JKM provides various initiatives to boost childcare registration

Towards this end, JKM, which is under the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development (KPWKM) has embarked on several advocacy initiatives such as 'Jom Daftar' and registration advisory services to encourage more childcare centres (taska) and nurseries to register with the agency.

According to JKM Deputy Director General (Operation) Fatimah Zuraidah Salleh, 'One Stop Centre' meetings are regularly held at state JKM together with relevant technical agencies to resolve the registration problem.

"For operators of childcare centres and nurseries who are reluctant to register, JKM will take tougher enforcement action towards them," she told Bernama in an exclusive interview recently.

KAP IS COMPULSORY

The ministry takes a serious view on the need for childminders serving childcare centres to attend the PERMATA Early Childhood Care and Education Course or Kursus Asuhan PERMATA (KAP) organised by JKM.

It is compulsory for any individual, whether operator, manager, supervisor or caregiver at a childcare centre to attend and pass the KAP course.

"Without the KAP certificate, the operator, manager and supervisor of a childcare centre are not qualified to serve. While there are still caregivers who have not completed their KAP course, they can still work at JKM-registered centres. However, they have to attend and pass the KAP within 12 months from the date of service and become registered caregivers.

"Under the Childcare Centre Regulations 2012, operators who fail to ensure their caregivers attend and pass the KAP within 12 months, can be fined a maximum of RM1,000 or jailed for six months or both," she said.

Starting from Jan 1, 2013, all operators, managers, supervisors and childminders are required to replace the Basic Childcare Course (KAAK) which has been enforced since 1988.

This is to comply with the employment guidelines stipulated under the Childcare Centre Act 1984 and Childcare Centre Regulations 2012 for all new operators, managers, supervisors and minders of childcare centres.

As of August this year, 5,436 childcare centres nationwide are registered under JKM with 1,858 nurseries registered as of September.

As of October, 18,385 individuals have registered as childminders and of the total, 9,310 have been awarded the KAP certificates while the rest have yet to obtain theirs.

Meanwhile, Fatimah Zuraidah also refuted claims that KAP is not compulsory for caregivers and operators of centres for children with special needs or disabled (OKU) as qualifications required are the same for all categories as stipulated under the Childcare Centre Act 1984.

21-DAY REGISTRATION PROCESS

In response to allegations that the registration process for childcare centres is complicated and time-consuming, she said, at JKM, completed applications for taska registration will be processed for approval within 21 working days.

According to Fatimah Zuraidah, an application for a childcare centre must be accompanied with a certified copy of business registration with the Companies Commission of Malaysia (SSM), with approvals from the Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM), local municipality (PBT) and the Department of Health.

At the same time, all documents that are required by JKM must be complete such as KAP certificate, food menu, schedule of activities, layout plan, etc.

Fatimah Zuraidah said, completed documents that are submitted to JKM, will go through the evaluation process and followed with inspections to the taska.

The next step is a report prepared by the JKM officer and will then be brought forward for approval of the State JKM Director.

"The registration certificate, which is valid for five years, will be issued for every approved application. All conditions stated under the Applications for Taska Registration Guide are based on the Childcare Centre Act 1984, which must be complied with to ensure safety and welfare of children at the taska are provided for," she said.

MARKET STUDY

To expedite the taska registration process at JKM, applicants are advised to conduct a market study of supply and demand, identify the requirements for registration and technical agencies involved as well as seek advice from related agencies.

Applicants can also engage advisory services from the PBT and the Land and Survey Department (Sarawak only) as well as conduct a study on the local community and obtain approval for setting up a taska.

"Operators can refer to the Guidelines of Planning and Establishment of Kindergartens and Childcare Centres issued by the Town and Country Planning Department or refer to the local municipality," she said.

On allegations of difficulties in applying for licence to operate a nursery for the disabled or OKU, Fatimah Zuraidah said, applications for setting up an OKU nursery is under the Care Centre Act 1993 and is subject to several provisions.

Among others, approvals as well as support from technical agencies such as the PBT, JBPM and the Health Department and fulfilling the minimum standards specified such as ratio of caregiver to occupants of one is to 10 OKU and one caregiver to four bed-ridden OKU.

Other requirements that have to be complied with include the ratio of occupants, layout plan, floor space, suitably qualified and experienced caregivers, balanced food menu and daily activities approved by JKM, provision of furniture and equipment, proper maintenance of records, cleanliness and security of the premise.

