Speaking to FMT, Association of Registered Childcare Providers Malaysia president Anisa Ahmad said the Welfare Department had explained to them that daycare centres can reopen if they have fulfilled the National Security Council’s (MKN) requirements and standard operating procedures (SOP).

“Daycare centres are allowed to open but they won’t necessarily open. Daycare centre workers also need to be screened first and the centres also have to be disinfected.”

Under MKN’s guidelines, all daycare centres are allowed to operate from tomorrow unless they are in enhanced movement control order (EMCO) areas.

All teachers and staff have to be confirmed to be free of Covid-19 and given training on health and safety measures, while the centres need to be disinfected.

The daycare centres must also provide hand sanitisers and ensure social distancing, while all staff are required to wear masks at all times.

Parents must also bathe their children immediately after school and they should avoid direct contact with senior citizens.

Anisa said it would be difficult to ensure social distancing among the children as it was in their nature to play with their friends.

So, she said, the daycare centres would have to reduce the number of children at each centre, prioritising the children of frontliners and those with two working parents.

“Others will not be accepted. We have to reduce, otherwise social distancing cannot be done,” she said, adding it was expected of children to be running, hugging and playing with their friends.

“Parents who are working from home need to look after their own children. There is no other choice because we are in a recovery phase.

“We do not want a cluster from daycare centres. We have to take precautions.”

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