You have probably heard the terms “Partner Operator” or “POP” while searching for the best preschool in Singapore. But what exactly does it mean? We get this question a lot at Star Learners, as we are proudly appointed by the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) as one of the largest Partner Operators in Singapore.
Read on to find out what the POP scheme is, how much the school fees cost, and how it benefits your child’s early development.
What is the ECDA Partner Operator (POP) Scheme?
The Partner Operator (POP) scheme is a government-funded initiative introduced by ECDA to improve the accessibility, affordability, and quality of infant care and childcare services in Singapore. Under this scheme, ECDA provides funding to selected commercial and not-for-profit mid-sized operators. In return, these centres must abide by strict monthly fee caps for Singapore Citizen (SC) children and meet rigorous quality standards.
How Does the POP Scheme Benefit Parents and Children?
Enrolling your child in an ECDA-appointed POP centre like Star Learners offers three major advantages:
- Guaranteed Fee Caps: Parents enjoy significantly lower school fees compared to non-subsidised private preschools, ensuring your child receives high-quality early childhood education without the premium price tag of private childcare.
- SPARK-Certified Quality: To qualify for the scheme, operators must be committed to attaining and maintaining the Singapore Preschool Accreditation Framework (SPARK) certification, ensuring excellent teaching, leadership, and safety processes.
- Continuous Educator Growth: The funding helps defray operational costs by directly supporting the continuing professional development of centre leaders and preschool educators, keeping our curriculum relevant, nurturing, and impactful.
How Much Are POP Preschool Fees? (2026-2030 Fee Caps)
The POP scheme operates in multi-year terms, with fees progressively lowering over time to help young families. Starting 1 January 2026, ECDA entered its third POP term (2026-2030), reducing full-day childcare fee caps even further.
Here is a clear comparison of how maximum monthly fees (before GST and basic subsidies) have decreased for Singapore Citizen children:
ECDA POP Scheme Monthly Fee Cap Comparison (Singapore Citizens)
| Preschool Service Type (Full-Day) | Past Term (2021 - 2025 Fee Cap) | Current Term (2026 - 2030 New Fee Cap) |
|---|---|---|
| Childcare (18 months to 6 years) | 2021: S$740/month 2023: S$720/month 2025: S$680/month |
S$650/month |
| Infant Care (2 months to 17 months) | 2021: S$1,330/month 2023-2025: S$1,290/month |
S$1,290/month |
Note: These are the maximum base fees before GST. Working mothers are entitled to an additional ECDA Basic Subsidy (e.g. S$300 for full-day childcare and S$600 for infant care), which drops out-of-pocket costs down to S$350 for childcare before GST. Lower-to-middle-income families may qualify for additional means-tested subsidies.
Secure Quality, Affordable Childcare with Star Learners
With 43 POP centres island-wide, Star Learners is dedicated to making high-quality early childhood education accessible to every Singaporean family. By combining our bespoke StarbeamTM framework with the financial relief of the ECDA POP scheme, your child gets the best start in life while you get peace of mind.
Want to learn more about our fees, curriculum, and how we apply subsidies?
- Read ECDA’s official information on the POP Scheme, or
- View our detailed Star Learners Fees and Subsidies Breakdown
Register your interest at any of our Star Learners centres island-wide today!
Frequently Asked Questions
ECDA has appointed 33 commercial and not-for-profit operators (managing over 380 centres across Singapore) for the 2026-2030 term. Some of the most prominent, highly-rated brands on the official list include Star Learners, one of the largest POP partners with 43 locations island-wide.
Parents looking to find a specific POP centre in their neighbourhood can use the government's official LifeSG app or portal to filter preschools by location and the POP scheme.
For Singapore Citizen (SC) children, the maximum monthly base fees (before GST and subsidies) at any appointed Partner Operator centre are strictly capped by ECDA at:
- Full-Day Childcare (18 months to 6 years): Capped at S$650/month
- Full-Day Infant Care (2 months to 17 months): Capped at S$1,290/month
Click to view our detailed Star Learners Fees and Subsidies Breakdown.
Absolutely. The POP fee cap is applied before your subsidies. Every Singapore Citizen child is eligible for a Basic Subsidy, and eligible families can stack an Additional Subsidy on top of the reduced POP fees for maximum savings. Use this subsidy calculator to get an estimate of the preschool subsidy your child may be eligible for.
Anchor Operators (AOP) receive higher government funding and have a slightly lower childcare cap (S$610/month). However, they consist of only five major government-linked chains. Partner Operators (POP) comprise selected premium commercial and non-profit brands (like Star Learners) capped at S$650/month, giving parents a wider choice of unique curriculums and learning environments while keeping fees tightly regulated.
Yes! Star Learners is an ECDA-appointed childcare operator with one of the highest numbers of centres participating in the POP scheme. We offer our signature literature-based curriculum across 43 of our locations at these government-capped rates, giving your child a premium early education experience at an affordable price point.
