The Ministry of Education (MOE) of Singapore has planned to open thirteen new kindergartens in various estates over the next two years, mostly located in Sengkang, Punggol and Yishun areas.
Of the 13 new MOE kindergartens, seven will be located at Sengkang, Punggol, Choa Chu Kang, Admiralty, Toa Payoh and Clementi and open in 2019. Another six will be at Yishun, Punggol and Sengkang and open in 2020.
Ng Chee Meng, Education Minister (Schools) of Singapore, told reporters, “The opening of c is to uplift the quality of whole early childhood landscape. The ramping of MOE kindergartens is not to nationalise the pre-school sector.”
He added, “(The number of) MOE kindergartens will only be around 50, it will be a catalyst for upping teacher quality, providing curriculum research, pedagogy research, so that the teaching of early childhood curriculum can be professionalised.”
Lee Hsien Loong, Prime Minister of Singapore, has also stressed on the importance of the primary education for the better future of the country during National Day Rally organised last Sunday. He has announced that the authorities will increase the number of MOE kindergartens from the current 15 to 50 in the next five years. A total of 40,000 pre-school places will be added by 2022, bringing the total number to 200,000.
The Prime Minister also said the Government will also double its annual spending on pre-schools to SGD1.7 billion in the next five years, terming it as a heavy, but worthwhile investment.
It is expected that by 2023, the MOE kindergartens will serve about 1 in 5 children aged five to six.
Ministry of Education of Singapore made its foray into the kindergarten sector in 2013. It currently runs a pilot of 15 kindergartens, which are now seeing higher demand and enrolment figures.