Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail
KUALA LUMPUR: The management mechanism for the proposed implementation of the requirement for installation of closed-circuit television cameras at child nurseries is still at the stage of discussion with the relevant quarters, the Dewan Rakyat was told yesterday.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, who is also Women, Family and Community Development Minister, said the ministry had taken note of the proposals of several quarters that the requirement be made a condition for setting up nurseries so as to monitor the safety of children.
“In order to solve this problem, we are holding discussions with the relevant agencies, like who will conduct the monitoring, who will install the CCTVs and where they should be placed for comprehensive monitoring of the nurseries,” she said during the Ministers’ Question Time in the House.
She was replying to a supplementary question from Datuk Noraini Ahmad (BN-Parit Sulong) on the legalising of nurseries unregistered with the Social Welfare Department and a proposal for a special department to coordinate all aspects related to nurseries.
Dr Wan Azizah said the proposal would be studied in-depth.
She said that for the moment, the Social Welfare Department was conducting periodic checks on nurseries to ensure that they adhered to the stipulated quality and regulations.
“If they are found to be not following the rules, we will write to them ordering them to close temporarily or seal them,” she said.
Replying to the original question, also from Noraini, on registered childminders not meeting the minimum qualification of the Basic Child Care Course (KAP), Dr Wan Azizah said the high turnover rate among childminders resulted in the small number of childminders with the KAP qualification.
This was because many people accepted the job of childminders temporarily prior to securing a better job according to their qualification, she said.
“In 2013, there were 5,720 childminders with the KAP qualification but their number had dwindled to 2,171 now,” she said.
Dr Wan Azizah said that to encourage more childminders to attend the KAP course, the ministry had taken the proactive measure of offering the course online with the collaboration of the Social Welfare Department and UPSI Holdings Sdn Bhd.
This offered a flexible training period and the fee was lower, RM500 compared to the current RM900, she added. — Bernama