PCF to make 15,000 more places for pre-schoolers in next five years
Bigger pre-schools will be built and existing ones will be upgraded
The PAP Community Foundation (PCF) will add 15,000 more places for pre-schoolers in the next five years, by building larger pre-schools and upgrading existing ones.
The PCF - the People's Action Party's charitable arm that runs the Sparkletots pre-schools - will also enhance the learning and development of its educators and staff, and push out more initiatives to support needy pupils.
Announcing this yesterday at PCF's annual Family Day, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said that providing affordable and high-quality pre-school education is an important way the Government and the PCF are helping young families to cope with the cost of living.
PCF also runs Sparkle Care senior care centres to help families with elderly parents, and through Sparkletots and Sparkle Care, both young and old have opportunities to interact with one another, he said.
"Dual-income families can be particularly confident that their children will be well taken care of when both parents are at work," added Mr Lee, who is the PAP's secretary-general.
"And I hope with less to worry about, parents will consider having a few more kids and enjoy more family time together."
The PCF is the largest pre-school operator with 360 Sparkletots centres in Singapore, with 40,000 places.
The PCF plans to open two more Sparkle Care centres by the middle of next year, bringing the total number of senior care centres to five.
Mr Victor Bay, PCF's chief executive, said: "We are also creating more opportunities for the young to build stronger bonds with our seniors by organising inter-generational activities at both PCF Sparkletots and PCF Sparkle Care."
Madam Leong Ah Nooi, 94, who visits Sparkle Care @ Yew Tee once a week, said she enjoys the time spent with the Sparkletots children, as they take part in singalongs and arts-and-craft sessions together.
HAPPY
"I am happy and am reminded of my son and grandson when they were children," she said.
Parents such as Mr Mohammad Zulkiffli Abu Bakar, 46, a teacher, said they appreciate the well-rounded education that the PCF Sparkletots pre-schools provide and the convenience of having centres near their homes.
His daughters, aged 16 and 11, and two sons, 14 and eight, have all attended PCF Sparkletots.
As part of yesterday's event held at Gardens by the Bay, $666,000 was raised by the PAP's Members of Parliament, and the funds will benefit 21 charities and causes.
More gyms for the elderly, disabled at mature estates: PM Lee
More gyms catering to the elderly and disabled will be built in mature Housing Board estates, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced last Saturday.
The first such gym is expected to open in Ang Mo Kio Community Centre next year, said Mr Lee at the centre's community dinner for active seniors.
Sport Singapore said it expects the number of community centres with senior-friendly gyms to increase to five by the end of next year.
The gyms will be open to all and charge an entry fee of $2.50.
Those above 55 will pay only $1.50. They will get free entry on Wednesdays.
Speaking at the dinner, Mr Lee - who helms Ang Mo Kio GRC - said the estate has more senior citizens than most other towns.
The community centre promotes active ageing by encouraging senior citizens to take part in activities such as taiji and dance to maintain their physical and mental health after retiring.
The Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS) will also study the data collected from these gyms to better understand the needs of the elderly.
Professor Kalyani Mehta, head of SUSS' gerontology programme, said senior citizens will receive membership cards that they scan on the exercise equipment before using them.
This lets the machines capture the users' exercise data, which will be used for long-term tracking of the gyms' impact on users.
Ang Mo Kio resident Alicia Tan, 44, said she will encourage her mother-in-law, 70, to visit the gym when it opens next year.
"It will be good for her health. Hopefully, there will be fitness instructors to get the elderly folk started on the exercises," said the accounts assistant.
ADRIAN LIM