New framework for childcare personnel
SINGAPORE: A framework to help childcare teachers strengthen their professional learning and development will be rolled out next year to over 1,000 childcare centres.
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SINGAPORE: A framework to help childcare teachers strengthen their professional learning and development will be rolled out next year to over 1,000 childcare centres.
Upgrading skills in child development, families and administration are just some areas of focus under the new framework.
The Continuing Professional Development (CPD) framework provides childcare teachers with a set of guidelines beyond their basic training.
It helps teachers master content, hone teaching skills and address challenges faced in the classroom.
The framework helps teachers focus on four areas of development: Child development, Learning Environment, Families and Communities and Management and Administration.
It was developed by the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS), in close consultation with early childhood experts.
Focus group discussions were also held with operators and teachers to ensure that the framework would be relevant and meet the needs of the industry.
Childcare teachers will have the flexibility of taking up courses when they want to do so.
Dr Jane Kwan, CEO, KLC Institute, said: "It allows them to take one step at a time, accumulate short courses, improve their teaching and professional abilities before they plan for the next big major upgrade into a diploma course or even a degree course."
Feedback from schools on the framework has been positive.
Rohayu Nabebe, executive principal, My First Skool, Hougang, said: "So with this, we can sit down together with teachers, and (they) can actually take a look at the guide and come into agreement. We will have a common goal to send staff for courses that are of their interest."
To complement the framework, a series of training seminars and workshops will be conducted for childcare supervisors on how to use the CPD toolkit. MCYS will set aside S$200,000 in 2013 to fund such courses.
Acting Community Development, Youth and Sports Minister Chan Chun Sing, who was at the launch of the framework, said it is important for the childcare sector to have clear quality benchmarks to help parents make informed choices, so that they will not end up chasing services that may be ill—suited for their children’s development.
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