The Straits Times | 28 Jul 2012

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 education 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. That would standardise teach kids seven years of age per year on each relevant-age Sources: MINISTRY OF EDUCATION, the curriculum and ensure all onwards are recruited and child, Singapore spends less than Salaries compared MINISTRY OF COMMUNITY children have a smooth trained by MOE, but this Norway does – US$7,620 DEVELOPMENT YOUTH AND SPORTS, transition to primary school. important task is left to the Starting pay of graduate school teachers $2,900 MINISTRY OF MANPOWER, (S$9,550) in purchasing power PAP COMMUNITY FOUNDATION, When there was a similar private sector for those parity terms – and less also than Starting pay of non-graduate school teachers $1,920 ETONHOUSE call to nationalise preschool teaching younger kids.” countries such as New Zealand Median pay of preschool teachers $1,840 education three years ago, But where would that leave (US$4,329), Japan (US$4,029) Median pay of general office clerks $1,840 GRAPHICS: MIKE M DIZON then Education Minister Ng current preschool teachers, and Poland (US$2,635). Median pay of warehouse labourers $1,748 Eng Hen said there was no many of whom are not degree PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG Singapore fared worst in “quali- universally accepted model for holders? ty”. It ranked 30 out of 45. kindergarten teaching. Kindergarten teacher and Reasons for this included a Imposing one would deprive diploma holder Serene Lim, high teacher-student ratio of 1:20 parents of choice. 48, who switched to preschool and the relatively low average PAP Community Foundation He also argued that teaching a few years ago, said: Children and parents at dismissal time at St Vincent de Paul Kindergarten, which is located in a void deck in Serangoon North. Kindergartens and childcare centres are run by a wide variety of operators. ST PHOTO: MARIEL VICTORIA MOK wages and low entry require- preschools, which take in half bringing preschools into the “What happens to people like ments for preschool teachers. The of all kindergarten-age pupils, formal school system runs the me? It would be difficult for By SANDRA DAVIE Mr T.L. Lim, 44, a lorry driver, al- She says she cannot afford sto- concern that children are entering also paid a home visit weekly to in- They are run by a wide variety top 10 countries in the index have vary in quality. risk of an over-emphasis on me to switch careers at my SENIOR WRITER so loves to draw but shies away ry books on her meagre monthly formal education on an unequal volve the mothers in the educa- of operators, from companies to ratios ranging from one teacher to academics. age. I will be out of a job.” from saying anything more. salary of $900. footing. tional process. religious groups and community- five to 11 children. The Government had a Parent Carol Choo, 33, who The quiet child, who goes to a “I get my children to watch These children were tracked based bodies like the PCF and Qualifications-wise, preschool similar reasoning back in 1999 wants only graduate preschool SIX-YEAR-OLD Lim Qi uses her PAP Community Foundation English shows on television,” she Why preschool matters for decades after completing pre- National Trades Union Congress teachers in the top-10-ranked when it conducted a review of teachers for her children, says iPad to watch her favourite car- (PCF) kindergarten in Bedok, lags says, pointing to a television that school and not only did more of (NTUC). They charge fees ranging economies have degrees. Teach- preschool education. Dr Aline these teachers can upgrade toon. behind her peers in reading and was donated by a resident at the THERE are no published studies them go on to complete high from as little as $55 to as much as ers here need to have only five Wong, then Senior Minister of their qualifications or become It is called WordGirl and she writing. condominium where she works. but anecdotal evidence suggests school and enter college, they also $1,800 a month. O-level credits and a diploma in State for Education, said the teaching assistants. likes it as she can learn many She is receiving extra help from Besides, she says the child has that many of the pupils who end had better jobs and earned higher Their facilities differ widely, as preschool education. Government would not take Minister of State for words from the girl superhero her preschool teachers. many books to read at the child- up in the learning support pro- salaries. do teacher qualifications, class The Singapore Government over the sector but would look Education Lawrence Wong who fights crime using her When asked basic questions care centre she attends, My First gramme in Primary 1 either had Professor Sharon Kagan of Co- size and curricula. All this results has already raised the require- into ways to encourage last week said the Lien strength and colossal vocabulary. like how many brothers and sis- Skool in Kallang Bahru. no preschool education or a lumbia University, quoted in the in uneven quality. ments for preschool teachers, but kindergartens and childcare Foundation study provides Among the words she learnt ters she has and what her favour- She is able to afford the patchy one. Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) For years, educationists, politi- recruiting and training more centres to improve the quality useful inputs as the recently is “oxymoron”, and to ite colour is, she struggles to reply NTUC-run centre for her daugh- The programme is for kids lag- study on preschool education, ex- cians and parents have worried teachers will take time. of their programmes. Government further refines demonstrate that she knows its in full sentences. Her father says ter because with all the subsidies ging behind in English and maths. plains why: “Three strands of re- over the fallout of leaving the pre- Not all Singaporeans want the In 1979, the Government policies. He also noted the meaning, she says: “Cold sun and her main problem is the lack of ex- she receives, she has to pay only The passionate belief among search combine to support the im- school sector to free-market forc- Government to take over the pre- started a pre-primary considerable progress made in dark light are oxymorons.” posure to English at home. $5 a month. The centre charges many child experts and educators portance of the early years. From es, with insufficient regulatory school sector or even invest more