TANJUNG MALIM: The government has proposed to introduce the star-rating system for 3,309 childcare centres registered under the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry.
Its minister Datuk Seri Rohani Abdul Karim said the implementation of the system was now being discussed and would be included in the 2015 budget.
The star-rating is to ensure the quality of service and to enable the people to select the best childcare centres.
“A panel, comprising parents, public and children development information institutions, will be set up to evaluate and give star-rating,” she said when officiating at the national level 2014 Childcare Centre day and “Jom! Raya @ Taska” celebration here yesterday.
She said the star-rating could also provide promotions and encouragement to the operators, besides addressing issues pertaining to safety and child abuse at these centres.
“If the childcare centre is good, it will be given good rating and merit, but if it is not good or a case has happened, the rating and merit given will be withdrawn,” she said.
The initiative was proposed following the latest death of a baby girl, Nurain Damia Mohamad Naqiuddin, aged one year, two months, on Aug 13 of alleged abuse by a child minder at Petaling Jaya, Selangor.
Following the death, the suspect was arrested by police to assist in the investigation.
Earlier, Rohani said her ministry had applied for a budget totalling RM16.5 million as incentives to childcare centre operators and parents who sent their children to these centres. — Bernama