Real pain of applying for the Malaysia VEP (Finale)
Finally, after three months of pain, I have managed to get my VEP and activated it.
If you have happen to land on this page but have not started the VEP application at all, I would like to invite you to go to this page first.
On the other hand, if you have submitted the VEP application but yet to be verified by the Road Transport Department (JPJ) and TCSens, which is the appointed vendor issuing the VEP tags, please go to this page first.
I will share with you how I completed the final stage of the application. This blog will be most relevant to drivers who opted to have the VEP tags shipped to them.
From my previous blog post, I shared that the only thing I could do was to wait for TCSens to shipped my VEP tag to me. That was about a month ago from the date of this blog post. Considering the large volume of applications that they have received since the mandatory VEP announcement back in May 2024, I would not be surprised it would take a long time for them to process my tag.
From the payment successful email, it explained the tag will be shipped out in the following 10 days. However, this is not accurate at least during this peak period.
You will receive a payment notification email after making payment.
In my case, the whole process took close to five weeks. First, it took about three weeks for them to get the tag processed, whereby a tag serial number would be generated. You can check this by logging into the JPJ VEP registration website. Under the manage vehicle list, you will notice the Tag button is clickable.
The Tag button will become clickable when they have processed a tag for the vehicle.
Once you click on it, another window will pop up and it will indicate your tag serial number and its expiry date, which has a five year lifespan regardless of your vehicle’s COE expiration date.
A tag number will be displayed once they have processed a tag for you.
Therefore, in my case, my 2nd hand vehicle, which has three years left in the COE would not outlast my VEP. By then, I will need to register for a new VEP for the next car (if I still choose to drive).
Second, TCSens uses City-Link Express to deliver the VEP tags. You will receive an email from TCSens to inform you the tag has been shipped and a consignment number will also be indicated.
Use the consignment number to track the tag delivery.
From here, you can use City-Link Express tracking page to track your tag shipping. It would take another week and a half for them to pick up the tag from TCSens. Thereafter, it would take another week or two to have the tag delivered to your door. In my case, it would take another nine days for the tag to be delivered to me.
This tracking page shows you the duration it took for the courier to pick up and deliver the tag to me.
Do take care not to bend the package, as the RFID tag is fragile. Unlike drivers who have chosen to collect the tag at Danga Bay or the other two centres meant for those who have made an appointment, the tag comes in the form of a transparent sticker with a RFID across it.
Third, you have to go back to TCSens webpage to acknowledge you have receive the tag. Under vehicle list page, click on the acknowledgement button on the right.
Click on the Acknowledgement button on the right to begin the tag fitment verification process.
Depending on your screen, you may have to scroll to the extreme right to see the button. Proceed to enter the serial number found above the barcode on the VEP tag card and click the validate button. You should see a green bar indicating you have entered the correct tag serial number. Thereafter, click on the continue button to proceed to the next step.
The serial number is found above the barcode.
Enter the tag serial number found on top of the barcode of the VEP card and click validate.
Click continue after validation is successful.
Fourth, the following step will have a clip about VEP and the tag fitment procedures. To save you the trouble from watching the entire clip, I will share a three step process to affix the VEP tag and get it approved and activated as soon as possible.
Step one, this transparent tag type has to be affixed onto the left side or the passenger side headlamp.
This is how the transparent RFID tag looks like.
While there are anecdotes of drivers using other methods to fit the tag on other than the headlamp, I will only share the recommended way in my blog. Before affixing the tag, use a wet tissue or damp cloth to wipe clean the surface of the headlamp. Wait for around two to three minutes for it to dry.
Step two, always make sure to affix the tag on the flat surface of the headlamp, while keeping it a distance of at least 5 cm away from any metal surface around the lamp. Thereafter, carefully peel off the RFID from the clear plastic and affixed it onto the lamp. Apply a bit of pressure on the surface of the RFID to make sure it is properly affixed onto the lamp.
