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Most parents pay a good amount of money to put their children into after-school child care centres.
On average, the monthly fee for childcare is $672 and for infant care, $1,625, according to a recent report from The Straits Times.
However, some feel that the standards of such teachers in such centres need to be greatly improved upon.
A colleague of one parent recently highlighted the less-than-professional behaviour of one childcare teacher to STOMP, a citizen journalism site. According to her, the teacher had ticked her charges off and told them to "mind their own business" when they asked about the China milk scare.
In addition, the teacher, who is allegedly in her late 40s, had also written inappropriate remarks to questions asked by her charge (see pic on right).
In what appeared to be a worksheet, a student had circled some instructions and asked what they meant.
The teacher's reply was a firm "Your head!", a colloquial expression, which is, according to an online Singlish dictionary, a mild curse used to disabuse someone of his or her erroneous assumption.
Questioned the STOMPer: "We would like to know for commercial school such as before / after school care, does teachers need to go through certain training?
"Is there any specific organisation e.g. MOE looking into standards of teachers teaching in such centres?
"How can a teacher brush off the students when they raised questions and those kids are only lower primary students?"
Some netizens agreed that the teacher could have handled the questions in a better manner.
"I think child care teachers should somehow explain to the kids on the China milk scares, as they might be afraid to drink their milk.
"No matter how young they are, some simple explanation does help," sympathised Bedokrian.
However, one netizen felt that more understanding needed to be given to the teacher.
Said SharpenUpThoseFangs: "Teachers are still human, not saints. Why must some people always go for the jugular when a teacher makes a mistake?
"Maybe this one time the teacher lost her cool, but how about the other 99 times when she patiently answered the kids?"
| Better qualifications for preschool teachers |
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In March this year, it was announced that there will be higher hurdles for preschool teachers in Singapore to clear, reported The Straits Times. For instance, they need five O-level credits and a diploma in preschool teaching.
To further raise their professional skills, the Government will give deserving teachers scholarships and bursaries to study in approved institutions, continued the report.
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