Ministry denies meeting childhood centre teachers

At a hastily called press conference to respond to the claims by Servol chairman, Fr Gerry Pantin, Permanent Secretary Angella Jack said she knew nothing about a secret meeting. She gave a status report on the reform of the centres, saying nothing in it indicated "we are taking over the sector."

She said the ministry was given a mandate to provide quality pre-school education and to construct 50 centres a year, and it recognised its responsibility for policy formulation.

She said there were three pillars on which the centres would be established — access, equity and quality. Referring indirectly to Pantin’s concerns, Jack said the issue of governance had been raised, but the ministry knew it had partners whom it valued and whose work it recognised. She promised that the ministry would continue to work with those partners to strengthen relations.

The ministry’s technical advisor for education and planning, Maurice Chin Aleong, explained that the centres have existed under a non-formal system. He said the forecast was that by 2010 there would be 35,000 three-and four-year-olds and there would be need for 600 centres.

Chin Aleong stressed that the ministry was not taking over the centres, but was engaging in "formal governance which, in the medium-term, will be streamlined." He said Servol was a partner with whom they would continue to work. He said a meeting would be held soon with Servol and other agencies.

Jack said designs for 43 centres have been completed and construction is expected to start before the end of the year. Legislation establishing standards for the centres will also be taken to Parliament soon.