Ministry to get SDMC’s nod to reopen childcare centres, nurseries
KUCHING: The Ministry of Welfare, Community Well Being, Women, Family and Childhood Development will be getting the endorsement from the Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) on the re-opening of childcare centres and nurseries in the state.
Its minister Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah said that in terms of readiness, most of the preparatory work such as disinfection of premises for the childcare centres and nurseries had already been done.
“We are ready in terms of preparatory work, for example the disinfecting of ‘taska’ (childcare centres) premises with the help of Bomba (Fire and Rescue Department) and the rearrangement of furniture for social distancing in the play areas, dining areas and nap areas.
“We will present our case tomorrow to the SDMC and we will get endorsement from them,” she said when reached for comment by The Borneo Post yesterday.
She also said that they would reorganise activities based on the standard operating procedures (SOPs) for arrivals, while children were in the childcare centres and nurseries and departures.
“We will also give re-emphasis on personal hygiene, the hygiene of caregivers and the children and
We are ready in terms of preparatory work, for example the disinfecting of ‘taska’ (childcare centres) premises with the help of Bomba (Fire and Rescue Department) and the rearrangement of furniture for social distancing in the play areas, dining areas and nap areas. Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah
the childcare centres, including the classrooms, nap room, toilets as well as the cleanliness of the toys there,” Fatimah said.
She added that she had full confidence in the childcare centres and nurseries in the state to reopen.
“We have been communicating with the Sarawak Association of Registered Childcare Providers (PPBS), Persatuan Pengasuh dan Pendidik Awal KanakKanak Islam Sarawak (PAKIS) and Sarawak Early Childhood Development Council since enforcement of the Movement Control Order (MCO) and we know the challenges that they face.
“We have engaged with them when preparing the SOP, the government assistance to cushion their hardships have been rendered and we have monitored their preparations. I have confidence in our childcare centres,” Fatimah said.
The Borneo Post had also reached out to PPBS for comment but have yet to hear from them as of press time.
Earlier yesterday, Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob in his daily update informed that all childcare centres and nurseries were allowed to operate now that the SOP for them has been refined.
Previously only 304 centres nationwide were allowed to reopen during the Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) with basic SOP in place, while the remaining 6,696 centres remained closed.
“The SOP, refined by the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry, had been approved by the government. It includes the SOP for sending the child to the centre, for when the child is in the centre’s care, and for when the child is picked up.
“The centre operators can refer to the ministry’s website and that of the Welfare Department for more details of the SOP,” he said at the daily press conference on Covid-19 security issues in Putrajaya yesterday.