MOE terminates Little Professors student care service for 8 schools, files police report, 54 staff allege missing salaries

Little Professors Learning Centre (LPLC), a private kindergarten and student care centre operator within eight Ministry of Education (MOE) primary schools, is under investigation after a number of employees lodged salary claims against the company.

Allegations of non-payment, including outstanding CPF contributions from as far back as December 2025, were also made against LPLC, whose director is said to have become uncontactable.

Alleged non-payment of salaries, abandoned centres

Staff members from the student care operator told Mothership that salaries have allegedly not been paid since the start of 2026, and that staff contracts were abruptly voided.

They also alleged that LPLC currently owes money to multiple vendors, including in funds for catering, first aid and stationeries.

Student care centres were also allegedly left unmanned, with school teachers and administrative staff being forced to step in to manage the situation.

According to screenshots of the company's group chats, LPLC's staff have tried repeatedly to reach out to the company's managers, but to no avail.

LPLC's staff then filed employment claims with MOE and the Tripartite Alliance for Dispute Management (TADM).

"There is no point to continue to work if no pay is given and the company is literally falling apart. It's not fair to ask staff to report to centre to handle 200 students and not get paid in the end," one text in the company's group chat read.

Ongoing investigations

In response to Mothership's queries, MOE, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM), TADM and the CPF Board (CPFB) confirmed that they are aware of the complaints that have arisen from LPLC's operational issues in the past week.

MOE

"The Ministry of Education is aware of LPLC’s operational issues that surfaced in the past week, including the non-payment of salaries to their staff members, and the director of the company being uncontactable," said MOE.

"These have resulted in insufficient manpower provision to support SCC operations in the eight affected schools," they added.

Under a contract with LPLC, the following eight primary schools house student care centres run by the operator:

• Anchor Green Primary School
• Jing Shan Primary School
• Kranji Primary School
• Punggol Cove Primary School
• Waterway Primary School
• Westwood Primary School
• Hong Wen School
• White Sands Primary School

MOE said it has since worked with affected schools to deploy necessary manpower to ensure that after school care and kindergarten care support was provided and that enrolled students were taken care of.

LPLC has also been engaged to resolve their company-related manpower issues and ensure adequate staffing for the student care operations.

"Our schools will continue to deploy the required manpower to maintain the continuity of after-school care to take care of our students, until a new joint SCC and KCare operator is formally appointed."

In the interim, there will be no cost to affected parents and guardians, who are being contacted by MOE staff, the ministry said.

Separately, they added that a police report has been filed regarding alleged abnormal GIRO deductions reported by some parents on Feb. 13.

Police investigations are ongoing.

MOM

A joint statement by MOM, TADM and CPFB said 54 employees lodged salary claims against LPLC at TADM between January and February 2026.

CPFB also detected outstanding CPF contributions in December 2025, they said, adding that 19 employees lodged reports on this issue.

"The Ministry of Manpower is investigating the company for possible offences under the Employment Act," MOM said.

CPFB has also taken prosecution action against LPLC, and the case is currently before the courts.

"MOM, the CPF Board and TADM will continue to assist the employees with their salary and CPF arrears. Affected employees can also reach out to the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) and the Education Services Union (ESU) for support," the statement read.

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