SINGAPORE — From next year, the Ministry of Education (MOE) will be taking in 560 Kindergarten-1 pupils across its five pilot kindergartens.

The admissions process will start next month for the kindergartens situated at Blangah Rise Primary, Dazhong Primary, Farrer Park Primary, Punggol View Primary and at a community site in Tampines St 45 Blk 489 C.

One third of the places will be reserved for children from lower income families who stay near these sites, and balloting according to distance will take place should the demand exceed the allocated spaces. For subsequent years, siblings of admitted preschoolers will get the first priority entry.

School fees will be S$150 per month for locals and S$300 per month for Singapore PRs.

For the curriculum in these kindergartens, educators will be using the refreshed kindergarten curriculum framework and utlitise teaching and learning resources developed by MOE. Best practices that are found to be suitable and scalable will be shared across all pre-school operators.

Families with a gross monthly household income not exceeding $3,500 or per capita income not exceeding $875 will receive subsidies.

MOE has said that it will open another 10 kindergartens over the next few years and that these kindergartens will be situated in the heartlands.