Childcare centres reopen May 17

Ministry takes cue from PM’s announcement allowing kindergartens, childcare centres to operate

All childcare centres and kindergartens statewide are allowed to operate from May 17, says Minister of Welfare, Community Wellbeing, Women, Family and Childhood Development Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah.

This follows the announcement by Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin on Monday that childcare centres, nurseries and kindergartens were allowed to operate according to stipulated standard operating procedures (SOP) to help working parents and guardians under the new Movement Control Order (MCO) from May 12 to June 6.

“This decision is done by ensuring strict compliance on SOP before, during and after the children have attended childcare centres and kindergartens,” she added.

Fatimah said her ministry, as at May 11, had received 102 applications from private kindergartens to operate, involving 286 frontliners’ children and 1,022 children whose parents are doing essential services.

She added the permission to operate would also involve 96 Early Childhood Education Institutes (IPAKK) Sedidik with 250 frontliners’ children and 701 children of essential services workers; 1,087 IPAKK Kemas (1,474 frontliners’ children, 2,228 children of essential service providers); as well as 176 IPAKK Perpaduan (155 frontliners’ children, 1,141 children

This decision will give a sigh of relief to parents who have to work as well as ensuring that the children do not drop out of childcare centres and kindergartens.

Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah

of essential service providers).

“This decision will give a sigh of relief to parents who have to work as well as ensuring that the children do not drop out of childcare centres and kindergartens.

“For recording and monitoring, all IPAKK operators must inform the ministry through the Early Childhood Development Division on the operation of their respective IPAKK through http:// bit.ly/maklumatipakk”