Pre-schools teach kids about cyber safety, using tech responsibly

Some may find the idea of teaching pre-schoolers about cyber security absurd. After all, six-year-olds do not have bank or e-mail accounts.

- Elisha Tushara

Yet, these are concepts that NTUC First Campus is introducing to children through hour-long lessons on digital literacy conducted once every two weeks.

The pre-school operator started these classes in June for its Kindergarten 1 and 2 children across all 20 Little Skool-House centres.

At the Little Skool-House branch at Ulu Pandan Community Club, senior English language teacher Eileen Chia, 31, teaches the children about data privacy and cyberbullying prevention through storybooks like Troll Stinks by author Jeanne Willis.

The pre-schoolers read the story of how two goats steal a farmer's mobile phone and send mean messages to a troll's number. They later realise they have hurt the feelings of a baby troll who had read the texts.

When prompted, the children suggested that people should protect their mobile phones with fingerprint passcodes and not send hurtful messages in the name of fun.

Ms Coreen Soh, 48, general manager of Little Skool-House and chief child development officer at NTUC First Campus, told The Straits Times that the aim is not so much to teach children how to use digital tools, but to educate them on potential dangers online and how to use technology responsibly.

Keagen Tan, six, said he now understands the importance of keeping passwords safe to prevent the misuse of mobile phones.

His father, Mr Tan Chee Hau, 41, a civil servant, said: "It's inevitable that children are exposed to the Internet, online websites and apps from a young age, so it's better that they know about the safety aspects than to have to explore them on their own."