Press Releases
New ECDA Awards to Honour Promising Early Childhood Professionals and Innovation Mentor Centres
02 Oct 2017
1. For the first time, promising early childhood professionals will be recognised at the 5th ECDA Awards for Excellence in Early Childhood Development (ECDA Awards). Complementing the existing ‘Outstanding Awards’ category for more experienced teachers, the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) has introduced a new ‘Promising Awards’ category to recognise and motivate early childhood professionals who show strong potential for professional excellence in the early stage of their careers. Promising early childhood leaders, teachers and educarers with at least three years of relevant trained experience can apply for the awards. (see Annex B for details on the three winners this year).
2. The ECDA Awards was first launched in 2013, with five individual and centre awards categories (see
Annex A). The Awards are given out annually to recognise early childhood professionals and centres that have excelled in teaching and learning, and in their innovative practices.
3. Other than the ‘Promising Awards’ category, ECDA has also introduced a new Honour Roll for Innovation Mentor Centres, in a move to promote and sustain an innovation culture in the sector. The four innovation mentor centres appointed to the inaugural Honour Roll are: Odyssey, The Global Preschool (Fourth Avenue); Ramakrishna Mission Sarada Kindergarten; St. James’ Church Kindergarten (Harding); and The Ascension Kindergarten. These centres have been exemplary in fostering an innovation culture and have clinched two or more prestigious innovation awards conferred by ECDA in the past years (see
Annex B). They will work closely with ECDA to mentor other pre-schools and grow the innovation culture in the sector.
4. A total of 24 early childhood professionals and centres will receive the ECDA Awards (see Annex B) at the ECDA Early Childhood Conference on 6 October 2017 at Suntec Singapore Convention & Exhibition Centre. In line with this year’s Conference theme, “Inspiring Leadership: Nurturing the Future”, these award winners exemplify the best in the early childhood sector, and inspire professional excellence in giving our children quality care and education.
Annex A
Supplementary Information
1. Who can apply for the ECDA Awards?
For individual awards, the nomination is open to all Singapore citizens or permanent residents who are in-service ECDA-certified educarers/teachers/centre leaders, who meet the specific training and experience stipulated in the ECDA Awards nomination forms for the respective Awards categories. Nominees for the ‘Promising’ award categories are required to have at least 3 years of trained experience. The ‘Outstanding’ awards categories are open to individuals who have at least 5 years of trained experience.
For centre awards, nominated centres must be ECDA-registered kindergartens or ECDA-licensed child care centres that fulfil the eligibility criteria in the respective nomination forms.
ECDA Awards nomination forms are available at http://bit.ly/ECDA_Awards.
2. What are the Award categories?
3. What will the ECDA Award winners receive?
Outstanding individual winners will each receive $2,000 for professional development, $500 cash, a trophy and a certificate; Promising Individualwinners will each receive $500 for professional development, $300 cash, a trophy and a certificate.
For Outstanding CentreAward, winning centre will receive $3,000 for professional development and $2,000 for teaching and learning resources, a trophy and a certificate.
For Early Childhood Innovation Awards:
- Distinction winners will each receive $2,000 for professional development, $1,000 for teaching and learning resources, a trophy and a certificate.
- Merit winners will each receive $1,000 for professional development, $500 for teaching and learning resources, a plaque and a certificate.
- Commendation winners will each receive $800 for professional development, a plaque and a certificate.
4. When will the ECDA Awards winners 2017 be appointed?
The Award ceremony will be held on 6 October 2017, Friday at Suntec Singapore Convention & Exhibition Centre (Hall 404) from 11.30am to 12.15pm.
For more information on the ECDA Awards, please visit http://bit.ly/ECDA_Awards.
LIST OF WINNERS OF ECDA AWARD 2017
*Centre-based Award Winners will be showcasing their winning projects at the ECDA Early Childhood Exhibition 2017 on 6 & 7 October 2017.