PAP PRESCHOOL INCREASED CHILD CARE FEES IMMEDIATELY AFTER GE2015 LANDSLIDE WIN - See

[Ah_ZhaN]

PCF to raise fees for kindergarten, child care centres

SINGAPORE: PAP Community Foundation (PCF), the largest pre-school operator in Singapore, is set to raise fees for most of its kindergarten and child care centres from next year.

Explaining that fee increases are needed from time to time to maintain the quality of its programmes, PCF could not say which or how many of its 153 childcare centres and 215 kindergartens will be affected, but explained that current fees and revised fees would “vary across different kindergartens, childcare and infant care centres”.

“Due to our large network of centres, it is also difficult to pinpoint a specified amount of increase due to the variation mentioned,” a spokesperson said. “The increase will affect generally all cohort of students.”

The hike was approved by the authorities in May. Several centres have already informed parents of the new fees, while the PCF will continue to reach out to parents over the rest of the month.

Stressing that PCF is committed to keeping fees affordable, the anchor operator also said fee increases are done in “tandem with increases in our investments in curriculum and learning environment as well as the employment of qualified teachers who continue to receive on-going profession development”.

“Such increases are also needed to defray rising operational costs, most notably in the salary costs of preschool staff,” the spokesperson added.

The PCF could not provide a range for how much fees would increase by, but a letter to parents from PCF Sparkletots Preschool @ Nanyang Blk 922 on revised fees — which was has been circulating online since last week — showed that from next year, K2 fees will be S$617.90 a month for Singapore citizens. Permanent residents (PRs) will pay S$765 and foreigners pay S$926.80.

For infant care, fees would be S$1,235.80 a month for citizens, S$1,530.10 for PRs and S$1,853.70 for foreigners.

In September last year, it was reported that fees were raised for some PCF centres, but no organisation-wide hike was implemented.

The spokesperson, pointing out that the revised fees are below the fee cap set by the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA), also assured that even after the increase, the “vast majority” of PCF centres will continue to offer fees at lower than the median fees of other anchor operators and preschool centres. The fee cap for anchor operators is S$720 a month for full-day childcare.

PCF will help families who require financial assistance with relevant sources of support. For example, the PCF will continue to provide additional assistance through various local schemes including their Headstart Fund, which support families with monthly per capita income of S$500 or less.

Parents with children in PCF centres interviewed by TODAY said they have not been informed of any changes, but said they would be concerned if there are hikes, especially since some saw increases last year or the year before.

A parent with two children in PCF Punggol South, who did not want to be named, said fees at the centre were raised in January this year, and any increase next year would be unreasonable. Private tutor Shawn Koh, 35, who has three children at PCF Lorong Ah Soo, said fees at the centre increase last year, and agreed that any increase must be justified.

Of the four pre-school anchor operators contacted by TODAY, two — MY World Preschool and E-Bridge — responded, saying they will not raise fees for next year.

Source: http://www.todayonline.com/singapore...inglepage=true

[hkh]

In Singapore.........everything is "AFFORDABLE"..........as we strive to provide quality services..........

[globalcookie]

Originally Posted by menthol28

Usually I park at key point building, there also have public car park. Less than 2-3 min walk to beach road hawker

Or go around to North Beach Road, there's a MSCP next to the Police Post. Quite easy to get parking there.

[AlvinLeong]

Increase price give teachers or improve facilities still not so TL. If the increase all 进贡朝廷 really must f them outside down.

[dragon888]

Two biggest pre-school operators My First Skool and PCF to raise fees

SINGAPORE - Parents with children in pre- schools run by NTUC's My First Skool or the PAP Community Foundation (PCF), the two largest pre-school operators here, will most likely have to pay more next year.

Both will raise monthly childcare fees at most of their centres next year, by an average of $34 for My First Skool and $28 for PCF.

For infant care, on average, My First Skool will raise fees by $14, while PCF will charge $48 more.

Both told The Straits Times that the fee increases are needed to improve the quality of their programmes, and to cope with soaring operating costs such as higher staff salaries. They had raised fees at most of their centres just this year.

My First Skool and PCF, both appointed as anchor operators catering to the mass market, also reiterated that the new fees will generally still be lower than the maximum allowed for such operators.

Anchor operators get government grants but have to keep fees affordable. They cannot charge more than $720 a month for full-day childcare and $1,275 a month for full-day infant care, before goods and services tax. This is below the industry median fee of $900 and $1,343 for the two services.

The other three anchor operators here are E-bridge Pre-School, Skool4kidz and MY World Preschool. The first two will not charge more next year as they have already hit the maximum allowed. MY World will raise fees at four of its 25 centres, as these were newly transferred from another operator this year.

Fee increases usually start in January but, for My First Skool and PCF, these will kick in later in the year.

My First Skool, which informed parents yesterday, said the increase will start from April, to give parents "an ample six-month notice".

It will charge more at 113 of its 120 centres, but these centres will have no further fee increase in 2017.

PCF told parents about its fee hike earlier last month, saying fees will increase in January. But it made a U-turn last Friday and said that "on a goodwill basis", it will give all Singaporean and permanent resident children a rebate from January to June, so that the new fees take effect only from July.

PCF, the largest operator here, will raise fees at 139 of its 154 childcare centres and 209 of its 215 kindergartens. Fees for its kindergarten services will increase by an average of $16. My First Skool does not offer kindergarten services.

The fee hikes were approved by the Early Childhood Development Agency, which oversees the sector. A spokesman said: "Pre-school operators raise fees from time to time to ensure sustainability as operating costs rise, and to recruit and retain teachers to deliver quality programmes."

A spokesman for My First Skool agreed, noting that teacher salaries have increased by an average of 5 to 6 per cent each year, over the last three years.

A PCF spokesman said: "Retaining well-qualified staff has been increasingly challenging in recent years, given the keen competition for limited manpower resources in the industry."

Both operators said there are special funds for low-income families, on top of government subsidies. All working mothers get a subsidy of $300 a month for full-day childcare, or $600 for full-day infant care. Those with a household income of not more than $7,500 a month get a second subsidy.

Customer service officer Lee Mei Ling, 34, who has two children in PCF centres, said: "PCF's fees are already lower than many other operators', so I think it's okay. Teachers should be paid well for their work. But it'd be good if the income cap for the second subsidy could be raised. We have three children and earn just a few hundred dollars more than the income cap."


Is paying back time.....very humble increment.....

[xersion]

ok lah.. increase by a little bit only....
if u go pte childcare the fee is easily at least 35% more already and the things they teach are not as good as PCF unless u take montessori and compare

[globalcookie]

Originally Posted by dragon888

Customer service officer Lee Mei Ling, 34, who has two children in PCF centres, said: "PCF's fees are already lower than many other operators', so I think it's okay. Teachers should be paid well for their work. But it'd be good if the income cap for the second subsidy could be raised. We have three children and earn just a few hundred dollars more than the income cap."

As usual, they will report positive opinions that supported the 'cause'.

[Kohaku]

Since someone revive this thread, i shall share my sad news.

Just receive a notice from My First Skool. They are increasing their charges by $34. Good timing to increase 1month after election. Company pay increment also not as much.

[streetsmart73]

let the pink magic wand begins

[Aris]

I think I have already spent more than a million bringing up 4 kids and will probably spend more in future until they are independent. It's not cheap bringing up a child today.