Parents must inculcate good hygiene practices in their children

Children are certainly excited to see their friends again after being apart for almost three months following the implementation of the Movement Control Order (MCO) on March 18, followed by the Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) on May 4 and then replaced by the Recovery Movement Control Order (RMCO) on June 10.

Although the Ministry of Education's standard operating procedures (SOPs) to prevent the spread of COVID-19 infection will be issued soon, parents should play a role in facilitating the task of teachers by adopting the new normal in early education institutions.

Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob yesterday announced that all preschools and kindergartens will be reopened starting July 1 with detailed SOPs to be announced soon.

The move will involve 6,216 public and 7,887 private preschools; 1,781 kindergartens under the National Unity Ministry as well as 8,530 kindergartens under the Rural Development Ministry.

Association of Registered Childcare Providers Malaysia president Anisa Ahmad said that children who are trained to practice good hygiene will continue to do so.

"Children are taught good hygiene at kindergarten including the 20 seconds hand washing," she said.

"By having parents practising the same values at home, the new normal will become more common among children to adopt good hygiene practices such as hand washing to prevent virus infections. Hence, it will be easier for them to understand if they are asked to do it by their teachers," she told Bernama.

As of yesterday, Malaysia recorded 8,494 COVID-19 positive cases with 121 deaths.