Sector-wide job redesign, non-contact time and tech tools aim to ease educator workload.
Singapore is overhauling preschool work processes, focusing on non-contact time and smarter use of technology so early childhood educators can spend more of their day on meaningful interactions with children.
Sector-Wide Job Redesign Under Way
The Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) has begun a sector-wide job redesign for preschool educators, an initiative announced during the Ministry of Social and Family Development’s (MSF) budget debate in March and launched in early April. At the Early Childhood Learning Communities (ECLC) appointment ceremony on April 22 at the National Gallery Singapore, Minister of State for Social and Family Development Goh Pei Ming said the review is meant to support educators in their daily work and help them “grow and thrive under the right conditions.” The Government is seeking feedback from the ground as it relooks schedules, workload distribution and professional expectations.
Teachers Call For Tech To Cut Routine Tasks
Educators say technology can play a larger role in easing routine burdens. Senior Chinese language teacher Annabel Ho from My First Skool at Block 375 Clementi Avenue 4 told The Straits Times she hopes more tech tools will be introduced. She sees artificial intelligence as useful for generating fresh lesson ideas, while proposing that time-consuming daily health checks on children could be automated. By reducing repetitive administrative tasks, she argued, teachers would have more capacity to focus on thoughtful interactions and tailored support for children, rather than constant form filling and manual checks.
Non-Contact Time Gains Ground
Experts also want structured “time out” built into teachers’ schedules. Dr Cynthia Lim, who leads the early childhood education programme at the Singapore University of Social Sciences, said non-contact time would let teachers recalibrate, prepare materials and reflect on practice. Mr Goh noted that MSF is working with the sector to strengthen the adoption of non-contact time, which allows teachers to step away from direct supervision of children to do lesson planning or engage parents. The practice is not yet mandated across all preschools, and Minister for Social and Family Development Masagos Zulkifli has said ECDA does not currently track average daily non-contact time in the sector.
Centres Trial Structured Time And Flexible Arrangements
Some operators have already formalised non-contact time. PCF Sparkletots Preschool chief operating officer Marini Khamis said their centres have progressively implemented the practice, with more consistent structure since 2025 so key tasks can be completed within working hours and after-hours work is reduced. At PCF Sparkletots @ Ulu Pandan Block 24, centre leader Nirmala Thevi Vijayarengan said such arrangements support teachers’ well-being, as they are constantly on their toes safeguarding children’s safety and development. At Shaws Preschool Group, head of schools Imeelia Ismail said teachers get at least two hours of non-contact time two to three times a week, with colleagues taking turns to cover classes, even though rostering becomes harder when staff are on leave or unwell. She emphasised that much of teachers’ quality work happens behind the scenes during these protected blocks.
Growing Professional Community And Future Workforce Needs
Dr Lim, Ms Imeelia and Ms Nirmala are part of the Early Childhood Learning Communities, where senior and lead educators, known as Pedagogists and Specialists in Teaching and Learning (PASTELs), share expertise across domains such as language, literacy and outdoor learning. Since its launch in 2022, ECLC has supported 145 PASTELs in two cycles; at the April 22 ceremony, 110 more participants were appointed and two new domains, play-based learning and numeracy, were added. Singapore’s preschool workforce has grown to 28,000 educators, up 20 per cent since 2021, and MSF expects to add another 3,500 educators by 2030. Mr Goh said attracting and retaining quality teachers will depend not only on pay and pathways, but also on sustainable workloads and supportive work environments.
Singapore’s push to redesign preschool jobs, expand non-contact time and tap technology reflects a broader recognition that quality early education hinges on well-supported teachers, not just curricula and facilities. For Indonesians and Singaporeans, these reforms highlight how investing in educator well-being and professional communities can strengthen early childhood systems across the region, shaping better learning outcomes and more resilient workforces in a time of rising demand for childcare and foundational education.
Sources: Straits Times (2026)
Keywords: Job Redesign Preschool, Goh Pei Ming, ECDA Initiative, Non Contact Time Practice, Early Childhood Learning Communities, PASTELs Programme
