Before I enrolled Emilee in her current preschool, I had been warned by my ex-lecturers about it. The issue was brought up at the information session but the principal gave a very vague answer that seemed to suggest there will be change albeit a small one. I had brushed off the issue thinking that it would be unlikely that the school would welcome a drastic change given that they JUST started a playgroup class. Well, guess I thought wrong and the inevitable has happened. Last week, hubby and I were served the notice that the preschool would cease operation at the end of 2018.

OH MY GOD, WHY??? Because PM Lee had announced about consolidating all the early childhood education resources to the new National Institute of Early Childhood Development (NIEC) meaning that the Diploma’s staff and students would no longer attend classes at Temasek Polytechnic (TP). That also means that PLAY@TP’s management will also be moving. Yes, we know that PLAY@TP was set up as a learning lab to support the diploma and now that the diploma will no longer be under TP, there is no reason for the preschool to exist.

BUT WHY NOW??? Emilee has barely gotten used to this new environment (about two months to be exact) and now you’re telling us the school is shutting its doors for good in a year’s time. WHY wasn’t that a consideration when you decided to start offering playgroup class? I mean, you guys should know that you can’t expect a two to three-year-old to be wrenched out of school and accept a new environment just like that right? That’s what I’m so mad about. I love the school, its staff and teachers, but I just CANNOT accept this poor management decision.

There was a Q&A session last Friday which hubby and I attended. Of course we weren’t the only angry ones. Of course we weren’t the only ones hoping our kids would be able to continue in the school until they officially graduated. Of course we were only offered a “we’ll bring your concerns and suggestions up to senior management.” Sure darn right expect you to do that.

I have to expect the worst which is why I am now scrambling to look for another good preschool for Emilee. She’ll be in N2 by 2019. If they thought they were kind by giving us a year’s notice and time to search for another preschool, they are wrong. It’s hard to find a vacancy for any level unless your kid is enrolled from the beginning — playgroup. Each preschool has their own kids to move up the levels and fill the spots. Moreover, there are many kids born in 2015 and 2016. A no-brainer because 2015 was Singapore’s Jubilee year. I asked a preschool near our place and was told that their waiting list for kids born in both years is standing at 150++ names each so they have closed it. That’s how bad and serious this whole issue is. To make matters worse, we gave up a spot at another preschool just two weeks before we were handed the bad news. (I had placed a deposit in another preschool when PLAY@TP suddenly announced their decision to start a playgroup class. I preferred PLAY@TP’s curriculum so I placed Emilee there instead.)

So if you ask me what I want for Christmas this year? Just a miracle that Emilee can continue at PLAY@TP until she graduates. If that is too much to ask for, then some other favourable option.

And if anyone knows of a good preschool in Tampines, please let me know. Online information can be quite scanty or outdated for some preschools.