Singapore Government Strengthens Support for Early Childhood Development
SINGAPORE: The KidSTART programme, which supports young children from lower-income families, will be progressively expanded across Singapore from next year, according to the Ministry of Social and Family Services (MSF). Initially launched in 2016, the programme has already benefited over 3,000 children across 13 regions and is on track to support 5,000 children by 2023.
Minister of State for Social and Family Services Sun Xueling emphasised the government’s commitment to narrowing the developmental gap for children from low-income families, starting in their early years. This expansion aims to ensure that these children have the best start in life, regardless of their family’s financial background.
Improving Early Intervention and Preschool Access
As part of the broader efforts to strengthen support for young children, two new early intervention centres will be built to meet the growing needs of children with developmental challenges. This will expand the availability of places under the Early Intervention Programme for Infants and Children.
The Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) also reported a significant increase in the proportion of pre-schoolers enrolled in government-supported preschools, which has risen to over 60% from 50% in 2018. The number of full-day preschool places has more than doubled over the past decade, from 90,000 in 2012 to around 200,000 in 2021.
By 2023, an additional 10,000 full-day preschool places will be created, focusing on areas with a high concentration of young families. The goal is for 80% of preschoolers to have access to government-supported preschools by 2025. Fee caps for these preschools will also be reduced in the coming years.
Strengthening Early Childhood Education Workforce
To meet the growing demand for preschool places, the number of early childhood educators has increased from 18,000 in 2018 to over 23,000 in 2021. To further develop leadership in the sector, ECDA will introduce a Leadership Development Framework and launch Early Childhood Learning Communities (ECLC) starting in April. These communities will facilitate the sharing of best practices and enhance the professional development of educators.
The ECLCs will focus on areas such as Early Years Competencies, Outdoor Learning, Social and Emotional Development, and Language and Literacy. Educators leading these communities will receive fully funded professional development programmes and grants. Additionally, employers will be supported by an annual manpower relief fund.
The government plans to more than double its annual spending on the early childhood sector over the next few years, from around S$1 billion in 2018, to further enhance the quality of early childhood education and ensure all children, particularly those from lower-income families, have access to the resources they need for a strong start in life.
