CHILD : The Child is the father of the man

[Guest guest]

What is CHILD?

 

CHILD was set up 15 yrs ago by a group of well meaning professionals

to provide educational, social, cultural and welfare assistance to

all needy Malaysian children, irrespective of race, religion or

creed. The acronym, CHILD, stands for Child Information, Learning and

Development Centre.

 

CHILD MEMBERS : Child is run by a group of dedicated volunteers,

consisting mainly of professionals, drawn from a wide variety of

professional disciplines. There are also many volunteers who

constitute the active core group on whose shoulders rest the

successful implementation of the programmes. They are ably supported

by network of volunteers and well wishers who at the periphery assist

in the actual implementation of the programmes.

 

The Problem at hand : While the middle and upper class children have

access to good nutritional, educational, social, health, and

recreational facilities, those from the less advantaged sectors are

not as fortunate. The Majority of them have low educational

achievements or drop out even before they complete primary education,

for a variety of reasons : poor parental care and concern, own

expectations, malnutrition, poor health, inadequate educational

facilities a non-conducive home environment and poverty.

 

School dropouts, frustrated by unemployment and lack of direction,

often become anti-social elements and drug addicts. CHILD believes

that these potentially serious problems can be ameliorated if

underpriviledged children in our communities are provided with

educational, social, health facilities and nutritional support and

positive value orientation. CHILD believes that the Government alone

cannot shoulder this enormous burden. Individuals and volunatry

organisations ought to share the concern and complement Government

efforts to assist the poor.

 

The Philosophy of CHILD

 

The first fifteen years in the life of a child constitutes the

critical phase in his psychosocial development. It is during this

period that the young, impressionable and malleable mind acquires

the characteristics that go to make the future man, for 'The child

is the father of the man "

 

Many children are fortunate to be born into homes with caring,

concerned parents who have the inclination, the will and the

resources to lay a sound foundation for the optimal growth and

developmetn. However, many more are less fortunate and are born in

the green ghettos or the urban slums which are rudely oppressive to

their progress.

 

The basic philosophy of CHILD stems from its conviction that if a

child born into an underprivileged home is to grow into an adult with

self-pride, self-respect, self-esteem, dignity and self-confidence,

imbued with universal values and impregnated with the skill and the

desire to contribute to the growth and development of the society, of

which he is an integral part, he must be nurtured during the critical

period of his first fifteen years of his life.

 

Every child irrespective of his ethnicity, religion or creed is a

potential assest to the nation's progress and development. It is

therefore in the interest of the nation to ensure that everything

possible is done to enable the child to realise his full potential.

 

 

CHILD's Core Programme

 

Education is the single most important factor that influence the

growth and development of society. All other factors being equal,

education is the best food for the child's intellectual, social and

cultural development. It is only through education that the child can

acquir the social and technical skills, and elevate and enhance his

intellectual capabilities to enable him to take his potential to its

limits.

 

CHILD views education as a means to an end. The process of education

must enlighten the child, and give him his self-respect, self-esteem,

self-pride and self confidence. It is only through this process of

education that the child can become a useful and good citizen. No

matter what position in life he is, or what job he does, education

will enable him to hold his position an dexecute his job better;

giving him satisfaction and meeting the expectations of society.

 

On Going Programmes

 

1. Pre-schools :

 

[a] Help establish preschools

 

Organise pre-school teacher training courses

[c] Provide supervision of established pre-schools.

[d] Provide teaching aids and educational software for needy students

[e] Provide financial subsidy in the running of the preschools

2. Tamil Primary School :

[a]] Pupils : motivational, academic and remedial teaching

Parents : motivational programmes and dialoges for parents

[c] Heads : courses in leadership , and management heads.

[d] Teachers : Refresher courses in teaching skills for teachers.

[e] PIBG : Motivational and leadership courses for PIBG members

[f] Provide teaching aids and educational software for needy pupils

3. Post UPSR programme : The transition period when pupils move from

the cloistered and protected evoironment of the primary school system

to the open and less protected environment of the secondary school

system can be traumatic to many children. The cultural differences

and the poor language skills in Bahasa Malaysia and English of those

children from vernaculat schools further compounds the problem. In

view of this CHILD has conceptualized and planned programmes that can

help the students improve their skills in Bahasa Malaysia and English

and ajust culturally to the new school environment

CHILD =[Child Information, Learning and Development Centre]

134-A Jalan SS24/2 Taman Megah

47301 Petaling Jaya

Selangor, Malaysia