KUALA LUMPUR – Parents and operators of kindergartens and nurseries in several states have been confused by inconsistencies in standard operating procedures during the different movement control orders, said three lawmakers today.
In a press conference outside Parliament, former deputy education minister Teo Nie Ching (PH-Kulai) questioned the government’s decision to allow nurseries and kindergartens in Johor – which saw its conditional MCO lifted yesterday – to operate, even though kindergartens in Pahang are not allowed to do the same.
Pahang is currently a green zone and was not placed under the recent CMCO.
“Pahang is not under CMCO. Nurseries are allowed to operate there but kindergartens are not, after the education minister issued instructions for all institutions under the ministry to close November 9 onwards," said Teo during a press briefing on the sidelines of Parliament today.
“So, all kindergartens and schools in Pahang are closed although there have been no active Covid-19 cases in the state until today.
“But in Johor, which was under CMCO (ended yesterday) and Melaka – kindergartens received instructions from the state education departments that they can be opened now except for those in red zones."
Teo also lambasted the ministry for giving the public “a really good example” of inconsistency in standard operating procedures and instructions by government agencies.
Her ex-boss and former education minister Maszlee Malik (Independent-Simpang Renggam) said it was clear the issue lay between the lack of communications between the Education Ministry and the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry, as well as other stakeholders.
In Malaysia, kindergartens fall under the purview of the Education Ministry while nurseries are under the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry.
“Kindergarten operators in green-zoned Pahang have not received clear information because there is no consistency, despite their efforts to reach the Education Ministry. They find it confusing because parents can go out to work but cannot send their kids to the kindergartens,” said Maszlee.
“Only nurseries are allowed. There is confusion, and we hope the Education Ministry can contact these people and explain to them because it involves the income of operators and added burden on parents.”
Meanwhile, former Women, Family and Community Development deputy minister Hannah Yeoh said many parents have not received answers despite calling the government’s hotlines.
She also warned that since kindergartens are a service-based industry, many parents will not want to pay fees if there are no classes.
“When parents don’t want to pay, teachers won’t get salaries. Last week, the three of us (Teo and Maszlee) did a Zoom meeting because kindergarten operators in Pahang called us and said no one was fighting for their cause,” said Yeoh.
“Some of them even cried because they still need to pay the salaries of the teachers.
“If things continue to be shut down, they will close shop. We ask the government to make sure everything is in line and if there is a number for these operators to call, make sure someone is there to answer them.”
Yeoh said parents and kindergarten operators had also said that online lessons are unsuitable for children below six as it requires them to sit down and listen. – The Vibes, November 23, 2020
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