KUCHING: The Sarawak government is determined to have its own high quality pre-schools. Towards this end, starting this year, the state government will give registered pre-school grants for teaching and learning purposes or for making balance meals, said Welfare, Community Wellbeing, Women, Family and Childhood Development Minister Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah.
“The state government will soon send to pre-schools forms pertaining to special grants amounting to RM16 million for children’s early education. The grants will be distributed to 3,200 registered pre-schools with each institution receiving RM5,000,” she said when presenting certificates to graduates of Sidma College Sarawak yesterday.
It is important that we have our own quality pre-schools so that we can determine and implement our own policies, curriculum, programmes and activities to suit the needs of Sarawak.
A total of 205 graduates of the college received their Diploma in Early Childhood Education during their fifth convocation ceremony at Dewan Majma’ Tuanku Abdul Halim Mu’adzam Shah, Sarawak Islamic Complex.
“It is important that we have our own quality pre-schools so that we can determine and implement our own policies, curriculum, programmes and activities to suit the needs of Sarawak.
“When we have our own quality pre-schools, we must also make sure that we provide quality teachers as well as quality facilities for the children to learn while having fun,” she said.
Fatimah earlier on stressed that pre-school education in Sarawak must be activity-based, child-centred and inclusive of children with special needs.
“Young children learn through play as it encourages them to explore, become creative, use their imagination and show interest in new things.
“Every child should have access to a wide range of different play activities such as playing outdoors, quiet time with books, arts and craft, role play, creative play and many more,” she said.
She added that preschools should emphasise holistic early childhood education and care, literacy, numeracy, creativity (appropriate for their age), character building, instilment of positive values such as patriotism, responsibility, respect for others, confidence and many more.
Wholly-owned by Bumiputera, Sidma College was established in Sarawak in 1998. The college, formerly known as Institut Pengurusan Dinamik Seminar, extended its operation to Sabah in 2002.
Under the leadership of its founder and chairman Dr Mornie Kambrie and his dynamic manager and board directors, the college prospered over the years and rapidly emerged as one of the largest regional centres in East Malaysia running Unitar International University and several of its own academic programmes.
Aiming to achieve its mission of producing knowledgeable, skilful and competitive individuals, the college is committed to equipping its students with quality knowledge and skills through the provision of excellent learning facilities and services.
Sidma College Sarawak has also received full accreditation from the Malaysian Qualification Agency (MQA) for its Diploma in Early Childhood Education Programme.
