SINGAPORE (The Straits Times/ANN): The Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) has revoked the licence of a pre-school in Seletar Hills Estate after concluding its investigation into child mismanagement incidents that first came to light in February 2024.
In its statement on Jan 24, ECDA, the government agency that oversees kindergartens and childcare centres here, said it has revoked the licence of GU+MMI Smart Kids with effect from Jan 2.
The pre-school was not named in earlier reports as it could lead to the identification of the two affected children, who were reportedly locked in a dark room and subjected to corporal punishment by their teachers.
ECDA said the three teachers involved were suspended from Feb 26, 2024, and subsequently dismissed. They are also barred from working in the pre-school sector.
Police investigations against them are ongoing.
The regulatory agency added that the pre-school’s management had not enforced its standard operating procedures on child management, and did not provide adequate guidance and support to the teachers.
Due to its “systemic lapses”, the pre-school “had failed to safeguard the well-being of the children under its care”, said ECDA.
GU+MMI Smart Kids has not had any enrolment since March 21, 2024, as parents had withdrawn their children from the school, ECDA added.
In February 2024, The Straits Times spoke to two affected parents, who said their children had been hit, pinched, locked in a dark room and screamed at by their teachers on more than one occasion.
After these incidents, the children reportedly began having meltdowns and were afraid of going to school, the parents said.
ECDA started its probe after receiving reports from a parent and the pre-school itself. The investigation included an unannounced visit, a review of CCTV footage, interviews with staff and parents, and verification of records.
“There are explicit provisions in the Early Childhood Development Centres Act and Regulations to safeguard the safety and well-being of children in Singapore’s pre-schools. Operators must establish child-safe policies and take proactive steps to ensure these policies are implemented effectively and consistently at their pre-schools,” ECDA said.
The agency said it will not hesitate to take action should there be breaches of its regulatory requirements. - The Straits Times/ANN
