Percentage of In-service Early Childhood Educators Who Have Completed Certificate in Inclusive Practice Course
Ministry of Social and Family DevelopmentSpeakers
Summary
This question concerns the percentage of educators completing the Certificate in Inclusive Practice (CIP) and strategies to support children with developmental needs, as raised by Ms Eileen Chong Pei Shan. Minister for Social and Family Development Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M reported that the CIP has seen an intake of around 80 educators annually since its 2022 launch. He stated that the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) incorporates inclusive practice into pre-service training and continuing professional development to strengthen educators' competencies. The Minister also highlighted the Inclusive Support Programme pilot in six preschools, which integrates early intervention services and provides specialized staff coaching. These initiatives aim to enhance inclusive practices and support for children requiring medium levels of early intervention in preschool settings.
Transcript
107 Ms Eileen Chong Pei Shan asked the Minister for Social and Family Development (a) what percentage of in-service early childhood educators have completed the Certificate in Inclusive Practice (CIP) course; and (b) what are the Ministry's plans to encourage and enable more early childhood educators to take the CIP course to deepen their knowledge and skills in supporting children with developmental needs.
Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M: The National Institute of Early Childhood Development (NIEC) began offering the Certificate in Inclusive Practice (CIP) in 2022 and there has been an intake of about 80 in-service educators each year.
Beyond equipping educators through CIP, the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) also works with training providers to incorporate inclusive practice into the curriculum of early childhood pre-service training and continuing professional development (CPD) courses. These courses develop preschool educators' competencies in inclusive practice, including behaviour guidance and differentiated instruction to support children with additional needs.
ECDA has also piloted the Inclusive Support Programme (InSP) in six preschools, to integrate early intervention and early childhood services at preschools for children requiring medium levels of early intervention support. Educators in InSP preschools undergo training and coaching to equip them with the necessary skills and competencies to support children with additional needs in the preschool setting. ECDA remains committed to working with partners to make preschools more inclusive and to provide a good start for every child.