ECE operators a big help for frontliners, but worsening Covid-19 situation may force many to close down permanently
SOP being strictly observed during a lesson at Taska Permata Kasih in Bintulu.
THE registered childcare centres and kindergartens continue to play pivotal roles not only in providing quality early childhood care and education, but also helping the frontliners who are away performing their duties in the nation’s fight against Covid-19.
Operating under such critical circumstances is not easy, but with strict compliance with the standard operating procedures (SOP) and having well-trained staff, these centres are perhaps the safest places for little children.
With the Movement Control Order (MCO) 3.0 still in force – and may be extended if the situation necessitated it – it is a relief for the frontliners and also those working in essential services in that they are able to send their children to the childcare centres.
According to Bintulu Childcare and Early Childhood Educators Association (PAKB) chairperson Maraini Jaafar, only the registered institutions that are in full compliance with the prerequisites set by the relevant authorities and have obtained approval from the Ministry of Welfare, Community Wellbeing, Women, Family and Childhood Development of Sarawak are allowed to operate during the MCO period.
In Bintulu, there are 11 ministry-registered childcare centres that are allowed to operate during this MCO period, says Maraini, who operates Taska Permata Kasih and Taska Penyayang Mama.
“These (11) centres are those with pupils who are the children of frontliners, between five and 10 of them per school.
“Overall, PAKB has a total of 20 institutions comprising childcare centres and kindergartens, but some have yet to have their registration approved by the ministry.
“Even of the 11 ‘taska’ (nurseries) allowed to open during MCO, I know that only seven are actually operating. Three of them are under PAKB, namely Taska Penyayang Mama, Taska Permata Kasih and Taska Misy; the other four are under AECE (Association of Early Childhood Educators) Bintulu, namely Taska Agape, Little Caterpillars, Taska Gloria and Taska Yemeka,” she told thesundaypost in Bintulu.
Ignorance and that ‘take-things-for-granted’ attitude among some quarters did not help at all. For us, our operations are seriously affected this year, and some of us have been forced to lay off their employees. The challenges are too much to bear. — Maraini Jaafar, PAKB chairperson
Challenging circumstances
Maraini acknowledged the many challenges involved in conducting early childhood education programmes during this time of the pandemic, faced by her and fellow operators from Taska Sinar Jaya, Taska Matahari, the AECE Bintulu and also Sarawak Early Childhood Educationists Association (3PAKS).
“During the MCO period, the attendance rate of children at the centres is between 20 per cent and 40 per cent, with some probably recording less than 10 children, because many parents are still worried about sending their children off to the preschools because of the present Covid-19 situation; also, many of them (parents) are working from home and thus, don’t see the need to send their children to the centres.”
Maraini said in 2020, the Covid-19 situation in the country seemed to be under control because the Variants of Concern (VOC) – the strain of virus said to be more infectious and more aggressive – had not been reported at the time, and also there the level of SOP compliance among the public was still very high.
“This time, however, is more challenging, with the virus having spread into the community, spikes in the number of new cases being reported and new clusters emerging.
“Ignorance and that ‘take-things-for-granted’ attitude among some quarters did not help at all.
“For us, our operations are seriously affected this year, and some of us have been forced to lay off their employees.
“The challenges are too much to bear,” she lamented, adding that the early childcare and education (ECE) providers also had to spend more in providing sanitisation, equipment and other necessities to ensure adherence to the SOP at the centres.
A pupil undergoes temperature check before entering class.
Asked about the opening of more economic sectors under the MCO, she believed that such allowance would only be in vain if only a section of society remained fully-compliant with the SOP.
“Regardless of the supporting data, reopening more economic sectors when the level of adherence to SOP is still low, would only lead to higher risk of infections,” she added.
Support, assistance for operators
The Registered Early Childhood Education Institution (IPAKK) in Sarawak has been given assistance in the form of a special annual grant (GTK) from the state government, via the Ministry of Welfare, Community Wellbeing, Women, Family and Childhood Development.
This, said Maraini, would at least help alleviate the financial burden shouldered by the ECE providers.
Staff members of Taska Penyayang Mama ready to welcome their pupils upon the reopening of the centre.
“On behalf of friends in this early human capital development, we express our deepest gratitude for the concern and commitment of the state government through the ministry, namely the minister Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah who always and continues to help in ensuring this industry would remain sustainable,” she said.
She also said the PAKB had also been receiving support from Bintulu MP Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing, Jepak assemblyman Datuk Talib Zulpilip and other local elected representatives, as well as from government bodies – namely the Ministry of Health, Bintulu Resident’s Office and Bintulu Development Authority.
Still, there are many areas that require immediate attention.
According to Maraini, the standard monthly operating cost for a nursery establishment with five staff members caring for a total of 30 children is in the range of RM10,000 to RM15,000; in comparison, the estimated monthly income, based on the actual numbers recorded by many providers, would only reach breakeven – this could move down to a loss if the fee charged was reduced in view of the current situation.
Putting it into an example through calculations, she said a nursery staff member would care for three young children; the monthly fee charged would be RM500 per child.
