ABOUT OUR EXPERT
Dr Chan is a lecturer with the Psychology and Child & Human Development academic group at the National Institute of Education (NIE). She has been an ECDA Awards judge for five years, helping to shortlist educators and preschools that have excelled in teaching and learning and in their innovative practice.
The ECDA Awards for Excellence in Early Childhood Development has long been a mark of quality in Singapore’s early childhood (EC) sector. Recognising the need to reflect emerging trends, evolving needs and sector aspirations, ECDA initiated a comprehensive stakeholder consultation process for its awards framework in early 2025. The outcome — an enhanced framework designed to better recognise and support educators’ professional growth while raising the quality of care and education for young children.
The review drew on feedback from a wide range of stakeholders and aligns with current understanding of quality EC education. Its timing was particularly significant, following years of observing how award winners and preschools have pushed boundaries in their professional practices.
HIGHER RECOGNITION FOR DESERVING WINNERS
At the Early Childhood Celebrations & Conference 2025, ECDA announced two enhancements to its ECDA Awards framework. Starting from 2026:
- Stronger focus on inclusion: Assessment criteria for all award categories will give greater recognition to inclusive practices, acknowledging educators’ and preschools’ ongoing efforts to support children with diverse needs.
- Increased prize awards: The prize quantum will be enhanced, to give stronger recognition to educators’ and preschools’ commitment to high professional standards and quality advancement.
The nomination process will also be streamlined, with reduced paperwork to lighten the load for both nominators and nominees.
These enhancements not only shine a brighter spotlight on inclusive, high-quality practices, but also reaffirm the sector’s commitment to supporting educators, leaders and preschools, as they continue to raise the bar for children’s learning, development and well-being.
Welcoming this move, Mrs Rajminderpal Singh, senior principal at PCF Sparkletots Preschool @ Bukit Batok Blk 118, says, “As an inclusive preschool, we’re excited about the changes to the assessment criteria and having more preschools support children with diverse needs. The enhanced prize quantum can help winning preschools upgrade resources and strengthen teacher training.”
Dr Rebecca Chan, an NIE lecturer and ECDA Awards judge, hopes the enhancements will encourage more educators to adapt and refine their pedagogical approaches. “Learning and innovation are two sides of the same coin — educators must keep learning to innovate and innovate to keep learning,” she notes.
Being an innovative educator is a mindset, says Dr Chan. “I would even call innovation a disposition,” she adds. “It’s about being curious, always wondering how things can be improved, and seizing opportunities to make positive changes.”
TOWARDS A MORE INNOVATIVE, CHILD-CENTRED PEDAGOGY
Over her years as an ECDA Awards judge, Dr Chan has observed educators proactively introducing fresh ideas to nurture children’s learning and development. “Innovative educators give children time and space for deep play, where they’re fully absorbed and focused,” she explains. “This leads to deeper learning, curiosity, critical thinking and problem-solving.”
In 2024, two preschools — PCF Sparkletots Preschool @ Bukit Batok Blk 118, winner of the Early Childhood Innovation Award (Distinction), and E-Bridge Pre-School Compassvale Drive, recipient of the Outstanding Centre for Teaching & Learning Award — showcased the kind of excellence the enhanced awards framework aims to promote more widely across the sector.
PCF Sparkletots Preschool @ Bukit Batok Blk 118 brought real silkworms into the classroom so children could observe their life cycle. Besides caring for these living things, the class discovered how silkworm cocoons can be used to make items like soap and decorative fans.
Preschoolers enjoyed the hands-on experience of melting silkworm cocoons and mixing them with other ingredients to make soap.
“What made this project innovative was combining science, sustainability and creativity,” says Mrs Singh. “The children gained a deeper understanding of, and respect for, the natural world. They also experienced the joy of discovery as they learned how natural resources can be repurposed.”
Since then, the preschool has redesigned its learning spaces to be more flexible and child-centred, and introduced regular peer observations and reflection sessions for teachers.
Meanwhile, E-Bridge Pre-School Compassvale Drive applied Bloom’s Taxonomy across its inquiry-guided curriculum to promote higher-order thinking skills in children. “We used it to plan learning experiences, select teaching resources, design learning environments, and document children’s learning and development,” explains then-centre leader, Ms Elmilia Binte Abu Bakar.
This systematic approach brought a meaningful shift in curriculum focus, honouring child agency and placing the child at the centre of all decision-making.
To stimulate and elevate children’s thinking, E-Bridge Pre-School provides loose parts and open-ended materials that support their individual interests and learning styles.
Now based at E-Bridge Pre-School (Sengkang Square), Ms Elmilia continues to uphold this image of the child. “We view every child as curious, competent and capable,” she notes. “Learning in our spaces is increasingly child-led, with materials carefully selected to spark curiosity and encourage dialogue. As educators, our role is to nurture children’s thinking and discoveries through active listening, reflection and shared exploration.”
Find out more about the ECDA Awards at https://go.gov.sg/ecda-awards.
