Workload, parents’ expectations cited as top factors affecting pre-school teachers’ wellness: Survey
The Early Childhood Wellness & Mindfulness Survey gathered responses from 483 teachers in August.
In Singapore, the well-being of pre-school teachers is influenced by several factors, according to a new survey conducted by educational consultancy Preschool Market. The study, which gathered responses from over 480 educators, found that workload is the most significant factor affecting teachers' well-being, followed by parents' expectations and staffing challenges.
The survey, released on August 29 during an appreciation event for early childhood educators ahead of Teachers' Day, comes in the wake of Prime Minister Lawrence Wong's announcement that full-day childcare and infant care fees at government-supported preschools will be significantly lowered to $150 and $300 per month, respectively, by 2030.
Teachers have expressed their desire for more dedicated time to prepare lesson materials away from the children they care for. Some centers allocate one or two hours per week for non-contact planning time, but educators hope this can be increased to an hour a day. Senior teacher Nageeba Mehjabeen, 31, from Little Atlas Preschool, currently provides her teachers with three or four hours of planning time per month, which they find invaluable for focused work.
Eilzah Syinorieffa, a senior teacher at Agape Little Uni in Jurong West, noted that parents often reach out to teachers via phone or email daily, seeking updates on their children's well-being, such as their daily meals, bathroom habits, and any minor ailments like mosquito bites. She emphasized that teachers cannot always respond to these inquiries promptly, as they must balance parent communication with their primary responsibility of caring for the children.
Pre-school Market founder Cheong Su Fen highlighted other challenges faced by teachers, including long working hours and discomfort from sitting on the floor and using children's chairs. Cheong hopes to encourage operators to create a "cosy corner" within their centers, equipped with a sofa, music, and refreshments, where teachers can take short breaks.
The social enterprise plans to conduct a more comprehensive survey in the next six months to further understand the well-being of pre-school teachers and hopes to develop a "wellness index" to better gauge their welfare.
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