SINGAPORE — Preschool teachers mostly welcomed the use of closed circuit-television (CCTV) cameras in classrooms as a possible “tool of protection” against parents’ claims in possible disputes about teacher misconduct.
For many preschool teachers, working under CCTV surveillance is not new.
She works at a preschool under the Anchor Operator Scheme which has an “open policy”. This means that, besides having CCTV cameras already installed at all exits and entrances, the school’s windows are kept open and parents can look into the centre at any time. A preschool teacher for the past four years who wanted to be known only by her initials AT said: “I think it’s good as it gives parents a peace of mind and helps to clarify situations.”
Ms Judy Zhu, 38, whose five-year-old son attends the Kinderland @ Woodlands Mart, told TODAY she did not consider having CCTV cameras a mandatory requirement when choosing her child’s preschool previously.
“Some parents can be quite demanding. With CCTVs in place, they can use this opportunity to demand footage for even trivial incidents happening to their child in school,” said Mrs Low.Others also raised concerns about facing excessive scrutiny from centre managers and preschool principals, which they worried could cause them unnecessary “mental stress”.
To this, she emphasised the importance of having “mutual trust between teachers and parents”, and appealed to parents to only request to view such footage if they “suspect that the teachers are not doing right”. Asked if they were concerned that the mandate would make it difficult to hire teachers as a result, Mr Tan said: “We do not have such concerns. Our view is that teachers with a conviction to provide their best care and nurturing for children entrusted to them would remind themselves to act in the best interest of their wards in the presence or absence of CCTVs installed.
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