65 nurseries, 11 childcare centres deregistered since January

From January until September this year, 65 children's nurseries and 11 childcare centres have been deregistered for non-compliance of the Child Care Centre Act 1984.

Deputy Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun said during this period, eight nurseries and six childcare centres were charged in court, with 11 nurseries compounded.

Speaking at the Dewan Rakyat sitting here Monday, Chew said her ministry was committed when it comes to the lives of children, and urged the operators of these premises to adhere to the law.

Chew was replying to a question from Datuk Noor Ehsanuddin Mohd Harun Narrashid (BN-Kota Tinggi) who asked if the government planned to tighten the monitoring and enforcement of private owned nurseries to ensure the quality of childcare service.

She said according to the statistics from the Social Welfare Department, as of Sept 30 this year, 862 nurseries were audited under the Nursery Accreditation Assessment 2016.

She said this exceeded the department's target and was proof that the ministry was very serious about ensuring the quality of childcare in nurseries was satisfactory.

"Ongoing efforts and cooperation between all parties are needed to ensure the safety, age-appropriate childcare, and activities suitable to the spiritual development of the children," she said.

Chew, when contacted, said among the offences committed by nurseries and childcare centres causing them to be deregistered was operating in premises dangerous to the children and not complying with the set safety instructions. -- Bernama