Sarawak seeks Japan agency’s expertise for early intervention, community support training

KUCHING (Oct 17): The Ministry of Women, Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development is looking into future collaborations with Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in various areas of training as well as other forms of assistance in Sarawak.

Minister Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah said she has put up a request to JICA to extend its services to the state.

“I have placed a request for JICA to set up in Sarawak where the agency can focus on training and assistance in the form of training on human resource and intervention at our One Stop Early Intervention Centre (OSEIC) or at our Community Rehabilitation Centre,” she said after paying a courtesy call to the agency in Tokyo, Japan yesterday (Oct 16).

JICA is an implementing agency of the Japanese official development aid for the purpose of supporting the socio-economic development, recovery or economic stability of developing regions.

Fatimah, who is currently leading a delegation from her ministry on a six-day official study visit to Tokyo, was earlier briefed on the roles and functions of JICA.

A statement from the ministry said the visit, which started on Oct 14, was to further develop a collaborative network and linkage for research and development in the field of Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE), special needs, family development and community wellbeing.

The new insight would serve as an added value for the ministry to continuously develop a multi-faceted approach to improve access, equity and quality of ECCE and social inclusivity.

In addition to JICA, the study visit in Tokyo also includes the Children and Family Agency (CFA); Ministry of Education, Culture, Sport, Science and Technology Japan (MEXT); Tomisha Sora-no-Kodomo Nursery School in Chiisana Uchu; Tokyo İnternational Public School; Fuji Kindergarten; Mitaka City Hall; Ueno Park and Human ChildStar Nursery.

Among the delegation members included Deputy Women, Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development Ministers Datuk Rosey Yunus and Datuk Mohammad Razi Sitam as well as the ministry’s permanent secretary Datu Felicia Tan.