DALAT: The Sarawak Government is enhancing inclusive early childhood education to ensure every child, including those with special needs, has equal access to quality care and learning during the most critical stage of development.
Women, Early Childhood and Community Well-being Development Minister, Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah, said the state is implementing the Inclusive Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) approach to provide children with the best possible foundation for lifelong learning.
“The first six years of a child’s life are the most critical in shaping brain development, emotional well-being, social skills and language acquisition, which form the foundation for lifelong learning,” she said at the Inclusive ECCE Awareness Outreach Programme Series 1/2026 at SK Kampung Tanam here today.
Fatimah, who is Dalat assemblywoman, said Sarawak currently has 2,954 Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) institutions serving 72,136 children, including 1,022 children with special needs.
She said SeDidik Sarawak continues to implement its open-door policy, ensuring children with special needs have access to inclusive early childhood education.
“Since 2020, a total of 833 children with special needs have benefited from this approach, while 471 SeDidik personnel have undergone special education training to strengthen the implementation of inclusive education,” she said.
Fatimah added that the Sarawak Government has also partnered with Toy8 of Japan to enhance early childhood developmental screening through digital assessment tools and tele-speech therapy services, enabling earlier identification and intervention for children requiring additional support.
She said the Inclusive ECCE approach ensures that every child, including those living in rural and remote areas, has equal opportunities to learn, play and develop in a safe, supportive and inclusive environment that embraces diversity.
According to her, the outreach programme serves as a platform to raise public awareness of the importance of inclusive early childhood care and education while strengthening collaboration among parents, educators, childcare and kindergarten operators, government agencies, civil society organisations, strategic partners and local communities.
She said such collaboration is essential to building a more comprehensive, sustainable and inclusive early childhood education ecosystem across Sarawak.
