Do not force children to read, write at nursery, kindergarten levels (Updated)

KUCHING: Let your children play while learning and do not force them to read and write while they are at nursery and kindergarten levels, said State Minister of Welfare, Community Wellbeing, Women, Family, and Children Development, Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah.
She said parents sometimes underestimated the benefits of playing and seldom realised that their children could actually learn new things, as well as practice good values and even develop their motor skills and muscles while playing.
"There are parents who insisted that their children be taught how to read and write at nursery and kindergarten levels.
"Some of these parents would even go to the extent of sending their young children to tuition classes to learn how to read and write, which it is not the right concept," she said at the launch of Taska Day 2017, themed "Children Olympic Telematch" at Yayasan Sarawak here today.
She said nurseries and kindergartens were actually to prepare the children for the next stage of formal education.
"It is only at the primary school level that children should learn to read, write and think," she added.
At the event, Fatimah also announced a grant of RM10,000 to the Association of Registered Childcare Providers Sarawak to finance their activities.
Meanwhile, Fatimah said she was still waiting for the full report from the consultant on the conditions and total cost of rebuilding 11 dilapidated kindergartens under the Community Development Department (Kemas) in the state to be submitted to the Chief Minister’s Office.
She said there was an urgent need to build new buildings for these kindergartens to provide a more conducive and safer learning place for the children.
The 11 kindergartens are Tabika RH Serit Kapit, Tabika RH Pillai Kapit, Tabika RH Tunjang Sg. Lelabi Sarikei, Tabika Selangan Sarikei, Tabika RH Jamba Kapit, Tabika Kampung Sagah Petra Jaya, Tabika Sungai Malikat Marudi, Tabika Manok Machal Kapit, Tabika Kampung Ampungan, Puncak Borneo, Tabika Kampung Banting Lawas and Tabika Kampung Sungai Tapang Stampin. — Bernama — Bernama