Pre-school principals make art as part of new programme for mental well-being

Noor Linda, centre principal of PCF Sparkletots at Jurong Central Block 404 (CC), was among the first batch of participants in the programme.

ST PHOTO: KELVIN CHNG

BNB Diviyadhaarshini

Published Oct 29, 2026, 06:40 PM

Updated Oct 29, 2026, 06:40 PM

A new art therapy programme has been launched in Singapore to support the mental well-being of pre-school principals, starting with PCF Sparkletots, Skool4kids and M.Y World Preschool.

A PAP Community Foundation spokesperson, citing clinical studies, said hands-on art-making can lower stress, help self-expression and improve emotional control, even for people with no art skills.

The year-long pilot will support more than 400 principals and may expand to other staff, as workload and time pressure remain major concerns for early childhood educators.

SINGAPORE – Representatives from different pre-schools are using diverse materials such as cotton balls, streamers and crayons to create works of self-expression.

But they are not children – they are early childhood educators taking part in the inaugural session of a new art therapy programme launched to support the mental well-being of pre-school leaders here.

Unveiled on Oct 29 at *Scape , the pilot programme is targeted at principals of pre-school operators PCF Sparkletots Preschool, Skool4kids, and M.Y World Preschool.

Noor Linda, 59, centre principal of PCF Sparkletots at Jurong Central Block 404 (CC), was among the first batch of participants in the programme.

She drew a tree with a flourishing garden to symbolise how she, as the tree, has a mutually supportive relationship with her pre-school teachers and students.

Another participant at the inaugural workshop was Thilaga Piireasamy, centre principal for PCF Sparkletots Preschool located at Paya Lebar Block 125.

She said: “Art therapy sessions like this go beyond just the physical act of art-making, when we do it with others who share the same challenges, we tend to open up and exchange our experiences”.

The initiative is the brainchild of PAP’s Mental Health Group (PAPMHG), the PAP Community Foundation (PAPCF) and the Art Therapists Association (Singapore) (ATAS). It seeks to promote mental well-being across the early childhood sector here, said a PAPCF spokesperson.

During the two-hour workshop led by art therapists from ATAS, pre-school principals learn to use their creative expression to reduce physiological stress, foster self-expression, and improve emotional regulation.

“Clinical studies show that hands-on art-making lowers cortisol levels and promotes a relaxed mental state, regardless of the participant’s artistic skill,” the spokesperson said.

Over a year, the programme will support more than 400 centre principals .

There are plans to expand the programme to other pre-school operators and also extend it to frontline teachers and support staff.

Junainah Haron, principal of PCF Sparkletots Preschool located at Tampines Central Block 725, said she intends to encourage teachers from her centre to attend such art therapy sessions.

The struggles of early childhood industry staff have changed greatly from some years ago, the 56-year-old said. The dynamics between child and teacher, and between parent and teacher pose different challenges now, so “it is nice to have sessions like this to ease our minds”, she added.

The biggest challenge pre-school staff face is time management, Piireasamy said.

Initiatives like having protected time for teachers to do their work, helps them manage their time and prevents them from having to bring work home, the 53-year-old said.

Thilaga Piireasamy (left) and Junainah Haron at the inaugural session of the new art therapy programme on Oct 29. ST PHOTO: KELVIN CHNG

Thilaga Piireasamy (left) and Junainah Haron at the inaugural session of the new art therapy programme on Oct 29.

Earlier in October, it was announced that all full-time pre-school teachers will get at least two hours of non-teaching time every week from November 2027, to carry out duties such as planning their lessons and preparing resources.

The requirement is part of the Early Childhood Development Agency’s efforts to improve working conditions for pre-school teachers.

Piireasamy said that support for teachers should not stop there. “Personally, from the moment I wake up in the morning, I am already thinking about work,” she said.

Workload was the top factor that pre-school educators said impacted their well-being, according to a survey initially released in August.

At the launch of the art therapy programme, Edward Chia, organising chairman of the initiative , council treasurer of PCF and member of the PAPMHG, said the programme targets school principals first in hopes that they will see its benefits and eventually encourage and train teachers at their centre to engage in such art therapy initiatives.

“The role of a pre-school teacher can be stressful, overwhelming, and we need to take practical steps to support their well-being,” he said.

