Social Welfare Dept urged to ensure employed kindergarten, nursery teachers care for children

KOTA KINABALU - The Department of Social Welfare (JKM), the regulatory body responsible for granting licenses to operators of kindergartens and nurseries, is being called upon to ensure that educators employed within these establishments uphold ethical values and exhibit genuine care for children.

Sabah's Minister of Community Development and People's Wellbeing, James Ratib, expressed deep concern over a recent incident involving mistreating a child at a state-run daycare centre.

As the minister overseeing the Ministry of Community Development and People's Welfare (KPMKR), James Ratib sincerely regrets the distressing occurrence.

He articulated the need for a comprehensive guideline, aimed explicitly at kindergarten and nursery operators, to rigorously assess and select educators who are not only professionally qualified but also hold a sincere affection for children.

Addressing reporters after a Sabah State Legislative Assembly session, Ratib said: "I implore the Department of Social Welfare, entrusted with the task of issuing licenses, to ensure that educators chosen possess a complete educational background in child pedagogy."

Furthermore, he advocated for the mandatory installation of closed-circuit cameras (CCTV) within kindergarten and nursery premises as a precondition for license renewal.

Ratib highlighted the significance of this measure in ensuring transparency and safeguarding the well-being of children under the care of these institutions.

"The inclusion of CCTV surveillance stands as a requisite within our framework.

"It is affirmed that all nurseries operating under my jurisdiction must equip their respective facilities with CCTV systems before license renewal," Ratib affirmed.

Expanding upon the findings of the inspection conducted at the site implicated in the case above, Minister James Ratib disclosed that the entity in question had been granted dual licenses for both a kindergarten and a nursery, each falling under the purview of the Education Ministry.

"Upon meticulous investigation, it came to light that the entity holds two distinct licenses - one designated for a kindergarten and the other for a nursery.

"Both licenses are officially registered with the Education Ministry," Ratib explained.

Considering the circumstances surrounding the incident, Ratib highlighted that the educator in question had been engaged in teaching activities since 2020.

He voiced concern that prior occurrences of misconduct might have gone unnoticed or unreported.

"As the steward of this ministry, I regard this matter with the utmost gravity.

It is imperative that parents retain their faith in the integrity of kindergartens and nurseries, and I am committed to ensuring their trust is upheld," Ratib affirmed resolutely.

In a report published by Sinar on Wednesday, an alarming incident was documented where a woman subjected a child to physical abuse within a Kota Kinabalu-based kindergarten.

The distressing incident was captured on CCTV footage and observed by both parents of the child, evoking profound distress in the mother as she witnessed her child's mistreatment.