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Source: The Straits Times © Singapore Press Holdings Limited. Reproduced with permission. D2 SATURDAY INSIGHT SATURDAY, JULY 28, 2012 SATURDAY, JULY 28, 2012 INSIGHT SATURDAY D3 over as he wants to send his son to a church-run kindergarten.“To me, character and values educa- tion comes first. That’s why I am Many in favour of looking for a good church kinder- The Starting Well Report garten for my son.” Dr Ng Eng Hen, then Educa- The report was published by the OVERALL tion Minister, told Parliament Economist Intelligence Unit. The Govt taking over that the Government would in- research studied preschool Rank Place Overall score stead focus on improving the qual- environments in 45 countries. Countries 1 Finland 91.8 ity, accessibility and affordability preschool sector 2 Sweden 91.7 of preschool education. were measured on four indicators: social context (5% weightage), 10 South Korea 72.5 MOE and MCYS have over the 19 Hong Kong 66.2 years raised the baseline qualifica- MRS Denise Lai has been in director of the National availability (25%), affordability (25%) 29 Singapore 58.8 tions that principals and teachers and quality (45%). the early childhood education Trades Union Congress-run must meet. MOE is also business for over 15 years. Seed Institute, say they are strengthening programme quality Her two preschools – in not calling for all children to by developing and disseminating Tanglin and East Coast – go to state-run kindergartens. curriculum resources to all pre- Social context Rank Place Overall score charge parents about $1,200 a “The Government could schools. 5% This measures the broader 1 Singapore 100 month for the four-hour provide good preschools for Last year, it introduced the socio-economic environment for Hong Kong 100 kindergarten programme. the majority of children. But it quality accreditation framework young children, including their The 42-year-old mother of could also allow and support health and nutrition levels, and Finland 100 called Spark to encourage pre- WEIGHTAGE South Korea 100 three, who is enrolled in private operators who have a school centres to improve. But to literacy rates. National Institute of proven record of providing 29 Malaysia 95 date, only 115 centres out of over Education’s (NIE) doctorate in high-quality education. This 1,400 have received the award. education programme, is way, parents will still have a Despite these efforts, the gener- surprisingly an ardent choice,” says Dr Khoo. al view is that the bar is still set advocate for the Government Ms Ho notes that the Six-year-old Lim Qi using her iPad at home (left) and preparing to paint a mask at school (right). Her parents pay about $1,500 a month for her to attend EtonHouse. ST PHOTOS: RAJ NADARAJAN, DESMOND LUI FOR THE STRAITS TIMES Availability Rank Place Overall score too low. to take over the sector. Government gives subsidies to This measures access to preschool for 1 Belgium 99.7 She says: “It has become working mothers who send 25% low-income families taking into account the 5 Finland 94.9 How Singapore ranks proportion of children enrolled in preschool, evident to me that the costs of their children to childcare 11 South Korea 82 providing a good quality centres, and there is a further WEIGHTAGE whether children are entitled by law to JUST last month, debate erupted preschool education, and state policies to 25 Singapore 64.3 programme are beyond the subsidy for those from all over again after a global rank- promote early childhood development. 26 Hong Kong 60.9 means of the average family. low-income families. ing of preschool education by the “And it is just not possible In some countries, EIU placed Singapore 29th out of for operators to keep the fees subsidies are given directly to 45 countries surveyed. Affordability low and still run a quality childcare providers. At the starting line Most know that it is hard to Rank Place Overall score school. Take a modest-sized Singapore’s subsidies to beat the Nordic countries, but Sin- This measures whether families of all 1 Belgium 92.4 preschool with five classrooms preschool operators are gapore also ranked behind others 25% incomes can afford to send their children to 5 Finland 84.2 for 75 children. The rent, limited and offered only to preschool. State spending on preschool in the Asia-Pacific region, includ- education and subsidies to low-income 11 South Korea 64 teachers’ salaries and the non-profit providers with no ing New Zealand, South Korea, WEIGHTAGE families and to institutions catering to low- 25 Singapore 60 experience-based materials ethnic or religious affiliations, Hong Kong, Japan and Australia. income families are taken into consideration. 