New student care operators to provide security deposits after Little Professors Learning Centre case

Operators must now also specify permitted GIRO deductions in contracts with parents, with unauthorised deductions potentially leading to the suspension or termination of their services.

A file photo of the Little Professor Learning Centre at Jurong West Street 81 taken on Feb 17, 2026. (File photo: CNA/Raydza Rahman)

This audio is generated by an AI tool.

SINGAPORE: Newly appointed student care and kindergarten care operators will be required to provide a security deposit from December, as the Ministry of Education (MOE) tightens safeguards following the termination of Little Professors Learning Centre's (LPLC) contracts earlier this year.

The deposit can be drawn on to mitigate financial losses if an operator's business fails, Education Minister Desmond Lee said in a written reply to a parliamentary question on Tuesday (Sep 8).

MOE has also started conducting more regular checks on the financial health of student care and kindergarten care operators to detect signs of financial difficulties earlier.

"This will enable MOE to work with operators earlier if any concerns arise," Mr Lee said.

CNA Games Guess Word Crack the word, one row at a time Buzzword Create words using the given letters Mini Sudoku Tiny puzzle, mighty brain teaser Mini Crossword Small grid, big challenge Word Search Spot as many words as you can Show More Show Less The ministry has also tightened safeguards against unauthorised GIRO deductions. Operators must now clearly state in their contracts with parents the purposes for which GIRO deductions may be made, and will only be allowed to make deductions for those purposes. Operators who make unauthorised deductions may have their services suspended or terminated, Mr Lee said. The Monetary Authority of Singapore is also working with the Association of Banks in Singapore and its member banks to review how safeguards for GIRO payments can be strengthened. The tighter safeguards follow several issues that emerged at LPLC earlier this year, which led MOE to terminate the operator's student care and kindergarten care contracts in February. The ministry had said at the time that it was reviewing how student care operators were appointed and whether its vetting processes needed to be tightened. Before the incident, student care operators were selected through a public tender process and assessed on factors including their financial viability, programmes, staffing and costs. They were also regularly evaluated by schools after being appointed. Around 1,800 students across eight primary schools were affected after the operator ran into problems including unpaid staff salaries and double deductions from parents' GIRO accounts. In February, parents at schools served by LPLC reported double GIRO deductions , with some saying money had been deducted from both their bank accounts and their children's Child Development Accounts. MOE said then that the number of reports was significant enough to rule out a technical glitch. A police report was subsequently filed over the fee anomalies. Police investigations are still ongoing, Mr Lee said on Tuesday, adding that parents who have yet to recover money following the termination of LPLC's contracts can seek legal recourse through the Small Claims Tribunals.

The ministry has also tightened safeguards against unauthorised GIRO deductions.

Operators must now clearly state in their contracts with parents the purposes for which GIRO deductions may be made, and will only be allowed to make deductions for those purposes.

Operators who make unauthorised deductions may have their services suspended or terminated, Mr Lee said.

The Monetary Authority of Singapore is also working with the Association of Banks in Singapore and its member banks to review how safeguards for GIRO payments can be strengthened.

The tighter safeguards follow several issues that emerged at LPLC earlier this year, which led MOE to terminate the operator's student care and kindergarten care contracts in February.

The ministry had said at the time that it was reviewing how student care operators were appointed and whether its vetting processes needed to be tightened.

Before the incident, student care operators were selected through a public tender process and assessed on factors including their financial viability, programmes, staffing and costs. They were also regularly evaluated by schools after being appointed.

Around 1,800 students across eight primary schools were affected after the operator ran into problems including unpaid staff salaries and double deductions from parents' GIRO accounts.

In February, parents at schools served by LPLC reported double GIRO deductions , with some saying money had been deducted from both their bank accounts and their children's Child Development Accounts.

MOE said then that the number of reports was significant enough to rule out a technical glitch. A police report was subsequently filed over the fee anomalies.

Police investigations are still ongoing, Mr Lee said on Tuesday, adding that parents who have yet to recover money following the termination of LPLC's contracts can seek legal recourse through the Small Claims Tribunals.

