Latest news with #ECDA
CNA
21-07-2025
- Business
- CNA
20,000 people affected by 'processing issue' with means-testing system managed by MOH
SINGAPORE: About 20,000 people have been affected by a processing issue in the Household Means Eligibility System (HOMES), a means-testing system managed by the Ministry of Health (MOH). The majority of those affected received higher-than-intended subsidies and grants, MOH said in a media release on Monday (Jul 21). The rest received subsidies and grants that were lower than intended. Corrections to subsidy and grant levels are currently being made, following the discovery of the issue, the ministry added. HOMES typically uses income information from the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS) to means-test individuals with business income, said MOH. However, in January 2025, the system could not appropriately account for the business incomes of selected individuals following changes in the data processing timelines. This led to "inaccurate means-testing" for individuals with business incomes and members of their households between Jan 1 and Jan 27. Around 19,000 people who are under schemes administered by MOH were affected, the Health Ministry said. Another 1,000 people were also affected despite being under other schemes managed by the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA), Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF), Ministry of Education (MOE), and Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA). This is because "HOMES also provides means-testing results for selected subsidy schemes across the government", MOH added. Those affected by the issue represent less than 3 per cent of all individuals means-tested during the Jan 1 to Jan 27 period, the ministry said. Affected schemes and what to expect AFFECTED MOH SCHEMES CareShield Life and MediShield Life premium subsidies and Additional Premium Support (APS) Affected individuals will receive the correct premium subsidies at their next policy renewal. APS recipients will continue to have their premiums covered based on their approved validity period. All affected individuals will be notified via letter. No action is required on their part. Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS) Affected CHAS cardholders will receive letters detailing any required actions, if any. Subsidies for long-term care services Affected individuals will receive the corrected subsidies from the next billing cycle or payout date. Seniors' Mobility and Enabling Fund, Equipment Rental Scheme, Home Caregiving Grant and ElderFund Affected individuals will be informed of their adjusted subsidy or payout. Subsidies for day surgeries, inpatient services, specialist outpatient clinics, polyclinic drugs/vaccines and community hospital services From July 2025, public healthcare institutions will notify individuals who received lower-than-intended subsidies and adjust their bills accordingly. Reimbursements will be issued where applicable. No action is required from individuals. AFFECTED NON-MOH SCHEMES ECDA: Preschool subsidies and early intervention schemes ECDA will inform affected parents, preschools and early intervention centres of the adjusted subsidies from Jul 22. The corrected subsidies will take effect from August 2025 onwards. IMDA: DigitalAccess@Home Scheme (DAH) The affected households will be informed from Jul 22. Households who were under-subsidised will receive the correct subsidies and be automatically reimbursed. Those with higher subsidies will continue to receive them for the remaining validity period of the household's current DAH award. Their eligibility will be reviewed when they apply for a new DAH award. MOE: Higher education bursaries and Kindergarten Care (KCare) additional subsidies The Institutes of Higher Learning will inform affected students. No action is required from the students. Affected children attending MOE KCare will have their corrected subsidies applied from August 2025 and will be notified accordingly. SG Enable will work with service providers to inform the affected individuals receiving the subsidies from Jul 22. The corrected subsidies will apply from August 2025 onwards. MOH said it has completed the reassessment of the affected people and "will adjust their means-test and subsidy tiers back to the intended levels" from Jul 21 onwards. "For those who received an over-subsidy, they will not have to return the excess subsidy and/or grant amounts that have already been paid," the ministry said. "For the minority of individuals who received lower than intended subsidies and/or) grants, agencies will make good the difference." MOH said that the agencies will reach out to inform affected individuals progressively, and there is no action required on their part.
