Sarawak holds 304 developmental screenings for preschoolers using Toy8 digital tool in 2024
by Churchill Edward · Borneo Post OnlineKUCHING (March 5): Sarawak used the Toy8 digital early childhood development screening and intervention tool to conduct 304 developmental screenings in preschools last year.
Minister of Women, Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah said Toy8 allows for early detection and tailored interventions for children, making Sarawak the first state in Malaysia to successfully pilot a digital early childhood development screening and intervention tool.
She said the screenings were held at 13 Sedidik schools and six preschools under the Association for Kindergarten Operators (AKO).
The programme focuses on early childhood development through data-driven solutions, combining play-based learning with digital tools to monitor cognitive, motor, and socio-emotional development.
It is a collaboration between government agencies, educational institutions, and healthcare providers for early detection of developmental delays and appropriate interventions.
Fatimah said the programme also saw 44 teachers trained by Sedidik (29) and AKO (15), while 30 children – 20 from Sedidik and 10 from AKO – received specialised interventions.
“Average developmental progress increased by 8.96 months in just six months. Toy8 will also support OSEIC (One-Stop Early Intervention Centre) by conducting early screenings for 302 children on the waiting list.
“This initiative reinforces the Sarawak government’s commitment to ensuring children with developmental needs receive timely support,” Fatimah said in a statement after chairing the Early Childhood Development Council meeting here yesterday.
Separately, she said the Sarawak Preschool International Conference (SPIC) 2025, themed ‘Building the nation through quality early childhood education’ will be held on Sept 26-28, 2025.
It will focus on access, equity (including inclusivity), and quality, as well as strengthening collaborations with other agencies for early childhood development programmes.
As of Dec 31, 2024, there are 247 nurseries and 2,718 kindergartens registered throughout Sarawak.
“Thanks to collaboration and cooperation among all stakeholders, Sarawak achieved a 98.8 per cent enrolment rate of Year 1 students who have attended early childhood education in 2024,” added Fatimah.