FIRST AGM OF ECCE COUNCIL:
OPENING ADDRESS OF THE PROTEM COMMITTEE PRESIDENT
Ladies and Gentlemen,
On behalf of the ECCE Council Protem Committee I welcome you to the first AGM of the ECCE Council. This indeed is a historical moment of the ECCE Council. The establishment of the ECCE Council was approved by the Registrar of Societies on 30 December 2010 within a record period of 7 weeks. Let me give a little of the background of the formation of the Council. The National Key Economic Areas (NKEA) , under the Gorverment Transformation Programme (ETP), was tasked to raise the revenue and GNI of the country to enable Malaysia to reach status of a fully industrialized country by 2020. Education is of the 12 areas identified to be capable of raising the GNI of the country. Under education, preschool was one of the four areas. Five of us – Elan, Cheah, Mikel, Pat and I were selected by PEMANDU and its consultant to participate in the NKEA Lab (which was held in June-July 2010) to work out how preschool can contribute significantly to the GNI increment. We made a case for the inclusion of early child and it was agreed after an initial hesitation.
In the lab, we identified roadblocks to the ramping up of early child care and education (ECCE) as well as the enablers to overcome the roadblocks. The setting up of an ECCE Council was one of the seven enablers identified. I was tasked to set up the Council and set about forming a working group to establish the Council immediately at the end of the NKEA Lab. As the experiences of Mikel, Elan and Cheah are in preschool, I had to include in the working group others who are in early child care. Thus Sham, the President of PBBM; Dato Shamsiah, former Director-General of JKM;, Azmil (whose training programme focuses on early childcare); and Rozita, a childcare provider outside the Klang Valley were invited to be members of the working group. The first meeting was held on Monday 2 August 2010. Unfortunately, due to health and other commitments, Dato’ Shamsiah, had to resign and somewhere in the course of the working group’s work, Hanim was roped in to do the secretarial work. By October the Council Constitution was ready and the working group invited ECCE associations to a meeting on 6 November 2010 to select the Protem Committee. The ROS requires at least 7 states in Malaysia for the establishment of the Council. The Meeting was able to fulfil this condition as we had representatives from more than 7 states: Sabah, Sarawak, Johor, Penang, Kelantan, Perak, Negeri Sembilan, Selangor and the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur.
The working group and the Protem Committee worked hard and harmoniously together to promote the ECCE Council, recruit members and organize the first AGM. I would like to take this opportunity to thank every one of the working group and the Protem Committee for their contribution.
I would like to apologise for not being unable to process applications for membership that were received after 18 March as 18 March was the last meeting of the Protem Committee. Their application will be processed after the AGM by the in-coming Executive Council.
Ladies and gentlemen.
The Council is set up to strengthen the governance of the ECCE industry by professionalizing the industry and assuring quality control. While it is the intention of the Council to recruit as many members as possible, it has also to maintain standard and credibility by complying with the entry requirements as stated in the Constitution.
It is anticipated in the NKEA lab that by 2020, at least 80% of the professionals in the ECCE industry would be members of the Council. This target is achievable if early childhood educators in the private sector perceive themselves as professionals and want to be acknowledged as such. The stronger the Council as a professional body, the greater the respect you will get from the society. I have been fighting for the professionalization of early childhood educators since 1990s and the setting up of the Council is a dream coming true for me.
Ladies and gentlemen,
The first Executive Committee has a big, big task ahead. It will have to set standard for future generations to follow; it has to make sure a strong foundation for the Council to grow is laid down in its growing years. As the early years are important to a child, the early foundation years are important to the Council. Those who offer themselves to stand for election must be prepared to work hard. If you cannot spare the time, I plead with you not to offer yourself for election. You as members of the Council have the responsibility to elect those who are able to contribute to the growth and development of the Council.
I hope this will not frighten away any one of you who want to serve in the Executive Committee of the Council. It is my hope that it will not be a completely new set of people coming on board as members of the Executive Committee. The Council needs continuation for it to function effectively.
The Protem Committee of the ECCE Council will now retire for the election of the officer bearers.
President
Datuk Dr. Chiam Heng Keng
Closing Remarks Of the First Executive Committee President
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of you for giving up your Saturday afternoon to attend this AGM. Your presence is greatly appreciated as it contributes to the success of the AGM. All of you have been wonderfully professional in electing the ECCE Council Executive Committee and members of the Professional Certification Board and the Professional Development Board.
The Executive Council cannot work alone. It has to engage you and need your help to recruit members, to participate in its programme and to push the agenda of the Council to professionalize the ECCE industry and ensure the provision of quality service whether it is in child care centre, preschool or ECCE training institutes.
Once again, thank you every one.
The Founding President
Datuk Dr. Chiam Heng Keng