Pre-schools step up preparations for reopening from June 2

Minister for Social and Family Development Desmond Lee visiting My First Skool @ Blk 491 Admiralty Link on May 29, 2020. PHOTO: DESMOND LEE/FACEBOOK

SINGAPORE - From getting back-to-school resource kits ready to marking out designated seats for children, pre-school centres are preparing to welcome the children back from June 2.

Minister for Social and Family Development Desmond Lee visited My First Skool @ Block 491 Admiralty Link on Friday (May 29) morning to observe the "Covid-safe ABC" measures on access, behaviour and classroom management being put in place.

Examples of such measures include restricting entry of individuals who may pose a higher risk of transmission, sizing down groups for class activities and staggering the use of common areas and facilities by different classes.

Mr Lee said in a Facebook post on Friday that staff at the My First Skool centre used stickers in the classrooms to mark out designated seats for the children and safe distance spaces in the toilets.

"Safe behaviours will be explained to the children so that they understand why these measures are necessary," said Mr Lee.

To maintain a clean environment, pre-schools have also stepped up the cleaning and disinfection of premises and equipment, especially high-touch points and items, he said.

Staff have worked out a schedule for the use of common facilities like the play area, so that they and children from different classes are less likely to interact.

The Covid-Safe ABCs are "new habits that we must cultivate", said Mr Lee.

Over the next two weeks, the Early Childhood Development Agency will partner with pre-schools to incorporate these habits into the daily routines of staff and children.

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Mr Lee noted that Ms Jas Chia, the pre-school centre's principal, held a meeting with her team over a video conferencing platform to review their plans.

Thanking all pre-school staff for their resilience and collective efforts to ensure a clean and safe environment for children, Mr Lee said: "During the uncertainties as the Covid-19 situation evolved, the teachers and staff have put the interests of the children first.

"There were difficult decisions to be made and strict processes to implement. You've rallied around one another to ensure children and families continued to be supported even outside the classroom... This is a wonderful reflection of the strong community spirit, professionalism and passion of our early childhood sector."

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