Gianyar Regency Builds Infrastructure to Support Preschool Education
Gianyar, Bali (ANTARA) — The Gianyar Regency Government in Bali is building infrastructure to support the central government’s one-year compulsory preschool education programme and provide a safe, comfortable learning environment.
“The programme is expected to ease the burden on families and encourage children to take part in early childhood education services,” said Gianyar Early Childhood Education (PAUD) ambassador Ida Ayu Surya Adnyani Mahayastra on the sidelines of an outreach event on compulsory one-year preschool education in Ubud, Gianyar, Bali, on Thursday.
To support the programme run by the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, the regency government is backing the construction and upgrading of early childhood education facilities.
Facilities including classrooms, gardens, fences, play areas and other supporting amenities have also been prepared to ensure a safe and comfortable learning environment. The Gianyar Regency Government is also supporting the provision of free uniforms for children attending state-run early childhood education centres.
Beyond infrastructure, she said, children’s needs must be met comprehensively, including their health, nutrition, care, protection and welfare.
At the outreach event, she stressed the importance of preschool education in developing language, thinking skills, independence, social skills, character and readiness to learn through enjoyable experiences suited to children’s developmental stages.
Meanwhile, Gianyar Education Office acting head I Wayan Mawa said the event, held at the Widya Craya Hindu State Kindergarten in Ubud, was important for strengthening cooperation between teachers and parents.
One area of cooperation concerns the five core values of character education: religiosity, nationalism, independence, mutual assistance and integrity. To support the central government programme, the regency held outreach sessions simultaneously across Gianyar’s seven subdistricts.
“Character education is not solely the responsibility of schools; it also requires parents’ active involvement at home,” he said.
He added that the activities also supported the implementation of the 13-year compulsory education programme, comprising one year of preschool and 12 years of primary and secondary education.
At the outreach event, children received supplementary food and a comic about the seven habits of Indonesia’s outstanding children. They also performed a song and dance in support of preschool education, created by Surya Adnyani and registered with the Directorate General of Intellectual Property at the Ministry of Law.