Abstract

Recognizing the need for making values education explicit from early childhood, Singapore’s Ministry of Education (MOE) identified four values to be taught in the preschool curriculum. The revised Nurturing Early Learners (NEL) framework, a national curriculum framework for preschool education, explicates respect, responsibility, care, and honesty as values that should be cultivated in preschool children. As values are sociocultural constructs, the interpretations of values could be varied and complex in a multiracial and multireligious society. This article draws from a study that explored what these values mean in Singapore’s multicultural context and how preschool leaders and teachers implement values education. The multidimensional qualitative study solicited multiple perspectives from religious leaders, government officials, preschool leaders, and teachers from various preschool operators. Semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions were conducted and thematically analyzed. The findings provide recommendations for leading values education and teaching values in preschool centers through fostering a culture of well-being and using a three-pronged approach—Live it, Embed it, and Teach it.