Proposal for Dedicated Funds to Subsidise Early Childhood Sector's Manpower Costs

65 Ms Carrie Tan asked the Minister for Social and Family Development whether there can be a budget allocated to further subsidise the early childhood sector's manpower costs in order to raise salaries and uplift the quality of talent and care to children under the National Population and Talent Division's mandate.

Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M: As mentioned in our response to the Parliamentary Questions on 18 September 2023, Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) has announced efforts to uplift salaries of educators to be market-competitive and commensurate with their growing competencies. We raise salaries to retain the good-quality educators that we have and attract more to join. We provide significant Government funding to Government-funded operators to implement the increases in salaries according to the salary guidelines stipulated by ECDA.

ECDA also provides resources for educators to take charge of their professional development, deepen their expertise and plan for career advancement.