Status: Closed — this petition is no longer accepting signatures.
Final supporters
We respectfully request amendments to the ECDC Bill:
1. Registration of early childhood professionals should be based on a fairer, more realistic and more inclusive set of criteria that does not suppress qualifications to only the "O" levels and pre-determined Diplomas.
2. ECDA Officers should not be given the power to “enter and inspect”, “enter and search”, “inspect and make copies of”, “take any document or other thing at the centre”, “require any person… to answer any question”, “photograph or film, or make audio recordings or make sketches…." Doing so will only increase the likelihood that the power will be abused, or exercised carelessly or unjustly. Law enforcement officers are available if teachers act immorally or unethically. Other laws are in place for criminal breaches of trust or offences affecting public health.
3. MOE kindergartens (and their personnel) should not be waived from any requirement of the law as doing so would place them above the law.
4. The Minister should not be empowered to make regulations about
a) the discipline of persons - as other laws exist to maintain moral conduct in Singapore;
b) the admission of children to early childhood development centres - as parents should be given their full and legal right to exercise this discretion, choosing early childhood centres that best suit their needs and their children's needs;
c) the types and content of the curriculum and programme carried out in the centres - as professional educators should be afforded their professional dignity and voice in determining these aspects of their working lives;
d) the returns, reports and other information to be submitted to ECDA - without a clear specification beforehand of what these returns, reports and other information refer to. Otherwise, daily operational efficiency and productivity will be compromised;
e) school fees and other charges - as these must be defined by costs and other economic factors.
We call on the current administration to remember that early childhood education should be fully sponsored by the state and that converting the sector into an oligopoly of operators is harmful in the long-term.
Children need the loving and attentive care of professionals who can exercise their judgment and integrity in small, manageable settings. Early childhood professionals must be respected and trusted, in order to undertake their jobs and vocations well and ably.
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Updates
July 11, 2015
The momentum behind this petition highlights a significant desire for a more balanced regulatory framework within the early childhood sector. It is clear that many professionals and parents hold deep concerns regarding the current scope of the ECDC Bill. This level of engagement reinforces the importance of our request for greater clarity and fairness in the proposed legislation.
Reached 100 supporters
July 11, 2015
39 Comments
Parents is the ultimate stakeholder of our children's future (what they become, we get the immediate consequence). At the minimum, as a mum, I expect to have enough choices to meet my child's individual needs. (To me this is my basic right as Singaporean, in a developed, democratic country) For young children's development, education is beyond classroom teaching & many requires individualized attention. That's where the private professionals may help in area unreachable by MOE or PCF.
Whilst new regulations will deter unethical operators, teachers from the industry, parts of it penalizes teachers/centers who endevour to cater to the children under their care. It's a people-centric industry and a one-size-fits-all rules and regulations will only be harmful in the long run.
We need to be fair to smaller players who are creative and innovative in many more ways than large centres which are not nimble and flexible. My 3 kids have gone through such a beautiful nurture by Wee Care and my number 4 is having a great learning time now. Many other kids will be happier if unrealistic yard sticks are not used to measure these smaller centres.
I believe that more plurality in the early childhood sector is good for children and would like to keep it that way. Various curriculums (Montessori, Waldorf, bible-based education) have different strengths and should be used in accordance to the professional - many of whom do not have your prescribed diplomas (DECCE) but certainly competent. All early childhood teachers should be assessed via the same criteria and one being in certain institutions should not be exempt.
MOE should by all means run its kindergartens and set a benchmark for the industry. However, it must be subject to the same regulatory framework. Regulate with a light touch and let the informed market dictate the supply according to the demand.
Parents should be given choices on the type of preschools n not have to have govt telling what they can cannot. Policies should apply to all across the board with no exemptions. Govt centres n anchor ops should not do what they want without inspections.
Quality cannot be improved if license is given for a 36 months period. Preschools standards & requirements may decrease during these long periods and affect children's development if not monitored.
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Status: Closed — this petition is no longer accepting signatures.
Final supporters
We respectfully request amendments to the ECDC Bill:
1. Registration of early childhood professionals should be based on a fairer, more realistic and more inclusive set of criteria that does not suppress qualifications to only the "O" levels and pre-determined Diplomas.
