SINGAPORE — A S$580 course on toilet cleaning listed on the SkillsFuture learning portal drew online flak this week, but SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG) and the National Environment Agency (NEA) said that the course is part of the training required for workers in the cleaning industry.

The government agencies added that cleaning industry workers have to maintain several washrooms over the course of a day, so it is important for them to learn how to be efficient and effective at what they do.

"Through practical training, participants will learn effective cleaning methods, the proper use of cleaning agents, and adherence to safety protocols,” they said in a joint statement on Thursday (Feb 22) in response to TODAY’s queries.

The "Perform Basic Cleaning of Washrooms" course has been a requirement for licensed cleaning businesses since Dec 31 in 2022, and is also one of the modules applicable to job levels under the Progressive Wage Model for cleaners, through which these workers can earn higher wages as they undergo more training.

A screenshot of the course listing was posted on Monday on online forum Hardwarezone, with a caption that read “Netizen Brekke Lo asked: ‘Anyone interested to pay $290 cash (after SkillsFuture funding) to learn how to clean toilets?’”.

The course that was in the screenshot charges a full fee of S$580. After partial funding under SkillsFuture, it costs S$290.

A few other similarly named courses by different training vendors can also be found on the SkillsFuture online site, charging full course fees of between S$350 and S$600.

The Hardwarezone forum post attracted about 240 replies with more than 9,600 reactions across the entire thread.

A similar post was put up on the TR Emeritus Facebook page on the same day and has been shared 139 times to date.

Many people ridiculed the course fee, saying for example that their domestic workers at home could conduct such courses at half price, or that such skills could be picked up for free during National Service.

However, SSG and NEA said: “Successful completion of the course enhances participants' proficiency in basic cleaning techniques, contributing significantly to their professional development within the cleaning industry.”

Licensed cleaning businesses must ensure that all of their cleaners fulfil the enhanced training requirement, of which this course is a part, or risk facing a financial penalty, they added.

These companies may also have their licence suspended or revoked if they do not fulfil this requirement.

SSG and NEA said that more than 500 enrolments for this course were recorded last year across several training providers, and those who wish to enrol in it may receive subsidies, training allowance and other benefits.