MP SPEAKS | Expedite engagement to resolve kindergarten licensing issue

MP SPEAKS | Kindergarten (taska and tadika) related issues have had a large impact on the community, especially on parents, childcare providers, and operators.

These issues were raised multiple times during previous parliamentary sessions, yet they remain unanswered by the women, family and community development minister as well as the education minister or their respective deputies.

Despite having entered January 2021, the promised written answers to my parliamentary questions are still nowhere to be seen.

The women, family and community development minister is reminded to take necessary and continuous action to resolve related issues such as dual licensing applications for kindergarten operators, the Permata Early Childhood Care and Education Course (KAP), as well as provide a “one-off” grant of RM5,000 through the National Economic Regeneration Plan (Penjana).

In actual fact, discussion for these issues had already commenced and solutions were proposed during Pakatan Harapan’s administration.

I believe that all these issues can be resolved if the respective ministers would just obtain the views of stakeholders who truly understand these issues.

The question also arises as to whether the women, family and community development minister or her deputy has conducted meetings to discuss these issues with the two largest parent bodies, namely Persatuan Pengasuh Berdaftar Malaysia (PPBM) and Early Childhood Care & Education (ECCE).

These proposed meetings are not just to discuss issues on the loss of income for kindergarten operators and childcare providers.

More importantly, they are meant to refine issues involving child safety and find solutions for young parents who have to either take turns to obtain leave from work or quit their job altogether to take care of their children due to kindergarten and childcare centres closing.

Young parents are one of the largest groups affected by the Covid-19 pandemic and the implementation of the conditional movement control order (MCO).

The women, family and community development ministry should have made PPBM and ECCE its eyes and ears in order to obtain updated information and accurate data before proceeding to plan and implement policies that would affect kindergarten operators, childcare providers, as well as young parents and their children.

Therefore, I suggest that the minister or her deputy immediately meet with PPBM and ECCE to discuss issues that have a significant impact on educational institutions, early childcare, young parents, and their children.

I believe that meetings with PPBM and ECCE can be held without any delay as the minister and her deputy are able to appear on television talk shows and meet with corporations during this conditional MCO period.

While I was in Putrajaya, I would always make time for meetings and obtain views as well as feedback from these two bodies as they are very experienced and understand issues better.

Women, family and community development minister Rina Harun and Education Minister Mohd Radzi Md Jidin need to be more attentive, efficient, and proactive if they want to hold such important portfolios such as the ones they have now. 

The future of our children is at stake.

Hannah Yeoh is MP for Segambut and former women, family and community development deputy minister.

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.

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