With the temporary closure of mosques and suspension of large-group events and classes due to Covid-19, over 200 asatizah will be economically impacted. These asatizah are those who are either independent, self-employed or without any full-time employment in Singapore. Their main source of income is from conducting religious activities and classes.
To ensure that the welfare of local asatizah is well taken care of especially in times of crisis and uncertainty, Pergas rolled out Gracious Package (GP) on 20 March 2020.
They are asatizah who are not under any full-time employment. They can be self-employed, independent and doing freelance teaching at their own capacity to fulfill invitation by mosques, madrasah, IECP and others. They may be active and semi-active on the ground. They must be ARS certified.
Here are the packages being offered:
For Pergas members
For non-members, conducting religious classes in mosques
For non-members, conducting religious classes in IECP, madrasah and others
For supplementary support to affected asatizah
$100 for subsequent months (3 – 6 months only)
Pergas is enhancing its Gracious Package to help asatizah navigate through significant uncertainty caused by Covid-19. The Enhanced Gracious Package (GP) will provide additional support for asatizah beyond the pandemic. Pergas hopes to aid asatizah on the road to economic recovery by preparing them for digital transformation and enhancing their employment and employability.
Download the infographic below to know more.
The supporting letter from Pergas is to verify your proof of income, status of employment and financial hardship. It will be useful if you are teaching as freelance asatizah in various locations such as mosques and houses. Instead of having multiple letters issued by each mosque and individual you are teaching, Pergas will be able to prepare a single supporting letter consisting of all the details required as part of the supporting documents for your SIRS application. This Letter of Verification will also be useful if you do not have any written documents to prove your income and status as Self-employed Person (SEP).
The eligibility for Enhanced GP is different from the prerequisite to apply for Pergas Postgraduate Scholarship. To apply and find out more about the scholarship we offer, please click here.
If you are an SEP, you may learn more about SIRS at https://www.ntuc.com.sg/sirs/.
Yes, the approval process will take about 2 weeks. There is no deadline yet for the application of SIRS. If you apply for Pergas membership and submit all necessary documents before the end of May, you will receive the membership conformation by June. As a member of Pergas you will receive a Letter of Verification from Pergas for your SIRS application and enjoy 50% co-funding of the monthly NTUC membership fee for up to 6 months. You can also access exclusive benefits and privileges as a member of Pergas and NTUC.
You may send an email to khadijah@pergas.org.sg to enquire on your status of membership. Current active paid members are automatically entitled to our Enhanced GP while non-active members are required to fill in and submit the membership GIRO form to benefit from the Enhanced GP.
You may head over to https://www.ntuc.org.sg/wps/portal/up2/home/membership to learn more. However, if you want to obtain the 50% co-funding of NTUC membership from Pergas, you are required to sign up for Pergas membership before applying NTUC membership.
You may wish to visit www.pergas.org.sg/gracious-package for FAQs on Enhanced GP and the process flowchart. Both documents are in English.
Pergas Membership Application form can be downloaded in PDF. You may complete the form without having to print it. You may use the Fill & Sign section of PDF and submit the completed form along with required documents to khadijah@pergas.org.sg.
Please refer to the Enhanced GP Process Flowchart.
We are glad to hear that you are able to sustain your livelihood given the assistance from Pergas GP. Having said that, only you can determine the full extent of your financial situation and decide whether you need to apply for any other form of assistance including SIRS.
SEP Asatizah need to be 21 years old and above.
Before you fill up IRAS Form B or Form 144 based on your annual Net Trade Income (NTI), you may wish to prepare a valid Singpass and supporting letter from Pergas. For more details on the steps, please visit https://www.facebook.com/NTUCSingapore/videos/280734212935906/.
Enhanced GP is open to Pergas existing members and new members who are SEP asatizah.
You can visit https://www.ntuclearninghub.com/ntuc-training-fund-seps/. Do note that only the Digital Readiness course customized for Pergas is eligible for full sponsorship by Pergas.
The central focus of GP Stimulus is employment and employability of asatizah. It will continue to support self-employed asatizah who remain affected by the restrictions of religious activities at mosques, IECPs and private homes. The programme is centered to cover the following areas:
It aims to provide career opportunities (Q4 2020 – 2021) to self-employed asatizah and fresh graduates of Islamic studies from.
This will help them develop industry-relevant skills despite the current economic climate, and boost their employability in preparation for the eventual economic recovery.
Asatizah will gain valuable experience working in private and voluntary sectors. Asatizah who have undergone industry related trainings under Enhanced GP will be selected to undergo job shadowing for 3 months before being selected for an attachment or internship programme under the SGUnited Mid-Career Pathways Programme – Enterprise Attachment, SGUnited Traineeships Programme and Pergas Graduate Internship Programme (GP edition). The attachment and internship period will be between 2-6 months.
Asatizah to apply via mycareersfuture.gov.sg and type PERGAS #SGUP #SGUnitedTraineeships or email your interest and resume to gp@pergas.org.sg and indicate #GPstimulus in your email subject.
