Be willing to educate and not just teach – give yourself to the lives of young children. For me, I have no regrets and have enjoyed every moment of it.

I graduated from Nanyang Polytechnic with a Diploma in Nursing, but decided to make a career switch from the health-care industry to follow my dream.

01

03

04

05

08

Centre Leaders

ECDA Training Award

ECDA Scholarships & Teaching Awards

Professional Conversion Programmes for Mid-Career Entrants

– Siti Norshakilla Binte YusofPre-School Teacher

– Lee Xin Yi CaraSenior Teacher

11

13

14

15

Entry Requirements

Welcome Note

About ECDA

Pre-School Teachers

Educarers

07

06

01 / Entry Requirements

Para-Educarer (Teacher

Assistant)

1 WPL refers to the Workplace Literacy series, part of the Employability Skills Workforce Skills Qualifications (ES WSQ) developed by the Singapore Workforce Development Agency (WDA). Upon completion of each test, you will get a Statement of Attainment (SOA) to certify your English language proficiency.

EARLY CHILDHOOD COURSES

MINIMUM ENTRY CRITERIA

Infant Educarer

1

2

CAREER POSITIONS3

2 months to 3 years old

2 to 18 months old

2 months to 3 years old

AGE GROUP OF CHILDREN

Educarer Track

TURN TO PAGE 08-10

1WPL SOA 4

WSQ Higher Certificate in Infant Care

(HCIC)

WSQ Advanced Certificate in Early Years

(ACEY)

Fundamentals in Early

Childhood Care &

Education (FECCE)

Sec 2 or min. 8 years of formal

education

Early Years Educarer

Sec 4 with 1WPL average SOA of 5 and credit in EL1

or IELTS 5.5 or SOA 5 in WPL

(written)

Centre Leaders / 10

*Alternative English language qualifications may be considered for course admission. Refer to any training providers of accredited Early Childhood courses.

TURN TO PAGE 05-07

Pre-School Teacher Track

Pre-School Teacher

18 months to 4 years old

18 months to 6 years old

WSQ Advanced Certificate in Early Childhood Care &

Education(WSQ ACECCE)

ORITE Higher Certificate in Early

Childhood Education

Diploma in Early Childhood Care

& Education – Teaching (DECCE-T)

OR WSQ

Professional Dip. In Early

Childhood Care & Education

(WSQ PDECCE)

WSQ Professional Diploma in Early Childhood Care

& Education - Childcare

(PDECCE-CC)OR

WSQ Diploma (Conversion) in

Kindergarten Education –

Teaching (NVKET)

Entry Requirements / 02

5 to 6 years old

Centre Supervisor /

Principal

3 GCE ‘O’ levels with credit in EL1* or MT

5 GCE ‘O’ levels with credit in

EL1 or MT

Local Polytechnic

Diploma in EL1 or Degree,

in other disciplines

2 years of pre-school teaching

experience

Dip. in Early Childhood Care & Education -

Leadership (DECCE-L)OR

Specialist Dip. in Early Childhood Care &

Education (SDECCE) - Leadership Components

Pre-School Teacher

ParaEducator(Teacher

Assistant)

03 / Welcome Note

Wel

com

e N

ote

Welcome Note

There has been growing recognition that what young children experience and acquire in their early years serves as the foundation for future learning and development.

This has generated strong demand from parents for quality early childhood care and education services.

Early childhood professionals are key contributors to the quality of early childhood programmes. Hence, in addition to increasing capacity, the Government has been working towards raising the competency of early childhood professionals in Singapore.

The Government is investing $30 million over the next 3 years in the pre-school sector for manpower capacity and capability building through scholarships, training awards and teaching awards. ECDA also provides a suite of professional development programmes and professional pathways for a rewarding career experience.

If you enjoy working with children and have the passion, flair and creativity to nurture their growing minds, we urge you to join the vibrant and dynamic early childhood profession. As an educator, you hold the key to moulding bright, inquisitive young minds and preparing them for life.

