Principal Matters
Leaders matter. Without good principals as role models to lead the teachers and effect changes, any efforts to drive long-term improvements in the early childhood education sector could be short-lived.
To develop preschool principals, the Lien Foundation launched a leadership development programme, Principal Matters, in collaboration with four local and international organisations: SEED Institute, Wheelock College, SIM University (UniSIM) and Korn Ferry Hay Group (KFHG). This $2.7 million training programme adopts an experiential, multi-disciplinary approach that gives participants overseas exposure to best practices, as well as diverse learning opportunities with mentors and leaders outside ECE.
Conducted in seven cohorts over three years, it came at no cost and with no strings attached for all 163 participants – high-caliber principals from anchor and partner operator chains, faith-based centres, private operators and a variety of multi-site centres. They were handpicked by a panel of veteran early childhood experts after a rigorous interview process to sieve out committed candidates with the right attitude and aptitude to reap the most benefits from the experience and mentorship.
In the last two cohorts, we extended the invitation to include leaders from the early intervention sector – traditionally separate from preschool services – to bring about greater convergence and facilitate better understanding between the two systems. The programme, valued at over $16,000 per principal, came free with no strings attached.
Explore Maternal & Child Health
Mission: I’m Possible
An early detection and intervention programme that has since been scaled-up nationwide by the government and is now known as the Development Support and Learning Support Programme.
