Fatimah (standing front, sixth right) and Rosey on her right join teachers and pupils of Tadika SeDidik Mutiara Dalat in a photo-call. Nor Ashikin stands on back row, second left.

DALAT: The Ministry of Welfare, Community Well Being, Women, Family and Childhood Development (KWKPK) strives to ensure the success of a pilot programme that focuses on nurturing good hygiene habits in young school-children.

According to Welfare, Community Well Being, Women, Family and Childhood Development Minister Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah, the ‘Bersih Awal, Bersih Akhir’ (BaBa) programme is now being implemented in 14 children’s early education institutions (IPAKK) across four ‘regions’– Kuching, Sri Aman, Dalat and Bekenu.

BaBa is a collaboration between the KWKPK and governmental bodies like the Education Department, Welfare Department, Community Development Department (Kemas), district and resident’s offices, statutory units like SeDidik Sdn Bhd, as well as a number of non-governmental organisations (NGOs).

The IPAKKs involved in this pilot project include the preschools run by Kemas and SeDidik.

“Each of these IPAKKs is given start-up allocation of RM1,000 to kick-start the BaBa programme,” she said in her opening remarks during a recent visit to Tadika SeDidik Mutiara Dalat here, which is among the 14 IPAKKs running the pilot project.

Assistant Minister of Women, Family and Childhood Development Rosey Yunus and SeDidik SEDC general manager Nor Ashikin Abdul Rahman were also present.

The BaBa programme was launched by Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg during the ‘KWKPK Open Day’ on Feb 3 this year.

Fatimah, who is Dalat assemblywoman, believed that the BaBa principles could help groom the children into becoming disciplined, responsible, independent and well-mannered individuals.

“The pilot project is beyond instilling in children a strong sense of hygiene-consciousness. It may start out as a set of instructions, but as they progress, the children would feel that it is their obligation to keep their place clean;this would extend to their houses, their playgrounds – wherever they are at.

“Once they have this self-awareness, they would not only continue it, but also advocate it to others,” she said.

Describing BaBa further, Fatimah said it was adopted from the ‘O-Soji’ (mass cleaning) programme– a tradition in the Japanese education system.

“Schools in Japan,including the pre-schools, practise ‘O-Soji’ – the children do the cleaning works, not the janitors.

“This programme is considered as an element of teaching and learning – a part of the education system in Japan. This is what BaBa is based upon,” she said.