Pre-school Education

Ms Low Yen Ling asked the Minister for Education whether the Ministry will (i) review the merits and demerits of the Ministry being the lead Ministry for pre-school education, as compared to the present status of the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports overseeing childcare services and the Ministry looking after kindergartens; (ii) evaluate and address the risks of over-teaching in kindergartens as teachers and parents prepare children for Primary 1 in the absence of detailed guidelines on the level of academic and overall competence required for entry into P1; and (iii) consider offering subsidies to working mothers of children studying in kindergartens like how subsidies are given to working mothers of children in childcare services.

Page: 507

Mr Lim Biow Chuan asked the Minister for Education (a) whether the Government will consider taking over the management and operation of pre-schools, kindergartens and childcare centres; and (b) what are the implications of such a decision.

Mr Ang Hin Kee asked the Minister for Education whether the Ministry will respond to the concerns raised on the state of pre-school education in Singapore and recommendations made by the study commissioned by the Lien Foundation.

Mr Laurence Lien asked the Minister for Education in light of Singapore's ranking of 29th out of 45 countries in the recent global survey on early childhood education conducted by the Economist Intelligence Unit, whether there are plans to review the availability, affordability and quality of early childhood education in Singapore.

Mr Heng Swee Keat: MOE recognises the importance of pre-school education. A major review of pre-school education was conducted in 2008 by the MOE-MCYS Joint Steering Committee. Arising from the review, we have taken steps to improve the quality, affordability and accessibility of pre-school education in Singapore.

We are raising quality through a three-pronged strategy of raising teacher quality, programme quality and centre quality.

First, to improve teacher quality, MOE and MCYS raised the minimum professional and academic qualifications required of pre-school teachers. From January 2009, all new pre-school teachers will need to have a minimum of 5 GCE "O" level credits and a minimum professional qualification of a Diploma in Early Childhood Care and Education – Teaching. We have also invested in the professional development of our pre-school teachers through various bursaries, scholarships and teaching awards, and provided subsidised training for continuing professional development.

Second, MOE is strengthening programme quality by developing and disseminating curriculum resources to all pre-schools. We are currently updating our Kindergarten Curriculum Framework and will distribute the revised framework to all pre-schools by the second half of 2012. Additionally, both MOE and MCYS extend funding support to pre-schools, such as the Innovation Grant to encourage a culture of innovation in the delivery of programmes. The two Ministries also regularly organise professional sharing platforms such as the Kindergarten Conference, the Kindergarten Learning Forum, and Child Care Seminar to promote professional development and sharing of best practices.

Third, MOE is raising centre quality through the Singapore Pre-school Accreditation Framework (SPARK), implemented in 2011 to support pre-schools in their efforts to improve the teaching and learning, administration and management processes. SPARK drives continuous improvement and provides an indicator of quality for parents making choices on pre-school. So far, 115 pre-schools have received the SPARK certification.

To ensure that pre-school education remains affordable, the Government has made available a range of subsidies, including universal childcare subsidies and additional financial assistance for children from lower income families. The eligible income criterion for ComCare childcare and kindergarten subsidies was revised upwards from $1,800 to $3,500 with effect from 1 April 2011. As a result, the number of beneficiaries has increased by 25%. Ms Low Yen Ling would be glad to note that these subsidies apply regardless of whether a child attends kindergarten or childcare, and ensures no child is denied access to pre-school because of his family's financial circumstances.

Page: 508

MOE and MCYS will continue to look into the issue of affordability of pre-school education, and consider if the current range of subsidies is adequate.

While we have not made pre-school compulsory, the access to pre-school education is very high – 99% of our recent P1 cohort attended at least one year of pre-school. This is higher than some countries where pre-school is compulsory. We have achieved this through a dedicated focus of reaching out to children not enrolled in pre-school. An inter-agency committee, helmed by MOE with representatives from MCYS, People's Association and PCF Headquarters, identifies and reaches out to children not attending pre-school. We are also assisted by grassroots leaders and social workers who visit needy families, and assist their children with pre-school enrolment.

The early years are crucial for a child's holistic development and for laying a strong foundation for lifelong learning.

While MOE does not prescribe a curriculum for pre-schools, teaching and learning in pre-schools are guided by MOE's Kindergarten Curriculum Framework and Guide in Designing programmes that are developmentally appropriate for children aged four to six.

As Ms Low Yen Ling pointed out, parents are naturally concerned about their child's readiness for primary school. However, developmental and education experts warn against "over-teaching" pre-school children and the potential detrimental impact on the child. Such an approach ignores the spectrum of potential and pace of development which exists normally in children of pre-school ages and should be discouraged.

MOE is currently refreshing the Kindergarten Curriculum Framework to take into account recent research findings in child development and will also articulate the core competencies a child should possess, such as in the areas of Language and Literacy and Numeracy, at the end of pre-school education and as they enter primary school. The refreshed framework will be disseminated to all pre-schools, and made available to the public by the end of this year.

MOE and MCYS work closely on policies and practices for the pre-school sector, to raise the quality of the pre-school sector and to enhance the professional development of pre-school educators. For example, SPARK applies to both kindergartens and childcare centres. Similarly, professional qualification requirements and professional development routes developed by MOE apply to both kindergarten and childcare teachers. We thank Member Low Yen Ling for her suggestion for MOE to be the lead Ministry for the pre-school sector. MOE and MCYS will study how best the Government can oversee and support the sector.

More can be done, including in the other areas of improvement highlighted by the studies commissioned by the Lien Foundation, which both Mr Laurence Lien and Mr Ang Hin Kee referred to. The studies are timely and add to the feedback we have been gathering. The Government will consolidate and study all feedback carefully, and see what further measures are needed to raise the quality of pre-school education.

Page: 509