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Parents worry about many things — whether their child is eating or sleeping well, can they ensure that they can provide the best head start for their child, and so on. And now the rising cost of living is an added worry…
Yup, Singapore’s core inflation rate hit a new high of 3.6% year-on-year in May 2022, the highest since December 2008 (4.2% yoy). This means that the cost of living is rising, and we pay more for things such as housing, electricity, petrol and more…
Read more: Singapore Inflation Rate 2022 – What Is It & Why Does It Matter?
Let’s regard this from a financial standpoint. Using the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) calculator, a bowl of noodles might have cost $3 in 2016 but due to inflation, cost $3.24 in 2021. This example is one of the components that’s affected by inflation.
Thus in the midst of rising prices and worrying about giving the best to your child, one top priority for concerned parents is finding a preschool that provides quality education for all income brackets.
One such preschool is My First Skool, which aims to provide all children with access to high quality preschool education. In addition, the emphasis at My First Skool is on relationships, and rightly so — according to research, partnership between parents and teachers can help improve a child holistically, from social skills to grades. For the children themselves, a Harvard article suggests that having multiple caregivers (such as the teachers at school and parents at home) could promote their emotional and social development. A supportive relationship is also a factor that develops a child’s ability to become more resilient and handle challenging situations as they grow up.
At the preschool, some elements include creating a space that enables children to build positive relationships with others, as well as the environment and community.
The preschool’s willingness to invest in its programmes and facilities for the benefit of the children is aligned to the goals of its parent organisation, NTUC First Campus, which is devoted to fulfilling the promise of every child through providing high-quality early childhood education. At My First Skool, relationships are prioritised through communication and the formation of good and lasting relationships with children and parents for the benefit of the children.
Let’s now check out the factors that make My First Skool a high-quality preschool operator.
1. A passion to nurture young talents and spark curiosity in young minds
My First Skool’s top quality curriculum doesn’t just provide knowledge, it promotes the development of your growing child so that they can become active learners. That’s part of the preschool’s passion to nurture curious young minds.
Armed with this passion, My First Skool aims to fulfil the objective of quality preschool education — to develop important skills such as critical thinking and reasoning, as well as fostering creativity and problem-solving ability. These skills are cultivated through a curriculum that incorporates STEM-based learning.
STEM (an abbreviation for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics)exposes your little one to multidisciplinary content that helps them navigate through social and real life situations. This is done by encouraging children to explore, understand and deepen their critical thinking when solving problems.
The importance of STEM was also highlighted by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. Find out more about My First Skool’s robust curriculum here.
STEM is also key in equipping children with much-needed confidence to ask for help when dealing with real-world situations that they may not be familiar with — a step towards their next journey in Primary school and beyond. We’ll address this further in the next point.
2. A dedicated team of educators and in-house pedagogists
Great teachers are essential to a positive learning experience. They are not only there to teach, but also to support the child in their learning and development journey.
This is part of the DNA of My First Skool’s passionate and dedicated teachers who have a heart for their children and a love for teaching. They have also been recognised for their efforts through prestigious national awards, such as the Outstanding Early Childhood Leader Award from the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA), and the Mother Tongue Language Teacher award from the Ministry of Education.
My First Skool recognises that even the best teachers need support. Hence, all My First Skool teachers undergo constant training and development. In addition to attaining certificates in infant care teaching and Early Childhood Care and Education qualifications, they also receive comprehensive training before placement at the preschools and are required to upgrade their skills through specialised training courses and in-house workshops.
In addition, what sets My First Skool apart from other preschool operators is its team of in-house early intervention professionals who can help children with varying learning abilities to feel a sense of inclusiveness by learning alongside their peers.
As they say, it takes a village to raise a child. My First Skool has a team of committed in-house pedagogists (and the team has doubled since 2021 so that each My First Skool centre has a dedicated pedagogist!) who provide targeted training and coaching to improve and enhance better learning outcomes. It’s not just about what the curriculum can offer, but how the process of learning can be made more effective and interesting in the way it is conducted and presented.
So what is the role of a pedagogist exactly? What each pedagogist does is to provide targeted training and coaching to teachers in the centres they oversee. These specialists dedicate time to understand the centre dynamics and needs of the educators and children. This facilitates a more authentic, intentional, and meaningful support system, which results in better learning outcomes for the children.
3. Proactive engagement: When parents and teachers join forces
Staying updated about your child’s learning and development is another key consideration of many parents when choosing a preschool. And communication is one of the foremost concerns.
You see, education is not just about the child and teacher. Parents, too, are highly engaged in the process, thus there must be a three-way relationship between all parties. That’s where the proactive parent-teacher engagement, which My First Skool practises, comes in.
According to a study, engaging parents in early childhood education is crucial for a child’s development for them to gain a sense of adventure, have a love for exploration and discovery. Therefore it is critical that a preschool keeps the lines of communication open — communication is one of the top priorities at My First Skool — while engaging the parents in their child’s learning.
At My First Skool, parents are kept informed on every step of their child’s journey, from the latest announcements, school happenings and more via the My First Skool Parent App. This includes photos and videos of their child participating in class activities, so working parents won’t miss a single precious moment of their little one’s preschool life.
Enrolment at My First Skool is now open
If you’re seeking a quality preschool offering a great curriculum, excellent teachers and good communication with parents, My First Skool ticks all of these boxes. In addition, there are over 140 locations in Singapore for maximum convenience.
Enrolment at My First Skool for children aged 2 months to 6 years is now open. You can even submit a registration for your unborn child.
If you’re concerned about finances, here’s how the fees at My First Skool add up:
- My First Skool fees before subsidy: $770.40/month*
- My First Skool fees after subsidy (for working mothers): $770.40 – $300 = $470.40/month*
- This translates to just ~$21 per day (assuming 22 weekdays in a month) to provide your child with top-quality education while you concentrate on bringing back the bacon for the family
*For children 18 months to 6 years old
The above is just a possible scenario for the typical Singapore family, who stays in a HDB flat with a gross monthly income not exceeding $12,000 and who work at least 56 hours a month.
For the practical Singapore parent, any form of cost savings means more money for their family. By enrolling their child in My First Skool, they not only rest assured that their child reaps the benefits of a quality education that helps them grow into socially confident adults in the long run, but the cost-savings enjoyed can be reinvested into other areas, such as your little one’s further education, financial planning and investment for your family’s future, or even a short overseas trip.
Provide your child with high-quality education, no matter which income bracket you’re in. Find out more about what My First Skool has to offer and enrol your child here.