This is where I have affixed the RFID tag onto my vehicle left/passenger headlamp. Make sure it is on the flat surface of the lamp and 5 cm away from any metal surface of the car and lamp.
Step three, take a photo that must show both the left headlamp and your car plate number.
Ensure the car plate number and the left/passenger side headlamp are visible in the photo. Do not redact the car plate number like what I have done here. Doing so will not get your fitment verification approved.
Once done, upload the photo under step three of the VEP tag acknowledgement page and click submit. While you would think the RFID may not be visible from the photo cause it is transparent and small, I guess TCSens staff will zoom in on the photo to make sure it has been affixed properly.
This would be the last step in the VEP fitment verification. Click submit after uploading.
You are finally done! Now, you just have to wait for TCSens staff to validate the fitment. At this stage, the status in the vehicle list would show Tag issued but not activated. From what I have read, it would take up to 24 hours for it to be activated. In my case, it took only about an hour or so. The status will change to Tag issued and activated. You will also receive an email from TCSens to inform you that it has been activated.
You will receive tag activation success email if the photo taken and RFID fitment were done correctly.
You can also find the notification in your Touch’N’Go app, under your Inbox > Activities.
The same notification can also be found in your Touch’N’Go app under Inbox > Activities.
From now, you do not need to use a physical Touch’N’Go card to pay for the road charge of RM20 at the Malaysian customs. Similar to our ERP, you can also use the RFID lane at the toll booth along the expressways in Malaysia. Most importantly, we now have to make sure we always got enough Ringgits in our Touch’N’Go e-wallet, as the monies will be deducted from there. However, I would recommend to keep a physical card with you in case there are unforeseen issues with the RFID.
Phew… it felt like a marathon to get the VEP approved and affixing it onto the car. I hope you found my blog posts regarding the VEP application process informative and useful. Hopefully, your VEP journey will not be as painful as mine and it would be sorted out soon.
Real pain of applying for the Malaysia VEP Part 2 (updated)
TCSens is appointed by Malaysia's Road Transport Department to handle verification and issuance of VEP tags. (Screenshot from Google Maps)
If you are reading this blog, congratulations on making to this stage of getting your VEP tag.
In my previous blog, I shared the steps to register a VEP account and entering the correct registration details. If you have not done so, I invite you to view this blog post first.
You would have received a confirmation email which asks you to go to this website https://vepams.jpj.gov.my/ to verify the details that were submitted on the VEP website. From here, I will share the process to complete the VEP registration on the vendor’s portal.
An acknowledgement email will be sent that will ask you to continue the application on the vendor's website.
After you are on the vendor’s portal, use the same login details from the VEP website to access the vendor’s portal.
This is how the login page to access the final stage of VEP tag application
You can view the list of registered vehicle in your account. You might need to scroll to the right side and so that you can see the Action column.
Firstly, you will be brought to Vehicle list page with your vehicle entry listed. Click on the button under Action, which is located on the right side of the screen. You may need to scroll to the right side to see it.
Thereafter, you will need to review the same entries which you have verified earlier on the VEP website again. Do take note to make sure all the supporting documents have been attached inside this application. These are the NRIC front and back, the LTA log card and the vehicle insurance. Once you are satisfied with it, you will need to acknowledge you agree to the terms and conditions (T&Cs) on the use of VEP tag and linking your existing Touch’N’Go e-wallet to the VEP system, which is one juncture that in my opinion could be a pain point for some drivers.
Secondly, the VEP system is supposed to not only keep track of your car’s entry and exit through Malaysia’s customs, it is also being use to deduct the Road Charge of RM 20 (SGD 6.10), when you enter Malaysia’s borders. Currently, we are using the physical Touch’N’Go card to pay for it. So when the VEP is officially enforced from 1st October 2024, we will not need to use the physical card and instead, it will deduct that charge from your Touch’N’Go e-wallet via the VEP tag. I would assume majority of drivers already got a Touch’N’Go app with an e-wallet activated since you would need it to topup the new Touch’N’Go cards that are NFC enabled. If you have not done so, setting one up is much easier than registering for the VEP tag. Go to App Store or Google Play store to download the Touch’N’Go app and follow the instructions in the app.
