Pre-school teachers to get at least 2 hours of weekly non-contact time for other duties: Masagos Zulkifli

Early childhood educators will soon get at least two hours of non-contact time to help them fulfill other responsibilities such as planning lessons and documenting each child's development.

Announcing this at the Early Childhood Development Agency's (ECDA) annual Scholarships and Training Awards Presentation at Suntec City Convention Centre on Tuesday (Oct 13), Minister for Social and Family Development Masagos Zulkifli emphasised that the work of an early childhood educator, or pre-school teacher, goes beyond the classroom.

"Educators plan learning experiences, document each child’s development, and work alongside parents to support our children’s learning and well-being," he said.

He added that these "essential responsibilities" are integral to delivering quality pre-school education, with educators themselves having asked for dedicated time to carry out such work sustainably.

The minister noted that while some pre-schools already provide their educators with non-contact time, but the extent of such support remains varied across the sector.

"Establishing a common minimum will ensure that every educator has protected time to carry out these essential responsibilities. This will support more purposeful practice and more consistent quality of education for our children," he pointed out.

Sharing the example of PCF Sparkletots Preschool at Bedok Reservoir-Punggol Block 508, which provides its educators with more than three hours of dedicated non-contact time per week, Masagos cited centre leader Nuzurul Ashikin's experience that this helps educators like her be more organised and intentional in their teaching, and better able to adapt learning experiences to the needs of their children.

"This is precisely what protected time should enable — not less attention for our children, but better preparation, more thoughtful practice for every child, and stronger preschool quality overall," the minister said.

Non-contact time to begin on Nov 1

In its statement issued after the event, ECDA stated that the entitlement, beginning Nov 1, is calculated at a minimum of two hours per week.

However, centres may schedule such time flexibly based on their operational needs, it added.

"While the entitlement is calculated at a minimum of two hours per week, centres may schedule non-contact time daily, weekly, every two weeks or monthly, in blocks of at least one hour," said the agency.

But regardless of the arrangement, centres should provide such time regularly and within an educator's working hours, ECDA stressed, adding that this should not result in educators having to extend their working hours.

It also explained that the lead time between the Tuesday announcement and Nov 1 is to allow operators time to review and adjust their manpower, scheduling and operational arrangements.

"ECDA will work with pre-school operators and sector stakeholders during this period to support the adoption of effective non-contact time practices," the agency added.

幼儿教育工作者很快将获得至少两个小时的非接触时间，以帮助他们履行其他职责，例如计划课程和记录每个孩子的成长情况。

社会及家庭发展部长马善高在周二（10 月 13 日）于新达城会议中心举行的幼儿培育署（ECDA）年度奖学金及培训奖颁奖典礼上宣布了这一消息，并强调幼儿教育工作者或学前教师的工作不仅限于课堂。

他说：“教育工作者会规划学习体验，记录每个孩子的成长，并与家长一起支持孩子们的学习和身心健康。”

他还补充说，这些“基本职责”是提供高质量学前教育不可或缺的一部分，教育工作者自己也要求有专门的时间来可持续地开展这项工作。

部长指出，虽然一些学前教育机构已经为教师提供非接触式时间，但这种支持的程度在整个行业仍然参差不齐。

他指出：“设立共同的最低标准将确保每位教育工作者都有充足的时间履行这些必要的职责。这将有助于更有针对性地开展教学活动，并为我们的孩子提供更稳定、更高质量的教育。”

马萨戈斯以勿洛蓄水池-榜鹅第 508 座的 PCF Sparkletots 幼儿园为例，该幼儿园每周为教育工作者提供超过三个小时的专门非接触时间。他引用了中心负责人努祖鲁·阿什金的经验，认为这有助于像她这样的教育工作者在教学中更有条理、更有目的性，并且能够更好地根据孩子的需求调​​整学习体验。

“这正是受保护时间应该实现的——不是减少对孩子的关注，而是让每个孩子得到更好的准备、更周全的练习，以及提高整个学前教育的质量，”部长说。

非接触式训练时间将于11月1日开始。

活动结束后，幼儿培育署发表声明称，从 11 月 1 日起，每周的最低时长为两小时。

声明还补充说，各中心可根据自身运营需要灵活安排此类时间。

该机构表示：“虽然每周的最低时长为两小时，但各中心可以安排每日、每周、每两周或每月至少一小时的非接触时间。”

但幼儿培育署强调，无论采取何种安排，中心都应该定期在教师的工作时间内提供这样的时间，并补充说，这不应该导致教师不得不延长工作时间。

公告还解释说，周二的公告发布到 11 月 1 日之间留出时间，是为了让运营商有时间审查和调整他们的人力、日程安排和运营安排。

“幼儿培育署将在此期间与学前教育机构和行业利益相关者合作，支持采用有效的非接触时间做法，”该机构补充道。