THERE is a debate on whether Singapore should nationalise preschools or not, but there is no question about giving every child the same opportunities.

I wish it was mandatory that all children should go through a national preschool system so that none has to struggle in primary school.

The current arrangement falls broadly under two categories: centres under the two bodies at the forefront of early childhood education - the largest childcare chain NTUC First Campus and the largest kindergarten operator PAP Community Foundation - and those run by private establishments and international franchises.

Monthly fees at the lower end range from $100 to $300, while at the upper scale, they reach $800 to $1,500. The apparent social divide is not a good sign for our children's future.

Quality preschool education should not be the privilege of high-income groups alone. Why should children from the heartland be left to attend cheaper and less sophisticated outfits?

The launch of NTUC's Seed Institute to train or upgrade the current 10,000 educators in childcare centres and kindergartens is a move in the right direction, while the projected 200 more childcare centres and kindergarten expansions of the two bodies should augur well for nationalisation of the industry.

If every child is given the same opportunity to attend quality preschools, such a system will bring out the best of the country, irrespective of what parents can afford.

Expensive preschools now provide better quality of early childhood education with innovative approaches. There is no reason preschools under a national standard cannot do the same, provided they have teachers with passion and good professional training and experience.

That way, all preschoolers can start life from a level playing field. A truly meritorious system should prepare our young with an equal footing under one system without exception, so that it is fairer later to stream the gifted in academic achievements for different programmes.

Giving every child an equal opportunity from preschool education onwards should be made a basic national obligation.

It is impractical to coerce a couple earning $3,500 a month to spend half the income to support two children at an expensive preschool.Without a comprehensive national preschool system, it is likely that some mathematics prodigies and science geniuses may fall through the cracks.

Paul Chan