KUCHING: The Ministry of Welfare, Community Wellbeing, Women, Family and Childhood Development may have a strategic partnership with the Sarawak Association for Development of Professionalism in Education (Profes) to conduct research on early childhood education in the state.
Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah revealed that the partnership would also focus on improving and transforming the quality of early childhood education.
“The quality of early childhood education is important as it will have a very high impact on the children’s formal education. In addition, early education will also be the foundation of the long journey for the children in their learning progress,” she added during a courtesy call by the association here on Monday (March 22).
Fatimah added that the ministry would also collaborate with the association on workshops, courses, seminars, conferences and forums on the development of professionalism and other issues related to discoveries, innovations and advances in the field of education involving local and international professionals or experts.
“Profes is very active in publishing its yearly journals as well as books based on PhD holders’ works that will be helpful for the teachers in the state.
“These books and journals that they published contain a lot of information and knowledge to help the teachers improve their skills and to expand their knowledge. The association was recently awarded the “Anugerah Khas Penerbitan 2020” by Pustaka Negeri Sarawak,” she explained.
According to Profes’ chairman Dr Zulwali Kifli Merawi, those who want to join the association must be teachers, educators or lecturers who are and have served in the state.
“Currently, we have 365 life members. The association’s objectives are to encourage and strengthen good professional and intellectual relationships and interactions among members, and to create a surrounding that encourages knowledge sharing,” he explained.
For 2021, among the activities planned by the association are the publishing of books and journal, fundraising for its research as well as training needs analysis or workshops with the State Education Department, Institute of Teacher Education and District Education Office.