I would like to explain why it could be a pain point for some of us. The Touch’N’Go is ultimately a Malaysia payment system so for Singaporeans, we do not have a Malaysian IC to register and instead, we can only use our passport number or Singapore mobile number. On the other hand, we would have use our NRIC to register for the VEP. Hence, there will be a mismatch of data between the VEP system and Touch’N’Go. You would know you got this issue when during the verification process at the last step on the vendor’s portal, it tells you the application cannot be completed until you resolve the mismatch in data from your Touch’N’Go account. You may ask how would they know you got a Touch’N’Go? I suspect it could be from your full name and mobile number. Then you may ask, how am I going to resolve this? Not to worry, I will share how it can be done.
Recently, Touch’N’Go has made it easier to change our particulars in the app. Here is how it can be done.
The first step is to go to Touch’N’Go app and scroll down to the section where My Favourites section.
Scroll down to My Favourites and tap on More.
Second step, type VEP into the search field at the top.
Search for VEP in the search field.
You should be able to see VEP JPJ after you press enter.
You should see VEP JPJ after searching.
And for the last step, key in your NIRC number, tick to consent to sharing your personal data with Touch”N’Go and Road Transport Department of Malaysia, and tap the Submit button on the bottom of the screen. This process is much easier compared to the previous method of chatting with an agent and resolving the issue in the Touch’N’Go support page.
Update using your NRIC, which should be the same as the one you used to register for the VEP.
Once the Touch’N’Go issue have been sorted, the vendor’s system will process your application and it will be under pending verification stage. If you make sure the registration details are in good order, your application should proceed to the payment stage within a week or so. In my case, my application was delayed for more than a month, as I got my effective registration date wrong. Hence, please make sure everything is correct from the first instance. You may refer to Part one of this series, where I explain how to make sure the information on your LTA log card are entered correctly on the VEP website.
Thirdly, you will receive an email to inform your application has been verified. In my case, I finally got my amendment acknowledgement after a month or so.
An information pop-out informing drivers are required to pay an additional SGD39 to pick up the parcel.
Fourthly, go back to the vendor’s portal to choose the mode of getting the VEP tag, which will determine how much to pay.
There are three options available for the VEP tag to reach you..
There are three options, in person at either of the two VEP office in Danga Bay in JB and Woodlands in Singapore (SG), and postage. Collecting in JB costs RM39.50 (VEP fee RM10 and Service fee RM29.50). For collection at Singapore office, you will need to pay an additional SGD39 on top of cost if you collect in JB. For postage, its RM39.50 plus RM14.42 postage. In total, choosing postage option will cost RM56.28 (inclusive of 6% SST).
The only option available to me at the time of writing this blog.
I have chosen the last option because I have tried both JB and SG collection options but the appointments were all taken up.
An acknowledge email with the payment confirmation will be sent to you as well.
After a week, the status of my VEP tag delivery is still Pending for Tag Processing.
According to the acknowledgement email, it supposed to send out the VEP tag within 10 days, which I have assumed it is referring to a working day. It has since been six working days and the status of my VEP tag is Pending for Tag Processing (sigh..).
It takes within the next 10 days after successful payment to have the VEP tag to be delivered to me.
Well, there is nothing much I could do at this moment. The only thing I could do is to wait or send an email to their help desk to bring to their attention of my yet to be delivered tag.
The real pain has not ended for me and I shall update with a part three of my VEP application experience.
Real pain of applying for the Malaysia VEP Part 1
Come 1st October 2024, Malaysia will implement the Vehicle Entry Permit (VEP) system to all foreign registered vehicles entering their checkpoints. It is not something new as the Road Transport Authority in Malaysia had wanted to roll this out back in October 2019. For some reason besides Covid, it was not implemented then.
