Adequacy of Infant Care and Preschool Vacancies in Bidadari Estate

33 Mr Sitoh Yih Pin asked the Minister for Social and Family Development (a) what is the assessment on the adequacy of infant care and preschool vacancies in the Bidadari estate; and (b) whether an update can be provided on the plans and timelines for the opening of new preschool(s) to meet the increasing demand of young families moving into the estate.

Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M: As of April 2024, there are about 660 infant care and 8,110 childcare places licensed for operation in the Toa Payoh Planning Area, which includes the Bidadari estate. These places have not been fully subscribed, with a utilisation rate of about 70%.

To ensure that future demand is met, the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) has been building infant care and childcare places in tandem with new Built-to-Order (BTO) housing developments. Over the past five years, infant care and childcare places in Toa Payoh have increased by about 130% and 90% respectively. The majority of which were sited in new BTO developments, such as Bidadari. This is notably higher than the national rates of 60% and 20% respectively over the same period. By 2025, ECDA will build another 150 infant care and 920 childcare places in Toa Payoh, with the majority in the Bidadari estate. These places are mostly offered by anchor operators and do not include additional places that may be built by other preschool operators.