The Education Services Union is "heartened" by the ground-up approach taken by the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) in establishing a master plan for pre-school professionals' continuing professional development.

In a statement released on Thursday, the union's executive secretary Ang Hin Kee said the union and ECDA had discussions with pre-school teachers, leaders and operators before the launch of the master plan. "Many suggestions made by the early childhood teachers themselves were reflected in this master plan," said Mr Ang.

Earlier on Wednesday, Minister for Social and Family Development Chan Chun Sing announced the new master plan - which includes a structured roadmap with teaching and leadership pathways - and signalled intentions to close the wage gap between pre-school teachers and their counterparts in the education service.

Noting that the "details will indeed be in the execution", Mr Ang said the union will continue to work closely with ECDA to improve the image, salary structure and progression plan of early childhood educators.