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SINGAPORE: Beginning Monday (September 28), children under the age of six will not be legally required to wear masks, but some CNA preschoolers spoke to say that they will continue the existing policy of masks or face shields for children under six .
The Ministry of Health (MINSA) announced Wednesday that the legal age limit for children who need to wear masks will be raised to six years, up from two years today.
The World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations’ International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) had previously said that children under the age of six may not have the coordination necessary to wear masks correctly.
READ: COVID-19: The legal age limit for children to wear masks to go up to 6 years
Responding to inquiries from the CNA, NTUC First Campus, which runs My First Skool preschools, said that it will continue to follow Ministry of Health guidelines to “strongly encourage young children to wear a mask or face shield,” especially in group settings such as preschool.
“The children of MFS (My First Skool) have adapted well to the use of masks or face shields in recent months with the support of our teachers. MFS had developed resources to assist children as they went from home to preschool after the circuit breaker, ”said a spokesperson for My First Skool.
Adding that the centers will continue to engage parents to ensure that children wear masks or face shields in preschools, the spokesperson said My First Skool will also continue to educate staff and children on the proper use, removal and handling of the masks. and face shields.
An EtonHouse staff member takes a student’s temperature. (Photo: EtonHouse)
“There are times during the day when it may not be practical or necessary for children to wear masks or face shields. For example, no masks or face shields are needed during meals and nap time. As a precautionary measure during nap time, preschools place children further apart from each other when they sleep, ”the spokesperson said.
Etonhouse International Education Group, which manages EtonHouse Pre-school and main operator E-Bridge Pre-school, also intends to ensure that all children in its centers aged two years and over continue to wear masks or face shields, as detailed in a circular sent out by the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA), said executive director Mr. Ng Yixian.
“The health and safety of our community is the highest priority and we will continue to work closely with the relevant authorities and implement the required measures in all of our schools,” he added.
CNA has contacted ECDA for comment.
COMMENT: COVID-19 – The legal age limit for children to wear masks will be raised to 6 years
Mr. Ng and Global EduHub COO Mr. Peh Yi Han noted that with the use of masks and face shields, parents have observed that their children get sick less often. Global EduHub runs more than 20 preschools, including Mulberry Learning, Little Greenhouse, and Alphabet Playhouse.
Adding that children “have adapted very well” to wearing a mask, Mr. Ng said parents have supported the measures.
“However, with younger children, some parents are concerned about prolonged use of the masks, as it can be uncomfortable for children. Some have put off the preschool start date to a later date in the hope that their child will be older and more mature to deal with masks for longer periods of time, ”said Mr. Ng.
A boy with a mask going to school. (Photo: EtonHouse)
“Forging a close partnership between parents and teachers” has helped reinforce the habit of wearing masks or face shields in preschools and outdoors, said Mr. Peh of Global EduHub.
“We found that gentle encouragement from the child’s peers and teachers has worked well, and most of the children in our preschools have no problem wearing masks,” he added.
In addition to ensuring that children wear masks or face shields, My First Skool said the frequency of temperature checks for children, staff and parents has also increased. She is also cleaning her preschools more frequently.
The centers also use commercial ultraviolet sterilizers to thoroughly disinfect commonly shared items, such as toys and stationery, the spokesperson said.
READ: COVID-19: What the law says about having to wear a mask when you are away from home
At EtonHouse’s Islander preschool, its principal wrote a book detailing the importance of wearing masks when the school realized some parents were “struggling” to put masks on their youngest children, Ng said.
He added that children have been taught to put on masks, to disinfect their hands before and after putting on the masks, and to store them properly.
“Most of the children have adapted exceptionally well to practices at school even with the youngest children,” he said.
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