Singaporean parents have reason to celebrate as the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) announced a proposal to add 40,000 new infant and childcare slots over the next five years. This plan, which is set to run from 2025 to 2029, would provide relief to many urban parents looking for dependable childcare options.
The ECDA, which was founded on April 1, 2013, functions independently under the supervision of Singapore’s Ministry of Education (MOE) and the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF). According to CNA, ECDA will cooperate with five anchor operators to build these new childcare spaces around Singapore to increase access to affordable, high-quality preschool facilities.
Masagos Zulkifli, Minister for Social and Family Development, stated that the expansion will improve government-funded preschool availability from 65% to 80% in the medium term, making child care more accessible to Singaporean families.
In addition to expanding places, the Singapore government will cap full-day childcare rates at SGD 640 and SGD 680 per month for anchor and partner operators beginning January 1, 2025. Low-income households will also receive increased subsidies, spending only 2% of their monthly household income on anchor-run institutions.
