SINGAPORE, Aug 31 — All preschools and government-funded early intervention centres must be fitted with closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras from July 1 next year, the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) said.

These CCTV cameras will be required in key access points and areas used by children such as classrooms, activity rooms, play areas within the premises and the infant napping room, it added in a media statement on Thursday (Aug 31).

For the privacy of staff members and children, CCTV cameras will not be allowed in toilets, changing rooms and employees’ rest areas.

This move is part of the agency’s regular review of security and safety measures in the early childhood sector, and takes the views of parents, educators and preschool operators into consideration, it said, adding that it was not due to recent incidents on child safety.

ECDA had been engaging the preschool sector since last year, and had in February this year informed school operators of the mandatory set-up.

Earlier this week, a preschool teacher who was caught rough handling and hitting children in a series of viral video clips was dismissed from her job at Kinderland@Woodlands Mart. She was charged on Wednesday with ill-treating a child.

In a separate case, a 48-year-old preschool teacher was on Tuesday also arrested after a new video surfaced on social media that showed her allegedly hitting a child in the Kinderland preschool at Sunshine Place shopping centre in Chua Chu Kang.

To date, all childhood early intervention centres and more than 60 per cent of preschools have already installed CCTV cameras on their premises, ECDA disclosed.

These CCTV cameras would enhance the security of the preschool by deterring suspicious or unauthorised persons from entering the premises.

"In the event of incidents, CCTV footage can be an objective and reliable source of evidence to support the investigation.”

Parents may request to view CCTV footage specific to a concern or issue they face.

Their access to these footages will only be granted "for the purposes of providing an objective reference point to clarify feedback or to assist the investigation of serious incidents within the preschool premises”, ECDA said.

"The implementation of CCTV cameras will complement existing measures to provide a safe and secure environment in our preschools so parents and educators will have a greater peace of mind,” the agency added.

‘Violence against children can never be tolerated’

Responding to the recent incidents of alleged abuse in preschools, the Singapore Children’s Society said in a media statement on Thursday night: "The early childhood years are especially critical in building the foundations of lifelong learning and well-being. Violence against children undermines this and can never be tolerated under any circumstances.”

It added that it appreciated the "vital role” early childhood educators play in supporting children through their formative years, and that the educators’ provision of care also enables parents to continue to be part of the workforce.

"This sector is staffed and supported by individuals with caring and compassionate hearts.

"The magnitude and demands of the role of preschool educators are substantial, and these are exacerbated by the issues of manpower crunch, extended hours, burnout and parental pressures.

"While these stressors can never be an excuse for the use of violence, the recent spate of incidents is a stark reminder to take stock and ensure that adequate support, attention and resourcing are provided to attend to these educators’ needs.

"There are concrete improvements to child safeguarding that can be made in the preschool sector. For there to be any meaningful change, our responses or measures taken must not be piecemeal nor reactionary.

"Only then can preschools develop a culture of safe people, safe programmes and safe spaces.” — TODAY