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Preschools and Early Intervention (EI) centres will be required to further restrict the entry of visitors, in light of the tightening of safe management measures announced by the Multi-Ministry Taskforce (MTF) on Tuesday (May 4).

According to a press release by the Early Childhood Development Agency, only visitors who are needed to support the preschool, such as those performing necessary functions and parents accompanying newly enrolled children, will be allowed in.

These visitors will be subjected to strict safe management measures during the visit, and all other parents will be restricted from entering the premises.

No mixing across classes

There will be a number of additional enhanced measures in preschools and EI centres from May 8 to 30, 2021.

Preschools will be required to tighten the movement of staff and children, and children will only be allowed to participate in activities within their own class and in small groups, with no mixing of children across classes.

Both preschools and EI centres may continue to conduct outdoor activities during this period, but will do so in smaller groups, in line with the national reduction in group sizes from a maximum of eight people, to a new maximum of five people.

In order to minimise interaction between children and staff from different classes, preschools and EI centres will temporarily suspend large group activities and activities at external venues, such as field trips and learning journeys.

Preschools and EI centres that have already made plans for activities at external venues are advised to postpone them.

Staff meetings and training to be conducted online

All staff meetings and training will be conducted online during this period, and where online delivery of classes is not immediately possible, the classes will be rescheduled.

Face-to-face external training may only continue for limited courses, such as the hands-on aspect of child first aid training.

In addition, TraceTogether-only SafeEntry will be implemented in preschools and EI centres from May 17, 2021, in line with the national roll out.

Visitors and staff must check in using either their TraceTogether (TT) token or app, in order to be allowed entry.

They must also have their TT token or app with them at all times.

Children under the age of seven are not required to use TT.

Encouraged to provide virtual tours

Preschools and EI centres are advised to conduct parent-teacher conferences online, and they are also encouraged to provide virtual tours for prospective students.

Preschools will also be required to ensure that individuals who conduct enrichment programmes serve no more than four preschools during this period, in order to reduce the risk of transmission across centres.

However, in recognition of the added support needed for children with developmental needs, an exception will be allowed for providers of the Development Support-Learning Support programme, and the Development Support Plus programme.

Top image via Shaws Preschool/FB.