Screenshot from ChannelNewsAsia.com
In May 2024, the Transport Minister of Malaysia announced the country will strictly enforce the VEP system to all foreign registered vehicles from 1st October 2024. It sets off a mad rush among Johor Bahru (JB) cheap petrol and shopping Singaporean die-hards to register their vehicles before the deadline. The process is very straightforward as it can be done online but it becomes a pain when you either driving a second hand car or made a mistake in the application. Since August 2024, the VEP vendor tasked by the Road Transport Authority to issue and install the VEP tags, has opened an office in Singapore to attend to driver’s enquiries on an appointment basis. Previously, there was only one office located in JB so it was not convenient for many Singaporean drivers. The problem is it is hard to get one appointment at the Singapore office as they are always fully booked. (According to the manager of the VEP office in Singapore, new batch of appointments for the subsequent week is released every Sunday night after 11.59pm).
Screenshot from ChannelNewsAsia.com
In order not to delay your registration, I will provide a step-by-step guide to apply for the VEP and safe you the hassle of going to the JB or Singapore VEP office.
Step one, if you have not already done so, you will need to register for a VEP account and this can be done here: https://vep.jpj.gov.my/
Homepage of VEP registration
Click on Register a new vehicle to begin registration
Step two, log into the VEP website and you will see the page shown above. Click on Register a new vehicle button and you will see there are four steps in this portion of the registration. The first step is straightforward. In the next step, you can choose one of the three options under registrant type. I would assume it would be the first option for the majority of drivers.
Step 1: Vehicle Information
Step 2: Registration Type
For step three, I have divided into two parts. Part one, drivers have to fill in their Vehicle owner details follow by Vehicle details. I recommend putting in the full name as shown in your NRIC, including your hanyu pinyin name or alias (if available). Do note there are two separate tabs in this step so you can only proceed to the last step after completing both tabs. I would also recommend to save your application whenever possible in case you met with a technical difficulty and have to start over again. Here is the difficult part especially if you are driving a second hand car, whom the previous owner could have register it previously. You will not be able to proceed when they checked that you have entered a vehicle registration number that has been registered. Under the VEP system, only one VEP can be tagged to one vehicle registration number. Hence, the new owner of the second hand car would not be able to register unless the previous registration is voided. We obviously do not know who the previous owner was. But not to worry, here is how you can void it. If you do not face this problem, you can move on to step three part two.
Step 3: Registration details
Firstly, you will need to prepare three separate documents (scanned or e-copy). The three documents are, your NRIC (front and back) registered to your car, Land Transport Authority (LTA) log card and the LTA notification on Transfer of Ownership. Both LTA documents can be retrieved from OneMotoring website. Some of you might not have the transfer document especially before LTA switched to full e-letters system. I would advise you to contact LTA to enquire how to retrieve it. Lastly, attached all three documents in PDF format separately to an email and send it to aduanvep@jpj.gov.my Do expect to wait at least two weeks or so for them to get back to you. If you do not receive a reply, I would recommend to send them a chaser email.
LTA Vehicle Log Card can be found in View vehicle details. Print/Save as PDF.
Step three part two, attach the LTA log card retrieved from OneMotoring. The log card is found on the dashboard > view vehicle details. By right the system should auto tabulate the information into the form but it didn’t work for me so I had to enter them manually. For second hand car owners, please be careful of the date you entered for Registration date and Ownership date. If you hover your cursor over the info button beside it, it would pop out a tooltip. Registration date refers to Original Registration Date and Ownership date refers to First Registration Date. On the LTA log card, there are three dates - Effective Date of Ownership, Original Registration Date and Registration Date. This is quite confusing in my opinion but here is the solution, Registration Date in the VEP form refers to the Original Registration Date on your LTA log card, and the Ownership Date should be the Effective Date of Ownership on your LTA log card. Before you click continue, remember to also upload a copy of your vehicle insurance.
