Proportion of Children Aged Four Enrolled in Preschool, Target Enrolment and Plans to Include Them in MOE Kindergartens
Ministry of Social and Family DevelopmentSpeakers
Summary
This question concerns preschool enrolment rates for four-year-olds and potential expansion plans for MOE Kindergartens (MKs). Ms Mariam Jaafar inquired about enrolment figures by income level and whether the government has set specific participation targets. Minister Masagos Zulkifli B M M shared that 80% of children aged three to four in rental flats were enrolled in 2021, compared to an 88% national average. He noted that the government prioritises accessibility through KidSTART and maximum subsidies for lower-income families rather than setting specific enrolment targets. Finally, he stated there are no plans to admit four-year-olds into MKs, citing the MK-Early Years Centre pilot as the current model.
Transcript
33 Ms Mariam Jaafar asked the Minister for Social and Family Development (a) what proportion of children aged four years old are currently enrolled in preschool, broken down by lower-, middle- and higher-income family levels; (b) whether the Government has a target enrolment rate for each class in the near to mid term; and (c) whether the Government has plans to expand MOE kindergartens to take in four-year-old children as a new grade to support transition from pre-school to kindergarten.
Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M: In 2021, the preschool participation rate of Singaporean children aged three to four years residing in public rental flats was about 80%, slightly lower than the national average of about 88%. In comparison, the rate for children aged five to six years residing in public rental flats was comparable to the national average of 95%.
Instead of setting specific targets for preschool participation at each level, our approach is to ensure every child has access to affordable and quality preschools. We recognise that the early years are important to a child's development, particularly for children from disadvantaged backgrounds. For children from lower-income families, ECDA facilitates preschool enrolment from age three onwards through KidSTART and the Preschool Outreach programme. We also ensure families under HDB's Public Rental Scheme and MSF's ComCare schemes are automatically eligible for maximum preschool subsidies.
MOE Kindergartens (MKs) are part of the Government's overall approach to catalyse improvements in kindergarten education. There are no plans to expand the provision of preschool education in MKs to four-year-olds. Instead, MOE has partnered with Anchor Operators to pilot the MK-Early Years Centre (EYC) model, which provides quality and affordable preschool education for children aged two months to six years.