FEES, QUALITY OF SERVICE

On the issue of high fees imposed by registered centres and nurseries, which forced parents to send their children to unregistered care centres, she said, the fees are dependent on the quality of service offered by a childcare centre or nursery.

Registered childcare centres usually comply with regulations such as food menu which meet the Ministry of Health (MOH)'s standards, minimum salary for caregivers set by the Human Resource Ministry and also based on the experience and qualifications of the caregivers, in addition to several other factors.

"Fees charged are not under JKM's jurisdiction. Parents are free to choose registered childcare centres based on their affordability as there are centres offering reasonable fees for the lower income groups.

"The government has also undertaken several initiatives by providing a monthly subsidy of RM180 per child to parents sending their children to a registered taska.

"Eligibility requirements include household per capita monthly income of RM800 and below in urban areas and monthly income of RM500 and below in rural areas, while those eligible for fee subsidy at community childcare centres and workplace taska in the public sector are those with total household monthly income of RM5,000 and below," she said.

A tax exemption of up to RM3,000 a year is also given for fees paid by parents for childcare.

A grant for the setting up of a taska at the public sector workplace is also provided for government agencies starting from 2019 and will be extended to 2022.

Workplace childcare centres at government agencies will benefit parents while the fees at workplace childcare centres are more reasonable and affordable for the target groups.

In addition, tax deduction is also given to employers of private sector workplace that provide allowance or fee subsidy to staff who send their children to childcare centres from the year of assessment in 2013.

"A tax exemption for a period of five years for taska operators from the assessment year 2013, as well as industrial building allowance at a rate of 10 per cent is also given to the private sector which operates a taska starting from 2010 year of assessment," she said.

CHILD SAFE ENVIRONMENT

Describing the issue of unregistered childcare as crucial for JKM to ensure childcare centres in the country are registered, safe and reliable, Fatimah Zuraidah said the government has also undertaken additional initiatives toward the objectives.

Under the National Economic Recovery Plan (PENJANA) introduced in 2020, the government has set aside a special assistance for taska operators registered under JKM.

For the year 2021, assistance under the People's Well-Being and Economic Recovery Package (PEMULIH) is also given to ease the burden of taska operators affected by the Movement Control Order (MCO).

"The initiative is aimed at encouraging taska operators to register and renew their licence. A total of 2,623 taska received approval for assistance in 2020 and 2,667 taska received the nod for assistance as of October this year," she said.

In addition, through the PEMULIH package, financial aid of RM3,000 is also given to all taska categories while home-based taska, financial aid of RM800 is given to ease the burden of operators to pay their bills despite not operating during the MCO.

WORKPLACE CHILDCARE CENTRES

To encourage registration of childcare centres and nurseries, JKM has also initiated efforts to open more childcare centres at the workplace.

Since 2019, JKM has allocated a grant to establish childcare centres at the workplace, and to date, approvals for 167 childcare centres in government agencies nationwide have been received.

According to Fatimah Zuraidah, in the 2022 Budget unveiled on Oct 23, the government has again provided RM30 million grant for the setting up of childcare centres at the public sector workplace.

The increase in childcare centres at the workplace requires the cooperation of all ministries and state governments, including private sector employers as the setting up of these centres at suitable spaces/premises/locations are under the jurisdiction of ministries/state governments as well as the respective employers.

At the same time, she said, government agencies or employers can use the space in the office or premise near the office or government quarters as workplace taska to provide facilities for the staff, especially those who work on shifts.

"The setting up of workplace childcare centres is important as it helps to boost staff productivity, with registered care centres being regularly monitored by JKM, while child safety is assured compared to children under the care of unregistered caregivers or nurseries," she said, adding that to date, 365 centres at the workplace are registered with encouraging response from parents.

She said childcare centres that are registered under JKM will be monitored at least twice a year while surprise checks will also be conducted when needed.

In addition, operators of registered nurseries should carry out self assessment every six months through MyKendiri, a self-assessment system for care centre operators to ensure they have achieved certain minimum standards that are laid out in the Care Centre Act 1993 and Care Centre Regulations 1994.

"JKM has also undertaken monitoring to ensure compliance at childcare centres and nurseries to curb the spread of COVID-19 and to ensure standard operating procedures (SOP) issued by the authorities, are observed," she said.