裕廊中心 404 座 (CC) PCF Sparkletots 中心负责人 Noor Linda 是该计划的首批参与者之一。

《海峡时报》摄影：KELVIN CHNG

BNB Diviyadhaarshini

发布于2026年10月29日下午6:40

更新于2026年10月29日下午6:40

新加坡推出了一项新的艺术疗法计划，旨在支持幼儿园园长的心理健康，该计划首先在 PCF Sparkletots、Skool4kids 和 MY World Preschool 实施。

人民行动党社区基金会发言人援引临床研究称，动手创作艺术可以减轻压力、帮助自我表达和提高情绪控制能力，即使对于没有艺术技能的人来说也是如此。

这项为期一年的试点项目将为 400 多位校长提供支持，并可能扩展到其他工作人员，因为工作量和时间压力仍然是幼儿教育工作者面临的主要问题。

新加坡——来自不同幼儿园的代表们正在使用棉球、彩带和蜡笔等各种材料创作自我表达的作品。

但他们不是孩子——他们是幼儿教育工作者，正在参加一项新的艺术疗法计划的启动仪式，该计划旨在支持本地学前教育领导者的心理健康。

该试点计划于 10 月 29 日在 *Scape 上揭幕，目标受众为学前教育运营商 PCF Sparkletots Preschool、Skool4kids 和 MY World Preschool 的校长。

59 岁的 Noor Linda 是裕廊中心 404 座 (CC) PCF Sparkletots 的中心负责人，她是该计划的第一批参与者之一。

她画了一棵树和一个繁茂的花园，象征着她（如同这棵树）与她的幼儿园老师和学生们之间相互支持的关系。

首届研讨会的另一位参与者是位于巴耶利峇第 125 座的 PCF Sparkletots 幼儿园中心校长 Thilaga Piireasamy。

她说：“像这样的艺术疗法课程不仅仅是艺术创作的实际行为，当我们与有相同挑战的人一起进行艺术创作时，我们往往会敞开心扉，交流彼此的经历。”

这项计划由人民行动党心理健康小组（PAPMHG）、人民行动党社区基金会（PAPCF）和新加坡艺术治疗师协会（ATAS）共同发起。人民行动党社区基金会发言人表示，该计划旨在促进新加坡幼儿教育领域的心理健康。

在 ATAS 的艺术治疗师带领下，幼儿园园长们参加了为期两小时的研讨会，学习如何运用创造性的表达方式来减轻生理压力、培养自我表达能力和改善情绪调节能力。

发言人表示：“临床研究表明，无论参与者的艺术技能如何，动手创作艺术都能降低皮质醇水平，促进放松的心理状态。”

一年多的时间里，该计划将为 400 多位中心负责人提供支持。

目前有计划将该计划推广到其他学前教育机构，并扩展到一线教师和辅助人员。

位于淡滨尼中心第 725 座的 PCF Sparkletots 幼儿园园长 Junainah Haron 表示，她打算鼓励幼儿园的老师们参加此类艺术疗法课程。

这位56岁的女士表示，幼儿教育行业从业人员面临的挑战与几年前相比已经发生了巨大变化。如今，师生之间以及家长与教师之间的关系都带来了不同的挑战，因此“很高兴能有这样的交流会来放松一下”，她补充道。

Piireasamy表示，学前教育工作者面临的最大挑战是时间管理。

这位 53 岁的教师表示，像为教师提供受保护的工作时间这样的举措，有助于他们管理时间，防止他们把工作带回家。

10月29日，蒂拉加·皮雷萨米（左）和朱奈娜·哈伦出席了新艺术疗法项目的启动仪式。（海峡时报摄影：KELVIN CHNG）

10 月 29 日，Thilaga Piireasamy（左）和 Junainah Haron 在新艺术治疗项目的首次会议上。

10 月初，政府宣布从 2027 年 11 月起，所有全职学前教师每周将至少有 2 小时的非教学时间，用于履行诸如计划课程和准备资源等职责。

这项要求是幼儿发展署为改善学前教师工作条件而采取的措施之一。

皮雷萨米表示，对教师的支持不应止步于此。“就我个人而言，我每天早上醒来，脑子里想的都是工作，”她说。

根据8月份发布的一项调查显示，工作量是学前教育工作者认为影响他们身心健康的首要因素。

在艺术疗法计划启动仪式上，该计划的组织主席、菲律宾儿童基金会理事会财务主管兼菲律宾儿童心理健康小组成员Edward Chia表示，该计划首先以学校校长为目标群体，希望他们能够看到艺术疗法的好处，并最终鼓励和培训他们所在学校的教师参与此类艺术疗法计划。

他说：“学前教师的工作压力很大，令人不堪重负，我们需要采取切实可行的措施来支持他们的身心健康。”