Student Life and Exchange

Know more our ECE programmes

Higher Diploma in Early Childhood Education (A2H049)
Bachelor of Education (Honours) (Early Childhood Education) Part-time (C3B001)
Bachelor of Education (Honours)(Early Childhood Education) in Leadership and Non-Chinese Speaking Children Part-time (C4B006)
Bachelor of Education (Honours)(Early Childhood Education) in Leadership and Special Needs Part-time (C4B007)

Highlights of student learning activities

We provide experiential learning opportunities for our students, enabling them to build professional skills, applying what they have learned in classrooms to real-world settings.

Our students are keen to share their learning outcomes with the public. They have been writing about their experiential learning activities, including international exchanges, study tours, and self-initiated learning projects in newspapers.

Inspirational Practices Cases Sharing

Promoting Students’ Global Perspectives through GELA and GLEF: Deep Exploration of Singapore ECE and Culture Study Tour

To promote global exposure and professional dialogue, the Department of Early Childhood Education at The Education University of Hong Kong organised the Singapore ECE and Culture Study Tour from 7 to 11 July 2025. Led by Dr. Carman Ho and Mr. Edward Lai, 15 students from different programmes, including Higher Diploma in Early Childhood Education, BA (Honours) in Early Childhood and Family Studies, part-time BEd (Hons) in Early Childhood Education, and the part-time BEd (Honours) in Early Childhood Education (Leadership and Non-Chinese Speaking Children). This cross-programme, cross-level cohort brought diverse perspectives and energy to the learning experience and offered a valuable opportunity for participants to understand Singapore’s early childhood education system from multiple angles.

Participants visited the Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS) and the National Institute of Early Childhood Development (NIEC) to explore ECE policies, teacher training models, and cross-cultural approaches. They also observed practices in six ECE centres across three sectors:

MOE Kindergartens (@Yishun, @Sembawang)

Anchor Operators (M.Y World @ Dawson, PCF Sparkletots @ Kaki Bukit)

Private Operators (St. Joseph’s Institution International Preschool, Kiddiewinkie @ Newton)

Through observations and discussions with school leaders, participants gained insights into Singapore’s high-quality, play-based, and culturally inclusive ECE practices, especially regarding transition strategies to primary education.

Funding was supported by two schemes: the Global Experiential Learning Award (GELA), established in 2025 to support part-time BEd (Hons) in Early Childhood Education students in overseas learning; and the Global Learning Enhancement Fund (GLEF), launched in 2018 to promote internationalisation for full-time undergraduate students.

Below is a reflective excerpt from one of the part-time students:

“This study tour in Singapore was an enriching experience. What impressed me most was gaining a deeper understanding of the country’s education system, particularly its strong emphasis on the transition from kindergarten to primary school, the creation of genuinely child-centred learning environments, and the respect and inclusion of diverse cultures. During the kindergarten visits, I saw many learning corners co-constructed with children, and teaching activities that integrated multicultural elements. These experiences helped me understand how curriculum design and space planning can be used to respond to children’s interests and backgrounds, and how to truly implement child-centred teaching. As a teacher working in an international kindergarten in Hong Kong, the learning from this tour was highly relevant to my professional growth. Hong Kong is also a multicultural society, and this exchange allowed me to experience firsthand how Singapore balances cultural integration with local characteristics. It inspired me to use multicultural materials more flexibly in my teaching and to foster a classroom environment of mutual respect and understanding. The transition strategies I observed also prompted me to reflect on how to better prepare children systematically for the challenges of primary school in my everyday teaching practice.”

This study tour empowered students to engage in global learning and cross-cultural exchange. With support from GELA and GLEF, they broadened their perspectives and strengthened their professional development. The Department remains committed to offering such transformative learning opportunities.

The campus tour at SUSS gave students valuable insights into its early childhood teacher training approach and rich learning environment, offering inspiration for their future in education.

During the visit, the Campus Director of NIEC delivered an insightful presentation on the structure of early childhood education in Singapore, including the various types of ECE settings under different governance.

Students visited MY World Preschool, an anchor operator kindergarten, where they were introduced to inspiring early childhood environments.

During our visit to St. Joseph International Preschool (a private operator), we were impressed by how the school nurtures language development and creativity in a multicultural setting through story extension activities, phonics games, and hands-on projects.

The Head of MOE Kindergarten and Primary School at Yishun, Singapore, shared with our ECE students about the school’s distinctive programmes and transition curriculum.