Queries Related to Waitlist Position for Preschools Received in Past Five Years

Mr Leon Perera asked the Minister for Social and Family Development (a) in the past five years, how many queries related to waitlist position for preschools has the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) received; and (b) whether ECDA will consider introducing a requirement that preschools tell parents their queue position on the waitlist.

Parents may register interest in a preschool via the Preschool Search Portal (PSP), an online self-help search portal that was launched by ECDA in 2019. Some may also directly contact their chosen preschools. While we strongly encourage all parents to use the PSP, registration of interest via the PSP is still voluntary for parents. Hence the PSP cannot provide parents with their queue position within a preschool's overall waitlist. Communicating an exact queue position to all parents could also pose significant administrative strain for preschools since the queue position could change frequently, possibly even on a daily basis. Instead, parents can see the estimated time (e.g. immediate, within six months, within one year) by which a vacancy in a chosen preschool may be available on the PSP. This can help to give parents a sense of the preschools with shorter or longer waitlists.

ECDA does not track the number of queries received on parents' waitlist position. When approached, ECDA advises parents to check directly with the relevant preschool, as preschools are allowed some discretion to determine their own enrolment policies that best meet their parents' needs. For example, some preschools may offer priority placement for siblings of enrolled children. ECDA encourages all preschools to be transparent regarding enrolment policies in their communications with parents.