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Sep 14, 2009
More pre-school training places
By Leow Si Wan
NTUC's secretary-general Lim Sway Sway (centre) asking for the toilet. -- ST PHOTO: TERENCE TAN
THE NTUC is doubling the number of training places - from 500 to 1,000 - for pre-school teachers.
Its early childhood education training centre is targeting to open up the places by next year.
NTUC's secretary-general Lim Swee Say said the labour union has moved to respond to the Government's effort to transform the childcare sector here.
He was speaking at the launch of NTUC's SEED Institute - formerly known as the Regional Training and Resource Centre in Early Childhood Care and Education for Asia - at the NTUC Trade Union House on Monday.
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said at last year's National Day Rally that the Government will increase the subsidies per child, raise the quality of care at the centres and increase the number of places. The plan is to have a total of about 1,000 childcare centres by 2013, up from the 750 now.
With the launch, SEED Institute will set up five Centres of Excellence to support the industry. The five centres are the Centre for Research and Best Practices, the Centre for Continuous Professional Development, the Centre for Higher Education, the Centre for Professional Qualifications, and the Office for Regional Partnership.
SEED will also develop a pipeline of talent to be lecturers. It will invest $1.5 million over the next three years to offer five scholarships to leading overseas universities.
Said Ms Ho Yin Fong, SEED Institute's Academic Director: 'As the pioneer and leader in training early childhood professionals, RTRC Asia has been the industry's choice training institute for 20 years.
'Having been the pioneer of many Firsts... we hope to continue to pioneer and innovate programmes to provide the support and resources needed by operators and teachers alike, to understand and teach young children more effectively.
Sep 14, 2009
More pre-school training places
By Leow Si Wan
NTUC's secretary-general Lim Sway Sway (centre) asking for the toilet. -- ST PHOTO: TERENCE TAN
THE NTUC is doubling the number of training places - from 500 to 1,000 - for pre-school teachers.
Its early childhood education training centre is targeting to open up the places by next year.
NTUC's secretary-general Lim Swee Say said the labour union has moved to respond to the Government's effort to transform the childcare sector here.
He was speaking at the launch of NTUC's SEED Institute - formerly known as the Regional Training and Resource Centre in Early Childhood Care and Education for Asia - at the NTUC Trade Union House on Monday.
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said at last year's National Day Rally that the Government will increase the subsidies per child, raise the quality of care at the centres and increase the number of places. The plan is to have a total of about 1,000 childcare centres by 2013, up from the 750 now.
With the launch, SEED Institute will set up five Centres of Excellence to support the industry. The five centres are the Centre for Research and Best Practices, the Centre for Continuous Professional Development, the Centre for Higher Education, the Centre for Professional Qualifications, and the Office for Regional Partnership.
SEED will also develop a pipeline of talent to be lecturers. It will invest $1.5 million over the next three years to offer five scholarships to leading overseas universities.
Said Ms Ho Yin Fong, SEED Institute's Academic Director: 'As the pioneer and leader in training early childhood professionals, RTRC Asia has been the industry's choice training institute for 20 years.
'Having been the pioneer of many Firsts... we hope to continue to pioneer and innovate programmes to provide the support and resources needed by operators and teachers alike, to understand and teach young children more effectively.
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