By Marlynda Meraw
KUCHING, May 27: A total of 707 storybooks, including imaginative pop-up creations, have been written and illustrated by children in Sarawak as part of the ‘Young Writers Programme’, an early childhood initiative that aims to cultivate literacy, creativity, and expressive confidence from a young age.
The achievement was shared by Minister for Women, Childhood, and Community Wellbeing Development (KPWK) Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah in her update on ongoing initiatives under her ministry.
Developed in collaboration with SeDidik, the Sarawak State Library, and the National Library Board of Singapore, the ‘Young Writers Programme’ guides preschoolers through the process of crafting their own simple storybooks. This hands-on experience not only promotes early literacy but also strengthens fine motor skills, cognitive growth, and imaginative storytelling.
“Each one (of the books is) a testament to their originality, effort, and growing confidence as young authors,” said Fatimah during her ministerial winding-up speech at the Sarawak Legislative Assembly (DUS) sitting here today.
She also highlighted another initiative, the ‘KIDS: Bits and Bytes Digital Literacy Programme’, launched in partnership with the Dariu Foundation, the Rolf Schnyder Foundation, Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak, and her ministry.
Introduced in 2023, across six pilot SeDidik centres, the programme has since expanded to 64 centres across Sarawak, embedding age-appropriate digital skills, including coding and internet safety, directly into the preschool curriculum.
A total of 1,435 children, including those with special needs, have benefited so far, supported by 117 trained teachers and the provision of 427 tablets.
“This investment in quality and equity ensures our children are not left behind in the digital age,” she said.
In support of inclusive education, Fatimah reported that as of April 30, 2025, 1,245 children under the age of six in Sarawak have been registered as persons with disabilities, with 77 per cent diagnosed with learning disabilities.
However, she acknowledged that many more remain undiagnosed due to the shortage of qualified specialists. To address this, the ministry has launched the One-Stop Early Intervention Centre (OSEIC) Transition Pilot Programme, supported by the Government of Japan and The Nippon Foundation, in collaboration with TOY8 and the Sarawak Association of Kindergarten Operators (AKO).
“It (OSEIC Transition Pilot Programme) is currently being piloted in three AKO preschools with three children undergoing transition.
“Weekly consultations with National Early Childhood Intervention Council (NECIC) specialists ensure progress is closely monitored,” she shared.
Additionally, 31 OSEIC teachers have been trained to use TOY8’s digital developmental screening tool, and 70 children on the waiting list have already been screened, with a target of 200 screenings by the end of May. –DayakDaily
