SINGAPORE - Pre-schools have been allowed to deploy their staff across classes and, where necessary, across locations to alleviate the tight manpower situation and prevent operations from being disrupted, said Parliamentary Secretary for Social and Family Development Eric Chua on Monday (March 7).
He noted the surge in Covid-19 cases due to the Omicron variant has impacted the sector and that a high number of such cases among staff can disrupt operations.
"At this phase of the pandemic, we want our pre-schools to be remaining open as much as possible so that social impact arising from pre-school closures is kept at a minimum," he said.
The cross-deployment is subject to safe management measures, he added.
Mr Chua was replying to a parliamentary question by Ms Hany Soh (Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC) on the support available to pre-schools grappling with Covid-19 rules and manpower shortage as cases rise.
In earlier phases of the pandemic, cross-deployment of staff across pre-schools and across classes in the same pre-school was restricted to minimise the risk of virus transmission, he noted.
Now, as all pre-school staff are fully vaccinated and have to undergo weekly rostered routine testing, the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) is providing operators with more flexibility in manpower deployment within each pre-school and where necessary.
"Each pre-school may deploy staff across classes or tap relief staff. In areas where manpower is indeed very tight, such as mother tongue language teachers, such staff may be deployed across pre-schools, subject to prevailing safe management measures," said Mr Chua.
For pre-schools with substantial staff absenteeism, ECDA will work closely with the operators to initiate business continuity plans, such as adjusting programmes and allowing flexibility in staffing ratios, he added.
He also advised parents to monitor their children's health and consult a primary care doctor if they are unwell. Children who are unwell should stay home to rest and return to pre-school only when they are fully recovered, he said.
Mr Chua encouraged parents with children aged five and above who are medically eligible to register and get the Covid-19 vaccination to give them better protection.
