Government Improves Daycare Governance to Protect Children and Families

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The government is continuously improving the governance of child daycare centres to protect children and families, thereby enhancing the quality of childcare as part of efforts to improve the quality of Indonesia’s human resources.

“What we are currently doing here is strengthening the governance of daycare centres, so that in terms of standards, licensing, and operational mechanisms, they truly have at least minimum service standards that should be prepared by these daycare service providers,” said Deputy for Coordinating the Improvement of Family Quality and Population at the Coordinating Ministry for Human Development and Culture (Kemenko PMK), Woro Srihastuti Sulistyaningrum, in Jakarta on Wednesday.

Woro stated that essentially, child childcare should be returned to the family, but due to working parents’ limitations, strengthening temporary childcare, such as in daycares, needs to be continuously carried out.

“Actually, childcare should be returned to the family, because the primary duty to care is with parents as the main caregivers for their children. However, because it cannot be done due to busyness and limitations, temporary childcare available in daycares can be used; like it or not, we must rely on that,” she said.

Such movements can be filled with various positive activities, such as reading, recreation, playing, learning, or worshipping together. Additionally, it can be collaborated with ministry programmes in the regions run by Regional Device Organisations (OPD).

“The point is, there is no need to create new programmes. The principle is cheap with a big impact, so this movement can be synergised with existing programmes,” said Woro.

She also emphasised that the movement does not burden one party alone (father/mother), but is carried out together by all family members, with an emphasis on allocating at least one hour of quality time every day without gadgets.

Woro also stated that to realise equality in childcare and commitment to child protection, the government cannot do it alone but must be done together with all parties.

“The commitment is not only from the government, but also from the family. Therefore, socialisation, awareness, and equipping families become very important. This effort will not succeed if it is only burdened on one party, so it must be done together. That is what is expected,” she said.