ECDA imposes S$10,000 fine on Kinderland for child management lapses

SINGAPORE: In response to incidents of child mismanagement at two Kinderland centres located at Woodland Mart and Sunshine Place, the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) issued a press release on Tuesday (20 Feb).

The statement revealed that Kinderland has been fined a total of S$10,000 (US$7,445), with S$5,000 (US$3,722) imposed for each of the reported incidents at the respective centres.

Additionally, as a consequence of the lapses in child supervision and management, the licenses for both Kinderland centres have been promptly shortened from the original 36 months to a duration of 6 months.

This decision aims to facilitate closer monitoring and stringent oversight by the ECDA to ensure the safety and well-being of the children attending these centres.

The ECDA emphasized that the enforcement actions were taken due to the inadequate exercise of effective oversight by Kinderland Headquarters (HQ) over the training and supervision of staff at its various centres.

ECDA implements measures for accountability and oversight

In August 2023, disturbing videos surfaced, revealing alleged instances of mistreatment of children by teachers at Kinderland preschools.

The first incident involved a 33-year-old former teacher at Kinderland @ Woodlands Mart, who faces a charge of ill-treating a 23-month-old girl.

The accusation suggests that the teacher forced the child to lie down and poured water into her mouth.

Following investigations by the Singapore Police Force, the former educator has been charged with one count of ill-treatment of a child or young person, and the court case is ongoing, as reported by ECDA.

Another video depicted a 48-year-old preschool teacher allegedly ill-treating a boy at Kinderland @ Sunshine Place in Choa Chu Kang.

The former educator received a 12-month conditional warning as a consequence of the incident.

In response to these incidents, the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) conducted a review of the Independent Review Committee’s (IRC) report, commissioned by Kinderland to examine the child mismanagement incidents at the two centres.

The ECDA’s assessment concluded that Kinderland Headquarters (HQ) had failed to exercise effective oversight over the training and supervision of staff at its various centres.

As a result, the ECDA directed Kinderland HQ to ensure the proper implementation of all corrective actions across its centres to prevent the recurrence of similar incidents.

To enforce this, the ECDA will continue to limit the license tenures of the two Kinderland centres to 6 months, closely monitoring their operations as their licenses expire in March 2024.

“ECDA has zero tolerance for inappropriate management of children in our preschools. All operators, centres and educators are expected to do their part to keep children safe,” said Mr Tan Chee Wee, Chief Executive Officer of ECDA.

Kinderland responds to ECDA’s review, unveils proactive measures for child safety

“Kinderland acknowledges ECDA’s statement on 20 February 2024 regarding the completed independent review of Kinderland’s child management practices,” Kinderland stated in a press release on Tuesday (20 Feb).

Kinderland is dedicated to collaborating closely with the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA), parents, and community partners to prevent the recurrence of incidents similar to those recently reported.

The commitment extends beyond immediate remedial measures, as it proactively implements comprehensive enhancements across all its centres, aiming for long-term improvements.

As part of its improvement strategy, Kinderland has strengthened three key child management systems: the Teacher Training Monitoring System (TTMS), the Child Management Monitoring System (CMMS), and the Whistle Blowing System (WBS).

These enhancements signify a concerted effort to maintain the high standards of care and education that have been the hallmark of Kinderland’s longstanding reputation.

Acknowledging the lapses that led to the incidents at the two affected centres, Kinderland sincerely apologizes to the affected families.

As a trusted provider of early childhood education for over four decades, Kinderland recognizes and regrets the collective concern raised among parents and the general public.

Proactive measures have been put in place based on lessons learned from these incidents, reflecting Kinderland’s commitment to continuous improvement.