Coronavirus: Pre-schools and kindergartens step up safety measures
While PAP Community Foundation (PCF) centres are closed for four days, other pre-schools and kindergartens here have been adopting guidelines put up by the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) to ensure the safety of the children.
As of Wednesday 11.59pm, all pre-school children who are living with someone under stay-home notice will be subjected to 14-day leave of absence (LOA).
Marymount Kindergarten said that about 10 to 12 out of 300 children are serving LOA.
To maintain the well-being of the children, pre-schools and kindergartens are also stepping up their cleaning procedures.
Ms Nirmala Sumathy, principal of Marymount Kindergarten, told The New Paper: "We have changed our usual sterilising procedures. Teachers are now required to wash the children's toys everyday. We have also closed the swimming pool and sandpits for hygiene purposes."
Ms Archana Rai, director of Big Foot Preschool, said that it is now conducting health screening three times a day for both children and staff.
It is also providing vitamins for teachers.
CANCEL OUTINGS
To maintain social distancing, Bethany Kindergarten had to cancel outings that usually take place twice a term.
Instead, it had movie screenings for the different classes at different timings.
Bethany Kindergarten principal Chua Eng Hwee, said: "Some of the kids come to us sad that the outings have been cancelled.
"But we still try to find ways to make sure that the kids enjoy their time in school."
As a measure to help children who may be subjected to LOAs in future, Cedan Kindergarten and Childcare Development Centre have introduced an app with activities for the children to learn from home.
Cedan Kindergarten director Poh Kok Wee said: "We pass the app to parents to use and keep the child occupied and learn something along the way."
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