CNA
18-07-2025
- General
- CNA
Staff at Red SchoolHouse's Toh Tuck branch left unpaid after preschool's sudden closure
SINGAPORE: Several employees at a private preschool in the Bukit Timah area have made police reports against their former employer, alleging unpaid salaries after it went bust about two months ago. Red SchoolHouse @ Toh Tuck closed with just two weeks' notice in May, leaving dozens of students, parents and staff in limbo. This follows a spate of abrupt private preschool closures, with at least six reported to have shuttered at short notice in the past two years. Under Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) rules, preschools must provide six months' notice to parents and ECDA before ceasing operations. Around 36 children were enrolled at Red SchoolHouse's Toh Tuck branch in April, said one teacher who only wanted to be known as Madam Wong. She also told CNA that about half of the students were left on the last day of operations. The centre informed parents on May 14 that its last day of operations would be on May 30, according to staff. It appeared shut with renovations ongoing when CNA visited the school on Thursday (Jul 17). ECDA said it has issued a formal warning to the preschool's licensee due to a breach of regulations. It also provided affected parents with a list of nearby preschools with vacancies and offered assistance with placements. Mdm Wong described the closure as 'heartbreaking', with some parents uncertain if their deposits would be refunded. 'The sudden closure disrupted the children's education, sense of stability and routine. Some of them are too young to even understand what was going on,' said the veteran teacher of 25 years. 'THINGS WERE FALLING APART' Mdm Wong said that after the Toh Tuck branch closed, she realised she was not the only one who did not receive their salary despite many requests. "During my time at Red SchoolHouse, teachers were committed to the children's learning and wellbeing. But behind the scenes, things were falling apart - salaries were not paid. CPF (Central Provident Fund) was not paid,' she said. 'Despite these setbacks, I continued to show up every day because I genuinely cared for the children under my care.' She said she and her fellow teachers repeatedly raised their concerns to the preschool's directors and asked for answers, but were 'either ignored or given empty promises'. Some teachers approached the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) and filed claims through the Tripartite Alliance for Dispute Management, added Mdm Wong. The alliance helps employers and staff to resolve salary-related claims and employment disputes. CNA has asked MOM for comment. LEASE WAS NOT RENEWED The franchisor of Red SchoolHouse said that the Toh Tuck branch was shuttered because the lease was not renewed and the branch currently faces liquidation. The franchisor also said it has helped with the students' transition to other schools. Documents seen by CNA showed that as of early June, the preschool's director owed creditors almost S$300,000 (US$233,000). The debts include enrolment deposits, rental fees and unpaid loans from three banks such as DBS. ECDA said while the branch ceased operations due to business considerations, operators still have a responsibility to give sufficient notice as such closures are disruptive to the families involved. 'ECDA understands that the operator had earlier considered relocating but subsequently decided to cease operations,' it added in a statement to CNA on Thursday. Preschools considering cessation of operations must provide six months' notice to both parents and ECDA before ceasing operations. They 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 being barred from applying for future preschool licences.
New Paper
18-07-2025
- Health
- New Paper
Toddler gets 12 stitches on tongue after fall at preschool; mother claims school downplayed injury
A one-year-old girl had to undergo surgery and receive 12 stitches on her tongue after a fall at her preschool - an incident her mother claims was downplayed by the school. The child, Lisa, was enrolled at Little Footprints Preschool's branch in Ang Mo Kio Avenue 5. According to Shin Min Daily News, the incident occurred on July 3. Her mother, Ms Renny Izzatie, a 35-year-old tutor, said she was notified by a teacher around 12.43pm that Lisa had fallen while playing alone and had bitten her tongue. "The teacher said the bleeding had stopped, and my daughter had stopped crying, so I assumed the injury was minor," Ms Renny said. No further details were given, and Lisa was even allowed to continue napping. When Ms Renny arrived to pick her up around 2pm, the teacher apologised, and Lisa appeared calm. It was only during the car ride home that she inspected her daughter's mouth and discovered a deep gash on her tongue. When she asked the school for more details, she was told Lisa had fallen on her bottom, reported Shin Min. She requested to view CCTV footage, but the school said it would review the footage internally and update her on its findings. "The so-called 'minor injury' turned out to be very serious," said Ms Renny, adding that Lisa had been crying intermittently. "She would point to her tongue and say: 'Mama, pain'. She would drool, and there was blood in her saliva." Lisa was taken to KK Women's and Children's Hospital later that day, where she underwent a minor operation under general anaesthesia and received 12 stitches. "Seeing her small body on the table just broke me," said Ms Renny in her Instagram stories. Lisa was discharged the next day and is recovering at home. However, Ms Renny said she remains unsure if there will be any long-term effects on her daughter's speech, or the movement and sensation of her tongue. She stressed in her stories that she does not blame the school for the fall itself, acknowledging that accidents can happen. But she was upset about how the incident was handled and has since filed a police report. "They're not medical professionals, so it's not up to them (to decide) what's serious and what's not," she added. What made her more angry was "the fact that they downplayed the whole situation about the fall. They didn't even mention how big or deep the cut was," she said in her story. Ms Renny later said the school had submitted the CCTV footage to the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA), but she was not allowed to view it. In response to queries from Shin Min, the police confirmed that a report was filed and investigations are ongoing. Preschool operator cooperating with ECDA ECDA has launched an investigation into the incident. A spokesman said: "The safety of our children is paramount, and if the investigation reveals any irregularities, appropriate action will be taken against the school or staff." The preschool's parent company, Babilou Family Singapore, said it is cooperating with ECDA but declined to provide further comment. A spokesperson said the school had reached out to the family to offer assistance, and expressed relief that the child was recovering. Mother transfers child to another school Still shaken by the incident, Shin Min said Ms Renny decided to withdraw Lisa from the preschool and enrol her elsewhere. "The school neither informed me of the full extent of her injury nor sent her to the hospital. They clearly did not take it seriously," she said. She added that she had already notified the school of her decision via email.
