The Government will consider closing down childcare centres should the 24-hour forecasted Pollutants Standard Index (PSI) hit above 300, placing air quality at the hazardous level.
Laying out the measures to tackle the haze for the childcare sector, Acting Minister for Social and Family Development (MSF) Chan Chun Sing said today (June 25) that the decision on whether to close the centres will be made by the MSF and Ministry of Education.
Mr Chan also announced a new S$2.5 million fund that childcare centres and kindergartens can tap on to purchase portable air conditioners. This is to ensure that each childcare centre or kindergarten has a space where children with respitory problems can get respite when windows are shut.
Depending on the number of children each centre has, childcare centres will receive up to $4,000 while kindergartens will receieve up to $6,000. Applications will close in August.
Currently, 60 per cent of the 1,000 childcare centres are fully air conditioned while the others are partially air conditioned or not at all. Half of the 500 kindergartens are air conditioned.
Source: Todayonline