The first childcare centre catering to children of government servants in Komtar in George Town. — Filepic
A NEW nursery centre catering to the children of government servants in Komtar, Penang, is expected to open in a month or two, pending approval of the operating licence.
To be known as Taska D’ Komtar 2.0, the centre with a capacity for 32 children will complement the existing one that has been operating since 2014.
Both centres are located at Level 4 of the iconic tower.
Penang Women’s Development Corporation (PWDC) chief executive officer Ong Bee Leng said the nurseries would cater to children four years and below, with at least one of their parents being a government servant.
She said having childcare centres at workplaces would encourage women from dropping out of the workforce.
“We set up the first centre in Komtar in 2014 to meet the childcare needs of the state’s civil servants.
“The waiting list has grown longer, with 10 to 20 children on the list. A lot of parents have requested PWDC to open up more centres.
Ong says more childcare centres at workplaces should be set up.
“Statistics have shown that female labour force participation rate will drop drastically after the age of 30 due to childbearing years. This means that as one grows older, fewer women work.
“One of the ways to overcome this is to provide more childcare centres at workplaces.
“We can say that we are quite proud of Penang’s unique approach in this matter,” Ong told Buletin Mutiara.
The Penang Development Corporation sponsored the renovation of two shoplots at Komtar, investing RM150,000 to set up Taska D’ Komtar 2.0 as part of its corporate social responsibility.
The centre will be privately operated but rental and utilities will be subsidised by the state government.
Ong hopes that Taska D’ Komar 2.0 will inspire both public and private sectors to establish childcare centres at their workplaces so that more mothers can stay in the workforce.
She said PWDC was conducting focus group discussions involving operators, the Social Welfare Department, employers, and parents to devise plans for safe, affordable, and accessible childcare centres with a curriculum emphasising quality education.
While multinational companies can more easily establish childcare centres near their workplaces, local enterprises face challenges due to a lack of of kids.
PWDC is exploring the feasibility of setting up a consortium where multiple companies collaborate to operate a shared childcare centre.
