Parents and teachers of the Community Development Department (Kemas) kindergartens should hold discussions before the proposal for the learning session at all Kemas kindergartens be extended until 5pm is implemented next year.

Parent Action Group for Education (PAGE) president Datin Noor Azimah Abdul Rahim said this was to determine all learning activities organised at the kindergartens were suitable for the children.

"Kemas kindergarten teachers need to organise more learning activities and programmes, other than those carried out during the morning session, by incorporating skill-based activities such as playing music, sports and cleaning up.

"Apart from filling up the extra time, the children can also learn various basic living skills," she said when contacted by Bernama on Tuesday.

Rural and Regional Development Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob today proposed that learning hours at Kemas kindergartens be extended to 5pm beginning next year.

Currently, the learning session at Kemas kindergartens begins at 7.30am and ends at 11am.

Ismail Sabri said it was part of the ministry's initiative to ease the burden of families after taking into account comments and suggestions from parents who were worried about their children's wellbeing while they were at work.

Meanwhile, Nurul Farahin Mohd Yazid, 28, a teacher at Sinar Cemerlang Kemas Kindergarten in Cheras, welcomed the proposal, but said certain aspects should be taken into account, including manpower.

"If the ministry wants to implement the proposal, the number of teachers in Kemas kindergartens should also be increased, as most of them only have one or two teachers.

"The number of teachers is small and if they have to work longer hours, this will defnitely cause them to feel tired and be unproductive," she said.

Meanwhile, Nur Aliah Jaafar, 27, also welcomed the proposal.

The mother of a four-year-old boy, however, hopes that the initiative to implement the proposal would not burden the children.

"If it is implemented, of course I will feel more relieved to leave my child at the Kemas kindergarten and only take him home after work as it could really help me in saving time and cost as I need not to send him to babysitter's house in the afternoon," she said. - Bernama