By Ida Nadirah Ibrahim
SHAH ALAM, March 30 — The state government, with the cooperation of the Selangor Association of Childcare Centres (SNA), has opened temporary childcare centres for children of parents who are in the Covid-19 frontline.
State Health, Welfare, Women Empowerment and Family Committee chairman Dr Siti Mariah Mahmud said the centres are located at buildings where the frontliners are on duty, such as in hospitals or clinics.
“The state government has already agreed to help the operations of the temporary childcare centres run smoothly by providing extra allocation and food supply,” she told SelangorKini, yesterday, but had not elaborated on the extra funding.
SNA president Mahanum Basri, when contacted today, said that the childcare centres are already operating and coordinated by the NGO at several government agency buildings.
She said the four childcare centres, which operates at different hours, are located at Tengku Ampuan Rahimah Hospital and Klang Hospital, both in Klang, Shah Alam Hospital, and the Selangor State Health Department.
“We are currently in discussion with the state government,” she said.
Meanwhile, Dr Siti Mariah urged parents and childcare or kindergarten operators to discuss and find a middle ground on how the centres can resume its operations once the movement control order (MCO) period ends.
She said while some parents may have lost their source of income, such as those who are self-employed, and could not pay the fees, Dr Siti Mariah proposed that parents who still receive their monthly salary to help the centres by continuing with the fee payment.
“To those who have cash flow problems because they have lost their jobs, the childcare centres or kindergartens should take this into consideration and either defer the fee payment, reduce the fee, or give a fee exemption.
“If the childcare centres and kindergartens do not receive the fees, this might cause them to close down their centres and parents may need to scout for some other place to send their children, which would involve additional fees.
“There should be a give-and-take between both parties that would benefit all. At the same time, the state government should also look into how to help childcare centres and kindergartens sustain themselves from the losses,” she added.
