There are developmental benefits for young children if they remained in a familiar physical, social and educational environment, said Ng Chee Meng, Singapore’s minister for education (schools).
This was in response to member of parliament Denise Phua’s question earlier this week regarding the rationale behind a pilot scheme by the Ministry of Education (MOE).
The scheme gives children in MOE kindergartens priority admission into primary schools which are co-located with their kindergarten.
“From the MOE kindergarten pilot experience, school-based kindergartens have greater synergies with primary schools, which in turn better support the children’s transition from K2 to P1,” Ng said.
Parents have also expressed the desire for fewer transitions for their children, said Ng.
Children in MOE kindergartens typically transit twice in their early childhood – from nursery to kindergarten and then to primary school.
Ng noted that while many parents welcomed the ministry’s plan to increase the number of MOE kindergartens to 50 by 2023, some did raise concern that priority admission may extend the stress of primary school admission to the kindergarten years.
“We are mindful of this and have put in place measures to mitigate it,” Ng said.
The Straits Times reported that MOE will put in place “a fair, transparent balloting system” if MOE kindergartens become too popular as a result of the scheme.
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