Azlan Othman
Child care centres (CCC) for children aged one and above will be allowed to operate at an 80-per-cent capacity commencing February 10.
Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Aminuddin Ihsan bin Pehin Orang Kaya Saiful Mulok Dato Seri Paduka Haji Abidin announced this at a press conference yesterday, in providing updates on guidelines for CCC during the Early Endemic Phase.
CCC nationwide have been allowed to re-operate in stages at a rate that meets the advice and standard operating procedures (SOPs) of the Endemic Phase of the COVID-19 Recovery Framework beginning January 17.
However, Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Aminuddin Ihsan said the approval is subject to the readiness of each centre in liaison with the Community Development Department (JAPEM).
As per existing guidelines, children, parents and staff (including support staff) are still required to undergo an antigen rapid test (ART) once a week.
They are allowed to perform the ART test at home starting February 10, in line with the Ministry of Education’s (MoE) statement issued last Saturday regarding Kindergarten school students.
The CCC will inform parents and students on the process and procedures for the implementation and reporting process of the ART self-test.
The guidelines and other existing SOP are maintained to ensure the safety of children, parents and CCC staff. They include the installation of HEPA filters, partial use of personal protective equipment (PPE) for officers, and the wearing of face masks for children.
The Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports (MCYS), through JAPEM, will monitor the centres to ensure their compliance to the SOPs.
To date, 247 children have been enrolled into 46 CCC across the country. Of the 46, 25 are currently operating.
“Alhamdulillah, the CCC monitoring showed that all ART performed returned negative,” the minister said.
The MCYS expressed appreciation to parents, guardians and CCC personnel for complying with the SOPs and guidelines since their reopening under the Early Endemic Phase, adding that such cooperation must be continued to avoid the risk of infection.
For information, the public can refer to the guidelines prepared by the MCYS, in collaboration with the Prime Minister’s Office and the Ministry of Health, at www.kkbs.gov.bn or www.jpm.gov.bn.
