Incidence of Preschool Centres Allowing Staff to Start Work before Passing Pre-employment Medical Screening

Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong asked the Minister for Social and Family Development (a) for the past three years, how many cases have there been of schools and childcare centres allowing potential teachers or staff to start work before they have passed the pre-employment medical screening; and (b) what actions have been taken against these schools and childcare centres.

Under the Child Care Centres Act and Education Act, new childcare, kindergarten and school staff members are required to obtain medical clearances before they commence work. The Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) requires childcare centres and kindergartens to register their staff members and declare online that this requirement has been adhered to. ECDA also conducts random checks to verify the declarations.

Over the past three years, one childcare centre was found to have allowed its teacher to work before obtaining the pre-employment medical certification. ECDA issued a warning letter to the centre and put it on a short probationary licence. ECDA also stepped up supervision of the centre to ensure that it had put in place measures to avoid future lapses.