$13m invested to train early childhood educators

The Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) has invested more than $13 million in the past six years to train more than 2,200 early childhood educators, Minister of State for Social and Family Development Sun Xueling said yesterday.

She was speaking at ECDA's annual appointment ceremony, where 456 educators were appointed under its Professional Development Programme (PDP).

Since 2016, a total of 2,735 educators, including those appointed during yesterday's virtual event, have participated in the three-year programme, which aims to help educators progress in their careers and take on larger roles.

As at July, about 650 educators, including teachers and leaders, have completed the PDP. Ms Sun said almost half of the pre-school teachers who have finished the PDP have taken on larger and more complex job roles by the end of the programme.

There are three PDPs: for pre-school teachers, pre-school leaders and educarers, and staff who care for younger children up to three years old. Participants spend 180 hours over three years on courses and projects that deepen their professional and leadership skills, and prepare them for more responsibilities at their workplaces.

Cash rewards are given upon meeting certain milestones over the three years, totalling $12,000 for pre-school teachers and early years educators, and $15,000 for centre leaders.

Ms Sun said that developing early childhood professionals is a top priority for the Government. "Raising the quality of early childhood professionals and programmes achieves two key objectives." The first is ensuring that children receive early guidance and instruction that will help them learn for life, as well as develop social and emotional competencies. The second aim is "ensuring that our early childhood professionals have a rewarding career - both in terms of skills development and competencies, and also career and wage progression", said Ms Sun.

Madam Noorlinda Buang, 55, who finished the PDP for leaders last year, said she enjoyed her overseas study trip to Taiwan in 2019.

"I was very inspired by the leaders of the pre-schools there, which took in children with special needs," said the centre principal of a PAP Community Foundation Sparkletots centre in Jurong West.

"I felt more confident and inspired to support kids and their parents," she said. Her centre now has five children with special needs, and an assistant teacher who has mild intellectual disability.

Madam Noorlinda joined the pre-school sector in 2004 after her husband, a warehouse supervisor, was retrenched. She had previously stopped working in the retail sector to take care of her four children. She has since taken up several early childhood qualifications including two diplomas and a degree from private providers while working across several pre-schools in the last two decades.

"Being in this sector gives me a sense of satisfaction and pride, seeing the changes in the children," said Madam Noorlinda, who hopes to take up a course next year to learn more about children who are up to three years of age. "It is also important to keep up with the times and be well-informed and resourceful. It makes you more worthwhile in the market and you can impart new things to the children."