Changes to Selection and Monitoring of Student Care Operators Following February 2026 Incident Where Student Care Operator Was Terminated
Ministry of EducationSpeakers
Summary
This question concerns the selection, monitoring, and GIRO safeguards for student care operators, as well as recourse for affected parents following a contract termination in February 2026, raised by Ms Yeo Wan Ling. Minister Desmond Lee replied that the Ministry of Education (MOE) has introduced more regular financial health checks on Student Care Centre and Kindergarten Care operators. Furthermore, newly appointed operators will be required to provide a security deposit from December 2026 to mitigate financial losses from business failures. To prevent unauthorised GIRO deductions, operators must now explicitly specify deduction purposes in contracts with parents, facing potential contract suspension or termination for violations, while broader banking safeguards are reviewed. Lastly, MOE advised affected parents to seek recourse via the Small Claims Tribunals while police investigations remain ongoing.
Transcript
57 Ms Yeo Wan Ling asked the Minister for Education (a) what changes have been made to the selection and monitoring of student care operators following the termination of a student care operator's contract in February 2026 due to contractual breaches; (b) whether safeguards governing GIRO deductions by student care operators will be strengthened; and (c) what recourse remains available to parents who have yet to recover monies that were deducted without authorisation.
Mr Desmond Lee: The Ministry of Education (MOE) has enhanced its measures for managing Student Care Centre (SCC) and Kindergarten Care (KCare) operators, following the termination of Little Professors Learning Centre Pte Ltd's (LPLC's) SCC and KCare contracts in February 2026.
One, MOE conducts more regular checks on the operators' financial health, to detect early signs of operators' financial difficulties. This will enable MOE to work with operators earlier if any concerns arise.
Two, from December 2026, newly appointed operators will be required to provide a security deposit, which can be drawn on to mitigate financial losses in the event of operator business failures.
Three, to better protect families against unauthorised GIRO deductions, operators must now clearly specify the purposes for which GIRO deductions may be made in their contracts with parents. They will only be permitted to make deductions for those stated purposes. Operators who make unauthorised deductions may have their contracts suspended or terminated. The Monetary Authority of Singapore is working with the Association of Banks in Singapore and member banks to review how safeguards for GIRO payments can be strengthened.
On the recourse for parents following the LPLC termination, MOE has advised parents to seek legal recourse through the Small Claims Tribunals. Police investigations are still ongoing.
MOE will continue to review our processes and strengthen our oversight of SCC and KCare operators.