Prime Minister Touts Play

09/26/2012

Clinging to the past is the problem. Embracing change is the answer.
Gloria Steinem

At a meeting of the World Forum's Global Leaders for Asia/Pacific, hosted by the Asia/Pacific Regional Network on Early Childhood, Sally May Tan from Knowledge Universe, a key sponsor of Global Leaders, observed that Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's annual address to the citizens of Singapore on August 26, 2012, advocated for the importance of play:

"We also need to improve quality of pre-school education.... Times have changed. Family structures evolved. [There are] more nuclear families, fewer children, more dual-income parents today. Hence fewer opportunities to socialise with grandparents, siblings, or cousins.

"Early years are important for children’s development. Brain is most receptive to learning at that age, especially learning languages. [Children] gain confidence and curiosity about the world around them, pick up positive behaviour, social skills, and learning attitudes. Hence good pre-school education will prepare students to enter P1 and provide many long-term benefits thereafter...

"A caution to parents: Pre-school is to teach certain skills which are best learnt at that age, e.g. languages, social skills, basic motor skills. [We] must not bring P1 syllabus down to 5-6 year olds. Education experts and child development experts warn against 'over-teaching' pre-school children. No homework is not a bad thing; it is good for young children to play, and learn through play."

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