Wu, Sandra Pinhui

2022, Wu, Sandra Pinhui

This chapter examines the impact of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on preschool education in Singapore. Since its outbreak in late 2019, COVID-19 has impacted all age groups across the globe, including children. Using Urie Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory as the theoretical frame, this chapter interrogates how Singapore has responded to this crisis through policymaking towards the care and education of young children. Through a top-down approach, it critiques how the government had swiftly rolled out policies to enforce safety measures and provide support, funding and resources for families and children during this crisis. It discusses the effects and impact of the pandemic on young children and ends with a set of recommendations for intervention and support.

2023, Wu, Sandra Pinhui, Tan, Charlene

This chapter discusses moral and values development for early childhood education (ECE) in Singapore and delineates its international implications. Keeping in mind that early childhood spans from birth to eight, this chapter examines three national frameworks adopted in Singapore: Early Years Development Framework from birth to 3 years of age, Nurturing Early Learners Framework for 4- to 6-year-old children, and the refreshed Character and Citizenship Education (CCE) launched in 2021 for lower primary school children of seven and 8 years of age. This chapter critically discusses how the Ministry of Education in Singapore promotes moral and values development as part of student well-being through the abovementioned frameworks. This chapter has elucidated an example of a moral and values educational program that is geared toward the all-embracing development of students. It explained how moral and values education as exemplified in CCE can be relevant to young children and applied in ECE programs to cultivate desired values from young. It provides suggestions on how various aspects of CCE can be adapted to the pre-school curriculum and offers recommendations on possible pedagogies to implement in the pre-school settings.