KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 1 ― The Ministry of Rural Development is optimistic that the teaching staff of KEMAS nurseries and kindergartens will have at least a Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education within the next 10 years.

Its minister Datuk Seri Rina Mohd Harun said the KEMAS Early Childhood Services Quality (PKPAK) 2020-2030 Plan aimed at improving the quality of early childhood education services was a step in that direction.

"Over the five years (2019-2023), KEMAS’ target is to have 835 individuals pursuing the Early Childhood Education Diploma ... currently about 70 per cent or 9,387 of the 11,196 teachers have obtained the Early Childhood Education Diploma,” she said during a Kemas Talk programme here yesterday.

She said among the plans in moving towards that direction was to set up an Early Childhood Education Skills Academy and the introduction of a Smart Classroom concept in all KEMAS nurseries and kindergartens.

To date 227,267 children between the ages of four and six have gone through preschool at 509 KEMAS nurseries and 10,966 kindergartens nationwide. ― Bernama