Staff to Child Ratio in Preschools and Student Care Centres

43 Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis asked the Minister for Social and Family Development what is the 25th percentile, median and 75th percentile of staff to child ratio for (i) the various levels of preschools and (ii) student care centres.

Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M: The Ministry for Social and Family Development (MSF) sets minimum requirements for staff-to-child ratio for preschools and student care centres to ensure the safety and well-being of children.

Preschools must ensure that they have sufficient staff deployed to care for children in accordance with the ratios as stipulated in the Regulations for the different programme levels. This ranges from one qualified programme staff to five infants at the infant care level, to 25 children at the kindergarten 2 level. MSF-registered student care centres that administer the Student Care Fee Assistance are also required to abide by a programme staff-to-student ratio of at least one staff to 25 students.

Preschools and student care centres have the operational flexibility to respond to the varied needs and demands on the ground. The centres can and do operate with more than the minimum staff requirement, in accordance with the respective centres' programming objectives and available manpower.