Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture Wallis O Lam said yesterday that the government is planning to create community service circles for senior citizens across the city where at least one service centre for seniors is available within a 15- to 20-minute walk from their homes, before Macau is expected to become a super-aged society in the future.
O made the remarks during yesterday’s one-day Q&A session in the Legislative Assembly’s (AL) hemicycle about her portfolio’s policy guidelines for this year.
As defined by the United Nations, a country or region will enter an ageing society when those aged 65 or over account for over seven percent of the population, while a country or region will be defined as an aged society when those aged 65 or over make up over 14 percent of the population. If the percentage exceeds 20 percent, a country or region will be considered a super-aged society.
O noted during yesterday’s Q&A session that senior citizens aged 65 or over currently account for 14.6 percent of Macau’s population, while the percentage is forecast to amount to 21.4 percent in 2029, reaching the threshold of a super-aged society. The government projects that the percentage would reach 24.8 percent in 2041, meaning that nearly a quarter of the population would be those aged 65 or over at that time, she said.
O underlined that the government will need to take systematic and effective measures to tackle Macau’s ageing population. Before the possible onset of a super-aged society, she said, the government aims to create 15- to 20-minute community service circles for senior citizens across the city where at least one elderly service centre is located within a walk of no more than 20 minutes from their homes.
O said that the government will launch a study on drawing up a plan on how to create 15- to 20-minute community service circles for senior citizens across the city.
Meanwhile, O also acknowledged that the number of places in elderly care homes in Macau is currently insufficient to meet senior citizens’ needs, adding that those in need currently have to wait 16 months on average before they can move into an elderly care home.
O said that the future elderly care homes to be completed in the Zone A land reclamation area will provide a total of 1,100 places. She also said that the government will study the feasibility of looking at some of its available plots of land and granting private social organisations the respective land concessions to build elderly care homes.
AI classrooms
Meanwhile, O said during yesterday’s Q&A session that the government is planning for local schools to be covered by artificial intelligence (AI) education, as well as advancing its AI education campaign for the population in general.
O underlined that in the AI era, the government’s AI education campaign will cover different groups of residents such as students, young people who are working, and senior citizens.
Concerning school education, O said that the government will study the feasibility of requiring every school to set up a dedicated classroom for AI education, with the aim of enabling all students to be provided with better equipment for AI education.
O said that the government is planning to draft its official AI education curriculum in compliance with the mainland’s standards, while it is planning to set AI education teaching hours for local schools in line with ones in Guangdong as it is a province strong in high tech.
Concerning AI education for the population in general, O said that the Macau Science Centre (MSC) will offer three levels of AI education for residents including young local people who are working, with the aim of enhancing their ability to pursue better career development.
Moreover, O said, the government is also aiming for the Macau Science Centre to provide AI education at elderly daycare centres, with the aim of making it easier for senior citizens to gain access to AI knowledge and skills.
Childcare allowance’s application
Meanwhile, O said during yesterday’s Q&A session that the government is aiming to launch its application process during the upcoming summer holiday period for its new childcare allowance for permanent local residents.
According to Chief Executive Sam Hou Fai’s 2025 Policy Address delivered earlier this month, the newly launched childcare allowance will be issued to parents of children under the age of three years every month. During the period, they will receive an allowance of 1,500 patacas a month, equivalent to 18,000 patacas a year.
Meanwhile, Sports Bureau (ID) President Luís Gomes said during yesterday’s Q&A session that the government is planning to invite a football club from Europe later this year to launch and carry out training in Macau for potential young local footballers. He did not mention which country the football club would be from.
Meanwhile, O also said during yesterday’s Q&A session that two or three government plots will be earmarked in the near future for the setting-up of recreational and sports facilities on a temporary basis.
Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture Wallis O Lam addresses yesterday’s Q&A session about her portfolio’s 2025 policy guidelines in the Legislative Assembly’s (AL) hemicycle. – Photo courtesy of TDM