Take note of the date to enter into the two date fields
LTA Log Card has three dates, which could be confused with the dates required on the VEP registration form
Finally you have reached the last step. In this step, you will need to review the information you have provided one more time. Click complete and you will receive an email to ask you to continue the application at the TCSENS Portal, which is the vendor who will process and issue the VEP tag.
A confirmation email will be sent to your email to ask you to continue the registration with the vendor online
Phew, it feels quite tiring to complete this part of the application. I shall let you take a break (I also need to take one) and see you in part 2 of this blog.
Long weekend stay at PARKROYAL Penang Resort
It was the National Day long weekend and we decided to spend it overseas.
PARKROYAL Penang Resort offers stunning views of the Straits of Malacca.
We have decided to spend it at Parkroyal Penang Resort, as we have heard from our friends that it is a nice place to stay with direct access to the beach. The hotel is under the Pan Pacific Group, which is part of the Global Hotel Alliance (GHA) Discovery. Parkroyal Hotels, Parkroyal Collection and Pan Pacific Hotels are included in GHA Discovery programme. I am a member and I am entitled to member rates of up to 10% off room rates, and 25% off selected dining options in the hotel, late check-out, complimentary daily breakfast, earn 7% more in Discovery$ (D$) that we can use to offset on our next hotel stay.
Parkroyal Penang Resort is located at the Northern part of Penang Island in the town of Batu Ferringhi. Traveling from the airport to the hotel took us about 1 hr 20mins as it is further away than Georgetown. We took Grab and the journey cost RM86 for a distance of about 38km, which was about S$26.
At check-in, we were ushered to the Javana Lounge. It is a relaxing and breezy lobby lounge with high ceilings. We were served with non-alcoholic welcome drinks and local snacks. Check in staff began explained to us details of our stay at the resort. With our GHA Discovery status, we were able to enjoy 25% off dining and St. Gregory spa but in-room dining is not included.
Javana Lounge, PARKROYAL Penang Resort
They have two pools - a 1.5m deep pool and a wading pool, and another pool behind the first pool that has two water slides. Interestingly, water in the pools is heated to room temperature, which is not very common but highly appreciated as we would need to worry about our little one feeling cold in the water. They also have Amazonia Splash, which is a mini waterpark with streams and buckets of water to splash on your face or body. The park is located behind the water slides and the entrance is located in between the rear of the Gustoso and the blue water slide (shown in the photo below).
One of the two swimming pools in the resort. This one has two water slides for both adults and kids.
They have two restaurants - Gustoso and Cinnamon Asian kitchen, which is the restaurant to go for our complimentary breakfast. There are two bars with one that is situated inside the Javana Lounge called the Passion garden and an outdoor beach bar called the Sunset bar. Facilities wise, they have the usuals like the gym and a business centre.
Daily breakfast is served at the Cinnamon Asian Kitchen. (Photo from TripAdvisor).
One thing that makes Parkroyal Penang Resort special is it is very family friendly. It has an in-house kids playzone called the Amazonia Kids’ Club. It also has curated activities throughout the week - each day will have a different activity such as, drawing and origami workshops. Majority of the activities are complimentary. There have indoor and outdoor playgrounds, and playstations and Nintendo switch. There are dedicated staff manning the club, who doubles up as instructors for the various workshops. So parents can drop off their children at the club and do their own thing. We brought our little one there and even though he was too young to play most of the activities, he still had fun moving blocks with another older kid and trying to run/crawl after another kid in the indoor playground - all while being accompanied by us.
Entrance to Amazonia Kids Club (photo from booking.com).
For the room, I booked the Deluxe room with a King bed option. It is 33sqm which was enough space for the three of us and a baby cot. You can also request for baby bathtub and a steam bottle steriliser. There is a mini fridge in the room and an ice and cold water dispenser machine located near the lift lobby area on the same level. The room also has a balcony, which offers breathtaking views of the beach and the Straits of Malacca. We were able to see a beautiful sunset with shades of purple and pink.
