Difference in Fees Charged by Private and Government-supported Preschools
Ministry of Social and Family DevelopmentSpeakers
Summary
This question concerns the differences in fees and government funding between private and government-supported preschools and the measures ensuring consistent educational quality. Mr Saktiandi Supaat inquired about average fee disparities, to which Minister Masagos Zulkifli B M M responded that government expenditure per child has risen to $11,200 annually. He noted that Anchor and Partner Operators have fee caps of $680 and $720, whereas private preschools had a median fee of $1,400 in 2023. To improve accessibility, the government aims for 80% of preschoolers to be in supported centers by 2025 while maintaining quality via SPARK certification and national frameworks. Training is further standardized through the National Institute of Early Childhood Development and the Skills Framework for Early Childhood to benefit all educators across the sector.
Transcript
60 Mr Saktiandi Supaat asked the Minister for Social and Family Development (a) what is the average monthly fee per child presently charged by (i) Government-supported preschools and (ii) private preschools; (b) what is the difference in the amount of Government funding per child received by (i) Government-supported pre-schools and (ii) private pre-schools; and (c) how does the Ministry ensure a consistent quality of teachers and programmes across Government-supported preschools and private preschools.
Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M: The Government has invested significantly in the early childhood sector to give every child a good start in life. The average Government expenditure per preschool-aged child has increased by more than three times over the past 10 years, from $3,500 in 2014 to $11,200 in 2023, with a higher amount spent on children in government-supported preschools and children from lower-income families. Our expenditure is channelled towards measures such as preschool subsidies for all Singaporean children, sector-wide manpower measures and funding for government-supported preschools.
We provide additional funding to Anchor and Partner Operators (AOPs and POPs) to increase access to affordable and quality preschools. AOPs and POPs are subject to quality requirements such as achieving the Singapore Preschool Accreditation Framework (SPARK) certification, raising educators’ salaries and supporting their continuing professional development. Our funding also enables AOPs and POPs to keep within monthly fee caps, which are currently set at $680 and $720 respectively for full-day childcare. In comparison, the median monthly full-day childcare fee for non-government-supported preschools was $1,400 in 2023. We are increasing the number of government-supported preschool places so that 80% of preschoolers can have a place in a government-supported preschool by around 2025, to allow more families to benefit from these lower fees.
We have also dedicated significant funding to raising the quality of the early childhood sector, through initiatives which benefit both government- and non-government-supported preschools. The National Institute of Early Childhood Development was set up in 2019 to provide training and professional development for the sector. The Early Childhood Development Agency and Ministry of Education have also recently updated our national learning and development frameworks to guide all preschools in their pedagogical approaches and practices to provide quality care, teaching and learning for children. Additionally, resources such as the Skills Framework for Early Childhood and Leadership Development Framework guide all educators and leaders in the sector to develop the relevant skills and competencies required for their job roles.