ONE in four pre-school teachers will be required to have a diploma in pre-school teaching by this year.

And by next year, the minimum qualifications of pre-school teachers will be raised from three O levels to five, with a pass in English and a diploma in pre-school teaching.

From 2013, teachers of kindergarten 1 and 2 classes must have at least a pass in O-level English or an English proficiency test and a diploma.

Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Education Masagos Zulkifli announced in Parliament on Tuesday that the bar would be raised further to improve the quality of pre-school teachers here, long a concern of those worried about the low standards and unequal access.

MPs such as Dr Lily Neo, Amy Khor, Mr Michael Palmer, Josephine Teo, have asked what the MOE is doing to improve pre-school education here during the debate on the ministry's budget.

To level up opportunities for children from poor families, the Government will raise minimum standards as well as provide more money to pre-schools, said Mr Masagos.

The target is for three in four teachers in a preschool to have at least a diploma by 2013. Teachers who do not meet the standards can be retained, but would only be allowed to teach nursery or pre-nursery classes.

Current teachers without five O levels are not affected, but they will need to have a pass in O-level English or a English proficient test.

To make it easy for teachers to upgrade themselves, the Government will provide bursaries which cover 80 per cent of course fees and a book allowance.

The MOE will also increase its recurrent grants to non-profit kindergartens, not affiliated to a religious or racial organisation.

This will go up from $17 million to $33 million by 2013 to help them cater to less well-off families keep their fees low. Now only PCF kindergartens are eligible.

The ministry also plans to give grants to kindergartens which could come up with innovative courses.

To lift the image of preschool teachers, who are generally not paid well or widely recognised, awards for outstanding teachers will be started. They will also get the chance to go on overseas study trips and conferences.

And by 2011, parents will have another yardstick to gauge which are the better-run pre-schools when an accreditation system is introduced.

These measures to improve the quality of pre-school education here, which is provided by 750 childcare care centres and about 500 kindergartens, followed a year-long review chaired by Mr Masagos.