Prioritise vaccination for childcare centre, private education institution staff: MPs
DAP lawmakers have urged the government to prioritise vaccination for the operators of private education institutions and childcare centres.
In a joint statement today, Segambut MP Hannah Yeoh and Kulai MP Teo Nie Ching pointed out that the operators had submitted a list of their staff to the government for Covid-19 vaccination, but have yet to receive a response.
They stressed the importance for workers in these sectors to receive their vaccination immediately...
DAP lawmakers have urged the government to prioritise vaccination for the operators of private education institutions and childcare centres.
In a joint statement today, Segambut MP Hannah Yeoh and Kulai MP Teo Nie Ching pointed out that the operators had submitted a list of their staff to the government for Covid-19 vaccination, but have yet to receive a response.
They stressed the importance for workers in these sectors to receive their vaccination immediately.
"Although the implementation of teaching and learning in school has been halted, kindergartens, nurseries and childcare centres (including for those aged between seven and 12) are much needed for parents who work as frontline staff or working in essential services," they said.
Operators of daycare centres were reportedly appealing to the government to allow them to resume operations during Phase 1 of the National Recovery Plan (NRP).
The government has only allowed taska (childcare centres) and kindergartens to continue operation for the children of frontliners.
The MPs said childcare and care services should be provided for parents who are unable to take care of their children when they need to work during the movement control order (MCO).
"They are unable to take good care of their children given the official duties that they need to perform.
"The children are also exposed to the risk of Covid-19 infection in case they have to be sent to the nanny who can't implement the standard operating procedure (SOP) unlike registered childcare centres, nurseries and private education institutions that can," they added.
Yeoh and Teo also urged the government to standardise the SOPs and operating methods for kindergartens, nurseries and childcare centres.
"The permission for the operation of these centres in all phases of MCO between the Education Ministry and Welfare Department was inconsistent," they said.
Meanwhile, they opined that tuition centres should be categorised as an institution that provides "educare" to serve working parents.
"Presently, it may not be suitable to send children aged between seven and 12 to the tuition centre and childcare centre separately which are located at different places. The parents need a one-stop educare (centre) for their children.
"Since the implementation of MCO 1.0, tuition centre operators have not received any financial aid from the government and many have been forced to stop operating," they added.
