Enrolment Levels in Preschools that Operate on Saturdays

54 Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis asked the Minister for Social and Family Development in each of the past five years (a) what is the number and proportion of preschools that operate on Saturdays; and (b) what is the total enrolment for preschool services on Saturdays.

Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M: All childcare centres licensed by the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) are currently required to provide Saturday services from 7.00 am to 2.00 pm. Centres are allowed to close on Saturdays if there is no attendance of children for a period of three months, but they must provide the Saturday service if parents request for it.

Based on ECDA’s survey in September 2022, about 30% of childcare centres did not operate on Saturdays. The remaining 70% of childcare centres looked after an average of one to two infants or children on Saturdays.