Faith-based pre-schools band together, pool resources amid stiff competition for pupils

SINGAPORE – Several Christian denominations have banded their pre-schools together under newly formed companies, in a bid to keep them running amid stiffer competition for pupils.

In this way, the pre-schools can reap the benefits of centralised operations and economies of scale in terms of resources, said representatives from the various groups. 

The Straits Times had reported in 2018 that several faith-based kindergartens affiliated with churches were closing down due to challenges relating to finances, dwindling enrolment, teacher recruitment and changing family needs.

Since then, efforts by various operators to consolidate resources have stemmed the decline of such pre-schools, with a good number of kindergartens expanding their services to provide full-day childcare. 

More than 50 faith-based pre-schools have also joined an inter-denominational Christian Preschool Alliance, formed in 2019 for centres to pool resources and share best practices. 

Anglican Preschool Services (APS) now manages a total of 19 pre-schools, 14 of which now offer childcare, mostly under the Little Seeds brand that was set up in 2019. The operator has nearly 2,500 children enrolled across the centres.

APS chief executive Andrew Tay said eight non-Anglican pre-schools, many of which were on the brink of closure, first joined the organisation four to five years ago. 

It receives government funding, with partner operator status for 10 Little Seeds centres, which means that parents with children at these pre-schools pay lower fees. 

“We wanted to continue to offer childcare services to the masses. We needed to be competitive in pricing and the only way to do that is to get on the government scheme,” said Mr Tay. 

While kindergarten enrolment has been coming down at an “alarming” rate, he said childcare enrolment has been steadily climbing, adding: “Our plan is to pivot most, if not all, of the centres to childcare because it’s quite impossible to keep running kindergartens in this space with increasing competition.” 

About four years ago, APS started to experiment with having extended hours for older children at some of its kindergartens to cater to parents’ needs. 

“We face a lot of challenges, but we do have a good structure at the headquarters, and a good way of operating pre-schools. We still need to grow a little bit more to hit critical mass,” said Mr Tay. 

“We have to find creative ways to continue doing this work, and keep evolving with the times.”

Mr Lim Ee Tuo, executive director of Presbyterian Preschool Services (PPS), which was formed in 2021, said a key challenge is convincing teachers and principals to offer childcare services.