ECDA orders PCF Sparkletots centre in Hougang to close till April 15 after teacher tests positive for Covid-19

SINGAPORE - The Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) has ordered a pre-school centre in Hougang to close from Monday (April 6) until April 15 after a teacher tested positive for Covid-19 on Sunday.

The agency said that the para-educator who provides intervention programmes for the children at the PAP Community Foundation (PCF) Sparkletots centre at Block 414 Hougang Avenue 10 was last in the centre last Wednesday and developed symptoms the next day.

The closure of the centre will cover the 14-day incubation period of Covid-19, starting from the day the teacher was last in the centre.

PCF Sparkletots told The Straits Times that the teacher is not a member of its staff.

All affected staff and children will be placed on leave of absence during the closure period.

ECDA said that the centre will reopen on April 16 to serve parents who are working in essential services and are unable to extend their alternative care arrangements beyond the closure period.

The centre will undergo thorough cleaning and disinfection. It is also monitoring the health of its staff and the children.

"Pre-schools are reminded to be vigilant when conducting health checks, and to observe high standards of personal and environmental hygiene," ECDA said.

Last month, ECDA also ordered Fengshan PCF Sparkletots centre to close for two weeks after a teacher tested positive for Covid-19 on March 23. All staff and children at the centre were placed under quarantine. The centre is scheduled to open on Wednesday.

The Fengshan centre has at least 27 confirmed Covid-19 cases including 14 staff members and the principal.

The authorities had also ordered all 360 PCF centres in Singapore to close for four days from March 26 to March 29 after several other confirmed cases were found to be linked to the Fengshan centre.