PCF’s journey
Back to “school” for Mrs Teo.
Upcoming PCF plans BY JOSEPHINE TEO
kindergartens and childcare centres.
One of our key programmes is to accelerate the conversion of kindergartens to childcare centres offering full-day care services. We have identified nearly 50 locations where full-day childcare services could be provided over the next three years. PCF will also be setting up new childcare centres: this includes a large centre in Woodlands for 300 children. We are continuously improving our curriculum. This year, our priority is to further strengthen our mother tongue (MT) curriculum, a feature that is much appreciated by parents. We will collaborate with MT language authorities in Singapore to update our teaching techniques and the materials our teachers use. In addition, our first senior care centre at Changi-Simei has started trial operations and we aim to set up another centre in a suitable location. We also believe children with special needs, particularly from needy families, require continued attention. The reach and effectiveness of our assistance programmes are being reviewed to see how they can be further improved. In 2015, PCF provided focused attention to about 1,000 students with special needs. Those with mild special needs were supported through the Development Support Programme (DSP). Children with moderate to severe special needs were helped by the separate Special Education Needs Programme. As we expand the screening of children with special needs to more centres, we expect more students to be enrolled in these programmes. A DSP Satellite Centre in Choa Chu Kang will be operational by June this year to support such children in the northwest region of Singapore. A team of Learning Support Educators based at the centre will strengthen staff capabilities and collaboration with pupils’ parents through, for example, more workshops and training sessions. There is also an ongoing recruitment drive to find trained staff for the increasing number of centres. We are building on the enhancements introduced in the last few years to give our staff more opportunities to grow their careers with PCF.
In 2015, the first senior care centre was set up in Changi-Simei. In the years ahead, PCF plans to set up 10 to 15 such centres island-wide, offering services such as rehabilitation, dementia care, social day care and nursing care at affordable rates.
The writer is chairman of the PCF executive committee. She is Senior Minister of State, PMO, Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Ministry of Transport.
1960s
PAP Kindergartens were organised to prepare children for primary school. Classes were conducted in any space that was available and these included shop-houses and even the stage used for Chinese opera or “wayang”.
1970s Growing popularity resulted in more PAP Kindergartens sprouting up throughout Singapore. 1980s In 1986, the PAP Community Foundation (PCF) was established as the charitable arm of the PAP.
All PAP Kindergartens were renamed PCF Kindergartens. Their facilities, curriculum and teaching approaches were also improved.
1990s In Project Pre-School from 1991 to 1994, PCF Kindergartens underwent further upgrading and improvement of physical facilities and curriculum.
In April 1991, PCF launched its first childcare centre, Sparkle*tots at Telok Blangah. 1992 saw the introduction of numerous training programmes to enhance the skills of PCF teachers. These included PCF Orientation Courses, PCF Fundamentals Courses as well as Music and Movement Workshops for kindergarten teachers. In 1999, the PCF Study Awards provided monetary study awards to deserving polytechnic students every year.
2000s More financial assistance schemes such as the PCF
Alumni Book Prize and the Headstart Fund were set up to support needy students. The schooling experience in PCF centres also became increasingly vibrant, caring and child-centred.
2010s By then, PCF kindergartens and childcare centres were offering modern, integrated teaching approaches and up-to-date facilities that were comparable to most private
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