KUCHING: Almost 99 per cent of Year One pupils in the state attended preschool, said Sarawak's Women, Early Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development Minister Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah.
She said the state government remained committed to providing equal access to preschool education, particularly in rural and Penan areas.
"One of our goals is to ensure access to preschools, especially in rural areas," she said at the opening of the Sarawak Preschool International Convention here.
She said the state government offers a fee subsidy of up to RM1,000 a year for households with monthly income of RM7,000 and below for children attending private preschools and childcare centres.
She said educators, caregivers and advocates have an immense responsibility as early childhood is a pivotal stage in human development.
She said it is during the formative years when children learn how to see the world and how the world sees them.
"Our role as educators, caregivers, parents and adults is to ensure that from the very beginning, each child is provided with the adequate support they need to succeed in life."
Fatimah said since 2021, the state government implemented the Open-Door Policy across all state-owned SeDidik preschools, allowing special needs children to learn alongside their peers.
"As part of our efforts to foster empathy, we teach children with special needs both our national and state anthems in sign language, along with basic sign language."
She said up to last month, 182 children with special needs were enrolled in 54 SeDidik centres.
She said 153 out of 173 SeDidik teachers, or 87.86 per cent, have attended basic sign language courses, while 165 of them, or 95.37 per cent, have attended courses on early childhood education for children with special needs.
Sarawak has 2,718 registered preschools with 69,266 children enrolled and 242 registered childcare centres with 4,026 children enrolled, she said.
She said since 2019, the state government implemented an annual grant of RM5,000 for qualified early childhood institutions to provide healthy meals, buy teaching and learning materials, facilitate professional development for teachers and support activities involving parents.
Fatimah said the state government facilitated the establishment of 16 Community Learning Centres (CLCs) in oil palm plantations to provide primary education for children of Indonesian plantation workers.
She said the CLCs are funded by the Indonesian government, with teachers from Indonesia teaching the Indonesian curriculum.
"After graduating from CLCs, they can continue their studies in a secondary school in Indonesia since the syllabus at CLCs is similar to the one used in Indonesia."