Deluxe room with King bed, actually its two extra big twin beds combined into one.
A decent size bathroom with a separate shower and toilet sections.
The deluxe room has a balcony facing the sea.
There are many food options nearby the hotel and one of it is the Long Beach cafe, a foodcourt with stalls selling Chinese, Western, Muslim and Indian cuisines. It can be spotted by the big neon sign called Ferringhi Station. There is also an apom stall, called the Apom Balik Station that situated just a short walk from the entrance of the hotel. Apom is a crispy pancake with fillings inside. It offers over 32 varieties of flavour and their popular flavours are with the Nutella options. Both places are open in the evenings.
Apom Balik Station located just a few steps outside the hotel. (Photo from Foodcrush.com.my)
Ferringhi Station, a hawker centre located off the Main Street of Batu Ferringhi.
We also travelled out of Batu Ferringhi to Georgetown, where we visited this lunch place called Makan Pagi. They serve a muslim and chinese halal options. We ordered the chicken satay, toast topped with half-boiled egg, char kway teow and wanton mee. We particular like the satay and the toast. It is also located in the same area as the famous chendol stall in Penang. Our little one likes dogs and we managed to find a dog cafe called Hunt & Hound. Besides it is a dog cafe, it also has a collection of reptiles that are kept inside secured cages, thankfully.
Makan Pagi is quite a popular eating place in Georgetown, Penang.
The menu taken in Aug-2024.
Roti Bakar Telur Goyang - the best dish we tried (red plate).
A dog cafe located in Georgetown.
Overall, my family enjoyed our stay at the resort and it is one of most relaxing experience for us, as we spent a lot of time in the resort. I would recommend to families and couples who are looking for a relaxing time to come stay at PARKROYAL Penang Resort.
Searching for a preschool
Little boy in the family has just turned nine months and in another nine months time, he will be eligible to join a playgroup at a preschool.
Searching for a preschool is no easy task. Shortlisting preschools that is nearest to your home, the curriculum the school offers, the teachers’ profile, the teacher to preschooler ratio, the environment and not forgetting the cost and financial schemes available.
First, if you are like me who have no idea which preschool to send my little boy to, you would need some help to find the nearest ones from your home. Luckily, there is now a centralised portal that parents can use to search for a preschool. It is called the LifeSG app.
Besides using it to search for a preschool, it is also use to register a newborn. For Singaporean men who are a reservist or still serving NS, it is also where we can find the NS HOME and NS Excellence Award credits - these are monies awarded for meeting the performance during in-camp training (ICT) - additional perks for us to spend money.
Screenshot of Your benefit section in the LifeSG app.
Going back to the topic, just above the Services section, you can see ‘Search for a preschool’. Once you have tapped on it, the app will bring you to the page below,
Preschool search is found just above the Services section in the LifeSG app.
There are two options to search - by location or centre name. This is also where you need to select the preschool level. In this case, I will need to select playgroup.
Screenshot from the LifeSG app.
It gives you the option to search either by postal code or by centre name. Let’s assume we search by postal code. Since I am looking for playgroup, I chose that to narrow my search for preschools that have vacancies for this level. The screenshot below shows you a list of preschools that are within 2 km from my chosen postal code - it’s much like searching for a primary school.
A list of preschools will be shown.
Screenshot from the LifeSG app.
You will probably be like me and feel a little overwhelmed with so many choices of preschool (in my case there are 55 preschools!). But don’t panic, if your priority is to find a preschool that is near your home, then I would suggest using the map tab to narrow down your search. Alternatively, go to the filters tab and adjust the search radius. There are also other filter options available such as, vacancy availability, fee range and service type (half-day or full-day).
