Singapore has an ambitious plan to build daycare centres for as many kids as possible
Singapore will create 200,000 spots for children in daycare centres across the city. Image: REUTERS/Edgar Su
The tiny country of Singapore has an ambitious plan for its youngest citizens and their parents: quality and affordable childcare.
In the next five years, the government’s goal is to help create 200,000 spots for babies as young as two months to six years in large centers that dot the island. These schools can hold anywhere from 300 to 1,000 children.
The plan is based on new research that shows how the early years are crucial for building strong neural connections as well as nurturing kids who will grow up to be emotionally and socially stable.
Singapore takes this science seriously. The country has a department dedicated to early childhood development, and the prime minister even discussed the importance of preschool in his annual address to the nation last year.
We visited one of these centers on the island. Watch our video to see the government’s strategy behind these childcare centers.
This reporting is part of a series supported by a grant from the Bernard van Leer Foundation. The author’s views are not necessarily those of the Bernard van Leer Foundation.
Don't miss any update on this topic
Create a free account and access your personalized content collection with our latest publications and analyses.
License and Republishing
World Economic Forum articles may be republished in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International Public License, and in accordance with our Terms of Use.
The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone and not the World Economic Forum.
Stay up to date:
Innovation
The Agenda Weekly
A weekly update of the most important issues driving the global agenda
You can unsubscribe at any time using the link in our emails. For more details, review our privacy policy.
More on Education and SkillsSee all
Sander van 't Noordende
December 5, 2024