Petronas builds 5 preschools in Penan areas
KUCHING: Four communitybased preschools have been built and one is currently under construction in the Apoh/Tutoh Penan areas in Baram.
Minister of Welfare, Community Wellbeing, Women, Family and Childhood Development Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah said these initiatives, under the Petronas corporate social responsibility ( CSR) programme, are in line with the Sarawak government’s commitment to ensure all Sarawakians have access to early childhood education.
“The five preschools are in Long Kawa, Long Jenalong, Long Leng and Long Kerangan, which have been completed while the one in Ba’Selulong is expected to be completed end of next month,” she said at a press conference at her office at Bangunan Baitul Makmur in Petra Jaya here yesterday.
According to Fatimah, Tabika Long Kawa and Tabika Long Kerangan have six children each, Tabika Long Jenalong has eight and Tabika Long Leng (10).
Eight children are expected to enroll at Tabika Ba’Seluong once completed, she said.
“Besides providing early childhood education, these preschools also have adult literacy programme for parents of the children.
“While waiting for their
The five preschools are in Long Kawa, Long Jenalong, Long Leng and Long Kerangan, which have been completed while the one in Ba’Selulong is expected to be completed end of next month. Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah, Minister of Welfare, Community Wellbeing, Women, Family and Childhood Development
children to finish the lessons and given the distance that they have to travel, teachers at these preschools teach parents about basic hygiene,” she pointed out.
Fatimah said Petronas had set aside RM2.75 million over a five-year period from 2015 for the five preschools in Penan areas.
She added that the allocation was not only for the construction of the preschools but also the procurement of equipment and furniture, supply of food, allowances and insurance for teachers and students, training and other operational costs.
In terms of teaching qualification, she said the ministry would make sure that teachers obtained at least three credits in Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examination.
“This is a minimum so that later we can upgrade them to Diploma,” said Fatimah, who earlier received courtesy calls from the Association of Registered Childcare Providers Sarawak and SIDMA College Sarawak.