PUTRAJAYA: Women, Family, and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri launched a series of workshops today for the Development of the Care Industry in Malaysia, which is aimed at devising an action plan that is expected to be completed by July.
She said the initiative had begun in 2018 and had successfully garnered 655 care workers.
"This year, we are targeting around 385 individuals," said Nancy.
"We will talk about whether we need more, because we see that the private sector also wants to join in. Maybe they can train caregivers like we do in our institution."
According to Nancy, the training had started in 2018 but was not made public yet.
"Now, we are starting to announce it to the public."
She said the training programmes involved practical and academic modules, adding that adequate training with a balanced approach is necessary as a combination of both practical and theoretical knowledge is crucial for an individual to be a better caregiver.
"The individuals are required to take up modules at university so that they can understand what they are doing. We'll help them until they reach the level of diploma," said Nancy, who added that she will also review the existing laws governing care worker practices to identify any gaps requiring amendments.
"The Human Resources Ministry works on the care economy through the Social Welfare Department (JKM), which is the main agency for caring and community services."
She said JKM has developed 28 National Occupational Skills Standards covering 11 sectors in the care and community service field.
