Capacity of Relief Staff Pool that Preschools Tap On

Dr Charlene Chen asked the Minister for Social and Family Development in view of expanded parental leave provisions (a) whether ECDA has assessed if the existing relief staff pool has sufficient capacity to meet increased short-term manpower needs across the preschool sector while maintaining required staff-child ratios; and (b) whether the pool will be expanded if demand increases.

Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M: In October 2024, the Early Childhood Development Agency appointed two service providers to make relief staff services more accessible to preschools, helping centres manage manpower needs while enabling educators to take time-off for personal and professional needs. Since the appointment, the combined number of relief staff has grown steadily to support the sector's manpower needs, from around 800 staff in October 2024 to more than 1,900 staff as of June 2026. Over 300 preschools have since tapped on this service. Beyond the two appointed service providers, some preschools choose to maintain their own pool of relief staff and/or engage other service providers for their manpower needs.

We will continue to monitor the needs of the sector closely, and work with operators and training partners on other initiatives to address manpower pressures.