Story and photo by Shukry Rashid
Thirty-eight preschool teachers were selected by NTUC First Campus for the Early Childhood Development Agency’s Professional Development Programme (PDP) on 4 May 2016. They were a part of an inaugural batch of 138 preschool teachers who were selected in a ceremony at the National Gallery Singapore.
Addressing the attendees, which included supervisors and principals of preschools, Social and Family Development Minister Tan Chuan-Jin said the PDP was put in place in line with the SkillsFuture movement for pre-school teachers to continue to deepen their skills.
The Professional Development Programme supports the career aspirations of pre-school teachers with development opportunities and a structured career progression pathway. It is a 180-hour structured programme over three years to let teachers acquire and deepen their skills and knowledge through centre-based projects and modular courses in teaching and leadership.
Giving Back
One of the teachers appointed was 28-year-old Siti Fatimah Noraini who aspires to be a principal of a preschool one day. Currently a deputy centre lead at one of My First Skool’s branches, she said that the opportunity is enriching and rewarding.
“I foresee a lot of learning experiences, more skills to grasp and I can deepen my knowledge,” she said.
One module she is looking forward to learn as part of the PDP is the ‘Professional Roles of a Learning Support Educator’. The module focuses on children’s special needs and how teachers can support them to learn and integrate in a normal setting.
“Like many preschool teachers in the industry, I am not trained to handle children with special needs. With this module, I look forward to being better equipped with the necessary knowledge and skills to support teachers who have special needs children under their care,” she added.
For more information on the Professional Development Programme, visit www.ecda.gov.sg/Pages/ECDA-PDP.aspx.
Source: NTUC This Week
