ID :
278909
Mon, 03/25/2013 - 11:16
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/278909
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Early Education Seeks To Create High Quality Human Capital
By Sakini Mohd Said
KUALA LUMPUR, March 25 (Bernama) -- In the past, not many parents were
enthusiastic about sending their children to early education programmes, deeming
it inappropriate.
For these parents, children were better off being given the freedom to play,
in the belief that education should start only after children reach the age of
five or six years.
The rationale was: What's wrong with allowing children to play, since once
they start the period of schooling, their time will be packed full with academic
activities, anyways?
This trend of thinking, although not shared by all parents, could have
stemmed from a lack of exposure and information on the importance of early
education or preschool.
However, this line of thinking is also becoming outdated and, indeed, in
line with a fundamental shift combined with new ideas presented by a borderless,
global world, many pre-school centres have been set up, catering to a growing
demand by parents.
Whether this reflects the government's or private sector initiatives,
parents today have "opened their eyes" to the importance of early education.
Nevertheless, a question does arise about whether early education, seen as a
platform for the intellectual development of children, to a certain extent robs
children of their care free days and, in turn, burdens them with the pressure of
studying at a very young age?
LESSONS THROUGH PLAYING
Not necessarily so, says a member of the Malaysian Children Hope Foundation
Board of Advisers, Datuk Atikah Adom.
"We don't ask them (the children) to study, but advocate the concept of
learning through play, as they are children."
Parents might expect more, as nothing could be greater than seeing the
potential of their children unfolding or heading for positive development in the
exploration of a new world, and their minds expanding with learning.
The command of reading, mathematical and writing skills are also gained much
more easily with an earlier education.
Yes, it is true, it is always easier to learn something at an earlier age
and, likewise, the intellectual process is best started early when it is without
pressure or burden, said Atikah, whose organisation is involved in programmes
related to the development and welfare of children under the age of 18.
"This is what we stress on as there are parents who want their children to
be clever in their studies. But kids are kids... let them play and, at the same
time, teach them by story telling to attract their interest in reading books,"
she told Bernama.
In fact, early education centres such as kindergartens which open their
doors to children aged from four onwards, or nurseries that cater to children
from age two, are not filled with boring study-routines.
The environment of exploring knowledge is tailored according to age groups
and interspersed with interesting and the latest elements to attract the
interest of young children to study and to lay down a strong foundation for them
to easily accept formal education later on in primary school.
HOW CRUCIAL IS EARLY EDUCATION?
Early education, however, is not just about the process of expanding the
mind's prowess or even about turning a child into a bookworm.
Indeed, it can be an early catalyst for producing a generation that is fully
equipped with good communications skills, while being creative, innovative, as
well analytical in their thinking.
Various studies have been carried out to prove the correlation between early
education and quality performance.
Among them, research done in the United Kingdom indicated how children who
received quality early education for two years were capable of showing a higher
level of performance by the age of seven.
The Vice Chancellor of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), Prof Sharifah
Hapsah Syed Hasan Shahabudin, has been quoted as saying that a child's period of
growing up to age five was vital, as research had shown that the emotional,
physical and intellectual environment they are in during the early stages of
their lives had a profound impact on the way their brains develop.
Therefore, it comes as no surprise when, today, many parents believe that
sending their children to pre-school is a priority in the development and
bringing up of their children.
VALUES AND HUMAN CAPITAL
Despite this, not many parents are aware that this long-term investment of
sending their children to pre-school would also instill strong values in the
children.
The development of children with rich eastern values, learned from an early
age, will also prove to be a strong pillar for them against falling easily into
any negative social behavior, Atikah said.
She noted that under the current scenario, where any mix of cultures could
be assimilated into daily living with the meaning of shame or modesty completely
lost, a great challenge has been posed, one that calls for the importance of
religious education and emphasizing interracial and other important values.
"We see many social ills taking place. But if we say prevention is better
than cure, by sending the children for early education, I feel such issues could
be overcome," added Atikah.
CHOOSING THE CENTRE
The question then arises about how to choose a quality early education
centre.
It is only natural that parents would be fussy when they make their
selection, since they want to choose the best for their children.
Hence, they would compare the reputation of kindergartens operated by the
private sector, as well as the government, before making their choice.
The introduction of the Permata Negara, an early education programme and the
brainchild of Prime Minister Najib Razak's wife, Rosmah Mansor, meanwhile, has
given new hope in the world of early childcare and education.
Based on the belief that every child is a jewel of this country, the Permata
Negara programme was introduced in 2007 and aimed at assisting children in
underprivileged groups, including rural and urban poor and, especially,
individuals with household incomes of less than RM1,500 a month.
"With the Permata Negara programme, awareness about early education has
continued to grow and today the matter of early education has become an
important element in the country," said Atikah.
EVERY CHILD IS PRECIOUS
The Permata Negara programme is holistic, inculcating an enjoyable learning
method adapted from the Pen Green Centre model, a programme carried out in
Corby, England and tailored to suit Malaysian society.
Children are exposed to learning techniques that are based on the concepts
of experiment, exploration, experience and social interaction.
Success for the Permata Negara programme has been quick, with more than 50
Anak Permata Negara centres established in the country, as 654 kindergartens
nationwide have adopted the programme’s curriculum.
To mark the success of the programme, a coffee-table book in Bahasa Malaysia
and English, entitled "Setiap Anak Permata Negara" and "Every Child Is
Precious", was also recently published.
The book is expected to inspire readers, especially parents, about the
importance of early education.
The 180-page hardcover book, currently available to the public, details the
success of the Permata Negara programme through a collection of rich photographs
and text on the workings of the programme in advocating for early education.
Patron of the Permata Negara programme, Rosmah, in her keynote address,
describes investing in a child's education as a wise, long term move towards
building quality human capital to assure the country’s continued progress.
Indeed, a child is a precious asset, and without a proper education it would
be impossible for a child to become an agent of development for the country.
Rosmah put it eloquently in her book when she said that children must be
brought up in the best way and it must be done not only for their own good, but
for the future of the country.
-- BERNAMA