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March 17, 2008

Preschool: Are parents willing to pay $1k a month?

WHILE the headline-grabbing news last week focused on the much-awaited raising of standards of preschool teachers, I wonder if parents are ready to embrace the fact that this change will lead to preschool fees of over $1,000 a month, compared to the national average of $660 a month today (source: MCYS, March 2007).

Three realities will conspire to make this a not-too-distant scenario:

Significantly fewer preschool teachers due to the higher qualifying criterion of five O levels (up from the current three);

The concerted push towards more working women, as stated in various national policy initiatives; and

The meteoric rise in commercial rents last year, reported as over 56 per cent between end-2006 and end-2007 in Parliament last week.

It does not require a rocket scientist (or a preschool teacher) to figure out that these three factors will lead to higher fees, sooner rather than later.

As a preschool operator, we rejoice that our nation's preschoolers will receive a firmer grounding for a successful adult life with better qualified teachers, and that teachers will get long-overdue salary rises to reflect their true contributions to society. But we wonder if the fee hikes will be just as welcome to parents.

We note that both the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS) and Ministry of Education (MOE) have stepped in with grants for aspiring preschool teachers and an increase in subsidies for parents. But we hope the third factor of 'astounding' rent increases can be curtailed.

Coupled with a more informed and fuller view of what this change in preschool qualifications really means to all parents, these actions by MCYS will go some way to mitigate the inevitable fee increases. Only then will everyone come out a winner, especially our two- to six-year olds (read: our nation's future).

Nellie Tan Geok Lee (Ms)

George Lee