KAPIT: Parents here are told to work closely with the Community Development Office (Kemas) for the sake of their children’s education.
Deputy Minister of Rural and Regional Development Datuk Alexander Nanta Linggi said one way they could help Kemas with the task of teaching their children was by helping kindergarten teachers to beautify the kindergartens to make them conducive for learning.
“This kind of activity will also help to enhance closer rapport between the people and Kemas kindergarten teachers and this can help to build the confidence of teachers to teach the children more effectively,” he said when officiating at the Mini Convocation of Kemas kindergartens in Kapit parliamentary constituency at the Civic Centre here yesterday.
The mini convocation was for more than 200 pupils from 16 Kemas kindergartens in Pelagus and Baleh state constituencies.
He was happy to note the number of parents attending the convocation had increased from year to year, indicating their interest in their children’s education.
However, he noted there was no representative from the Education Department at the function, conspicous by its absence.
“I hope to see a representative from the Education Department and the headmasters from the various primary schools in the future mini convocations. As the ‘big brother’ of the kindergartens, the Education Department needs to be present to solve any issues pertaining to the entry of kindergarten pupils into formal education. Even headmasters also need to be present as these kindergarten pupils are going to enrol in their schools,” he pointed out.
On the mini convocation, Nanta said: “This is the first graduation upon completion of kindergarten. Learning is a lifelong journey and continuous process irrespective of age and it is crucial to lay a solid foundation in early childhood education in order to pave the way for the children to move forward smoothly to a higher level of learning.”
He pointed out that each time when attending Kemas kindergarten mini convocations, he was impressed at the talents and skills displayed by the pupils during their performances.
“This shows that we are not left behind by the urban areas and this is yet another great achievement of Kemas,” he said, adding that he was proud that a Kemas kindergarten pupil here won the state-level story telling competition this year, and who would represent the state at the national-level competition in Kelantan next month.
He added that the setting up of Kemas kindergartens in villages and longhouses had became a pride for parents.
“More Kemas kindergartens means more employment opportunities for our youth” he said.
At the function, he announced a grant of RM20,000 to Kemas Kapit Social Welfare Committee to enable them to carry out their activities.
Later he presented scrolls to the pupils.
Among the people present were director of Kemas Sarawak representative Swandy Baiee, a political secretary to the chief minister Jefferson Jamit Unyat and Deputy Resident (Social) Zul Usup.