KUALA LUMPUR: The government will provide more Child Care Centres especially in hospitals and schools by increasing the allocation to RM30 million next year.
The government has successfully provided 66 such centres called TASKA in Government buildings this year, with an allocation of RM10 million, compared to the initial target of 50 TASKAs.
To ease the financial burden of parents who send their children for early childhood education to the centres and the registered preschools (TADIKA), the individual tax relief for fees paid will be increased from RM1,000 to RM2,000.
Women's rights advocate and secretary-general of the Society for the Promotion of Human Rights Ivy Josiah said while this was seen as a step in the positive direction, there was a need for an effective synergy between ministries namely the women, housing, transport and education.
“There needs to be infrastructure change because it is brutal to have to walk so far to make a living and not even have subsidised, safe and accessible childcare centres nearby.
“Some of the urban poor are forced to raise latch-key kids while they are at work, with no peace of mind,” she said.
Ivy commented that although plans to increase child care centres were lauded, the tax relief measure was not going to affect the urban poor.
“Most of the urban poor and B40 parents don’t earn enough to be paying tax, so that does not involve them anyway.
“We must not look at each point in isolation. For the urban poor especially, all theirs basic needs have to be synergised and most of it revolves around infrastructure, from bus services to work and safe childcare care service.”
