Singapore will work towards significantly reducing preschool fees, with the Government targeting monthly full-day childcare fees of S$150 and infant care fees of S$300 at government-supported preschools.
Prime Minister Lawrence Wong announced the move during the National Day Rally 2026, saying the Government intends to make quality preschool education more affordable and accessible for families across Singapore.
The new fee targets will apply to Singaporean children regardless of their household income. Lower-income families will continue to receive additional subsidies, meaning they could ultimately pay even less than the new standardised fees.
Lower Preschool Fees Will Take Several Years
However, parents should not expect the lower fees to take effect immediately. Mr Wong said it will take a few years to bring fees down to the new targets.
A major expansion of the government-supported preschool network will be required before the lower fees can be made widely available. Currently, government-supported centres have sufficient places for around 80 per cent of preschool children.
The Government plans to support private preschool operators that are willing to join the network and meet its requirements. As the number of participating operators and places increases, preschool fees will then be progressively reduced.
The approach is intended to make affordable childcare more widely available rather than limiting lower fees to selected locations or families.
Government To Take On Larger Share Of Preschool Costs
At present, government subsidies have already reduced the cost of preschool for many families. However, some parents still pay close to S$600 a month for full-day childcare, while infant care can cost more than S$1,000 a month.
Under the new approach, the Government will absorb a substantially larger share of childcare and preschool costs. Mr Wong said the model would move government-supported preschools closer to the way Singapore supports primary education.
This represents a significant change in how the Government intends to fund early childhood education, with affordability becoming less dependent on a family’s household income.
For parents, the reduction could translate into substantial savings over the years, particularly for families with children attending full-day childcare or infant care.
Affordable Preschool For Every Family
Mr Wong said the long-term goal is for quality and affordable preschool education to be within the budget of every family and easily accessible in neighbourhoods throughout Singapore.
The Government’s expanded role in preschool funding is also part of a broader effort to give every child a strong start, regardless of their family circumstances.
The Prime Minister described the increased spending as an investment in Singapore’s children, emphasising that access to quality early childhood education should not depend on whether parents can afford high private preschool fees.
With preschool costs representing a significant expense for many working families, the planned reduction to S$150 for full-day childcare and S$300 for infant care could become one of the most significant changes to Singapore’s early childhood education system.
However, because the Government-supported preschool network must first be expanded substantially, parents will need to wait several years before the new fee targets become broadly available. The Government is expected to progressively implement the changes as more operators join the supported network.