Rebuilt Sparkletots offers more pre-school access in Marine Parade

A rebuilt PAP Community Foundation (PCF) Sparkletots centre in Joo Chiat will make early childhood education more accessible to those living in Marine Parade, said Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Edwin Tong on April 28.

- Gabrielle Chan

Speaking at the official launch of the new Sparkletots campus at 15 Lorong K Telok Kurau, Mr Tong announced a new bursary so that children from needy households in the region can get their best start on their educational journey.

In the 2010s, Joo Chiat became Singapore's first all-private property constituency after its last remaining Housing Board blocks were acquired under the Selective En bloc Redevelopment Scheme.

This meant that while the estate has a range of kindergartens, they are largely privately run, with monthly fees of between $800 and $3,000 before subsidies. For PCF Sparkletots @ Joo Chiat, monthly fees for citizens before subsidies range from $163.50 for kindergarten, to $741.20 for childcare.