Press Releases

25 Early Childhood Educators and Centres Recognised at ECDA Awards 2020 for their Professional Excellence

28 Nov 2020

1   Twenty-five (25) exemplary preschool educators and centres received the ECDA Awards for Excellence in Early Childhood Development at a virtual ceremony on 28 November 2020. The ECDA Awards highlight the professionalism of the early childhood sector, and the positive impact early childhood professionals have on young children’s development. The theme for this year’s award ceremony is “Unity in Purpose: Celebrating our Early Childhood Professionals”.

2   Since its introduction in 2013, the ECDA Awards recognises outstanding and promising early childhood educators and centres for their professional excellence in early childhood care and education. Despite the challenges posed by COVID-19, these outstanding and promising educarers, teachers, leaders and centres have continued to show their commitment, dedication and resilience in safeguarding the health and safety of children, while supporting the children’s social-emotional development and learning.

3   “The Award winners embody a high standard of professionalism and an exemplary innovative spirit. They showcase quality standards in teaching, caring, leadership and innovation in the EC sector. But they are just the tip of the iceberg. Beyond the visible are thousands of educators who continue to give their best every day, inspiring, teaching, caring for, and nurturing our children. I hope that all our EC professionals will continue to strive for excellence as a fraternity and cheer one another on, as we work towards a common goal of giving every child a good start in life,” said Mr Masagos Zulkifli, Minister for Social and Family Development.

4    Outstanding Early Childhood Educarer Ms Farhana Binte Mohamed Hassan believes in the importance of sensory play for infants and toddlers. “Children at a young age explore and discover through their five senses. This helps their brains to grow and develop,” said Ms Farhana, a Senior Infant Educarer from PCF Sparkletots Preschool@ Pioneer Blk 987D. She has developed an outdoor sensory path with different textures for children to explore and learn. She also conducts workshop for parents to promote parent-child bonding and to better engage their children at home. Ms Farhana, a mother of three, is ready to translate her own experience of motherhood and apply them thoughtfully in the centre, closely attuned to the children’s learning and developmental needs.

5   Among the 25 award recipients, 8 centres are also commended for their excellent teaching and learning practices, as well as innovative projects. These centres have developed innovative pedagogical practices and curricula tools that support the development and well-being of young children. These innovative projects range from culture and science to social emotional development and regulation. For instance, the children from NTUC First Campus’ My First Skool at Block 203D Compassvale Road creatively built their own irrigated farm and, in the process, learnt how they can play a part in protecting the environment.

6   The full list of winners can be found in Annex A. More information on ECDA Awards categories is given in Annex B. The general public can visit www.ecdaawards2020.com​ to find out more about the ECDA Awards.

ANNEX A
LIST OF ECDA AWARDS WINNERS

ANNEX B
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

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-approved 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, 2016 and 2019. It will also be given out for 2020.


4.What would 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. How to get more information about the ECDA Awards winners 2020?

The ECDA Awards winners was announced at the Awards ceremony, on 28 November 2020, Saturday at www.ecdaawards2020.com at 10am.

For more information on the ECDA Awards, please visit http://bit.ly/ECDAawards.​​​​​​​​​