Adjournment motion on sector-wide preschool reform

Fund the child, not the school, and let subsidies follow the child. Instead of funneling grants to select operators, create a portable preschool voucher that bundles all public support into a transparent and per-child amount which parents can use at any licensed centre. This empowers parents to choose a preschool that best fits their child's needs and forces all schools to compete fairly. Secondly, embed policy goals in the voucher and use the voucher supplements to achieve these policy targets while preserving a contestable market. Thirdly, have contestable sites for public benefit and open up tenders for new preschool sites in HDB estates and kindergarten spaces within primary schools. MP Kenneth Tiong proposed these ideas in his call for a sector-wide reform of preschools in an adjournment motion in parliament on Tuesday (Oct 14). Responding, Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Social and Family Development Eric Chua said the government is focused on outcomes. It values a diverse preschool sector and intends to keep the market open so that parents can continue to have choices. The foremost objective is to ensure accessibility and affordability, as well as quality of preschools through a mix of measures, he said. Mr Chua added that the government will continue to evolve its policies to improve access to affordable and quality preschools across the sector, so that every child can have a good start in life.