By Shukry Rashid
Mdm Liang (not her real name), 34, had good reasons not to send her son to preschool. When her first son, who is now nine years old, was in preschool, he was abused by a teacher. The worst that happened was when that teacher told him to eat the food that he had just vomited out.
Things were not going too well at home either. She had marital issues, and she did not bring home a regular paycheck. She worked ad-hoc jobs such as a bus attendant, a cleaner, and helping out with her husband’s fibreglass business.
All these combined led her to fall into depression. When she had a second son, her depression got worse. She lost all confidence in preschool education and only sent her second son, who is now two years old and enrolled in My First School (MFS) at Boon Lay Drive, to school once or twice a week, preferring to home-school him instead.
Enabling a Child
MFS at Boon Lay Drive embarked on the KidSTART Programme in July 2016, and things have gotten better for Mdm Liang and her second son since.
KidSTART was launched last year by the Early Childhood Development Agency. It is a three-year pilot programme for young children from vulnerable families earning less than $2,500 a month, whose parents or primary caregivers require additional knowledge, skills and resources to nurture and develop their children’s potential.
These children from vulnerable families are often neglected amidst the instability.
Child enabling executives (CEE), who come from either a background in social work or early childhood education, are employed by the preschools to facilitate the programme and monitor the progress of children. They also engage parents and refer them to help avenues and community partners such as social service offices, hospitals and family services centres.
Since the start of the programme, Mdm Liang has been in close contact with CEE Nicole Kin. The latter has been talking to Mdm Liang on the importance of early childhood education and reassured her of proper and quality care for her son.
Ms Kin has also help Mdm Liang in obtaining help from community partners for child necessities such as diapers and milk powder. Her son now attends school regularly.
Attendance Improvement
Mdm Liang’s son is part of the 25 students who are under the KidSTART programme that Ms Kin monitors at the centre. The centre has 93 enrolled students ranging from 18 months to six years old.
With the programme in place, students’ attendance has improved from 60 to 80 per cent. Parents are also more involved in the preschool’s programmes and activities.
KidSTART to Expand
On 3 January 2017, Minister for Social and Family Development Tan Chuan-Jin gave an update on the KidSTART programme and said that it will be expanded to nine more preschools this year.
The announcement came as he made a visit to MFS at Boon Lay Drive to tour the facility, and welcome children and parents on the first day of school.
He said that parents’ response to the programme has been good and that CEEs play a very important role in reaching out to families, especially the disadvantaged.
He added: “Building relationships with parents is very critical because once you establish that trust, I think parents begin to have a connection with the childcare.”
Currently, there are eight CEEs employed by 10 preschools as part of the KidSTART programme supporting 250 children.
My First School, which employs five CEEs for six centres, plans to employ two more CEEs and expand the programme to four more centres this year.
Source: NTUC This Week
