Debated in Parliament on 3 Oct 2022.
Mr Edward Chia Bing Hui asked the Minister for Social and Family Development (a) for childcare and infant care places in Bukit Panjang Town with a breakdown by anchor and private operators respectively, what is the current (i) number for infant care and childcare places that are available (ii) enrolment rate for such places and (iii) average waiting time for enrolment; and (b) what is the expected number of new infant care and childcare places in Bukit Panjang Town by 2023.
Over the past five years, infant and childcare places in Bukit Panjang have increased by 70% and 60% respectively. These growth rates are notably higher than the 50% increase in infant care places and 30% increase in childcare places nationally over the same period. We will continue to increase capacity where needed, to meet demand for preschool, especially in estates with new HDB developments, which tend to have many young families.
As of July 2022, there are 300 infant care places and 5,400 childcare places licensed for operation in the Bukit Panjang planning area. Over 80% of these places are offered by Anchor Operator and Partner Operator preschools as well as MOE Kindergartens. About 250 or 80% infant care places and 3,800 or 70% childcare places have children enrolled. About 12 preschools in Bukit Panjang have immediate vacancies, while another 13 are expected to have vacancies within a year.
Parents who registered interest for a preschool place in Bukit Panjang on ECDA's Preschool Search Portal experience waiting times ranging from a few weeks to a few months. Parents may have to wait longer if they prefer to send their children to specific centres.
By 2023, ECDA will develop another 30 infant care and 190 childcare places in Bukit Panjang. These places will be built in tandem with the new Build-To-Order (BTO) housing development and will be run by Anchor Operators. This does not include additional places developed by other non-Government supported preschool operators.
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