SINGAPORE – For years, parents have trusted them with their toddlers. Now, more and more of Singapore’s biggest early childhood brands are growing up alongside their little alumni, expanding into after-school care for primary school pupils.
Student care centres offer safe, supervised environments and meals for children outside school hours while their parents work.
As at June, 330 centres were registered with the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF). Of these, 55 per cent operate inside primary schools, serving only their own pupils, while 45 per cent are based in the community, welcoming children aged seven to 14 from the wider neighbourhood.
However, the actual market size is larger. Registration with MSF is mandatory only for community-based centres that offer the Government’s Student Care Fee Assistance scheme for lower-income families.
As the ministry does not track unregistered private providers, official figures exclude a new wave of after-school centres recently rolled out by pre-school giants, including household names behind Julia Gabriel Preschool and EtonHouse Pre-School.
MindChamps Group, which established MindChamps PreSchool in 2008, was a pioneer in this space. The group launched its MindSpace after-school centres in January 2022 and is set to open its 27th branch in September.
Other major operators have since jumped into the fray. NTUC First Campus, a stalwart of the local early childhood scene since 1977, launched Changemakers Afterschool in Marine Parade in January 2025.
“After-school care is a natural extension,” says Eleanor Tan, chief growth officer at NTUC First Campus. “It allows us to support families beyond the pre-school years as children transition into primary school.”
Echoing this sentiment is MapleBear Singapore chief executive Patricia Koh, who introduced the MapleBear Junior Club after-school programme in January.
“Over the years, many parents have asked us the same question: ‘What comes next?’” she says. “They wanted their children to continue learning in an environment where they already felt safe, understood and inspired.”
However, these centres come with premium fees.
Among the facilities that The Straits Times visited, fees start at $900 a month. In comparison, the median monthly fee for student care centres registered with MSF is $290, with the majority charging between $220 and $450.
One major reason for the pricing is their specialised academic offerings, which save families the hassle of sending children to separate tuition centres.
Parent Beatrice Liu, 42, appreciates the holistic approach for her seven-year-old son, Liam Cheng, who joined Thrive After-school by Julia Gabriel in January. “The programme fees, while not low, provide good value,” says Liu, the co-founder of a modern TCM clinic.
“There is a different enrichment class every afternoon, yet the children stay in one consistent environment where they can build a social network.”
Here is a look at how four familiar brands are building on their pre-school expertise to suit primary school children.
Changemakers Afterschool by NTUC First Campus
Where: 22-08 Parkway Parade, 80 Marine Parade Road
Info: changemakers.edu.sg/afterschool
Pupils making a foosball table as part of the Young Innovators curriculum at Changemakers Afterschool.
ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM
Primary 3 pupil Jared Chen queues for his turn at the Gotcha-pon machine, a cardboard prototype his class made during a previous lesson. Inspired by Japanese gashapon vending machines, it dispenses a capsule containing a handwritten note: “Smile, and the world will smile back.”
Jared grins, running off to join his friends who are busy assembling a cardboard foosball table. This hands-on session is part of the Young Innovators curriculum at Changemakers Afterschool.
Located on the top storey of Parkway Parade, the centre offers panoramic views of the sea and the city skyline stretching as far as Marina Bay Sands. The facility opened in January 2025 and currently cares for children mostly in Primary 1 to 3.
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