Get our pick of top stories and thought-provoking articles in your inbox

Stay updated with notifications for breaking news and our best stories

Join our channel for the top reads for the day on your preferred chat app

现在运营商还必须在与家长签订的合同中明确规定允许的 GIRO 扣款，未经授权的扣款可能会导致其服务暂停或终止。

2026年2月17日拍摄的裕廊西81街小教授学习中心资料照片。（资料照片：CNA/Raydza Rahman）

这段音频由人工智能工具生成。

新加坡：自今年12月起，新任命的学生托管和幼儿园托管运营商将被要求提供保证金，这是教育部在今年早些时候终止小教授学习中心（LPLC）的合同后加强保障措施的结果。

教育部长李智陞周二（9月8日）在书面答复议会质询时表示，如果运营商的业务失败，可以动用这笔保证金来减轻经济损失。

教育部也开始更频繁地检查学生托管和幼儿园托管机构的财务状况，以便及早发现财务困难的迹象。

李先生表示：“这将使教育部能够在出现任何问题时更早地与运营商进行沟通。”

CNA游戏猜词游戏：逐行破解单词；流行词游戏：用给定的字母组成单词；迷你数独：小巧的谜题，强大的脑力挑战；迷你填字游戏：小方格，大挑战；单词搜索：尽可能多地找出单词。显示更多 显示更少 教育部还加强了对未经授权的GIRO扣款的保障措施。运营商现在必须在与家长签订的合同中明确说明GIRO扣款的用途，并且只能用于这些用途。李显龙先生表示，进行未经授权扣款的运营商可能会被暂停或终止服务。新加坡金融管理局也正在与新加坡银行协会及其成员银行合作，审查如何加强GIRO支付的保障措施。加强保障措施的原因是今年早些时候LPLC出现了一些问题，导致教育部在2月份终止了该运营商的学生托管和幼儿园托管合同。教育部当时表示，正在审查学生托管运营商的任命方式以及是否需要加强审查程序。事件发生前，学生托管机构是通过公开招标选出的，评估标准包括财务状况、项目、人员配备和费用等。学校在委任后也会定期对其进行评估。该机构出现拖欠员工工资和家长银行账户（GIRO账户）重复扣款等问题后，约有八所小学的1800名学生受到影响。今年2月，由LPLC服务的学校的家长反映银行账户被重复扣款，一些家长表示他们的银行账户和孩子的儿童发展账户（CDA）都被扣款了。教育部当时表示，此类报告数量之多足以排除技术故障的可能性。随后，家长就收费异常情况向警方报案。李显龙总理周二表示，警方调查仍在进行中，并补充说，在LPLC合同终止后仍未追回款项的家长可以通过小额索偿法庭寻求法律途径。

该部还加强了对未经授权的GIRO扣款的防范措施。

现在，运营商必须在与家长签订的合同中明确说明 GIRO 扣款的用途，并且只能为这些用途进行扣款。

李先生表示，未经授权扣款的运营商可能会被暂停或终止服务。

新加坡金融管理局也正与新加坡银行协会及其成员银行合作，审查如何加强GIRO支付的保障措施。

更严格的保障措施源于今年早些时候 LPLC 出现的一些问题，这些问题导致教育部在 2 月份终止了该运营商的学生托管和幼儿园托管合同。

该部门当时表示，正在审查学生托管机构的任命方式，以及是否需要加强审查程序。

事件发生前，学生托管机构是通过公开招标选出的，评估标准包括财务状况、项目、人员配备和成本等。学校在机构被委任后也会定期对其进行评估。

由于运营商出现拖欠员工工资和从家长 GIRO 账户中重复扣款等问题，导致八所小学的约 1800 名学生受到影响。

今年二月，LPLC 服务学校的家长反映，他们的银行账户和孩子的儿童发展账户都被双重扣款，一些家长表示，他们的银行账户和孩子的儿童发展账户都被扣款了。

教育部当时表示，举报数量之多足以排除技术故障的可能性。随后，有人就收费异常情况向警方报案。

李先生周二表示，警方调查仍在进行中，并补充说，在LPLC合同终止后尚未追回款项的家长可以通过小额索偿法庭寻求法律途径。

订阅我们的邮件，即可获取精选热门新闻和引人深思的文章。

订阅通知，第一时间获取突发新闻和精彩报道。

加入我们的频道，即可在您常用的聊天应用上获取当日热门文章。