Early Childhood Education Development Council (MPAKS), Dr Siti Zaliha, Assistant Minister of Women, Family and Childhood Development, Rosey Yunus, Permanent Secretary to KWKPK, Dr Saadiah Abdul Samat, Dr Hew Cheng Sim and MPAKS members during a press conference for the first meeting of Sarawak Early Childhood Education Development Council (MPAKS) at Grand Margherita Hotel, Kuching. PHOTO: AHMAD ISKANDAR
KUCHING: The state government has allocated RM5.8 million to rebuild 11 dilapidated Tabika KEMAS said Minister of Welfare, Community Well-Being, Women, Family, and Childhood Development, Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah during a press conference. “We have actually identified 109 of these schools and out of that number, 11 are too dilapidated to be used. “However, there are still 98 dilapidated schools in the state and that is something that we need to find a solution for,” she revealed.
The 11 identified schools were Tabika RH Serit Kapit, Tabika RH Pillai Kapit, Tabika RH Tunjang Sg Lelabi Sarikei, Tabika Selangan Sarikei, Tabika RH Jamba Kapit, Tabika Kpg Sagah Petra Jaya, Tabika Sg Malikat Marudi, Tabika Manok Machal Kapit, Tabika Kpg Ampungan Puncak Borneo, Tabika Kpg Banting Lawas, and Tabika Kpg Sg Tapang Stampin. Earlier on, she chaired the first meeting for the Sarawak Ear ly Chi ldhood Educat ion Development Council (MPAKS) whi ch wa s he l d a t Gr and Margherita Hotel here yesterday.
During the press conference, Fatimah said that the council would focus on five main areas for the year ahead which include the professional development of practitioners and operators, research and development, support services provided to practitioners and operators, community engagement, and talent development.
“Thi s i s the way forward because if we provide high quality pre-school education, then we will produce quality human capital. “We also cannot totally depend on practitioners and operators, which is why we also need parental and community involvement,” she added.
Fatimah also disclosed the council’s strategic plans for the year which include ‘Sarawak Kid’s Got Talent’, ‘Go Green’ module workshop and a workshop focusing on childcare for children with special needs. The council would also have several ‘one-off’ programmes for the year, among which would be the ‘English Fun Learning’ (EFL) programme and Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) in preschool.
