Latest news with #ECDA
CNA
3 days ago
- General
- CNA
ECDA investigating potential breach over abrupt closure of Little Paddington Preschool's Bishan branch
SINGAPORE: The Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) is investigating a preschool for giving parents just one day's notice of a branch closure. Parents of children enrolled at Little Paddington Preschool's Bishan centre were only informed on May 30 that the school's lease of its premises would be expiring on May 31. The school later delayed the closure to Jun 10, and offered enrolment in another branch, and transport for affected children. Under ECDA rules, preschools must provide six months' notice. 'ECDA was informed of Little Paddington Preschool Bishan's cessation last Friday, May 30, 2025, and is working closely with the preschool to support affected parents,' said the regulator on Monday (Jun 2) in response to CNA queries. 'The preschool has since secured an extension of their lease to Jun 13, 2025, and are actively engaging the parents to render assistance. ' Little Paddington Preschool currently has 10 branches across Singapore. The closest branch to its Bishan location, Little Paddington Preschool Thomson Walk, is around 5km away, or about 10 minutes' drive. When contacted by CNA, the preschool said it has 16 children enrolled in its Bishan branch. 'The preschool has offered parents the option to transfer their children to other Little Paddington Preschools,' said ECDA. The regulator added that the Little Paddington Preschool will also provide complimentary bus services to and from the preschool for children who transfer to the Thomson Walk branch until the end of 2025. "ECDA will render assistance should parents require further help in securing a place at another preschool," it added. Little Paddington Preschool said it had been advised by ECDA on the appropriate next steps. 'While we initially assumed there was only a transition to the new site over the weekend, we have managed to prolong the transition to over a week, so that the children are supported," Little Paddington Preschool chief operating officer Pooja Patodia told CNA. She added that the children would be going on excursion trips to the Thomson Walk branch to facilitate their transition, with their teachers moving with the children to ensure a more seamless experience. Free transport for the children will also be available to those who require it. "We are focused on ensuring that the care and education of the children continue to be smooth and that parents receive ample support," said Ms Patodia. According to ECDA regulations, preschools considering cessation of operations must provide six months' notice to both parents and ECDA before ceasing operations. The preschools must also inform parents and ECDA once they are notified of the possibility of non-renewal of tenancy agreements. 'Operators that breach these requirements may face regulatory actions, including being issued warning letters or barred from applying for future preschool licences,' said ECDA. 'ECDA will take regulatory action on this preschool if our investigations find that they have not done their due diligence to meet our regulatory requirements.'
Straits Times
04-05-2025
- General
- Straits Times
Forum: Steps taken to improve well-being of early childhood educators
We thank Forum writer Rebecca Chan for her letter 'Children's well-being depends on teachers' well-being too' (April 30). As a professional body representing early childhood educators in Singapore, the Association for Early Childhood Educators (Singapore) recognises the importance of teachers' well-being. The writer's reflections echo a central tenet of our profession: the ethical responsibility to care for oneself in order to care for others. This is centralised in the Code of Ethics for Early Childhood Professionals in Singapore (CoE), which guides educators to uphold responsibilities – their obligations not only to children, families and society, but also to themselves and their profession. Revised and relaunched in late 2024 by our association and the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA), the CoE is an important document for educators. It recognises that the emotional labour, physical stamina and reflective judgment that educators bring to their daily work require sustained support. Just as young children thrive in environments where they feel safe, respected and valued, so does teachers. As Singapore's early childhood landscape evolves, we offer a few reflections: Professional respect and agency: Educators are pedagogical professionals with ethical commitments. Recognition can extend beyond appreciation days to include inclusion in policymaking and curriculum development. Ethical complexity: Educators regularly navigate difficult decisions daily – balancing the needs of children, families and institutions. Supporting them requires ongoing professional learning, reflective supervision and tools such as the CoE, which our association is continually developing. Whole-of-society support: While teachers are instrumental in caring for children, they require support from a thriving and resilient early childhood ecosystem that includes parents, employers, the community and Government. Investing in the holistic well-being of educators directly translates to better outcomes for the children and families we serve. To this end, we would highlight ECDA's initiatives in the landscape, such as the periodic review and adjustment of teachers' wages, increased professional development days, removal of the mandatory requirement for childcare centres to operate on Saturdays, designating Teacher's Day and Children's Day as pre-school holidays, and our association's appointment of service providers for relief staff in 2024. Educator well-being can also be supported at the centre level through mentorship, wellness initiatives and a culture of empathy and appreciation by parents and leaders. Investing in educators is investing in our children. We welcome continued dialogue and collaboration across sectors to shape a future where educators and children flourish together. Charmaine Teo Vice-President Association for Early Childhood Educators (Singapore) More on this Topic Forum: What readers are saying Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
