Speech by Mr Lim Boon Heng, Guest-Of-Honour At NTUC Childcare's 10th Annual Dinner And Dance Saturday, 31 August 2002 7.30 pm To 2.00 am at Orchard Hotel
Good evening, ladies and gentlemen.
I am pleased to be with you this evening for NTUC Childcare's Annual Dinner and Dance. Tonight's event is made extra special because of the co-operative's 10th Anniversary as well as Teacher's Day, which falls tomorrow.
NTUC Childcare started as a department of the NTUC in the late 1970s. It was organised as a co-operative 10 years ago. It is indeed an achievement to be proud of, given the co-operative's success in fulfilling its social mission of providing quality and affordable childcare services in the midst of rising competition.
The Role of Childcare
The early childhood profession is an important one. It combines the provision of childcare solutions for working parents with the laying of foundations to learning in young children. Today, childcare is no longer just about looking after children. It means nurturing children, it means teacher training, it means the harnessing of skills to carry out one's duty. Childcare has become a respected profession rather than a mere custodial task.
Preparing for Challenges
In serving the basic needs of working parents, the childcare industry has not been as badly affected as some other industries that have been buffetted by local and overseas competition. (Some of you will know of relatives or friends who have unfortunately lost their jobs and are finding difficulty in regaining employment). Therefore, we should guard ourselves against complacency and be mindful of the challenges that are confronting the early childhood industry
What are some of the challenges that you face? New guidelines have been issued by the Ministry of Community Development and Sports which will raise the academic requirement for one to become qualified as an early childhood teacher. This will have a big impact on many of you, as you will now be required to upgrade yourself through further training in order to remain a childcare teacher. The new flexi-hour subsidies for parents will give rise to new programmes for those parents who want shorter hours of pre-school experience for their children. This will require adjustments on your part as teachers and you will need to be flexible in your work scope in meeting the varied needs of parents and children.
Besides these new developments, there is now stronger competition in the childcare industry. The Ministry of Community Development and Sports has announced its intention to increase the number of childcare centres by another 60 this year alone. You can view this as a threat, or as an opportunity. NTUC Childcare has a track record of over 20 years. You are a team of professionals, seen to be reliable in the eyes of parents. Your strength is being in a team. If you put your minds together, to map out how you can tap the new opportunities that the expansion of the childcare sector provides, surely this spells good prospects for career advancement within NTUC Childcare. Imagine what possibilities there are, if NTUC Childcare can capture 10 to 15% of the 60 new centres!
For those of you involved in teacher training, competition has also intensified with the recent establishment of many new training institutions. As these new players price down their programmes to acquire market share, the pressure on cost and profit margin will take its toll. The market share that you have enjoyed all these years will have to be defended. This will require cost control, efficiency, new thinking and new business models to win the day. While the local market hots up, new opportunities are arising overseas, for example in China, Indonesia and Malaysia. You should therefore mentally prepare yourself to accept the challenge of working overseas, to seize these opportunities before competition moves in.
In the face of such intense changes, there is a need for us to develop a flexible mindset. Many people have weathered seemingly impossible challenges, and have grown from their experiences. We can take a lesson from them and learn how to cope with new demands, and adapt to them. A good starting point is to think of how you can contribute to the organisation instead of focusing on what the organisation can give you. By so doing, you will channel your energies towards moving and growing the organisation to face the challenges of the market. You become a vital part of the organisation's success. I know it is not easy to develop a flexible mindset. You have to be trained; you have to be coached. I expect that you will be placed on training courses regularly in the future. You will also be allowed to take the initiative through pilot projects, and when these are successful, they will be implemented across the organisation.
Strategic Planning
Some of you are currently involved in a strategic review of the co-operative's business. This is to ensure that NTUC Childcare can continue to fulfil its social mission and remain the largest childcare and training provider in a fast-changing economic landscape.
However, I would caution that the success of a strategic review does not rest with the management. It lies with you. Every staff has a role to play towards making the organisation succeed. How can this be done? By internalising your Shared Values of Passion, Professionalism, Teamwork and Service Excellence. By having open lines of communication and working at all levels as a team. By celebrating successes and learning from failures together. By being committed to continuously upgrade yourself in order to remain at the top of your field.
Early Childhood Professionals
The early childhood industry is a unique field. Yes, the hours may be irregular and many of you work in non air-conditioned conditions. But the trade-off is invaluable. As early childhood professionals, you hold the future of pre-school children in your hands. Children at this young age are impressionable and need loving, nurturing and encouragement to become confident and well-adjusted individuals. Years come and go, children leave and new children arrive, but the influence you have on the lives of these children will endure long after they have left your centres. Make this influence a positive experience for the children, and I am sure that the satisfaction you get out of being an early childhood educator will remain in your heart and touch everyone whom you love and respect.
Tomorrow is Teacher's Day. I would like to take this opportunity to commend each and every one of you for your dedication - as support staff, trainer, principal, teacher, assistant teacher or centre attendant. As pre-school providers, your role is made additionally important because you lay the foundations to learning in children at a tender age. Take time to reflect on your calling, and know that your place in society is a much valued one.
Dissolution of Board of Trustees
Tonight is also a special night to appreciate the contributions made by the Board of Trustees over the years. With the dissolution of the Board this year, I think it is fitting that we take this occasion to acknowledge the immense contributions made by the Trustees towards the growth and success of NTUC Childcare.
Conclusion
In closing, I wish you all a happy Teacher's Day and a pleasant and enjoyable evening.
Thank you.
