Actual Vacancies Available in Infant Care and Preschools and Expanded Powers for ECDA to Regulate Operators
Ministry of Social and Family DevelopmentSpeakers
Summary
This question concerns discrepancies between preschool vacancy data on LifeSG and actual availability, with Mr Sitoh Yih Pin inquiring about resolution plans and expanded regulatory powers for the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA). Minister for Social and Family Development Masagos Zulkifli B M M stated that ECDA has worked with operators to rectify reporting inaccuracies and encourages regular updates to ensure parents have reliable information. He clarified that the Early Childhood Development Centres Act already mandates capacity and enrolment reporting, and there are no plans to impose further regulations on vacancy reporting. ECDA will instead focus on exploring enhancements to the Preschool Search function to assist parents in making informed decisions.
Transcript
34 Mr Sitoh Yih Pin asked the Minister for Social and Family Development (a) whether there is an asymmetry of information between the infant care and preschool vacancies listed on LifeSG and the actual vacancies available when verified with operators in person; (b) if so, what are the plans to resolve this; and (c) whether the Ministry will consider expanding the powers of the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) to equip them with the necessary authority to regulate operators on issues such as vacancies, enrolment and capacity.
Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M: The Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) has worked closely with preschools for the recent launch of the preschool search function on LifeSG. With monthly updates on preschool vacancies, this function facilitates parents' search experience and allows them to directly contact preschools with vacancies to secure a place for their child. Post-launch, some parents have provided feedback to ECDA on mismatches in certain preschools' vacancy information, between what was posted on LifeSG and what they received directly from the centres.
ECDA's checks showed that most of these cases were due to inaccurate representation of the preschool's vacancy status and has worked with the operators to rectify the issue. ECDA will urge operators to update their preschools' vacancies regularly and accurately, so that parents can make informed decisions on which centres to approach and secure a place for their child. ECDA will also continue to explore ideas to make the Preschool Search function more useful for parents.
The Early Childhood Development Centres Act and Regulations already cover areas regarding preschool capacity and enrolment. These include the licensed capacity for each centre and requirement for preschools to provide enrolment information to ECDA. ECDA has no plans to impose additional regulations on operators regarding the reporting of vacancy information.