Jacob Achoi KEMAS to run kindergartens and nurseries in mosques statewide
KUCHING: The Community Development Department (KEMAS) and Sarawak Islamic Council (MIS) inked a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) on Thursday regarding kindergartens and nurseries of mosques in the state.
Under the MoA, KEMAS, which comes under the Ministry of Rural and Regional Development, will have autonomy over the management, administration and operation of the preschools, while MIS keeps the assets.
The MoA also included the change of names from ‘Tadika dan Taska Masjid’ to ‘Tabika KEMAS Masjid dan Taska Permata KEMAS Masjid’. KEMAS Director-General Datuk Amiruddin Ariffin and MIS President Datu Misnu Taha signed the MoA.
The signing ceremony at Wisma Bapa Malaysia in Petra Jaya here was witnessed by Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan – who represented Chief Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg, and Deputy Minister of Rural and Regional Development Datuk Alexander Nanta Linggi – who represented Minister of Rural and Regional Development Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
At the press conference, Alexander said the MoA was suggested by MIS to enable uniformity for the kindergartens and nurseries. For a start, three nurseries and 12 kindergartens, involving 29 teachers, have been selected. KEMAS would gradually cover all 44 kindergartens and nurseries owned by MIS statewide.
“The MoA will assist the teachers who have yet to have Diploma in Early Childhood Education to have the qualifications under the responsibility of KEMAS,” Alexander said.
Awang Tengah called the MoA an important step to give quality education at an early age in order to produce and prepare the human capital required as the state moves towards a digital economy. He pointed out that children should also be taught the importance of religion.
“There needs to be a balanced development in education and moral values arming our children,” he said.
KEMAS was formed in 1961 with the objective of eradicating illiteracy. It began to focus on early childhood education in 1971 with the setting up of 10 kindergartens with 300 pupils. To date KEMAS has 11,229 kindergarten classes with 219, 999 pupils nationwide.
Also present at the MoA signing were Minister of Welfare, Community Well Being, Women, Family and Childhood Development Datuk Fatimah Abdullah; Assistant Minister of Women, Family and Childhood Development Rosey Yunus; and KEMAS Deputy Director-General Ahmad Kamal Idris.