The minimum pay for a staff member would be RM1,200, excluding employer’s contributions to Employees Provident Fund (EPF) and Social Security (Socso).
“Even with RM1,500 monthly fee (for three young children), it’s a struggle. For a staff member to watch over more than three children would jeopardise the quality of service.”
The management of Taska Permata Kasih Bintulu puts up posters on Covid-19 and other key relevant information on the main gate of the premises.
In this regard, Maraini said to help the industry players survive during this challenging time, she requested the federal government and state government to further expand the assistance to the ECE sector.
Specifically, she said there was a need to review the GTK for childcare centres and private kindergartens.
“We also hope that during this time of the pandemic, the elected representatives and corporate bodies could help provide the equipment and essential materials such as handy sanitisation machines, detergents and face masks, as well as other facilities like CCTV (closed-circuit television) units, digital printers and computers to help in the teaching-learning process.
“It would be of great help if there’s support for our call to have renting costs of premises to be reduced, and for the corporate bodies to expand their corporate social responsibility (CSR) programmes with the private nurseries and preschools,” she said.
Maraini added that to ensure this industry would be safe for children, PAKB called upon the Ministry of Health and also Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) to accord Covid-19 vaccination priority to those in the ECE sector.
ECE staff members being given full briefing prior to the reopening of the centre.
Nonetheless, she said she could not help but feel worried about the possibility of the MCO period to be extended again beyond June 29.
“There’d be more childcare centres that might shut down as they would not be able to pay staff salaries and rental fees,” she expressed her concern.
In this regard, she hoped that the authorities would consider PAKB’s suggestions meant to help keep the industry afloat during these trying times.
- Parents from the B4O (low-income) and M40 (medium-income) would be given childcare subsidy upon sending their children to ECE centres;
- Socso to extend the Wage Subsidy Programme (PSU) to the hardest-hit early childcare and education operators, as not all of them are fully eligible for this benefit;
- Provision of ‘Penjana Kerjaya’ subsidies to retrenched staff, or employment opportunities for them. There is also a need for existing staff to access apprenticeships and training programmes in view of the likelihood that they may lose their job should the industry continue to suffer due to the prolonged lockdown;
- Extension of the PSU for the ECE industry for at least for six months to help sustainability after experiencing almost two years of Covid-19 pandemic;
- Further studies over the allocation of grants for the ECE sector by both the state and federal governments, and;
- Opening up of opportunities for ECE operators to operate childcare centres at the workplaces.
Sector needs to operate amidst pandemic
Maraini said the preschools should be open during these times as young children would struggle to follow online teaching and for most parents, it would be very challenging for them to pay attention their children’s learning needs.
Even more worrying was the illegal babysitting operations in the community, which emerged to cater to the needs of working parents as many childcare centres and kindergartens remained closed throughout the MCO period.
Maraini (second left) with the parents of her pupils, discussing the SOP for preschools and kindergartens.
In this respect, Maraini said the abuse cases involving young children in other states, which had been reported recently, should serve to remind all parents to be more careful when choosing a childcare centre to place their children at.
“Please don’t take such thing lightly; you must study the background and the environments of these caregivers, especially those operating within neighbourhoods.
“When stress strikes those not properly trained in this field, they would not know how to address and handle it; things would get worse if the caregiver had some personal problem, which could aggravate the situation and in the end, it would hurt the children,” she said.
In this regard, she also advised neighbours to be more alert, and to immediately report to the authorities should they see or hear anything suspicious occurring at the premises of those running babysitting services at home.
Maraini also believed in solid and harmonious relationship between childcare services providers and the parents.
Maraini (left) monitors her staff during a learning session to ensure that the SOP is being fully complied with.
“Operators, caregivers and educators need to have a high level of sensitivity in working together towards ensuring that the industry would continue to grow and improve – with the safety of the children under their care be given top priority,” she said.
She also hoped the monitoring and enforcement activities would be enhanced to ensure that every ECE services provider would meet the requirements set by the relevant agencies in running their operations.
“We hope this industry could continue to flourish.
“Industry players need to be transparent and committed in ensuring that this humanitarian-based industry would be respected and trusted by the community.
“In addition, I call upon all caregivers, babysitters and also parents to attend ‘Kursus Asuhan Permata Negara (an early childcare and childhood education course run by the Welfare Department) as I believe that everyone should be equipped with the knowledge in handling children’s growth and development.
“Children should become better people tomorrow. Education is essential for people of all ages,” said Maraini.
It is informed that the ECE community here is already undergoing Covid-19 vaccination, in batches, starting this month.
The PAKB serves to help ECE industry players in terms of giving advice to facilitate their registration with the relevant authorities, training and input-sharing – all aimed at empowering human capital development through childcare and early childhood education.
PAKB office is located at Taska Permata Kasih, No 1A, Taman Li Hua, 97000, Bintulu.
For more details, call Maraini via 013-837 5521.
Additionally, the list of registered childhood care and early learning centres in Sarawak could be viewed via this link.