Pre-schools develop digital resources for families to access at home

Pre-schools across Singapore are developing and sharing home-based learning resources for children so that they can continue their formative learning at home during the circuit breaker period.

In a Facebook post yesterday, Minister for Social and Family Development Desmond Lee highlighted some of the digital resources on offer that parents of children enrolled in pre-schools can use.

Mr Lee thanked the pre-school teachers and volunteers who developed the resources and welcomed collaborations taking place across the early childhood development sector in response to the outbreak.

Parents can go to the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) website for resources from Ministry Of Education (MOE) and five pre-school operators, including My World Preschool and PAP Community Foundation Sparkletots, to access materials.

The Families for Life Council has organised an #AskFFL series on Facebook for families, which will air a Facebook Live programme today featuring deputy director-general of education (curriculum) Sng Chern Wei. On the programme, he will discuss home-based learning and take questions from viewers.

The series features daily programmes with family and childhood development experts.

Families for Life Council's Facebook channel also includes programmes and activities including storytelling, art jamming and a Kids4Kids series to engage children and parents throughout the day.

Parents can also access home-based learning activities on the Kidzmatters' website and through the Kidzmatters mobile app. The resources were put together by NTUC First Campus in partnership with the ECDA, anchor operators and MOE Kindergarten.

Activities are categorised according to age groups so parents can find materials best suited to their children's learning needs.

The website is useful for parents looking to continue their children's mother tongue learning during this period.

General services at all pre-schools and student care centres have been suspended between April 8 and May 4.

At a media conference held by the multi-ministry task force dealing with the outbreak on April 3, Mr Lee said pre-schools would remain open for children of parents who cannot work from home because they are employed in essential services or who are unable to find alternative caregiving arrangements.

He added that priority would be given to children of healthcare workers and low-wage or daily-rated workers, as well as those from vulnerable families with no support.