1 The inaugural Preschool Experience Survey* indicates positive levels of parent satisfaction with Singapore's preschool safety and education quality. Building on this foundation, the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) will continue to strengthen parent-educator partnerships as a key focus area under the Quality Preschools 2030 plan, to support children's holistic development.
2 The survey was commissioned by ECDA in November 2025 with nearly 1,800 parents. The key findings are:
95% of respondents are satisfied with preschool safety standards;
89% are satisfied with the quality of preschool education;
89% are satisfied with the quality of partnerships with educators;
91% recognise educators as trained professionals who play an important role in children's learning, development and well-being.
Opportunities to Align Expectations on Holistic Development
3 While overall satisfaction is high, the survey highlighted the need for closer alignment between parents and educators on children’s holistic development. While some parents place greater emphasis on academic readiness, research has shown that holistic development, including social-emotional growth through play, is essential in early childhood education. When asked about areas important for their children before Primary 1, 33% of parents had indicated that getting their children academically ready takes priority over social emotional development and 30% indicated that the focus on academic learning takes priority over play.
Building Stronger Partnerships
4 The findings were shared at the Start Small Dream Big (SSDB) Walkathon on 9 May 2026, organised by Preschool Market (PSM) and supported by ECDA. Graced by Minister of State for Social and Family Development Goh Pei Ming as Guest of Honour, the event brought together 5,000 preschoolers, their families and early childhood educators to foster greater awareness of values-in-action and community involvement in children's development.
5 The inaugural batch of Our Wonderful Parents (OWP) joined this year’s Walkathon for the first time. Launched in 2025 by PSM and supported by ECDA and Singapore Kindness Movement, the OWP initiative celebrates parents who actively collaborate with preschools as valued partners, highlighting the significance of parent-preschool partnerships in children's holistic development. Nominations for OWP 2026 are ongoing, with educators invited to nominate parents who embody the values of trust, respect, empathy, and altruism by 5 June 2026.
6 ECDA Chief Executive Officer Ms Ku Geok Boon said, "Understanding what parents value for their children’s preschool experiences gives us rich insights on how we can continue raising the quality of early childhood education in Singapore, as the sector continues to evolve. I am heartened that parents have strong trust in our preschools. Our next step is to strengthen the engagement between parents and educators, and support a shared understanding of how children learn best, in line with our Quality Preschools 2030 plan to support every child's holistic development."
7 Dr Cheong Su Fen, Associate Faculty at the S R Nathan School of Human Development, Singapore University of Social Sciences and Founder of PSM, said, "The findings highlight the need of helping parents better understand developmentally appropriate practices for preschoolers. While it is natural for parents to want their children to succeed, research shows that nurturing children's emotional intelligence and learning through play creates the essential building blocks for future academic achievement. Initiatives like Start Small Dream Big and Our Wonderful Parents help bridge this understanding by bringing parents and educators together around shared values of nurturing the whole child."
8 ECDA is working with preschools, educators and parents to develop a Parent-Preschool Partnership Guide, and scale up best practices to strengthen the parent-preschool partnerships towards building quality preschools. More details will be shared later this year.
*The Preschool Experience Survey was conducted to understand parents' experiences and satisfaction across key aspects of their children's preschool journey, including the quality of education, safety of the preschool environment, and confidence in the professionalism and expertise of early childhood educators. The survey also sought to understand parents' priorities for their children's development, particularly their views on academic readiness relative to holistic development.
ISSUED BY
EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT AGENCY
###
Annex
About Start Small Dream Big
The ‘Start Small Dream Big’ (SSDB) movement was launched by ECDA in 2015 as part of SG50 and in support of President’s Challenge. It aims to instil positive values and enhance the social-emotional development of preschoolers through community service projects in collaboration with preschools, parents and community partners. Through values-in-action, children engage in meaningful experiences that help them grow in empathy, compassion, teamwork, respect and resilience, while nurturing a sense of social responsibility by caring for others and the environment. Preschool Market has been the key community partner for SSDB since 2021, leading and operating the movement.
About the Early Childhood Development Agency
The Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) was set up in 2013. The autonomous agency oversees the regulation and development of infant, childcare and kindergarten programmes for children below the age of seven. To achieve their vision of giving every child a good start, the agency works in partnership with stakeholders to ensure that every child has access to affordable and quality early childhood development services and programmes. For more information, visit www.ecda.gov.sg.
About Preschool Market
Preschool Market Pte Ltd (PSM) is an educational consultancy and registered social enterprise established in 2015. It provides meaningful learning experiences through programmes and resources for schools and communities, with a strong focus on sustainability development and support for early childhood education.
In line with its social mission, PSM is committed to supporting underprivileged children and their families. It believes that every child deserves equal access to quality learning opportunities and the chance to reach their fullest potential, regardless of socio-economic background. For more information, visit www.preschoolmarket.com.