Through this booklet, we hope to share with you the various resources that can assist you in becoming an early childhood educator. There is support tailored to the needs of every individual – whether you are a fresh school-leaver, a mid-career entrant, or rejoining the workforce.

This booklet will provide you an insight into the profession, and we hope that you will join the family of professionals featured here as a first step to a fulfilling career in the early childhood sector.

Be an Early Childhood Educator. Give Every Child in Singapore A Good Start.

Dr Lee Tung JeanChief Executive OfficerEarly Childhood Development Agency

t is an exciting time to be in the early childhood care and education sector.

About ECDA / 04

About ECDA

The Early Childhood and Development Agency (ECDA) was formed on 1st April 2013, as the regulatory and development authority for the early childhood sector in Singapore.

Child care centres provide child care services for children aged

18 months to 6 years. Infant care programmes for infants aged

between 2 to 18 months old are also available at several centres.

Centres offer full-day, half-day and flexible programmes to cater to

the different working schedules of parents. You can search for

child care services at www.childcarelink.gov.sg.

Kindergartens provide a 3-year pre-school developmental programme for children between 4 to 6 years of age. The 3-year programme consists of Nursery, Kindergarten 1 and 2. Most kindergartens run two sessions a day, with each session ranging from 3 to 4 hours, 5 days a week. You can search for a kindergarten service at www.preschool.edu.sg.

Child Care Centres Kindergartens

05 / Pre-School Years

Pre-School Teachers

Pre-School Teachers design and implement programmes for children aged 4 to 6 years old, ensuring their holistic development.

Plan, implement and deliver a holistic and

developmentally appropriate early

childhood curriculum

Plan activities and source materials to

support children’s learning in the various

curriculum areas

Provide a safe and clean learning environment

for the care and development of children

in the centre

Partner parents and other key stakeholders to ensure that centre’s

service meets the needs of children and families

Passion and interest in developing and caring for young children

Ability to work well with children and families

Good communication skills

What You Do What You Need

Certificate Holders*Para-Educators

start from $1,400

*depending on qualifications and

experience

Diploma Holders*Pre-School Teachers start from $1,900

Pre-School Years / 06

Siti Norshakilla Binte Yusof, 23Pre-School Teacher, Nurturestars1 year in the Early Childhood sectorHolds a Diploma in Early Childhood Care & Education

Working with parents inspires me. It is rewarding to see the children happy as their parents are involved in their pre-school life.

What do you do on a daily basis?My daily job is to plan and execute developmentally appropriate lessons and activities, supervise the children in their learning, communicate with their parents and discuss about their progress, such as what their strengths are and which areas they need more help with.

Why did you choose this field of work?I have always wanted to teach preschoolers - it has been my dream since young! I had graduated from Nanyang Polytechnic with a Diploma in Nursing, but decided to make a career switch from the health-care industry to follow my dream. I was glad to be given the opportunity to take a Diploma course in Early Childhood Care and Education under a Place-and-Train programme (Professional Conversion Programme), which allowed me to work and study at the same time.

Who inspires you in your job?I have a younger sister who is of preschool age, and she inspired me to take up the course and this job as I want to be able to understand how she is progressing and to ensure she is developing appropriately according to her age.

I switched careers to follow my dreams!

Pre-

Scho

ol T

each

ers

07 / Pre-School Years

Lee Xin Yi Cara, 28Senior Teacher, St James’ Church Kindergarten9 years in the Early Childhood sectorHolds a Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education

Respect children and families – Allow children to express themselves in ways that are unique to their personalities. Embrace diversity within the environment. A teacher who creates a respectful environment will develop respectful individuals.

Have patience and dedication – Engaging children requires fortitude to deal with frustrations, challenging behaviours and situations that go against the grain of one’s personal beliefs.

Adopt positive learning dispositions – Being open to new perspectives will help early childhood educators to celebrate children’s little successes, engage the world through their eyes, and exude positivity. As educators, we must be a source of positivity and hope for children!

Take a moment to ask yourself why you want to work with young children. If it brings warmth to your heart and a quickening in your spirit, then you will experience joy and fulfilment in this field.

