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Ballot after queueing 8 hours for childcare spot? No way

The New Paper
Monday, Jun 02, 2014

She started queuing at 10am yesterday.

Ms Stephy Lim, 26, who wanted to be sure that her 20-month-old daughter would get a place in a new childcare centre opening near her home in Punggol, was soon joined by others in the queue.

By about 6pm, there were almost 50 people in the queue for a place in the E-Bridge Pre-School, which is scheduled to open at Edgefield Plains in July.

So when a representative from EtonHouse International, which runs the E-Bridge Pre-Schools, suggested that they go home and return today for a ballot instead when registration opens at 9am, they were upset.

After being there for so many hours, none of them were keen to give up their spots in the queue and then take their chances in a ballot.

Ms Lim said: "He (the representative) suggested that we do a ballot but we don't agree with him."

Her friend, who was next in the queue and wanted to be known only as Mrs Liu, was also upset.

"I've been here since 10am because the pre-school said registration was on a first-come-first-served basis," said the 31-year-old salesgirl who has a two-year-old daughter.

"I never thought that I would have to queue almost 24 hours for a childcare place for my child."

The row occurred around 6pm when 40 people, who were mainly parents or grandparents, encircled the EtonHouse representative to protest against his balloting suggestion.

The representative explained that he was concerned about them having to wait overnight in the open shelter, especially with the rainy weather.

But faced with their objections, he demurred. The tension in the air was palpable as the crowd returned to their places in the queue.

Many had brought portable chairs, picnic mats, and food and drink. Some even had electric fans and a stack of newspapers to read.

By 7.30pm, there were more than 80 adults in the queue. With them were a number of children, some playing and others eating.

Not kiasu, no space

Asked why she had queued up so early, Ms Lim said: "It's not that I want to be kiasu, but there is no space anywhere in Punggol.

"If I really want a place for my daughter, I knew I must be number one."

The hairdresser and her husband, who is in the Singapore Armed Forces, took the day off work so they could take turns in the queue.

She said: "I heard that the response last week for the other two E-Bridge outlets (in Sengkang) was very good, so I came early." (See report on right.)

The E-Bridge website states the monthly fee for a place in childcare centres for Singaporeans is $720 before GST and subsidy.

Most parents The New Paper spoke to had tried at least six other centres before, to no avail.

A couple, who gave their names only as Justin and Joyce, said they had called some 40 centres over nine months.

They have a 19-month-old daughter and Ms Joyce is pregnant.

She said: "I will now also need a place in a centre for my infant. Will you plan to have a baby when you see the queue like this?"

Many parents said they were in the queue because they were desperate for a childcare centre close to home.

Mrs Liu said: "If my daughter goes to a childcare centre far away, can you imagine what time she will come home when we pick her up after work? That's about 7.30 to 8pm for a young child."

For Mr Zack Fu, getting a place in that centre means getting more time with his one-year-old daughter.

The 31-year-old accounts executive said: "If I don't get a place, I will remain a weekend parent.

"Now my parents care for my daughter, and my wife and I see her only on weekends because it's past midnight if we bring her home daily."

TNP spoke to at least five elderly people who were queueing for their grandchildren.

Mr Wang Zhan Wen, 63, who was there for his two grandchildren, said: "I think I will sleep on the floor and wait tonight."

But it looks like Mr Wang got to sleep on his bed last night after all.

Ms Lim called TNP after midnight to say that the people in the queue had been given queue numbers after having their particulars taken by EtonHouse representatives.

"The principal came after 9pm and announced at 11pm that we could give our details and come back in the morning," she said, adding that she was very happy.


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