KUCHING: A new Workplace Childcare Centre (TTK) was launched by the Head of State’s wife Toh Puan Fauziah Mohd Sanusi here Tuesday.
Its launch at the Baitulmakmur II building marked a significant step in government efforts to support working parents with quality childcare facilities.
According to Women, Childhood, and Community Well-being Development Minister, Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah, workplace childcare centres are essential to support working parents, particularly mothers in the government sector.
“As of Feb 15, 249 registered Taska throughout Sarawak are managed by various government agencies and private companies.
“Out of this number, 16 are the TTKs, with 10 under SeDidik, including the newly launched TKK Baitulmakmur II,” she said.
The newly established TTK Baitulmakmur has already had 69 enrolments, comprising 11 infants aged six to 12 months, 28 toddlers aged one to two years, and 30 children aged three to four.
Fatimah added that the ratio of caregivers to children is regulated to ensure the children’s well-being in the childcare centre.
“For infants under one-year-old, the ratio is one caregiver to three babies, while children aged one to three years old are one to five children, but two caregivers will be appointed to three children with special needs.
“As for children aged three to four years old, one caregiver will take care of 10 children, while three caregivers will take care of 10 children with special needs,” Fatimah said.
She stressed that workplace childcare centres serve as a vital social support system to enable more women to participate in the workforce without compromising their children’s early education and care.
“The ministry understands women’s challenges in balancing work and family life, and without childcare facilities, some women may have to leave their jobs or forgo their career aspirations.
“This would impact individual families and the economy, as it would be a loss for Sarawak and the nation,” she said.
She said her ministry remains committed to ensuring equal access, equity, and quality in the state’s early childhood education and care.
“The establishment of the TTK serves as a social support system, providing space and opportunities for more women to enter the workforce without neglecting their children’s care, guidance, and education.
“This aligns with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 5 Gender Equality, by encouraging more women to participate in employment,” she said.
Fatimah added that the Sarawak government has introduced several initiatives to alleviate the financial burden on parents.
“For households earning RM7,000 and below, the Sarawak government has allocated RM2.5 million for the Early Childhood Care and Education Fee Subsidy initiative, providing up to RM1,000 per year.
“This subsidised nursery and kindergarten fees, which started in 2023, has benefitted 2,634 children in private nurseries and kindergarten, but the number rose to 3,175, totalling 5,809 beneficiaries.
“We also provide Special Annual Grants and Registration Fee Assistance, which provides a one-off Special Annual Grant of RM5,000 to registered early childhood education institutions.
“However, as of this year, the grant will be divided into two components where RM2,500 will be allocated for professional development programmes for educators and caregivers, early childhood education initiatives such as digitalisation, and financial literacy programmes for children for the first component.
“The second component is a newly introduced RM100 registration fee assistance per child enrolled in a registered nursery or kindergarten, aimed at easing parents’ initial schooling expenses,” she said.
