Goh Pei Ming on preschool protocols during haze

Replying to parliamentary questions on Tuesday (Nov 3), Senior Minister of State for Social and Family Development Goh Pei Ming clarified that the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) manages haze in preschools using protocols aligned with Ministry of Education (MOE) schools. In addition, as standard air-conditioning filters are ineffective at removing fine PM2.5 particles, all preschools, regardless of whether they have air-conditioning, must deploy dedicated air purifiers in key teaching areas. Preschools must monitor hourly PM2.5 readings to adjust operations dynamically, proactively identify vulnerable children with chronic respiratory issues to ensure their medication is accessible, and maintain a dedicated, enclosed room with an air purifier for children who become unwell. Furthermore, operators must strictly maintain the prescribed minimum floor space per child even when enclosing classrooms during a haze. ECDA enforces compliance through both readiness surveys and unannounced physical inspections, said Mr Goh.