Be willing to educate and not just teach – give yourself to the lives of young children. For me, I have no regrets and have enjoyed every moment of it.

What is a day in your job like?The day begins with morning interactions with colleagues and welcoming the children to school.

The morning hours are spent mostly planning for the day, working on curriculum, school events’ planning, creating teacher resources, tending to any concerns from parents, and checking on the teachers in my team. In the afternoons, I teach a class together with a Chinese teacher. I also mentor the teachers in the centre.

Why did you choose this field of work?It was a conscious decision to join the Early Childhood field after my ‘O’ levels. I applied for the Early Childhood Education course in Ngee Ann Polytechnic and started teacher training at the age of 17. I was motivated by my passion to work with children and the daily joys of interacting with the little ones entrusted to my care. It is a privilege to make a difference in the lives of children that have long-term positive effects.

What advice would you give to new entrants to this field?Passion is important – A calling to influence young lives responsibly, and with love, will help you to stay connected to your job.

This is my

calling!

Early Years / 08

Educarers Early Years Educarers support the learning and development of infants and toddlers aged 0-3 years.

Plan and implement early childhood

curriculum to meet the physical, emotional,

social and intellectual needs of infants,

toddlers and young children

Plan activities and source materials to support the various

curriculum areas planned for the children

Provide a safe and clean learning environment for the children in the centre

Partner parents and other key stakeholders to ensure that centre’s

service meets the needs of children and families

Passion and interest in developing and caring for infants, toddlers and young children

Ability to work well with children and families

Good communication skills

What You Do What You Need

*Para-Educarers start from $1,300

*Infant/Early Years Educarers start from $1,400

*depending on qualifications and experience

09 / Early Years

Punetha D/o Krishnan, 39 Para-Educarer, Cherie Hearts Bright Kidz18 years in the Early Childhood sectorHolds a Fundamental in Early Childhood Care and Education Certificate

Why did you choose this field of work?I chose this field as it keeps me cheerful. Working with children keeps me enthusiastic as their energy level is very high. I chose to do this so that I can play a part in helping young children develop in all aspects – physically, cognitively, socially and emotionally.

What is a day in your job like?As an early childhood educator, I constantly create new experiences to share with the children – I do this collaboratively with the main educator. I assist with the preparation of activities and ensure the safety of my charges, at the same time equipping them with social skills and nurturing their love for learning. Providing them with a safe, clean and conducive environment for learning is also my key responsibility.

What do you love about your job?The smiles I see on the children’s faces and the satisfaction gained from witnessing their progress! I love working with young children, to nurture and motivate them through play and hands-on activities. It is fun, rewarding, stimulating and enjoyable to work with young children.

I chose to do this so that I can play a part in helping young children develop in all aspects – physically, cognitively, socially and emotionally

I’m staying

strong in the field!

Early Years / 10

Educ

arer

s

Rhoda Ang, 58Infant Educarer, Pat’s Schoolhouse – Baby Haven7 years in the Early Childhood sectorHolds a Certificate in Infant and Toddler Care, and 16-hr Early Years Development Framework Training

what I learned from the books. Sometimes they didn’t work, but it made me understand that every child is unique. Soon, not only was I handling my own child; friends also left their babies with me when they needed a caregiver. I then realised the benefits of caring for infants in a group – for example, they are more likely to not crawl away when I read to them together, then if I were to read to them alone! The 15 years I spent being a full-time parent changed my view about caregiving. I’d begun to love babies and understood the importance of authentic relationships with infants. I’m grateful for all the learning opportunities I’ve had and have no regrets about joining this sector. I believe I will retire as an infant educarer!

What do you love about your job?I enjoy the challenge in building genuine relationships with infants, helping them grow and learn new skills, and seeing them achieve new developmental milestones.

What does your job scope comprise?I plan and organise each individual infant’s daily programme - maintaining a high-quality learning programme is important to me. I ensure a clean and safe environment for the infants, document daily observation reports, and establish their diapering, feeding, showering and sleeping routine. A big part of my job is also to communicate and form positive interaction and partnerships with parents.

