PCF to give rebates to parents affected by fee hikes for 2016
SINGAPORE — Rebates will be given to parents affected by the PAP Community Foundation (PCF) pre-school fee hikes for next year as a goodwill gesture, the foundation said today (Sept 25).
SINGAPORE — Rebates will be given to parents affected by the PAP Community Foundation (PCF) pre-school fee hikes for next year as a goodwill gesture, the foundation said today (Sept 25).
In a statement, PCF said these rebates will be given out for the first six months of the year, from Jan 1 to June 30.
“During this period, all Singaporean and permanent resident children in the centres will enjoy a rebate equivalent to the fee increase amount,” PCF said. This means the new fees will only take effect from July 1 next year. “We are reaching out to all parents to inform them of this rebate,” the PCF said.
TODAY reported earlier this week that PCF, the largest pre-school operator here, is set to raise fees for most of its kindergarten and childcare centres from next year. The anchor operator did not say which or how many of its 153 childcare centres and 215 kindergartens will be affected, nor did it provide information on the new fees.
The Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) sets a fee cap of S$720 a month for full-day childcare for anchor operators. MY World Preschool and E-Bridge, which are also anchor operators, earlier told TODAY they will not raise the fees for next year.
In response to queries, the ECDA did not say if other anchor operators were adjusting their fees, and reiterated that these operators must abide by fee caps for full-day childcare and for infant care. The agency added: “Pre-school operators raise fees from time to time to ensure sustainability as operating costs rise, and to recruit and retain teachers to deliver quality programmes.”