those who must cover the work of colleagues who take time off because their children have a fever or for other family-related reasons. The same is true when it comes to securing funding. Starting in April, the child and child care support contribution system began, adding several hundred yen a month to public health insurance premiums. In total, it will raise 1 trillion yen (approx. $6.24 billion) in revenue. Because it is collected from people without children as well, some on social media have criticized it as a ‘singles tax’. Source D: From a comment on an Instagram post discussing TFR in Singapore. That's the problem with chasing after GDP and efficiency for all these years. It’s a double-edged sword. To increase productivity or reach endless deadlines, working parents already have no time for themselves. Some even need to take care of sick or aging parents. Buying a car in Singapore is now a dream. Say you are a parent of 2, a toddler and a young child, try taking a bus. Even without a stroller, just having 2 kids and a huge diaper bag in a packed bus that moves off immediately after the door closes is hard enough. Don’t get me started on childcare leave... with all these in mind, how to expect people to want to have kids when you see people around you with kids and struggling to cope?

5 Source E: A speech by a Singaporean Minister to Parliament, 2026. Declining TFR is not an issue unique to just Singapore. All over the world, more people are choosing to remain single or marry later, and those who marry are choosing to have fewer or no children at all. Without over-generalizing, cities typically have a faster, more intense pace of life, and greater competition and stress resulting in less time for families. We engaged Singaporeans at different life stages to hear their thought