Childcare centres and kindies can reopen in Sarawak

Childcare centres and kindergartens in Sarawak will be allowed to reopen on Monday, with strict compliance with the standard operating procedure.

State Welfare, Community Wellbeing, Women, Family and Childhood Development Minister Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah said this was decided following Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s announcement that nurseries, childcare centres and kindergartens could operate during the latest movement control order from May 12 to June 7.

“The ministry has consulted with the state disaster management committee and a decision was made that all childcare centres and kindergartens will be allowed to operate starting May 17.

“They must ensure full compliance with the SOP before, during and after the children’s attendance,” she said in a statement yesterday.

Previously, childcare centres and kindergartens in red zones in Sarawak were instructed to close from April 20 to May 10.

However, childcare centres looking after children of frontliners and parents working in essential services were allowed to open, subject to approval from the ministry.

Fatimah said the ministry’s latest decision would provide relief to working parents besides allowing children to continue their lessons at childcare centres and kindergartens.

For record and monitoring purposes, she added, all operators of childcare centres and kindergartens must inform the ministry of their operations via http://bit.ly/ maklumatipakk.

There are 234 registered childcare centres and 2,795 registered kindergartens in Sarawak.