Parents of S’porean preschoolers to pay only half of out-of-pocket fees for month-long circuit breaker

SINGAPORE — All preschool operators are required to offset half of their nett school fees for Singaporean children not attending preschool during the month-long circuit breaker period.

The offset will be effected from the May 2020 invoice for parents, said the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) and the Ministry of Education in a joint statement on Monday (April 6).

The 50 per cent fee offset applies to out-of-pocket fees parents pay after the deduction of the S$300 basic subsidy. Preschool operators are required to provide the offset by the Early Childhood Development Agency, the statement said.

It gave the following example: Parents paying S$770 in usual fees, less the S$300 basic subsidy would be left with S$470 in out-of-pocket fees. The offset would mean the parents would pay a 50 per cent reduction on that figure, that is, S$235, for this circuit breaker period when their children were not attending.

This is in line with the additional support given to Singaporeans unveiled by Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat in the Solidarity Budget on Monday.

The ministries said this move complements the additional support given to families with young children unveiled by Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat in the Solidarity Budget on Monday.

On top of a one-off payout of S$600 to all Singaporeans above the age of 21, parents with at least one child aged 20 and below this year will receive an extra S$300.

In a separate statement, NTUC First Campus said an estimated 19,500 children would benefit from the fee offset at all of its 167 preschools.

The fee offset would apply to children enrolled at NTUC First Campus’ My First Skool (MFS),TheLittle Skool-House (LSH) and The Caterpillar’s Cove (TCC) andare not attending pre-school during this one-month circuit breaker period, the statement said.

It added that 165 of its pre-schools will remain open to provide limited services to serve around 2,500 children of parents/guardians who are working in essential services and without alternative care arrangements. 

Priority will be given to the children of healthcare workers, children of low-income and daily wage workers, and children of other workers employed in essential services, the statement added.

“In ordinary circumstances, preschools, KCare operators, student care centres (SCCs), special student care centres (SSCCs) and Early Intervention (EI) service providers would find it difficult to offer such fee offsets given the need to sustain wages for staff and other operating costs.

“However, these are exceptional times and we have reviewed the situation,” said the ministries.

It added that on top of additional Government support, subsidies from both the MSF and Early Childhood Development Agency,  and the waiver of minimum attendance for eligibility of subsidies, all preschools, KCare, SCC and SSCC operators and EI service providers should offer fee offsets for the circuit breaker period.

In a statement to the media, the PAP Community Foundation (PCF) said it will be putting this measure into place and the offset will be effected in the following month.

However, parents who make use of the limited services provided by Sparkletots preschools during the circuit-breaker period will need to pay their usual monthly fees.

In its statement, PCF Executive Committee Chairman, Mrs Josephine Teo, said: “We have always been here for families and we have always put their well-being first. We know this is a tough period for everyone. In this time of extraordinary need, we hope the fee offset goes some way to cushion the impact and help these families emerge stronger.”