2. ECDA Officers should not be given the power to “enter and inspect”, “enter and search”, “inspect and make copies of”, “take any document or other thing at the centre”, “require any person… to answer any question”, “photograph or film, or make audio recordings or make sketches…." Doing so will only increase the likelihood that the power will be abused, or exercised carelessly or unjustly. Law enforcement officers are available if teachers act immorally or unethically. Other laws are in place for criminal breaches of trust or offences affecting public health.
3. MOE kindergartens (and their personnel) should not be waived from any requirement of the law as doing so would place them above the law.
4. The Minister should not be empowered to make regulations about
a) the discipline of persons - as other laws exist to maintain moral conduct in Singapore;
b) the admission of children to early childhood development centres - as parents should be given their full and legal right to exercise this discretion, choosing early childhood centres that best suit their needs and their children's needs;
c) the types and content of the curriculum and programme carried out in the centres - as professional educators should be afforded their professional dignity and voice in determining these aspects of their working lives;
d) the returns, reports and other information to be submitted to ECDA - without a clear specification beforehand of what these returns, reports and other information refer to. Otherwise, daily operational efficiency and productivity will be compromised;
e) school fees and other charges - as these must be defined by costs and other economic factors.
We call on the current administration to remember that early childhood education should be fully sponsored by the state and that converting the sector into an oligopoly of operators is harmful in the long-term.
Children need the loving and attentive care of professionals who can exercise their judgment and integrity in small, manageable settings. Early childhood professionals must be respected and trusted, in order to undertake their jobs and vocations well and ably.
Updates
July 11, 2015
The momentum behind this petition highlights a significant desire for a more balanced regulatory framework within the early childhood sector. It is clear that many professionals and parents hold deep concerns regarding the current scope of the ECDC Bill. This level of engagement reinforces the importance of our request for greater clarity and fairness in the proposed legislation.
Reached 100 supporters
July 11, 2015
39 Comments
Will the thousands of rules and regulations imposed by MOE really improving quality of the educators and providers? Or instead will it be a massacre of genuine hearts of the educators and the potential out-of-the-box preschools that are currently blooming and budding beautifully in our garden of early childhood education? I am afraid it is the latter... welcome to the era of monotonous in early childhood education!
Parents is the ultimate stakeholder of our children's future (what they become, we get the immediate consequence). At the minimum, as a mum, I expect to have enough choices to meet my child's individual needs. (To me this is my basic right as Singaporean, in a developed, democratic country) For young children's development, education is beyond classroom teaching & many requires individualized attention. That's where the private professionals may help in area unreachable by MOE or PCF.
Whilst new regulations will deter unethical operators, teachers from the industry, parts of it penalizes teachers/centers who endevour to cater to the children under their care. It's a people-centric industry and a one-size-fits-all rules and regulations will only be harmful in the long run.
We need to be fair to smaller players who are creative and innovative in many more ways than large centres which are not nimble and flexible. My 3 kids have gone through such a beautiful nurture by Wee Care and my number 4 is having a great learning time now. Many other kids will be happier if unrealistic yard sticks are not used to measure these smaller centres.
I believe that more plurality in the early childhood sector is good for children and would like to keep it that way. Various curriculums (Montessori, Waldorf, bible-based education) have different strengths and should be used in accordance to the professional - many of whom do not have your prescribed diplomas (DECCE) but certainly competent. All early childhood teachers should be assessed via the same criteria and one being in certain institutions should not be exempt.
MOE should by all means run its kindergartens and set a benchmark for the industry. However, it must be subject to the same regulatory framework. Regulate with a light touch and let the informed market dictate the supply according to the demand.
Parents should be given choices on the type of preschools n not have to have govt telling what they can cannot. Policies should apply to all across the board with no exemptions. Govt centres n anchor ops should not do what they want without inspections.
Quality cannot be improved if license is given for a 36 months period. Preschools standards & requirements may decrease during these long periods and affect children's development if not monitored.
More like this
Improving transparency & regulation of childcare centers, playgroups and…
Asilweni Bo Mama’s Stop the Early Admission of 3–4 Year Olds into Grade R…
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Will the thousands of rules and regulations imposed by MOE really improving quality of the educators and providers? Or instead will it be a massacre of genuine hearts of the educators and the potential out-of-the-box preschools that are currently blooming and budding beautifully in our garden of early childhood education? I am afraid it is the latter... welcome to the era of monotonous in early childhood education!