SINGAPORE: Mr Soh Wee Seng sends his nine-month-old son to infant care, knowing that his child will be in the trained hands of early childcare educators while he and his wife are at work.
The 32-year-old biotechnologist, whose son attends Little Skool-House, is not the only one tapping such services.
“We don’t have alternative care arrangements for our child … which is why we decided that it would be good that we send our kid to infant care,” he said, adding that this would also expose him to a more social environment.
“With infant care education, I believe my child will grow up and be more proficient in whatever he does, and also not be so introverted.”
The demand for places at pre-schools and infant care centres is rising, as parents return to the workplace post-pandemic.
However, early childhood education centres may not have enough teachers to cope with the better business.
PARENTS RETURN TO OFFICE POST-PANDEMIC
Little Skool-House general manager Coreen Soh said it has seen more enquiries for places.
“The take up has increased by close to 10 per cent, compared to the same time last year. And we see more enquiries, especially for the infant care services in some of our centres,” she added.
“Most of the time, I think the parents also plan ahead of time. So they’re looking at enrollments for next year and the enquiries are pouring in right now.”
To cope with rising demand, the early childhood education provider has to constantly look out for suitable talent.
Beyond the standard qualifications, Little Skool-House said it wants candidates with passion and who want to work in the sector.
Despite the tall order, it has managed to increase its staff strength by 25 per cent from 2020.
PRESCHOOLS MAY NOT HAVE ENOUGH TEACHERS
For Mulberry Learning, which operates a network of pre-schools, enrolment at three outlets in the Central Business District has risen to 1,220, from 960 last year.
Global EduHub chief operating officer Peh Yi Han said: “Parents in the past, perhaps they used to rely on grandparents, or domestic helpers to take care of the young babies.
“But we see the trend now of more grandparents returning to the workforce or maybe pursuing their passions, and also a recent shortage in getting new domestic helpers into Singapore. So parents are having difficulty finding alternative care.”
The chain is also stepping up its hiring efforts, which Mr Peh admits is not easy in this tight labour market.
To ensure existing teachers are not overwhelmed, the company has tweaked some of its procedures so that teachers can focus on teaching.
The chain has stepped up efforts to retain its employees, including offering competitive salary packages, investing heavily in staff training and promoting better engagement.
Now, it has close to 400 employees, partly due to the increased demand.
On controlling the pupil intake, Mr Peh said: “We do try to pace the intake of new students. For example, we try not to have too many new students joining on the same day.
“So our focus is to ensure that each child when they join, they’re able to adapt, fit in and settle down.”
