Monday, March 24, 2014

Money To Be Made From Kids

My sister knew something was amiss when she picked up her young one from the daycare centre. Instead of the cheery face that used to greet her, the poor girl was looking downright miserable. And no wonder, she had soiled her pampers, and none of the caregivers were any wiser. The child could have been soiled for hours. Makes you wonder how childcare fees could be justified for being hiked again, this time by at least 10 percent, the highest over the last 8 years.

According to the Early Child Development Agency (ECDA), the median monthly fee was $830 last year, $80 more than in 2012. Childcare centers claim that teachers are more qualified, but are they good at their work? Maybe they should  spend the extra 10 to 20 percent for automatic poo detection equipment, instead of more money for salaries of heartless - and olfactory challenged - caregivers.

Then again, the government has been ramping up the building of more childcare centers. There were 1,083 centres last year, up from from 1,016 in 2012. More centres mean more money to be made from working mothers, mothers who had to join the workforce because a single income can no longer support a family in Singapore. Debunking Chan Chun Sing's "focus on lower-income and middle-income families", parents are crying foul, rightly pointing out that the increase in fees are eating into the "savings" from subsidies. It won't be long before the kids will be housed in tented facilities, since a "seasonal overflow" in demand will mean more collections from the working moms. Like the hospital crunch, there's no reduction in ward charges for being parked in corridor space.

Dr Amy Khor really insulted our intelligence when she attributed the current hospital bed shortage to “seasonal peak” demands, and then added injury to insult by saying “But we need to realise that this could happen again.” One doesn't have to look further for proof that money won't necessarily attract better talent, in teachers, caregivers or administrators. They pay ministers millions, and they still can't see beyond their noses. Singapore’s number of hospital beds per 1,000 people decreased from 2007 to 2012, dropping from 2.5 to 2.2. They probably didn't notice the stench from the liberal influx of foreigners.

12 comments:

  1. No worries. When their votes dropped below 50% and seats below three quarters, then they will wake up and work for you again.

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    Replies
    1. I believe they will only wake up and do honest work when they are housed in Changi hotel.

      Delete
  2. Sinkapore is the most expensive city to lives in, to raise a child, etc.......

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  3. Why do we have to suffer insults continuously from these highly paid public servants. In the bad old colonial days their letters always signed off as "your obedient servant". One formidable western intellectual once said that when he was young, money was not the medium, he was the medium through which money flowed. Looks like the public funds doled out just flows through to these childcare centres. You cannot stop the bleeding. Bleed you till you drop.

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  4. Isn't this how the system works here? They raise the fees first, then they give you subsidies - if you are lucky to get them. Those "olfactory challenged" caregivers should get tips from the Minister for Transport.

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    Replies
    1. Isn't Bala the man to deal with anything that smells?

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  5. Well said. The stench from these Ftrash is getting worse every year.

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    1. The root cause is PAP.
      The Ftrash is a symptom of the underlying cause that is PAP.
      Don't get distracted.
      Focus on voting out PAP.

      Convert one friend, relative or family member to vote Opposition.
      Fix the real cause of our problems.

      Delete
  6. Higher prices (aka inflation) is good for you: it means the house of cards (house prices funded by ill gotten laundered money) will not collapse :)

    here my story: neighbourhood childcare taking kiddies out for morning walk, singing Old Macdonald. Children followed malay teacher's lead, sang from cows, sheeps, dogs, cats etc. Finally teacher asked: what other animals have we in farm? A chubby girl shouted "pig". teacher angrily ignored her and pulled rushed the whole class back, cut short the walk! Higher childcare fees mean more qualified teachers? Maybe. Maybe not. Don't mean anything racist, just that my primary school muslim teacher 40 years ago never fretted when we got to that part of the song about pigs making oink oink sounds.

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    1. Oink, oink, here.
      Oink, oink, there,
      Hen says pigs already on the ground!

      Delete
  7. Honestly, the MPs and Ministers must think that the people are stupid (I guess we must be for keeping them in power). The statistics on population versus beds is enough to prove that we are grossly underspending on healthcare. Anyway anyone who wants to continue voting for them deserves to have their loved ones waiting hours for a hospitals bed or left along the corridors of the ward, while the Ministers continue to blow smoke

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  8. Even the best infant/childcare services is no substitute for parental love and care. Those not prepared to bringing up their own children, for at least the first 5 years, please refrain from becoming parents. It is most irresponsible not to care for ones' own creation.

    patriot

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