Singapore legislation
Section 8
Section 8
Grant or renewal of licence
(1)
After considering any application for or to renew a licence, the Chief Licensing Officer may —
on payment of a licence fee or renewal fee (if prescribed), grant or renew the licence, as the case may be; or
refuse (without compensation) to grant or renew the licence, as the case may be.
(2)
A person may be granted more than one licence.
(3)
In deciding whether a licence should be granted or renewed, the Chief Licensing Officer must have regard to, and give such weight as the Chief Licensing Officer considers appropriate to, all of the following matters:
whether the applicant has the appropriate character and fitness to operate and maintain an early childhood development centre;
whether every key appointment holder of the applicant has the appropriate character and fitness to act in that capacity;
whether the applicant, or any key appointment holder of the applicant, has been —
convicted of an offence under this Act;
convicted, whether in Singapore or elsewhere, of an offence involving dishonesty or the conviction for which involved a finding that the applicant or key appointment holder (as the case may be) had acted dishonestly; or
convicted of a prescribed offence, whether the offence was committed before, on or after the date the offence is prescribed;
whether the applicant has, during the prescribed period immediately before the application, failed to pay any charge or fee charged or imposed under this Act, the repealed Act or the Education Act 1957 in connection with the operation of an early childhood development centre;
whether the applicant has previously —
been refused the grant or renewal of a licence under this Act or the repealed Act;
had any licence revoked or shortened under this Act or the repealed Act;
been the subject of any other regulatory sanction under this Act;
been refused registration of a school under the Education Act 1957; or
had any registration of a school cancelled under the Education Act 1957;
whether any key appointment holder of the applicant is disqualified under section 19 to act or continue to act as a key appointment holder;
whether the applicant has, or is likely to have, the financial capacity to operate and maintain an early childhood development centre;
whether the applicant is the owner or lessee of the premises to be used as an early childhood development centre, or has a licence from another person to occupy those premises;
whether the premises to be used as an early childhood development centre are fit to be used as such a centre, having regard to —
location, accommodation, staffing or equipment; and
building structure, fire safety, public health and sanitation requirements prescribed under this Act or any other written law;
whether the applicant has the capacity to deliver early childhood development services according to such requirements relating to the types and content of the curriculum or programme for early childhood development centres as may be prescribed;
whether there is any other relevant matter that makes it contrary to the public interest to grant or renew the licence.
(4)
For the purpose of determining whether a person has the appropriate character and fitness under subsection (3)(a) or (b), the Chief Licensing Officer must take into account the prescribed considerations (if prescribed).
(5)
To avoid doubt, the Chief Licensing Officer is not confined to consideration of the matters in subsection (3) or prescribed under subsection (4), and may take into account such other matters and evidence as may be relevant.