SMU Dean of Students and Professor of Sociology (Practice) Paulin Straughan commented on the latest official statistics which show that the number of married couples who divorced continued to rise for the third consecutive year ending in 2016, while fewer people got married over the same period. She pointed out that some couples could be delaying marriage to pursue other aspirations, such as furthering their education. Others may not be able to find the right partner because they do not date often. These individuals, she added, need to strike a good work-life balance and be more proactive in their dating life. As for divorces, one reason why they are inching up could be that some couples are not trying hard enough to sustain their relationship, said Prof Straughan. Instead, they focus more of their energy on other aspects, such as career advancement or the needs of their children, and forget to set aside “couple time”.