26 Hong Kong 59.8 the children need can easily and which have the ability and Right now, the quality of preschool education is tied to price. Insight reports on what that means for children, rich and poor. At its core, the survey called add up to $50,000 a month. reach to provide services to all Starting Well attempted to assess Which means, just to break children. Currently, only the the extent to which governments even, the centre would have NTUC and PAP Community provide good, inclusive early edu- Quality Rank Place Overall score to charge $700 per child. Foundation (PCF) groups cation to children between the ag- Indicators used to measure quality 1 Finland 93.5 “Now that’s a lot of money qualify for support. es of three and six. 45% include student-teacher ratio, 10 South Korea 69 for the average family.” Dr Khoo points out that It considered the relative availa- teachers’ salaries, teacher training, She is just one of the many countries such as New 11 Hong Kong 68.9 bility, affordability and quality of scope of curriculum guidelines and child education experts who, Zealand have achieved success 29 Chile 53 preschool environments in each WEIGHTAGE level of parental involvement. in recent years, have called for with a private sector, country. 30 Singapore 50.6 the Government to bring the market-led strategy, through And as EIU’s analyst Trisha preschool sector under its subsidies both to providers Suresh points out, Singapore ambit. That was also one of and parents. fared well only in one indicator – two main recommendations in Mr Lee says compared to “social context”. This was a nod the second Lien Foundation its “well-endowed to its high literacy rates and stand- report, released last week. step-sisters”, namely primary ard of living. The 27 education experts and secondary education, But its score was “average” for Preschool in Singapore surveyed called on the which are fully supported by “availability”, pulled down by Preschool education in Singapore is provided through kindergartens Government to take charge of the Government, “preschool lack of a legal right to preschool preschool education, and offer education is a Cinderella, left education. But some have ques- and childcare centres. MATTHIAS CHEW looks at what’s available. it free to all children. to fend for itself as a 100 per tioned if this is a good indicator, There was also a strong call cent private system”. as 99 per cent of kindergarten- CHILDCARE CENTRES KINDERGARTEN for the Ministry of Education He points out the plight of age children here are enrolled in (MOE) to train preschool St James’ Church preschool. Number 987 Number 502 teachers the way it recruits Kindergarten. It is faced with Singapore also did only “aver- Pupils aged 4-6 45,000 Pupils 67,000 and trains mainstream school the prospect of having to shut age” for affordability, which took Monthly full-day fee range $330 to $2,500 Monthly ffeeee range $55 to $1,800 teachers through the NIE. down because it cannot find into account the cost of a private On MOE running affordable new premises. One preschool, government spending preschools, which would site it considered would cost on the sector and subsidies to mean nationalising the sector, $101,000 in monthly rent. underprivileged families or cen- EtonHouse International Group PAP Community Foundation Mr Lee Poh Wah, 41, chief Says Mr Lee: “It is a good tres that cater to them. A chain catering to the higher end of the The largest player in the preschool scene, executive officer of the Lien quality kindergarten that Ms Suresh notes that the sur- market, with mainly graduate teachers with roughly half of the kindergarten-age Foundation, says only the charges just $300, but if it vey shows fees charged by cen- and a low student-teacher ratio. cohort attending its centres. Government has the had to pay $100,000 a month tres here range from $100 to resources, financial and in rent alone, then it would $1,800. “In the Singapore con- Monthly fee range $1,300 to 1,800 Monthly fee range $60 to $320 otherwise, to raise standards have to charge its 200 text, fees have become the indica- Number of centres for 11 Number of kindergartens 242 in the sector. children $500 a month just to pupils aged 4-6 tor of quality,” she says. Number of childcare centres 84 Dr Khoo Kim Choo, who cover rent. Then what about Pupils aged 4-6 attending 1,500 Pupils attending PCF kindergartens 40,000 Another factor that dragged EtonHouse centres runs the Preschool for their teachers’ salaries?” Singapore down in this measure Pupils receiving kindergarten Multiple Intelligences along As for MOE taking over the Spark-certified centres* 3 25% was government spending. subsidy for low-income families Newton Road, is also for the training of preschool teachers, Spark-certified centres* 39 Exact figures for Singapore are NOTE: * Singapore Preschool Accreditation Government running Mrs Lai says: “Right now, not available but going by the EIU Framework kindergartens, at least the K2 primary school teachers who ranking of government spending level.

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