Fatimah (fourth left) receives documents on the Community Education Programme from Shamsul. Rosey is on third left.

KUCHING: Petronas has allocated RM2.75 million to set up a ‘Community Education Programme’ that would enable Penan children from five villages in Apoh/Tutoh areas of Baram in Miri to access early childhood education.

This pilot project is to be carried out in partnership with the Welfare, Women and Family Development Ministry, the federal Community Development Department (Kemas), state Education Department, Sarawak Early Childhood Education Council, Miri Resident Office as well as other relevant departments and agencies.

Welfare, Women and Family Development Minister Datuk Fatimah Abdullah said this programme would benefit 72 Penan children of Long Jenalong, Long Kerangan, Long Leng, Long Kawa and Long Selulong.

“The five-year project, to start by the middle of August this year, will be implemented in four stages,” she told a press conference in her office at Wisma Baitulmakmur here on Friday.

“The first stage involving basic preparations will take one year, followed by the implementation (two years) and improvements (two years) before handing it over to the government by 2020,” she explained, adding that the programme would consist of providing the infrastructure and training in each village.

“The local community will be actively engaged, from planning to implementation. It (project) will provide them the opportunities to get involved in nurturing, teaching, guiding and educating their children,” she said.

The main focus, said Fatimah, was providing sustainable education programme for children across the state’s rural areas.

These villages, she said, were located 10km to 32km away from the nearest school, SK Long Bedian K9, and only accessible by logging roads.

“They are chosen as they are located near the Sabah-Sarawak Gas Pipeline route, owned by Petronas.

“These communities have no opportunity in having formal early childhood education as nurseries, kindergartens or pre-schools, as government agencies have not reached them,” she added.

Through the programme, Fatimah said, children below the age of five would attend nursery while the five- and six-year-olds would be in pre-schools.

She also stated that the number of educators would be determined by the teacher-student ratio.

“Training will be provided to personnel involved, in preparing them to provide quality early childhood education to Penan children of all ages,” she said, stressing that early childhood education would be the stepping stone towards producing quality human capital.

“Petronas’ efforts will contribute to a greater percentage of children receiving early childhood education.”

According to Fatimah, 98.84 per cent of Primary 1 pupils attended pre-schools and kindergartens this year.

She said the ministry would adopt a holistic approach to add value to the programme.

“We will take the opportunity to provide necessary services to the isolated communities there – we have found that there are residents without identity documents like MyKAD.

“Other services to be provided include elderly and welfare assistance. We will send the information on issues encountered to relevant departments and agencies.”

Noting the challenges faced by remote communities in Sarawak, Fatimah hoped that her ministry could provide as many assistance and services through the programme as possible.

There are 131 Penan villages with a combined population of 16,173 across the state – many of which are located in Baram, Miri, Bintulu, Limbang and Belaga.

The press conference was also attended by Assistant Minister of Early Childhood and Family Development Rosey Yunus, Petronas Sarawak–Regional Office general manager Shamsul Taha, state Education Department deputy director Abang Mat Ali Abang Masagus, Miri Resident Office administrative officer (social) Jeffrey Jalong, state Kemas operations officer Zuraidah Jemeni and permanent secretary to Welfare, Women and Family Development Ministry, Megir Gumbek.