Last Updated: 19 Dec 2022
Overview of preschool
Learn about your child's preschool options.
What is preschool
Preschool is for children under the age of 7 and broadly includes:
- Half-day or full-day care programmes.
- Kindergarten preschool education.
The Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) serves as the regulatory and developmental authority for the early childhood sector in Singapore. It oversees key aspects of children's development below the age of 7 across both kindergartens and child care centres.
MOE operates MOE Kindergarten (MK) and develops and shares the Nurturing Early Learners (NEL) Framework for children aged 4 to 6.
Benefits of preschool
Preschool education is highly encouraged for all children and can help your child achieve important learning goals, such as:
- Building confidence.
- Learning social skills.
- Developing a good foundation in literacy and numeracy.
Your preschool options
MK provides holistic, accessible and affordable early childhood education to Singapore Citizens (SC) and Permanent Residents (PR). This includes:
- 4-hour Kindergarten 1 (K1) and Kindergarten 2 (K2) programmes for children aged 5 and 6.
- Full-day Kindergarten Care (KCare) services available at all MKs located within primary schools.
- Quality preschool curriculum and resources that are developed based on the Nurturing Early Learners (NEL) Framework.
- 43 MKs across Singapore, with a total of 57 MKs to be opened by 2025.
If your child is an SC, they may be eligible for further kindergarten and KCare subsidies.
Learn more about MK and decide whether it's right for your child.
Partnership with PCF Sparkletots and My First Skool
We have partnered with PCF Sparkletots and My First Skool in an MK - Early Years Centre (EYC) pilot model.
This partnership provides quality and affordable preschool education for SCs and PRs aged 2 months to 6 years.
Under this model, your child will attend:
- A partner EYC until they are 4 years old.
- The MK that is partnered with the EYC and have a seamless transition to K1 in the year they turn 5.
For preschools other than MK, please visit ECDA for details.