THE Penang Kindergarten Teachers Association is urging unlicenced kindergarten operators to apply and get their premises licenced.
Its president Sally Ng, who is also the president of the Malaysian Kindergarten Teachers Association, said that the Penang local governments had simplified the procedures and even waived certain fees.
“It is a simple application via the local councils’ eLesen website. It can be completed within an hour. I received my approval within two months.
“The applicant does not even need to go to Komtar. In the past, the applicant may have to go to Komtar several times.
“Everything can be done via online now,” she spoke about her licence application to set up her new pre-school.
Ng, who has been in the field for about 20 years, praised the state government for hearing the pleas of the operators.
“We would like to specially thank state Social Development and Non-Islamic Religious Affairs Committee chairman Chong Eng and Sungai Pinang assemblyman Lim Siew Khim for their tireless efforts in addressing the issues faced by us.
“Prior to the new councils’ guidelines, those who wished to set up a new nursery, kindergarten or care centres were burdened with various types of fees such as the conversion fees, tree planting contribution, infrastructure contribution and other contribution fees,” she said, adding that several fees have been waived by the local councils under the new guidelines.
She said that, now, the operator would have to pay a one-off fee of RM1,000 under the new guidelines.
Speaking of the past, Ng said that the operators could only operate in residential premises.
“Then when we were allowed to operate in commercial lots, we were again troubled by another problem when the local councils, back then, required us to submit the planning permission.
“However, thanks to the efforts by state exco member Chong Eng and assemblyperson Lim Siew Khim, the councils have agreed to do away with the need for nursery, kindergarten, and care centre (children, senior citizen and the disabled) operators who are operating in commercial lots to submit the planning permission.
“We saved a lot from this, especially the cost to engage the engineer and architect, which could amount to over RM20,000,” she said.
Ng said that those who plan to operate in the residential premises would still have to submit the planning permission under the new guidelines.
“In summary, the Penang government has really heard our requests and helped us. We are thankful to the state government,” she said.
Chong Eng said their efforts (together with Lim) started way back in 2016 when there were many nurseries, kindergartens, and care centres (children, senior citizens and the disabled) which were not registered or legalised back in 2016.
“We worked on efforts to legalise them. The operators were having difficulties with compliance due to the high charges then.
“We listened to the people, we held many meetings, and we made it easier for the operators to get their premises licenced with the new local councils’ guidelines. The new guidelines have been implemented since late last year.
“Our children are the leaders of the future. This is if we can give them the opportunity to learn. Early childhood education is very important.
“Lim and I are still advocating for affordable childcare centres. The Penang government is not leaving anyone behind and to do this, the state must provide good ‘enablers’.
“We have to help these operators, who are providing community services, through these new guidelines,” she added.
Chong Eng attributed the collective success to state executive council members Jagdeep Singh Deo and Phee Boon Poh, as well as the state Social Welfare Department, local governments, and city councillors.
“We hope that more operators can now apply to be registered and licenced,” she said.
Lim said the operators were only surviving and providing the services needed by the community.
“We should not be making it hard for them to provide services to the people,” she said.
Lim said that many working parents would not be able to contribute to the society or work in peace without the assistance from the operators of nurseries, kindergartens, and care centres.
“We want to encourage more women to work. But that can only happen when the parents (mother and father) can have a peace of mind to work, knowing their children are being taken care of,” she added.
Story by Christopher Tan
Pix by Alissala Thian