Fees at Ministry of Education (MOE) kindergartens start from as low as $1.50 a month, after subsidies.
This is for Singaporean families with a household income of up to $2,500 per month, who get the highest amount of support under the Kindergarten Fee Assistance Scheme (KiFAS).
The KiFAS subsidy amount depends on the income tier that a family falls under and the fees charged. Parents may be eligible for subsidies of up to 99 per cent of the fees, capped at $170.
Singaporean families with a higher income of $4,500 per month, for instance, pay $75 per month after subsidies.
Those with an income of more than $6,000 do not get subsidies and pay $150 a month for fees this year. This will rise to $160 next year, but is still below the industry median fee of $171.
Increasing the number of MOE kindergartens would lead to more affordable pre-school places provided, the ministry said yesterday.
Children enrolled in kindergartens run by anchor operators, which get government grants and priority in securing sites but must meet fee caps and quality criteria, are also eligible for KiFAS subsidies.
