Skillsfuture Singapore reportedly penalises training providers over improper marketing practices

SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG) has reportedly taken action against several training providers for breaching its marketing guidelines, amid rising public complaints about aggressive or misleading promotion tactics.

According to The Straits Times (ST), Acctrain Academy had its contract with SSG terminated on 30 September 2025 after failing to supervise third-party marketing partners, at least one of which was found to have paid cash to learners. The termination means the company can no longer receive SSG funding. Checks by MARKETING-INTERACTIVE at the time of writing show that the academy is revamping its website.

Another provider, FirstCom Academy, was reportedly suspended from January to March this year for using a referral programme to market its courses.

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The penalties come as SSG moves to ban all SkillsFuture training providers from using third parties to promote courses from 1 December, following an increase in complaints about hard-sell marketing practices.

In conversation with ST, SSG said third-party marketing agents often pose a higher risk of using aggressive tactics to boost enrolments, prioritising sales targets over genuine learning outcomes. The agency added that such behaviour could damage the credibility of the training sector and harm learners’ interests, while also raising concerns about data privacy when external agents handle course sign-ups.

SSG reportedly said it has received more public feedback on such issues, rising from 15 cases in 2024 to 21 between January and August 2025. Many complaints involved third-party agents offering cashback, rewards, or incentives to encourage course sign-ups, sometimes persuading individuals, particularly seniors, to enrol in courses they were not qualified for.

Some learners have also reported being misled by exaggerated claims or false advertising. In one example cited by ST, a stay-home mother signed up for a TikTok marketing course using her SkillsFuture credits, only to discover it was a recruitment session for a multi-level marketing business.

To curb such behaviour, SSG’s marketing guidelines, published in August 2025, prohibit exaggerated claims and promises of “guaranteed success”. Training providers are also barred from offering gifts, vouchers, or monetary incentives for referrals or enrolments.

SSG reportedly said that while it has not seen a spike in suspected fraud, it continues to investigate cases involving cashback and reward-based marketing.

Separately, SSG has also unveiled stricter quality measures for SkillsFuture-funded courses, such as requiring trainers to undergo regular upskilling and suspending low-rated courses based on participant feedback.

The agency reportedly reiterated that the upcoming ban on third-party marketing aims to protect learners and uphold the credibility of Singapore’s lifelong learning ecosystem.

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE has reached out to SSG and FirstCom Academy for more information.

SSG’s latest enforcement comes amid broader scrutiny of marketing and transparency practices across industries in Singapore. In June, the Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapore (CCCS) flagged design features on Agoda’s website and mobile app that could potentially mislead consumers.

One issue was the “best match” label, which suggested search results were ranked based on user preferences such as travel dates or guest ratings. CCCS found that Agoda’s algorithm also factored in the commissions it earned, raising transparency concerns.

Agoda has since voluntarily provided an undertaking and worked with CCCS to make changes, ensuring users receive accurate and transparent information before booking accommodations.

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