In a statement issued on Tuesday night, Kinderland said that it would put in place new measures for the welfare of children and teachers in both centres.
This includes installing closed-circuit television cameras in all classrooms and children activity areas at the two centres. Currently, CCTV cameras are installed along common corridors, entrances and exits.
Kinderland will also “manage” the mental health of new and current teachers with weekly and monthly meet-up sessions with the principal to have “a better feel of issues on the ground”.
The preschool chain has also set up an extra point of contact for parents to directly contact centres and headquarters.
CORPORAL PUNISHMENT PROHIBITED
There are explicit provisions in the Early Childhood Development Centres Act and Regulations that prohibit the use of corporal punishment or any other inappropriate child management practices in preschools.
The agency can take action against educators or preschool operators when they are found guilty of not fulfilling their duty of care to the children under their charge.
For educators, ECDA will issue warning letters to those who use inappropriate child management practices. For serious cases, where there appears to be clear intent to harm the child, the case will be referred to the police.
Those who are found to have committed serious acts of child mismanagement will be barred from working in the preschool sector.
ECDA will take regulatory action against preschool operators if they have not taken adequate measures to ensure that their educators use “positive and developmentally appropriate methods to manage children’s behaviour”.
The agency may also fine the operator, shorten the preschool’s licence tenure, or revoke it.
It can also issue directions to the preschool to put in place measures to improve.
“Most of our educators join the sector with a passion to nurture our young children and make a positive impact in their lives,” said the ECDA.
“We urge parents to continue supporting them as they work tirelessly in caring and educating our children.”