Uphill task for kids who don't go to preschool

WHEN Tan Wanni's father enrolled her in primary school in 2006, teachers noticed that she had no kindergarten schooling.

Her father, Mr Tan Boon Heng, 54, could not afford to send her to preschool; he had not worked since suffering a stroke 14 years ago.

The family's financial woes were exacerbated by Wanni's mother's two-year battle with stomach cancer, which left her father grappling with thousands of dollars worth of medical bills. Her mother died in January 2007.

But with the help of the Chinese Development Assistance Council (CDAC), Wanni was able to attend kindergarten for free, albiet only for the final two months of the semester.

Since then, help has continued for the girl, now in Primary 3 at Gan Eng Seng Primary School.

When she was in Primary 1, she received one-on-one coaching from a volunteer from the CDAC.

She is now attending free enrichment classes in English, Maths and Chinese three times a week at the CDAC's student service centre at Redhill.

This has allowed her to do fairly well in school. She passed all her exams and even scored about 80 marks for her favourite subject Chinese last year.

But the skinny, little girl, who lives in a spartan two-room rental flat at Lengkok Bahru in Bukit Merah with her father, still has a long way to go.

The late start that Wanni has had in interacting with strangers is evident. She is temperamental, guarded and hostile towards strangers.

Her father said he knows that Wanni can be ill-mannered but he cannot bear to scold her.

Mr Tan said in Hokkien: 'She does not have a mother. I feel I have to give her all the love of a mother and a father.'

The duo live hand to mouth. There are no tables or chairs in the flat and their kitchen is filled with instant noodles and biscuits.

Mr Tan receives $250 a month in public assistance but is left with hardly any money after paying rent and utilities.

He speaks to Wanni in a mixture of Hokkien, Mandarin and Malay. The lack of opportunities at home to practise English has hampered the child's proficiency in the language.

Mr Tan hopes that Wanni's intelligence will see her through to university but he is not sure how he will pay for it.

'I won't be able to afford the university fees. If she can't study, then that is her fate. She will have to work.'