Press Releases
22 Educators and Centres to Receive ECDA Awards for Excellence in Early Childhood Development
09 Sep 2019
1 In recognition of their professional excellence and innovation, 22 pre-school educators and centres will receive the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) Awards for Excellence in Early Childhood Development from Mr Desmond Lee, Minister for Social
and Family Development, at ECDA’s annual Early Childhood Conference on 13 September 2019.
2 The ECDA Awards, now in its seventh year, recognises both outstanding and promising early childhood educators and centres which have displayed professional excellence in early childhood care and education. Their contributions help to set quality benchmarks
that encourage and inspire fellow educators and preschool centres in doing better for our children.
3 “Preschool educators are crucial in ensuring quality early childhood care and education for our children. All 22 winners of the ECDA Awards embody a high standard of professionalism and an exemplary innovative spirit. They are role models who
can inspire the early childhood fraternity. This is how we can give every child a good start,” said Mr Desmond Lee, Minister for Social and Family Development.
4 The 22 award recipients were carefully selected from over 300 nominations. Since the inauguration of the ECDA Awards in 2013, centres have supported the Awards consistently by nominating strong and quality candidates. Please see Annex A for a full list of awards recipients.
5 Since the introduction of the ECDA Awards for Excellence in Early Childhood Development, 58 educators and 94 preschools have been recognised. More information on the categories of awards can be found in Annex B.
6 One of the Outstanding Early Childhood Educarers, Ms Janice Ong from The Ascension Kindergarten, had followed in her mother’s footsteps in becoming an early childhood educator. From a young age, her mother was a positive role model, and
imbued in her the values of perseverance and resilience. Having spent her childhood in the kindergarten where her mother had worked, Janice is now teaching at the same kindergarten she grew up in.
7 This year, apart from the individual award winners, a total of 10 preschools will receive ECDA Awards for their excellent teaching and learning practices, as well as innovative projects. These centres have improved the quality of their preschool
programmes and the learning experience for children. They have developed innovative pedagogical practices and curricula tools that support the development and well-being of young children. These innovative projects range from sensory play, exploration
of history, culture and science and emotion regulation.
8 Early Childhood educators, families and members of the public can visit the Awards Booth at the ECDA Early Childhood Exhibition on 13 and 14 September 2019 at the Suntec City Convention & Exhibition Centre to find out more about these award-winning projects.
ANNEX A
LIST OF ECDA AWARDS WINNERS
ANNEX B
1. Who can apply for the ECDA Awards?
For individual awards, the nomination is open to all Singapore citizens or permanent residents who are in-service ECDA-certified educarers/teachers/centre leaders, who meet the specific training and experience stipulated in the ECDA Awards nomination
forms for the respective Awards categories. Nominees for the ‘Promising’ award categories are required to have at least 3 years of trained experience. Nominees for the ‘Outstanding’ award categories are required to
have at least 5 years of trained experience.
For centre awards, nominated centres must be a licensed Early Childhood Development Centre (ECDC) that fulfil the eligibility criteria in the respective nomination forms.
2. What are the Award categories?
ECDA may, on a case by case basis, consider good candidates for a commendation award.
3. What is the commendation award?
ECDA may give out the commendation award on a case by case basis to acknowledge and encourage deserving educarers and teachers who are very close to the outstanding level of professional excellence. The commendation award was given out for the
ECDA Awards in 2014 and 2016. It will also be given out for 2019.
4. What will the ECDA Award winners receive?
Early Childhood Leader/Teacher/Educarer/Centre Awards
Outstanding individual winners will each receive $2,000 for professional development, $500 cash, a trophy and a certificate; Promising Individual winners will each receive $500 for professional development, $300 cash, a trophy and a certificate.
For Outstanding Centre Award, winning centres will each receive $3,000 for professional development and $2,000 for teaching and learning resources, a trophy and a certificate.
Commendation winners of the Outstanding Individual award categories will each receive $500 for professional development, $300 cash, a plaque and a certificate.
Commendation winners of the Outstanding Centre for Teaching & Learning award will each receive $800 for professional development, $500 for teaching and learning resources, a plaque and a certificate.
Early Childhood Innovation Awards
For Early Childhood Innovation Awards:
- Distinction winners will each receive $2,000 for professional development, $1,000 for teaching and learning resources, a trophy and a certificate.
- Merit winners will each receive $1,000 for professional development, $500 for teaching and learning resources, a plaque and a certificate.
- Commendation winners will each receive $800 for professional development, a plaque and a certificate.
5. When will the ECDA Awards winners 2019 be appointed?
The ECDA Awards winners will be appointed at the Awards ceremony, which will be held on 13 September 2019, Friday at Suntec Singapore Convention & Exhibition Centre (Hall 406) from 11.15am to 12pm at the ECDA Early Childhood Conference 2019. For more information on the ECDA Awards, please visit http://bit.ly/ECDA-Awards.