Which industry were you from previously? I was a receptionist in a car rental company for 8 years and really enjoyed my job, but gave it up to become a full-time parent after my son was born. In the beginning, I had a tough time handling my baby, but I started reading about infant care and tried to apply

I find joy when I see the infants growing and developing well under my care

I’m a back-

to-work mum!

11 / Centre Leaders

This job is packed with a whole lot of satisfaction, fulfilment and pleasant surprises if we choose to notice it!

Centre Leaders

Centre leaders may be known as a Supervisor, Principal or Centre Director. They lead and mentor teams of early childhood professionals.

Ensure daily operations, finances, human resource and

management of the centre are carried out effectively

Work within the centre’s policies, philosophy and procedures

Plan and co-ordinate change in consultation with the centre’s

operator/licensee, management, staff and families

Work with programme staff to develop a holistic and

developmentally appropriate early childhood curriculum

Lead and manage delivery of quality curriculum and plan and

monitor individual staff’s continuing professional development

Ensure that centre’s service meet the needs of children and families

Strong leadership qualities

Excellent communication and inter-personal skills

Ability to liaise with various stakeholders, authorities and organisations

Ability to manage centre’s daily operations, budget, income and expenditure

What You Do What You Need

– Tan Xin Yi CynthiaPrincipal

*Centre Principals / Supervisors start

from $3,300*depending on

qualifications and experience

Cent

re L

eade

rs

Tan Xin Yi Cynthia, 27Principal, The Caterpillar’s Cove Child Development and Study Centre4 years in the Early Childhood sectorHolds a Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Educational Studies and Leadership (with Honours)

I include myself in the shift duties with the teaching team, such as serving breakfast, taking a class, being physically available during the pick-up and drop-off times, and chatting with families who come by the centre.

I enjoy and value the ground work because this enables me to develop an authentic understanding of the centre’s daily operations, understand and empathise when problems arise, and most importantly, earn the respect from the staff as a dedicated leader who does what is preached and never stops learning too.

What advice would you give to new entrants to this field? As clichéd as it may sound, it does take passion to sustain a career in this field. Having confronted with a crossroad in my own journey, I always encourage new entrants or pre-service students to discern their choices wisely and speak with people who can give them good insight about themselves, be it mentors or loved ones.

Why did you choose this field of work?At 18 years of age, it was difficult to know for sure what vocation I wanted to pursue. After weighing my options, I decided to give Early Childhood Education in Ngee Ann Polytechnic a try. I told myself to do my very best in order to discern carefully if it was the career for me. As I ventured deeper, I found great fulfilment through the work and interactions with people, and came to discover that this field of work enriches me not just as a professional, but completes me as a person. This job is packed with a whole lot of satisfaction, fulfilment and pleasant surprises if we choose to notice it!

What is a day in your job like? As a principal, I manage centre operations, support the professional development of the staff, and the quality development of the centre’s curriculum. I draw a balance between the managerial and administrative aspects of my job, and being ‘on the ground’ with my teachers, children and families, which can mean being in and around the different classrooms with the teachers and children, or having small group discussions with different teams of teachers and staff.

Centre Leaders / 12

This job brings me to greater heights!

Trai

ning

&

Deve

lopm

ent S

uppo

rt

13 / ECDA Training Award & Scholarships

ECDA offers a range of support in your pursuit of an exciting and rewarding journey as a teacher in the Early Childhood Sector.

Funding Offered

Programmes Offered

Eligibility Criteria

Post-Study Conditions

Ngee Ann PolytechnicDiploma in Early Childhood EducationDiploma in Child Psychology & Early Education

Temasek PolytechnicEarly Childhood Studies

ECDA Training AwardThe ECDA Training Award provides support for students undergoing the full-time Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) diploma courses at either Ngee Ann Polytechnic or Temasek Polytechnic.

A year’s bond to the

Early Childhood sector for each year of support

Singapore Citizen or Permanent Resident at point of application.

Meet the entry requirements of the course.

