MOE to set up 15 pilot kindergartens over 3 years

The Education Ministry will set up 15 pilot kindergartens over the next 3 years. 

Education Minister Heng Swee Keat announced this in parliament during debate on his ministry's budget estimates. 

Kindergartens are currently run by the private sector.

In an effort to raise the quality of pre-school education, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong had said during the National Day rally that the government will play a more active role in the sector. 

Mr Heng revealed on Wednesday that five of the MOE-run kindergartens will enrol K1 children in January 2014. 

Details on the locations of the first five kindergartens and admission procedures will be announced in 2 weeks. 

Some of these pilot kindergartens will be located in primary schools and others in community sites. 

All will be within HDB heartlands. 

Mr Heng said these kindergartens will provide a quality education that will be affordable to Singaporeans. 

MOE specialists will develop teaching and learning resources and best practices to enhance the children's learning. 

The ministry will also work with other pre-school centres that offer good programmes to study different approaches. 

Mr Heng said given the growing demand for quality kindergarten education, his ministry is prepared to go beyond these 15 centres. 

How far and how fast the ministry proceeds will depend on its experience, assessment, and feedback from parents.