Fatimah: Kindergarten, childcare centres in red zones to stay closed during CMCO unless parents request for reopening, subject to approval

0

A kindergarten student gets a helping hand with his face shield in this file photo.

KUCHING (Nov 11): Kindergartens and childcare centres in areas classified as Covid-19 red zones such as Kuching District will remain closed during the Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) unless there is an urgent demand for them to be opened.

This was revealed by Welfare, Community Wellbeing, Women, Family and Childhood Development Minister Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah who said that the urgent requests should be from parents who are for example working as frontliners and service providers having problem in getting someone to look after their young children while they are at work.

“If there is a demand, kindergarten and childcare centre operators can forward their request to be tabled at Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) meeting and would be considered discussed on case by case basis,” she added during a press conference held at the State Legislative Assembly Complex today.

As for kindergartens and child carecentres in other areas not categorised as red zones, they can operate with immediate effect.

She revealed that this was decided following a meeting with SMDC chairman Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas and Dato Sri Dr Sim Kui Hian (Minister of Local Government and Housing) recently.

“We know there are very desperate parents and frontliner staff who have no other family members (in Kuching District) to help them take care of their children, hence this matter also needs attention,” said Fatimah.

As for kindergartens and childcare centres not located in Covid-19 red zones who want to operate, she said that they must however strictly adhere to the established standard operating procedures (SOP).

For that matter, applications submitted by kindergartens and childcare centres operators under the federal government agencies such as the Community Development Department (Kemas) will also be referred to the National Security Council (MKN).

Apart from that, Early Intervention Program for Children with Special Needs such as the Community Rehabilitation Program Center (PDK), the One-Stop Early Intervention Center (OSEIC) and the AGAPE and Sunflower Centers could also continue operations as it involved small groups.