More can be done to lift quality of pre-school education: DPM Tharman

More can be done to lift the quality of pre-school education in Singapore says Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam. 

He said this at the official opening of a new My First Skool Campus in Taman Jurong today. 

Mr Tharman is also Member of Parliament for the area.

He was responding to questions by the media about the recent global survey on early childhood education. 

Singapore ranked 29th out of 45 developed and emerging countries. 

Mr Tharman also said there's more to be done to give everyone an equal chance early in life regardless of background. 

He added the government is working on this and will announce details soon. 

"Teachers are critical, most critical. Ensuring that regardless of what home background you're from, when you come into school you're an equal, and your teachers take great interest in you. Particularly if you come from a disadvantaged background, the teachers take a greater interest in you and want to help you catch up." 

The newly opened My First Skool at Yung An Road provides a unique language and arts programme for children. 

And Mr Tharman said the school is an experiment, to do the most possible for especially less advantaged children. 

Children will be taught through drama, video and other innovative methods. 

It's also the first in its brand of pre-schools to be built on a standalone building, which was previously a disused JTC commercial building.

It currently has 123 children enrolled in its programme. 

And there are already 200 people on its waiting list.