The Frobel preschool in Kallang is expected to close down for good by the end of this month, said the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) and as reported in The Straits Times.
The impending closure has left the parents of 32 kids who were enrolled there looking for alternative preschools and also seeking refunds.
The businesswoman who was running the preschool – Song Fanrong, 45, – was jailed earlier this month for “breaching the Mareva injunction after three plaintiffs brought contempt of court proceedings against her,” says The Straits Times.
Song had reportedly sold a stake of her kindergarten business, ignoring a court order to freeze her assets due to another lawsuit that was in process. She is being sued for $9.5 million by the three businessmen from China, for alleged fraud, reports The Straits Times.
Two preschools that were run by Song in Sembawang and Namly Place have already been shut down in late August this year.
There are reportedly 5 preschools left operating under Friedrich Frobel Holding.
No places
The impending closure of the Kallang preschool has left 32 parents desperate for alternative places for their little ones, despite the ECDA “working closely with the preschool as well as the parents affected by the closures to find alternative preschool places in the vicinity.”
MacPherson MP Tin Pei Ling is reported to be helping a number of affected parents who live in her ward.
“I’ve been in touch with a volunteer lawyer who is willing to assist these parents, should they need legal help,” she told The Straits Times.
Finding another preschool for their little ones is not the only problem these parents face. Some of them have mentioned that the preschool has allegedly not returned deposit fees, forcing them to make police reports.
Ms Teo, mum of 2, said she and others were told last Saturday (September 16) by Song’s husband, Mr Teo Kuei Yang, that the preschool was going to be closing down.
“When we questioned the husband about our deposit fees, he could not give us an answer regarding the refund,” she said. Ms Teo is reportedly owed over $2,000 for a month’s deposit for her children.
At least 20 other families face this same problem, she said.
Ms Tan whose five-year-old daughter went to the preschool said she had only been given around two weeks of notice before the school shut down. She too is owed over $2000 in fees by the school.
Meanwhile, ECDA said is has ordered the operator to be transparent about its plans for the remaining 5 preschools, and has reminded them that they need to give parents at least 6 months formal notice before the decision to shut down.
“Regulatory action has already been initiated by ECDA against the operator for breaching this requirement when it closed two of its preschools on Aug 31,” said an ECDA spokesman.
Reference: The Straits Times, Image: screengrab – The Straits Times.
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