Singapore will require preschool and government-funded centers for children with special needs to have closed-circuit television cameras, starting July 2024.

CCTV will be mandatory in key access points and areas used by children, such as classrooms, activity rooms and play areas within the premises and infant napping rooms, the Early Childhood Development Agency said in a statement dated Aug. 31.

Two teachers were recently arrested for allegedly mistreating or mismanaging children under their care. The agency stated that the move was part of a regular review of security and safety measures, and had informed operators in February of plans to mandate the use of CCTV.

More than 60% of preschools and all the government’s so-called Early Intervention Centres have already installed CCTV cameras on their premises, the agency said.

Parents may access the CCTV footage only for the purposes of providing an objective reference point to clarify feedback or to assist the investigation of serious incidents within preschool premises.

In a separate statement on Aug. 30, the agency said it has issued a warning and barred one of the teachers from working in the preschool sector as she used “highly inappropriate methods to manage the children in her care.” The other case is still being investigated.