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Welcome Remarks Speech by Senior Parliamentary Secretary Eric Chua at ECDA Scholarships and Training Awards Presentation Ceremony 2025

Type: Official Speeches: Eric Chua,

Topic(s): Children & Families,

Published on 30 October 2025

  1. Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. I am very happy to join you here today for the ECDA Scholarships and Training Awards Presentation Ceremony.

     

  2. Firstly, congratulations to all 274 recipients who are receiving your awards today!

     

  3. I am sure we can all agree that none of us can achieve our goals alone - we all need supporters to spur us on in the pursuit of our dreams. I am heartened to see parents, centre leaders, preschool operators and academia in our midst, cheerleading and supporting your aspirations as early childhood, or EC educators.

     

  4. EC educators play a crucial role in the formative years of our children’s lives. As educators, you are the heart of quality EC development. Many of you join this sector because you believe in the work of shaping and nurturing our young ones. You understand how important the early years are, and you are deeply committed to providing a safe and conducive space where children can grow and thrive.

     

  5. As we gather here this afternoon, let us also take a few brief moments to reflect upon the Review Panel’s report on the handling of Megan Khung’s case. Megan’s death has deeply saddened all of us. As the lead for the national child protection ecosystem, MSF must and will continue to engage and work in close partnership with our stakeholders – that includes preschools and educators – to further strengthen our systems.

     

  6. In cases of child abuse, educators are often the first line of safety and support for this vulnerable group. It is therefore crucial that we equip ourselves with the knowledge and the skillset to better detect abuse and to report them promptly, so that the child protection case management agencies can intervene early.

     

  7. You are part of a larger ecosystem, and together, we share the responsibility to ensure the safety and well-being of our children.  
  8. Over the years, we have made good progress in building a strong pipeline of EC educators. The ECDA Training Awards are key to attracting and nurturing aspiring educators.

     

  9. Each of you here today makes a difference - contributing to our EC workforce as valued individuals who have chosen to dedicate yourselves to nurturing young minds.
  10. Just like one of our emcees today, Nicia Goh. She is one of our Training Award recipients and pursuing her final year in Bachelor of Early Childhood Education at the Singapore University of Social Sciences. She started off working in banking before making the switch to preschool education. Her love for working with children led her to pursue further studies in EC education. Since then, she has never looked back.
  11. Nicia shared her inspiring story and how an educator like herself can make a difference. In her playgroup class, Nicia noticed a boy who struggled to regulate his emotions. Removing his shoes before entering the sandpit or being served food he dislikes would cause him a lot of distress, leading to emotional outbursts. Noticing this, she reached out to his parents to align their approaches both at home as well as at school, modelling positive techniques to help him manage his feelings.


    12. Progress was gradual but extremely meaningful. After two months of consistent support, the boy was able to regulate his emotions better with fewer outbursts. Through this experience, Nicia realised that challenging behaviours can be opportunities for meaningful interactions with the child to better support his development. This is further enabled by the strong support and trust of parents.

    13. Nicia’s story reminds us that EC education is also about understanding each child’s unique needs and helping them develop the skills that will shape their lives. Congratulations, Nicia.

    14. I am also happy to share the story of another passionate individual and one of our Training Awards Commendation Award recipients, Samuel Liu. Samuel actively creates networking and learning opportunities for fellow male EC students during his studies at the National Institute of Early Childhood Development, Temasek Polytechnic campus.

    15. He participated in a bonding event organised by his EC course’s interest group, where he met other like-minded male EC students in the first year of his studies. Inspired by the camaraderie, he formed a new support group for male students.  The support group provided opportunities for the cohort of male EC students to build a supportive community, foster mutual growth and learn from one another’s experience. Samuel is keen to join the sector after he completes his National Service.

    16. As our sector evolves, we need committed educators like Nicia and Samuel to support the evolving and diverse needs of today’s children and families.

    17. While the Training Awards has been instrumental in attracting and supporting aspiring EC educators, our Scholarship programme plays a crucial role in strengthening the talent pipeline for the EC workforce.  

    18. One of our Scholarship recipients this year is Ms Dharshini Balachandram, Principal of Little Footprints Preschool at Depot. Dharshini has been in the sector for about 8 years now, and her journey so far has been inspiring.

    19. She was a Training Award recipient, just like many of you here. She began her journey at the Institute of Technical Education, before pursuing further EC studies in polytechnic. She started out as a preschool teacher and is currently a centre principal leading a team of dedicated educators in creating a safe, nurturing, and stimulating environment for her children.

    20. Today, she is receiving the ECDA Scholarship to pursue her Master’s at the Singapore University of Social Sciences.

    21. I very much like how Dharshini puts it, and I quote, “Remember that this is not just a career, but a calling, and the impact you make on a child’s life will stay with them long after they leave your classroom.” It reminds us why EC education is far more than just a career choice – it is indeed truly a calling that shapes our children’s tomorrow.

    Enhancements to Scholarship Programme

    22. This is also why ECDA is committed to supporting you at every stage of your career. We regularly review our support for educators to create meaningful pathways for career and professional development.

    23. Today, I am pleased to announce that we will be refreshing the Scholarship programme which will now be known as the Early Childhood Education (or ECE) Scholarship. This reflects its role as a sector award for EC educators. The ECE Scholarship will feature three key enhancements:

    1. First, increased study bonus for Scholarship recipients pursuing part-time programmes commencing July 2027.
    2. Second, introduction of a new full-time scholarship commencing from July 2027 to provide funding support for students undergoing the full-time Bachelor of Early Childhood Education programme. With the launch, the current TA (University) will conclude its final intake in 2026.
    3. And last but not least, the ECE Scholarship has recently expanded its postgraduate offerings with a new part-time Master of Education in Early Childhood (Chinese) Programme for in-service Chinese educators. This provides educators with more options for professional development in specialised areas of EC education.

    23. With these enhancements, we hope the ECE Scholarship will attract and nurture more passionate individuals like yourselves, who are committed to making a lasting impact in the early childhood sector.

    24. Many may not know it, EC educators may make up about 1% of the Singapore workforce. But you make a much larger and lasting impact on Singapore’s future. To our Training Award and Scholarship recipients here this afternoon, this ceremony marks a milestone. Like the stories we have shared so far, you too, will create your own stories with the children and families that you touch along the way. We deeply appreciate your commitment, and hope that you will continue to do your best for the children in your care and inspire others to join this meaningful sector.

    25. To employers, colleagues, families and friends, thank you for being part of the pillars of support behind our recipients this afternoon. I hope you will continue to journey with them as they empower today to shape our tomorrow.

    26. As we celebrate excellence today, let us carry the quiet reminder that our work shapes not just learning outcomes, but also lives. Your commitment to creating spaces of trust and security reflects what it means to give every child not just a good start, but a safe environment to grow and thrive in.

    27. To all recipients, thank you for choosing EC as your  career, and congratulations once again. I look forward to having you as part of the very special 1% that commits to giving a good start in life to every child.

Thank you.