PETALING JAYA: A new government guideline instructing child care centres (taska) to separate the children of front-liners from other minors has raised serious concerns.
The guideline has been called prejudicial and harmful to the development of children of front-liners.
The guideline, released last Friday by the Welfare Department and approved by the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry (KPWKM), said the children of front-liners are at high risk of contracting Covid-19 from their parents.
Anisa Ahmad, president of the Association of Registered Childcare Providers, said the directive was discriminatory and against the original purpose of reopening child care centres.
“Initially taska operators were against reopening the centres as we knew this would be high risk to the children. We had suggested the opening of emergency ‘child safe-spaces’ during the first movement control order (MCO).
“However we reopened after many front-liners appealed to the government as they needed help to care for their children while they were working.
“The new guideline goes against the original purpose of wanting to help the front liners in the first place. It’s also an act of discrimination that goes against the United Nations’ Convention on the Rights of the Child,” she told theSun today.
Anisa also noted that many child care centres had remained closed as parents were afraid to send their children in view of the risk involved.
“Furthermore the conflicting information about the reopening of taska since the MCO started has caused considerable inconveniences to our operators,” she added.
G. Manimegalai, a member of the Bar Council Child Rights Committee, said there was no basis to segregate the children of front-liners and others as such a practice could be detrimental to the mental health of children.
“Referring to the Child Act 2001, our laws should consider the moral, ethical, and spiritual development of children.
“Is this guideline humane and does it support the well-being of our children? Will the children even be able to understand why they have been put aside?
“Imagine the trauma they may experience if they are segregated just because their parents are front-liners, even though their parents were regarded as the country’s heroes.
“This will negatively affect the development of the children, and is not in their best interest,” she told theSun today.
Manimegalai instead suggested that children of front-liners should only be segregated if they show symptoms such as a fever or sore throat.
In a statement yesterday, MMA president Dr N. Ganabaskaran expressed shock that the guideline had been approved in the first place.
“The Health Ministry should have been consulted on the guideline. The country is faced with a pandemic. A global pandemic. All ministries should be working closely with the Health Ministry.
“We urge KPWKM to consult the Health Ministry on the appropriate and recommended preventive measures for taska in the country.
Ganabaskaran added that many front-liners felt offended by the guideline and hoped the ministry would address the matter appropriately.
“Don’t discriminate against our front-liners. Treat their children fairly,“ he said.