Using the filter option helps you to narrow down your search further. (Screenshot from JB)
Let say you have shortlisted a few preschools (bookmarking them helps), and one of it is the Little Footprints Preschool Group located at 255 Serangoon Central Drive, tap on View details and it will bring you to another page with the preschool’s contact information. Here is something I find it is a little inconvenient, it does not give you the option to submit an application or at least submit an interest to the preschool. Instead, it will request you to contact the centre directly and check the availability. It is worthwhile to note here is, the search function did not offer the option to select the month and year you would like to enroll your child to a preschool. Even though it says it has availability for playgroups, it does not mean it is available in your preferred month of enrollment. Hence, you will have to email the preschool individually or go to their respective websites to check further.
Contact the preschool to enquire about availability for the month you would like to enrol your child.
Screenshot from the LifeSG app.
Second, after you have chosen a preschool, you can find out the estimated cost under the Fees section. At first, it will tell you the range of fees the preschool charges per month before GST and any financial schemes.
Select the answers to the three fields and it will estimate the actual cost of childcare.
Screenshot from LifeSG app.
After I selected the responses for the three fields, it will tell you the cost per month before GST and any financial schemes. In my case, sending my little boy to the Little Footprints would cost an estimated $720 per month for a full-day care option. Depending on which preschools you have chosen, the estimated cost could be different.
Third, you will need to check if you can qualify for any financial schemes, which could help lower down the cost of preschool. Tap on the Learn more about your eligible subsidy. In general, there are two types of subsidy - Basic and Additional. The quantum of subsidy depends on mummy’s working status and gross monthly household income.
Assuming mummy is working and works at least 56 hours a month, her child is enrolled in an ECDA (Early Childhood Development Agency)-licensed infant/child care centre in Singapore, and the total monthly household income is $12,000 and below, she will qualify for both basic and additional subsidies. The basic subsidy will be $300 for working mummies ($150 for non-working mummies) and for additional subsidies, it is differentiated by eight income brackets - infant care and child care have different amounts of subsidies. There is also another subsidy called Kindergarten Fee Assistance Scheme (KiFAS).
Back to the scenario at the beginning of previous paragraph, besides the $300 basic subsidy, assuming the gross monthly household income is $9500. She will also qualify for $130 Additional subsidy. Thus, the preschool fees net off the subsidies will come down to $290 per month before GST AND any other administrative fees that the individual preschool will charge. In addition, there is a calculator that you can use to estimate the cost of preschool. I highly recommend to use it as it auto populates the eligible subsidies and give you the net fees for preschool.
Fourth, all child care centre operators has to be licensed by Early Childhood Development Agency(ECDA). Some of the operators come under one of the two types of ECDA-licensed centres - Anchor Operator Scheme (AOS) and Partner Operator Scheme (POS). The emphasis here is some as not all licensed operators come under the two schemes.
AOS operators are guided by the above.
Preschools under AOS provide good quality and affordable early childhood care and education, especially for children from lower income or disadvantaged backgrounds. Besides providing quality childcare and continuous development of early childhood professionals, there are fee caps for the different categories of services. Currently, there are five operators under the AOS.
There are five child care operators under the AOS scheme.
Preschools under POS aims to improve accessibility, affordability, and quality of childcare and infant care services. Similar to AOS, centres appointed under POS have fee caps of $720 for full day child care and $1,290 for full day infant care before GST and subsidies. Besides fee caps, appointed centres follows a set of requirements through the Singapore Pre-school Accreditation Framework (SPARK), as well as continuous development of early childhood leaders and educators. The list of appointed centres under POS can be found here. It is important to note that not all branches of the same operator are appointed under the POS scheme. Thus, always remember to check first if that is one of your considerations when deciding the preschool to send your little one.
Finally, what I have covered here are the general stuff about searching for a preschool and finding out the fees. Knowing these two things are just the beginning of the whole preschool journey for both parents and the little one. The next steps are to schedule a visit to the preschool (usually they would contact you by phone or email if there is a spot available for your desired start month), which will allow you to see and feel the environment, talk to the teachers to find out more about the teacher to preschoolers ratio, their passion and the curriculum.