Bold opening: The real barrier to preschool success isn’t simply motivation—it’s an intricate web of pain, logistics, and limited resources that keeps many low-income families from getting their kids to class on time. But here’s where it gets controversial: even generous incentives aren’t the standalone fix that some expect. The core challenge runs deeper than dollars alone.
SINGAPORE: Madam Sri looked at a clock set roughly 15 minutes fast, rushing through her morning routine with her children in tow. It was a school holiday, so her older primary-school-aged kids were with her as she ran errands. Despite the hectic pace, she described the day as “good” because her preschoolers managed to arrive on time. On many days, simply leaving their rented Housing and Development Board flat feels like a major ordeal.
The 38-year-old mother, who is unemployed, copes with a herniated disc and bone spurs. The pain can be so intense that walking the 10 minutes to school becomes impossible. “Every day I wake up in pain,” she told CNA. “Every day I wonder — can I really send them to school today?” At times, the painkillers leave her drowsy, causing her to oversleep, a reality she disclosed only by her first name.
Consequently, the children miss school. When one child falls ill, a common occurrence, the entire daily routine unravels. In June and July, Sri’s two preschoolers were absent for nearly half the month due to sickness. Their attendance for the second quarter dropped below the 75 percent threshold required to receive financial incentives under ComLink+. This national scheme, introduced in 2024 by the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF), offers a one-off CDA top-up of S$500 when a child starts preschool in the year they turn three, plus S$200 for every quarter of regular preschool attendance. Funds can be used for education, medical costs, and essentials like supplements.
By the end of 2024, corporate partners supported more than 500 ComLink+ programs and activities, contributing S$37 million (US$28.7 million) in donations and in-kind support such as groceries, family outings, and digital literacy initiatives. MSF data show 10,219 families were in the ComLink+ scheme as of the end of 2024, with dedicated family coaches helping tailor action plans and encourage progress.
The MSF report highlights that the number of ComLink+ families with preschool-enrolled, vaccinated, and regularly attending children rose from 405 in 2023 to 712 in 2024 — a gain attributed in part to broader data collection that included more preschools.
However, the report also reveals that 46 percent of ComLink+ families (1,593 households) had children who were enrolled and vaccinated but not consistently attending, while 1,158 families had preschool-aged children who were neither enrolled nor vaccinated in 2024. These figures underscore that attendance remains a persistent hurdle for low-income families.
Social workers interviewed by CNA described the barriers as layered and highly individual. Common factors include long travel distances to schools, irregular work hours, and limited caregiving support — problems that frequently intersect.
Are Financial Incentives Enough?
Low preschool attendance is a long-standing issue for families with limited means, many of whom live in rental flats. While some families expressed a desire to grow their CDA savings and rely on the quarterly S$200 incentive, social workers argue that non-financial support is also essential.
The financial incentives aim to encourage families to prioritize preschool, improving readiness and long-term educational outcomes. Yet experts like Joyce Ang of Touch Integrated Family Group caution that money acts as a nudge for stable families but doesn’t tackle structural challenges or caregiver bandwidth.
Beyond Social Services echoed this view, noting that incentives work best when paired with community-based support—trusted neighborhood networks that help families handle daily disruptions.
Lim Sheau Huey, a senior social worker at Fei Yue Family Service Centre, proposes a scaffolding model over an all-or-nothing approach, suggesting we start with what families can manage and reward incremental improvements.
Proximity to Preschool Matters
For many low-income families, getting a child to preschool involves juggling irregular work hours, caring for multiple children with different needs, health issues, and financial strain. Distance to school is a major determinant of regular attendance, because longer commutes amplify every obstacle.
“Distance isn’t just an inconvenience; it can be the trigger that makes consistent attendance unsustainable,” Ang noted. A case in point: Maznah, whose child attends an EIPIC center a 15-minute bus ride away while another preschool is within a five-minute walk. Proximity helps ensure regular attendance and easier adherence to monthly targets.
Transportation costs can be a hidden barrier, especially for families living paycheck to paycheck. For some, even small travel expenses can derail attendance plans. Fei Yue also observed that when families must travel to multiple locations (e.g., different centers for various programs), the extra logistics become burdensome.
A common perception among some parents is that preschool equates to play, not academics, which can dampen motivation to endure transport and time demands. Yet many families recognize preschool’s value, aiming to give their children a stronger start despite obstacles.
In response to proximity challenges, MSF notes ECDA planning for preschool placement to meet demand, prioritizing children from lower-income families for admission in anchor-operated preschools. A pilot program in these settings seeks to bolster attendance and early learning for disadvantaged children.
A Shared Desire to Improve Attendance
Despite daily hurdles, many parents appreciate the importance of preschool and strive to make it work. Younger parents, in particular, tend to value early education as a pathway to breaking cycles of hardship.
Participants like Lina (a pseudonym) find joy in their children’s school days, noting improved mood, social development, and meaningful daily engagement. Social workers describe practical steps that help families who don’t face major barriers, such as structured routines and clear division of labor between parents for drop-offs and pick-ups.
Support Now Available
MSF has expanded ComLink+ to include more family coaches and broader assistance. The ministry aims to support around 10,000 families in public rental housing ready to collaborate with them, plus another 3,000 families eligible for KidSTART or at risk of absenteeism but not living in public rental housing.
Practitioner insights suggest the most effective approach is targeted, personalized support rather than mass programs. Understanding each family’s unique situation helps address concrete barriers to preschool access, including employment, finances, savings, and health, so families have the resources and cognitive capacity to focus on long-term needs for their children.
Beyond Social Services’ Project Care and other initiatives seek to strengthen community resources and engagement with children’s development both at school and at home. These programs promote early learning habits for toddlers and young children, aiming to cultivate consistent attendance and foundational skills before primary schooling.
Even with progress, the consensus among parents and social workers is clear: more relief is needed to ease transportation logistics and emotional burdens. Transport subsidies or vouchers could meaningfully improve access to farther preschools, and peer support networks—neighbors helping neighbors—could lighten daily strains.
A call for more flexible collaboration remains essential. Greater understanding and smoother processes from all parties would make it easier for families to access support and keep children consistently in preschool.
Sources: CNA and MSF reports on ComLink+ and related programs."
