$30m help to improve teaching in pre-school sector

By Priscilla Goy, The Straits Times, 31 Aug 2013

NEW and existing pre-school teachers have received a $30 million boost from the Government, as part of an ongoing national push to improve the pre-school sector.

The money will go towards enhancing scholarships and training awards in the sector, Acting Minister for Social and Family Development Chan Chun Sing said yesterday. The move is aimed at helping operators attract and retain staff, as part of a drive to make quality pre-school education more affordable and accessible.

One initiative is the introduction of a Training Award by the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA). This is for full- time students taking up the early childhood care and education diploma at Ngee Ann Polytechnic and Temasek Polytechnic. The two schools take in about 300 students a year for the course.

It replaces the existing full- time diploma scholarship scheme offered by the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF), which provides sponsorship of the full course fees and a one-off learning resource grant.

The new award increases the monthly study allowance from $300 to $800 and introduces funding support of up to $1,000 a year for professional development. Students can apply midway through their diploma programme, instead of only at the start, as in previous years.

Recipients have a one-year bond to the pre-school sector for each year of support received. Students who complete a three- year diploma course will receive about $37,000 from the award and serve a three-year bond.

Mr Chan, who becomes a full minister tomorrow, said: "We want to provide more support to passionate individuals who are committed to a career in the early childhood sector, and we want to do so from the onset - when they commence their diploma training at our polytechnics."

He was speaking to about 80 award recipients at the ECDA scholarship award ceremony at the MSF Community Hall.

He also announced that scholarships and training awards for degree, master's and part-time diploma programmes will come under the purview of ECDA. Previously, awards for the kindergarten and childcare sectors were given by the Education Ministry and MSF respectively.

This change means that award recipients now have the flexibility to serve their bond in the pre-school sector as a whole, instead of specifically at kindergartens or childcare centres. These awards will also be made available to teachers from all kindergartens instead of only non-profit ones, as in previous years.

Ms Lim Qian Hui, 17, a first-year student at Ngee Ann Polytechnic, received a full-time diploma scholarship. She said the additional government support reaffirms the important role of pre-school teachers in society.

Said Pre-School By-the-Park director Loy Wee Mee: "The qualifications required... help to raise the quality of education but tighten the labour market. The financial assistance would help attract teachers. Other factors such as better pay are also important."