文佳礼 博士 （ 惹兰勿刹集选区 议员 ） 询问社会和家庭发展部部长，根据最新的政府家庭支出调查，学前教育支出从2018年的10亿新元增加到2023年的13亿新元：

(a)实施了哪些措施来进一步减轻家庭的经济负担，特别是可能没有资格获得最高补贴的中等收入家庭？

(b) 近期调降学前教育收费上限对提升可负担性的成效如何？

(c) 是否有计划提高补贴或增加政府支持幼儿园的学额 ？

孙雪玲 （ 社会和家庭发展部政务部长，代表社会和家庭发展部部长） ： 家庭学前教育支出增长主要反映两方面变化： 一是学前教育整体入学率提升； 二是更多家长选择全日托儿服务而非半日制幼儿园。

议员引用的支出数据为名义金额，部分增幅源于此期间的通胀因素。

2018至2023年间，本地儿童入托人数从157,900人增至167,700人。其中选择全日托儿服务的儿童从110,200人增至145,400人，而半日制幼儿园学童从47,700人减至22,300人。由于全日托儿费用普遍高于半日幼儿园，这推高了整体学前教育支出。

政府始终将提升托儿服务可负担性作为优先事项。所有新加坡籍儿童均可获得最高300元基本补贴 （与家庭收入无关） 。符合额外补贴资格的家庭，根据收入层级可获80元至467元额外补贴。

2020年，我们将额外补贴家庭月收入上限从7,500元提高至12,000元，并增加各收入层级的补贴额度，惠及更多家庭。

政府对主要业者计划 （AOP） 和伙伴业者计划 （POP） 实施收费上限管制，并逐年调降上限。 主要业者计划 （AOP） 中心全日托儿费从2022年的720元降至2025年的640元， 伙伴业者计划 （POP） 中心则从760元降至680元。明年将再次调降两类业者的收费上限。

在收费管制下，托儿费行业中位数 （不含消费税） 已从2018年的800元降至2023年的720元。结合收费上限调降与补贴优化，中等收入家庭在 主要业者计划 （AOP） 中心就读全日托儿的支出占比，已从2018年家庭收入的4.9%降至2023年的3.1%。

Dr Wan Rizal asked the Minister for Social and Family Development with reference to the latest Government survey on household expenditure stating that preschool education spending increased from $1 billion in 2018 to $1.3 billion in 2023 (a) what steps are implemented to further alleviate the financial burden on families, especially for middle-income households who may not qualify for the highest subsidies; (b) how effective have recent fee cap reductions in preschool fees improve affordability; and (c) whether there are plans to enhance subsidies or expand access to Government-supported preschools.

The Minister of State for Social and Family Development (Ms Sun Xueling) (for the Minister for Social and Family Development) : The increase in household expenditure on pre-primary education corresponds to: one, an overall increase in enrolment of children in preschools; and two, more parents enrolling their children in full-day childcare over half-day kindergarten.

The expenditure statistics quoted by the member are nominal figures, so part of the increase is due to inflation during this period.

From 2018 to 2023, the total number of resident children enrolled in childcare centres and kindergartens increased from 157,900 to 167,700. The number of children enrolled in childcare centres typically offering full-day programmes increased from 110,200 to 145,400, whereas the number of children enroled in kindergartens typically offering half-day programmes decreased from 47,700 to 22,300. Since full-day childcare generally costs more than half-day kindergarten, this would likely have contributed to higher overall expenditure on pre-primary education.

The Government has made it a priority to enhance the affordability of childcare services through various ways. All Singapore Citizen children can receive up to $300 basic subsidy regardless of their families’ income level. Families who qualify for additional subsidy receive additional subsidies of $80 to $467 depending on their income tier.

In 2020, we raised the household income ceiling for additional subsidy from $7,500 to $12,000, and increased the quantum across all eligible income tiers so that more families could benefit from subsidies.

We also impose fee caps on Anchor Operators (AOP) and Partner Operators (POP), and we have progressively reduced fee caps over the years. Fees for full-day childcare for AOP centres have fallen from $720 in 2022 to $640 in 2025. Fees for POP centres have fallen from $760 in 2022 to $680 in 2025. We will make a further reduction to AOP and POP preschool fee caps next year.

As a result of the fee caps, the industry median childcare fee before the Goods and Services Tax (GST) has come down from $800 in 2018 to $720 in 2023. With fee cap reductions and the aforementioned subsidy enhancements, a median-income household with a child attending full-day childcare in an AOP centre spent 3.1% of their household income on preschool in 2023 compared to 4.9% in 2018.