SINGAPORE — The number of “good quality” and “affordable” childcare and infant care places for lower and middle-income families will be increased when enhancements are made to the Government’s Anchor Operator Scheme by June.

The Ministry of Social and Family Development said the scheme will be extended to more operators, which will be able to receive enhanced levels of support. Details of the enhanced scheme, including requirements for operators interested to apply, will be released by the second quarter of this year.

Cherie Hearts Corporate General Manager (Operations) Edmund Phang felt the enhancements should help attract quality teachers and manpower. “Better support could be (in the form of) subsidies and funding of salaries, or help for recruiting more well-trained staff which usually take up the bulk of operational expenditure,” he said.

Ms Leung Yee Ping, Executive Director of the Young Women’s Christian Association which runs 10 childcare centres and one kindergarten, added that “there are not enough qualified teachers in the market to go around”, even though funds can be found to expand operations.

Some operators felt that the current criteria, such as requiring centres to be run by non-profit bodies, have a minimum paid-up capital of S$5 million and have no religious or ethnic affiliation, meant that they would find it difficult to qualify for the recurrent grants.