A TOTAL of 20,462 Endowment Fund Sarawak (EFS) accounts were opened from January to October this year, involving an allocation of RM20.46mil.
Minister for Women, Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development, Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah said RM1,000 was given to all Sarawak-born children in the form of savings three years ago.
She said from 2019 until 2021, a total of 81,926 children registered for the fund, with an allocation amounting to RM81.9mil.
Another initiative, the RM450 one-off Bantuan Ibu Bersalin (BIB) also benefitted 37,158 mothers.
“A total of RM16.7mil has been allocated for the BIB financial aid since its implementation in 2020 until October this year,” she said in her ministerial winding-up speech at the Sarawak Legislative Assembly (DUN) sitting on yesterday (Nov 30).
Since taking over the operations of Sedidik pre-schools in Sarawak, Fatimah said her ministry continued to enhance the early childhood education programmes as well as the quality of teachers and educators.
She said her ministry aimed to have 100 per cent of SeDidik teachers having at least a Diploma in Early Childhood Education by 2025 through a collaboration with Open University of Malaysia, Sarawak Skills Development Centre (PPKS), Teacher Education Institute (IPG) and SIDMA Sarawak College.
“By the end of this year, we are expecting about 93.63 per cent of SeDidik teachers having at least a Diploma in Early Childhood Education, and the remaining eight out of 10 people (6.37%) including five Penan educators in the Apoh-Tutoh area are currently furthering their studies and expected to complete by 2025.”
Meanwhile, the One-Stop Early Intervention Centre (OSEIC), which provides diagnosis, early intervention and rehabilitation services for autistic, Down’s syndrome and children with learning disabilities aged seven and below, is able to accommodate more children now.
Fatimah said the centre was only able to accommodate 100 children at the initial stage of its establishment and had been extended with renovation works costing about RM1.2mil.
“The extension and renovation works were completed in August; with an additional one sensory integration room and five classrooms, the centre can now accommodate and provide better facilities and services for the 400 registered children,” she added.
