SINGAPORE - Closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras will be made mandatory in all pre-schools and government-funded early intervention centres by July 2024, said the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) on Thursday evening.

The announcement comes amid ongoing investigations into the alleged abuse of several children attending Kinderland centres. 

In a press statement, ECDA said the move is part of its regular review of security and safety measures in the early childhood sector, and is not related to the recent incidents.

It had taken into consideration the views of parents, educators and pre-school operators, it added.

The agency said it had been engaging the pre-school sector since 2022. In February 2023, it informed operators of plans to make the installation of CCTV cameras mandatory.

From July 1, 2024, CCTV cameras will be required in key access points and areas used by children, such as classrooms, activity rooms, play areas within the premises, and infant napping rooms.

To ensure the privacy of staff and children, CCTV cameras will not be allowed in toilets, changing rooms and staff rest areas, said ECDA.

It will share a set of guidelines with pre-school operators on Friday.

ECDA added that more than 60 per cent of pre-schools and 100 per cent of early intervention centres have already installed CCTV cameras on their premises.

“CCTV cameras will enhance the security of the pre-school by deterring suspicious or unauthorised persons from entering the premises,” the agency said.

“In the event of incidents, CCTV footage can be an objective and reliable source of evidence to support the investigation. The implementation of CCTV cameras will complement existing measures to provide a safe and secure environment in our pre-schools so parents and educators will have greater peace of mind.

“Parents’ access to CCTV footage will only be granted for the purposes of providing an objective reference point to clarify feedback or to assist the investigation of serious incidents within the pre-school premises. The request should be within reasonable grounds.”

Pre-schools can turn down a parent’s request if it is unreasonable, the agency added. “In instances where access is given, safeguards must be in place to ensure the privacy and safety of other staff and children within the CCTV footage.”

ECDA’s announcement comes even as videos of two teachers allegedly manhandling children surfaced online earlier this week, sparking a public outcry. 

The recordings of the incidents were surreptitiously taken by a former teacher.

In one video, a teacher is seen allegedly pouring water into a 23-month-old girl’s mouth after forcing her to lie down.

The 33-year-old former pre-school teacher, Lin Min, from a Kinderland branch, was charged on Wednesday with ill-treating a child – an offence under the Children and Young Persons Act.

Separately, a 48-year-old teacher from another Kinderland branch was arrested on Tuesday after a report was made about a video circulating online in which she is seen allegedly hitting a young boy.

Pre-schools that already have CCTV cameras said that being able to retrieve footage has been helpful for internal monitoring and when allegations arise. Others like EtonHouse are in the midst of installing them at their centres. 

Ms Audrey Chen, head of people at Star Learners Child Care, said all its 43 centres had progressively installed CCTV cameras as at January 2022.

“Educators are all aware their work attitude and behaviour are closely monitored, and this encourages them to be at their best at all times.” 

Footage will not be shared openly with external parties, though it can be submitted to relevant agencies to facilitate investigations, she said. 

Mr Peh Yi Han, chief operating officer of Global EduHub, said many of the 30 pre-schools it manages, under brands such as Mulberry Learning and Little Green House, have CCTV cameras.

In a Wednesday circular to parents seen by The Straits Times, Odyssey The Global Preschool said it has more than 60 CCTV cameras at its bigger campuses and over 30 at smaller ones.

The two largest pre-school operators – PAP Community Foundation and NTUC First Campus, with a total of more than 500 centres – declined to comment.

Observers said having CCTV cameras will act as a form of deterrence but may lead to further complications. 

Assistant Professor Cheung Hoi Shan from the National Institute of Education said privacy of the children could be a concern. “How would the video records of minors be stored or handled?” she asked.

She suggested that pre-schools build a robust system and culture that support teachers through peer observations and constructive feedback to motivate them to adopt best practices in their classrooms.

Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim, an MP for Chua Chu Kang GRC, said CCTV cameras may put more stress on staff if parents ask to view footage for any incident, big or small. He also suggested that the cameras be used only in classrooms to ensure staff privacy. 

ECDA said there will be guidelines on granting access of footage to parents and ensuring privacy for staff and children.

Ms Sneha Saumya, 36, who works in social impact consulting, said her three-year-old daughter’s pre-school has CCTV cameras, but she does not know where they are placed or how they are used.

There must be more regular monitoring of CCTV footage and whistle-blowing channels, especially when pre-schoolers cannot alert their parents of abuse, she said.

“I don’t think installing more CCTV cameras in pre-schools has any cons. There may be some compromise of children’s privacy... but I think all parents would be in favour if it means deterrence against such abuse and a way to keep their child safe,” she added.

Additional reporting by Elisha Tushara