More than 9 in 10 parents satisfied with standard of safety in pre-schools: ECDA survey

SINGAPORE - Around 95 per cent of parents in Singapore are satisfied with pre-school safety standards, an issue that has received attention as there have been more reports of suspected abuse in recent years.

Almost 90 per cent of parents are also satisfied with the quality of pre-school education their children are receiving and the quality of partnerships between them and pre-school educators.

These findings were from the inaugural Preschool Experience Survey conducted by the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) with close to 1,800 parents of pre-schoolers in November 2025.

The agency released the findings of the new survey at the Start Small Dream Big Walkathon on May 9 at Gardens by the Bay.

At the event, Minister of State for Social and Family Development Goh Pei Ming said ECDA is working with pre-schools, educators and parents to develop a Parent-Preschool Partnership Guide to support the holistic development of children. More details on the guide will be available in the second half of 2026.

PCF Sparkletots senior principal Hurul Ain Mohd Yusoff said that while it is heartening that parents are satisfied with the safety and quality of pre-schools in Singapore, there are still areas for improvement – such as establishing good communication with parents to build trust.

“Building trust does not happen overnight. You need to have consistent communication in order to build that bridge,” she said.

Mother of two Jayasutha Samuthiran agreed that communication is important in building parents’ trust in pre-schools.

“When we hear cases of lapses in the news or from the schools, it gives us the assurance that we (as a society) take these cases seriously,” said the 35-year-old, who is pregnant with her third child.

She said teachers being proactive in communicating with parents about little incidents such as scratches or squabbles between children help build trust, adding: “I have massive trust in the system because I can see that most of them look after our children as if they were their own kids.”

In 2024, 227 cases of suspected child mismanagement were investigated, up from 169 in 2023. This was largely the result of heightened vigilance and the availability of video evidence after CCTV cameras were made mandatory in all pre-schools here since July 2024, ECDA previously told The Straits Times.

The use of such technology in pre-schools gives first-time parent Goh Bing Kun peace of mind – because of the CCTVs, trust in the safety standards in pre-schools was not an issue for him when he enrolled his four-year-old daughter in a pre-school.

The 35-year-old, who works in the finance sector, said regular parent-teacher meetings also help him track the progress of his daughter.

“Seeing how my daughter and the other children interact with their teachers during events like sports day also helps to assure parents that these educators really care about our children,” he added.

The survey also found that 91 per cent of parents recognised educators as trained professionals who play an important role in their child’s learning, development and well-being.

Ms Hurul Ain said more parents now “know that educators are not just drop-in caregivers for when a parent is not around”. “They know that early childhood educators play a critical role in setting the foundation for their children, and they are more appreciative of us.”

Around 5,000 pre-schoolers and their families attended the walkathon, which was organised by educational consultancy Preschool Market and supported by ECDA.