AsiaOne
14-07-2025
- Health
- AsiaOne
'They downplayed the whole situation': Mum blames Ang Mo Kio pre-school after daughter's fall leads to surgery, Singapore News
Renny Rahman first received a call from her daughter's form teacher, informing her that her one-year-old had been injured while playing at her pre-school. The bleeding had stopped and little Lisa was no longer crying, the mother was allegedly told by the staff at the Ang Mo Kio pre-school on Thursday (July 3). But what was described as a "minor injury" turned out to be far more serious - her daughter required painful surgery on the same day to close a deep laceration on her tongue. In a series of Instagram stories, Rahman, 35, who declined to give her occupation, said she has several questions for the school. Among them, why her daughter was put to sleep for nap time after the incident, instead of being taken to a clinic immediately after the accident. "They are not medical professionals, so it's not up to them what is serious and what is not," she added. "And the fact they downplayed the whole situation about the fall. They didn't even mention how deep the cut was." 12 sutures on tongue Rahman said on social media that Lisa's form teacher first called to informed her about the accident at 12.43pm. Her daughter was "playing independently" when she fell. Assuming from the minute-long call that the injury was not severe, the mother only picked her daughter up from the pre-school nearly two hours later. Rahman, a mother of four, said she then sent Lisa to KK Women's and Children's Hospital, where she was placed under general anaesthesia and given 12 sutures on her tongue. In a message to the principal on her Instagram stories, Rahman said: "The lack of urgency and the reassurance given to us gave a completely false impression, and this could have serious consequences. "The attending surgeon also expressed concern how the injury occurred and how a fall, reportedly on her buttocks, could result in such a deep laceration to the middle of her tongue. "We find this confusing and would appreciate if the CCTV footage could be reviewed and a clear, detailed timeline of events provided." 'She kept crying and pointing to her mouth' Speaking to AsiaOne on Monday (July 7), Rahman said that her daughter has since been discharged a day after the surgery. "She's doing okay, but on the day of the accident, she kept crying and pointing to her mouth and said, 'mama, mama'," she said, adding that she is in contact with the pre-school in her search for answers. "I'm not even blaming them that Lisa had a fall in school because kids injure themselves even when with me," she added. "I'm just angry at how the school handled after the fall occurred." In another Instagram story on Tuesday (July 8), Rahman said that the school has issued an apology, and that the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) will be looking into the matter. In the meantime, she is weighing up all options for Lisa - including transferring her to another pre-school. "I'll be keeping Lisa at home until things are settled or until I can manage the anxiety," said Rahman. "I feel nauseous just thinking about sending her back." Responding to AsiaOne's queries, ECDA confirmed that it is investigating the incident. " If our investigations reveal that any early childhood development centre regulations have been breached, appropriate actions will be taken against the preschool operator and staff responsible for the breach," its spokesperson said. AsiaOne has reached out to the pre-school for comments. [[nid:645887]] chingshijie@
CNA
03-06-2025
- 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.'