Full-time students undergoing an Early Childhood diploma course at either Ngee Ann Polytechnic or Temasek Polytechnic.

All first, second and third year Early Childhood diploma Polytechnic Students are eligible to apply.

Must not concurrently hold or be serving out their bond for any other scholarship, bursary or funding.

Have keen interest to start their career in the pre-school sector immediately after graduation.

These courses are accredited as Diploma in Early Childhood Care & Education - Teaching (DECCE-T) by the Early Childhood Training Accreditation Committee (ECTAC).

One-off learning resource grant of $1,050 for study-related

expenses

Monthly allowance

of $800

Full course sponsorship

Annual Professional Development Fund of up to $1,000 per year for Early Childhood-

related supplementary courses supported by the Polytechnics (e.g.

Art, Speech & Drama, Special Needs, etc.)

ECDA Scholarships and Teaching Awards / 14

.

100% or 80% Course Fee

Study Bonus Training

Allowance

Learning Resource Allowance

Subsidy for Overseas

Immersion Programme

Learning Resource Allowance

100% or 80% Course Fee

Centre Subsidy

Funding Offered

Programmes Offered

ECDA Scholarships and Teaching AwardsThe ECDA Scholarships and Teaching Awards are offered to outstanding and deserving early childhood professionals who wish to pursue a Bachelor or Master degree in Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) to enhance their pedagogical practice as well as hone leadership competencies.

We strongly encourage ECCE practitioners who are committed to serving the Early Childhood Sector to apply.

ECDA also offeres Sponsorships for part-time Diploma in Early Childhood Care and Education courses.

For more information on the ECDA Training Awards, Scholarships, Teaching Awards and Sponsorships, log on to our website at www.ecda.gov.sg

Eligibility Criteria

Singapore Citizen or Permanent Resident.

Not concurrently holding or be serving bond for any other scholarship, bursary or funding.

Have been accepted into the programme to be awarded a scholarship or teaching award.

ECDA-certified L2 teacher or principal currently employed with a child care centre licensed with or kindergarten registered with ECDA (For applicants who are currently in-service teachers).

National Institute of EducationMaster of Education (MEd EC)

SIM UniversityBachelor of Early Childhood Education with Management (BECEM)

SIM UniversityBachelor of Early Childhood and Chinese Language (BECCE)

Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT)Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education (BSc ECE)

For In-Service Teachers on Part-Time Degree / Master Programmes

For Pre-Service Teachers on Full-Time Degree Programme

15 / Professional Conversion Programme for Mid-Career Entrants

Early Childhood Care and Education-STEP (Skills Training for Excellence Programme) ScholarshipThe Singapore Workforce Development Agency (WDA) is offering Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) scholarships to provide upgrading opportunities for the ECCE teaching professions. In-service pre-school professionals can apply for the ECCE-STEP scholarships to pursue degree programmes in areas of specialisations such as Chinese language, child development or business management.

More information on WDA’s ECCE-STEP Scholarships can be found at www.wda.gov.sg

Professional Conversion Programme (for Mid-Career Switchers)Mid-career switchers who possess tertiary qualifications can enrol in the Professional Conversion Programme (PCP) for Childcare Teachers or Kindergarten Teachers, and undertake the WSQ Professional Diploma in ECCE (Childcare) [WSQ PDECCE (CC)] or Diploma (Conversion) in Kindergarten Education - Teaching (NVKET) / WSQ Professional Diploma in ECCE (Kindergarten Teaching) [WSQ PDECCE (KT)]

Funding Offered

Programmes Offered

90% course fee funding (after MOE’s

subsidy, if applicable)

A one-time grant of $2,000

learning resource allowance to

be used for the purchase of study-related materials during the course

of study

Singapore PolytechnicDiploma (Conversion) in Kindergarten Education - Teaching (NVKET)

SEED InstituteWSQ Professional Diploma in Early Childhood Care & Education [WSQ PDECCE] (Childcare)

KLC School of EducationWSQ Professional Diploma in Early Childhood Care & Education [WSQ PDECCE] (Childcare)