programme to help children preschool education. She says her parents, Mr and “We all speak Mandarin,” he $588 a month for full-day care, is that quality preschool for all neuro scientific research, we un- supervision. Some suspect that as public funds in it. from dialect-speaking homes Mr Wong, wearing his hat Mrs Roger Lim, who run a commu- says, adding that he worries about which includes the kindergarten can help narrow the gap between derstand the criticality of early a result, many preschool Businessman R. Maniam, learn English and Mandarin. as chairman of the PCF nications company, helped her to whether his daughter, the young- programme. children from different socio-eco- brain development; from social operators cut corners and compro- whose two sons attended PCF kin- About 2,500 children in K2 executive committee, also understand the word’s meaning. est of three children, will be able The centre, which won the Sin- nomic backgrounds. science research, we know that mise standards to keep fees afford- dergartens, says: “The quality spent a year in the recently announced the Her mum Yvonne, 44, is a de- to cope when she enters Primary 1 gapore Preschool Accreditation Dr Lynn Ang, a senior lecturer high-quality programmes im- able. may not be that good but it is programme. It was available foundation’s plan to bring all sign graduate. She attributes Lim next year. Framework or Spark quality mark of early childhood at the Universi- prove children’s readiness for With few exceptions, those pre- good enough and improving.” at 31 schools at a nominal cost its 328 kindergartens and Qi’s advanced vocabulary partly He admits that he buys only as- awarded by the Ministry of Educa- ty of East London, points to the school and life; and from econo- schools that offer quality charge He adds: “I would rather the of $4 a month. The ministry childcare centres under a to the preschool she attends, Eton- sessment books for his youngest, tion (MOE), has many age-appro- overwhelming evidence that quali- metric research, we know that high fees, which means only chil- Government spends its money on subsidised every pupil to the centralised system. House along Newton Road. not story books. “No point, be- priate books. Nora’s teachers, ty preschool is critical to child de- high-quality programmes save so- dren from well-to-do families the universities to create more tune of $120 a month. That would help address Mrs Lim forks out about $1,500 cause she cannot read,” he says. though, say she hardly picks up velopment. ciety significant amounts of mon- have access to their services. places.” But the Government could the problem of uneven a month to put her daughter there Still, he feels that she will even- books to read on her own. She cited the findings of the ey over time.” Three years ago, an expert But Mr Lee Poh Wah, chief not justify to the standards across the different for about six hours a day, but she tually catch up with her peers in The centre is offering her extra Perry Preschool Project, a land- The worry is that the current study commissioned by govern- executive officer of the Lien Auditor-General the cost of PCF schools, he said. says the quality is evident in the primary school. “My older daugh- help through a programme called mark study carried out in Michi- preschool landscape – marked by ment feedback unit Reach called Foundation which commissioned running a programme that There is broad agreement centre’s graduate teachers, low ter was not good at first, but now Flair – Focused Language Assist- gan in the 1960s. The project in- uneven quality – is not helping for preschool education to be the EIU study as well as a second cost $80 million a year, and that more must be done to teacher to student ratio of 1:12, she is okay. Her school teacher is ance in Reading – where a special- volved providing high-quality pre- but hindering the desired level- made compulsory and for the sec- report on how to raise preschool which was already offered by raise preschool education and the International Baccalaure- very good,” he says. ly trained teacher gives extra at- school education to a group of ling-up. tor to be nationalised. standards here, worries that the private sector. So in 1989, standards. ate curriculum that emphasises in- Nora (not her real name) is also tention to children who are lag- three- and four-year-old children But the calls died down after the sector as it is now only serves it was announced that from The challenge now is quiry-based learning. six years old. The soft-spoken girl ging behind in their reading and living in poverty and assessed to Bar set too low? the Government stood its ground, to widen the gap between chil- 1990, the popular pre-primary finding the resources needed Lim Qi also attends weekly art, struggles to find the right words writing. be at high risk of school failure. saying preschool was best left to dren. programme would cease. to fund this costly enterprise, violin and ballet lessons. The artic- when asked to describe her latest The wide gap between the de- The children were taught by THERE are 500 kindergartens private operators and charitable He says: “We need to look into Are experts now calling for and recruiting and training ulate child says she loves to dance drawing. velopment of children from afflu- certified public school teachers that come under the MOE and groups like the PCF as they offer providing good, high-quality edu- a reversal of that decision? enough qualified teachers who and play the violin. “Oh, I also “A girl... house... tree,” she vol- ent middle-class families like Lim with at least a bachelor’s degree. some 900-plus childcare centres choice to parents. cation that will close the gap be- Not quite. Dr Khoo and Ms can make a difference. love to draw,” she says, showing unteers after much coaxing. Qi and those from lower so- The average child-teacher ratio that fall under the purview of the Some parents like Mr Adrian tween children like Lim Qi and No- Ho Yin Fong, academic SANDRA DAVIE off her many colourful drawings. Her divorcee mother is 38 cio-economic backgrounds like was 6:1 and the curriculum empha- Ministry of Community Develop- Tan, 34, an accountant, prefer ra.” The six-year-old daughter of years old and works as a cleaner. Nora has in recent years caused sised active learning. The teachers ment, Youth and Sports (MCYS). that the Government not take [email protected] D2 SATURDAY INSIGHT SATURDAY, JULY 28, 2012 SATURDAY, JULY 28, 2012 INSIGHT SATURDAY D3