SINGAPORE — Pre-school teachers should be given at least a 15-minute break after every four hours of work — more frequent that what they are getting now at most centres — an expert suggested yesterday as she cited her interaction with childcare educators as part of her research which showed that they typically felt “burned out”.

Speaking at a workshop organised by the Association of Early Childhood and Training Services (ASSETS), Dr Lily Wong, who has been involved in the pre-school sector in countries such as the United States, China and Malaysia over the last few years, said: “In many of the countries outside of Singapore, after every four hours of intense, close work with the children, the teachers take 15 to 20 minutes off (and go to) a teacher’s room or staff room where they are away from the children, where they can rest … After that, they are refreshed (and) they can care for the children better.”

There have been safety lapses in pre-schools in recent weeks, including an incident last month where disciplinary action was taken against an employee at a PAP Community Foundation (PCF) childcare centre in Jurong, after she left a cup of coffee near an infant who was unattended. Following the incident, photos of the child’s scalded arm circulated online.

ASSETS said that its workshop was held to “discuss ways of preventing similar accidents from happening”.

Dr Wong, who is also the Head of Education Research at ASSETS, pointed out that safety lapses among pre-school children are often linked to the “human environment”, especially when teachers are tired and overworked. She added that as part of a research that she conducted two years ago, almost all of about 30 childcare teachers whom she had spoken to said that they were burned out from work.

Referring to the regulations on health, hygiene and safety requirements under the Singapore Pre-school Accreditation Framework, for example, she reiterated that more can be done to improve the welfare of pre-school teachers.

During a panel discussion after Dr Wong’s speech, Ms Yvonne Cheng, Operations Manager at pre-school chain G8 Education Singapore, noted that even during their designated break, educators at childcare centres seldom have time to rest. “For that one hour, the teachers are actually working — they are getting ready their teaching materials,” she said.

TODAY did a check with pre-school operators and found that the practice varied across different centres.

Ms Lynn Lin, Principal of Lorna Whiston Pre-school, which runs two centres, said its teachers get a 30-minute break for a six-hour shift that starts at 8am. For those who work the afternoon shift (from 1pm to 7pm), there is no designated break as most children would have gone home by about 5.30pm or 6pm. Teachers who work nine-hour shifts get a one-hour lunch break, said Ms Lin, adding that she felt the current system was “reasonable”.

PAP Community Foundation MacPherson branch Principal Patricia Low said that her teachers are given 30 to 45 minutes of “planning time”, on top of an hour’s lunch break on a typical work day which runs from 8am to 5pm.

The pre-school sector is facing a manpower crunch and the panellists at the ASSETS workshop said there was also a shortage of relief teachers.

Ms Michelle Ong, the operator of Cherie Hearts at Depot Road, suggested that the criteria for relief teachers be relaxed so that more can stand in for full-time teachers to allow the latter to take their annual leave.