KUCHING: The reopening of kindergartens (tadika) in Sarawak on July 1 must be in compliance with the standard operating procedures (SOPs).
Welfare, Community Wellbeing, Women, Family and Childhood Development Minister Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah said that on Monday, her ministry presented the SOPs to the Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (SDMC), which had given the green light for the resumption of tadika in the state.
“Starting from today, the preparation process is to be carried out by the tadika,” she told a press conference at her ministry’s office at the Baitul Makmur Building, Petra Jaya on Tuesday.
She said that the SOPs consisted of measures to be taken before the tadika could reopen, during their operation, and after each learning session. The SOPs covered the roles of operators and parents as well.
“Firstly, one of the roles of operators is to ensure that disinfection of the premises is done before they reopen on July 1,” she said, adding that the Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba) had assisted in these efforts with priority given to taska (nurseries) and tadika in areas which were previously categorised as red zones.
“Next, they have to inform parents of the post Covid-19 procedure before resuming operations. They also have to give a briefing to all staff and parents,” she said.
The other roles of tadika operators are controlling the movements of staff and avoiding group activities, ensuring that staff complete a health declaration form prior to resuming their duties and ensuring that early childhood education institution (IPAKK) staff who are unwell/have symptoms/have just returned from overseas/have had contact with Covid-19 patients are not allowed to attend the IPAKK.
“Health and temperature checks are to be done on the staff members every day before they enter the premises,” said Fatimah.
Meanwhile, parents’ roles include ensuring their children are in a healthy and clean condition, filling in a daily log book/checklist, complying with the Sarawak IPAKK post Covid-19 procedure, completing a health declaration form for their children, refraining from sending their children to IPAKK if they are unwell family members, and so on.
Fatimah said that upon the children’s arrival at the tadika, they had to undergo a temperature check before entering the premises.
“Children are not allowed to attend if they have just returned from overseas. Other measures are a staggered arrival schedule, one metre social distancing, and not allowing parents to enter the IPAKK premises, ensuring that children wash their hands with soap and water/hand sanitiser. The staffs are to check and complete the daily log book/checklist with parents,” she said.
Fatimah emphasised that during the learning session, group activities would not be allowed. She said that learning tools and toys would be sanitised before and after use, with no sharing of tools and toys allowed.
She also went through the dismissal time SOP, which included disinfection of IPAKK before the next session and temperature checks on the children.
“During this time, face-to-face discussions between parents and teachers are not encouraged – instead, they can use Whatsapp or phone.”
Fatimah explained that if any individual – be they staff or child – was found to be Covid-19 positive, the Sarawak Health Department (JKNS) or nearest Health office should be informed immediately and their directives complied with. If there was a positive case, the tadika would be closed immediately.
She said that if symptoms were detected during daily screening, a ‘circuit breaker’ would be in place to stop operations and close the centre until JKNS deemed it safe to reopen again.
“Each tadika also has an isolation ward. If a child is showing symptoms, he or she will be isolated there until the parents take him or her to the nearest health clinic,” she said.
Fatimah said that if any tadika failed to comply with the SOPs, they would be ordered to halt operations immediately until the authorities were satisfied with corrective actions taken and that the IPAKK had complied with the SOPs.
“The SOPs will be put on our website and we will ask the relevant associations to distribute the SOPs to their members,” she said.
