Children need to have a good start in life to ensure their potential is properly developed. Realising the important role of proper early childhood education in children's development, Mead Johnson Thailand in 2005 came up with the Enfa A+ Power to Learn project in collaboration with Srinakharinwirot University.
Mead Johnson has added a train-the-trainer programme designed for teachers and caregivers at child-care centres.
Patana Chutpong, director of the doctorate degree committee at Srinikharinwirot University's Faculty of Education, said the initiative was initially aimed at helping repair child-care centres in Phangnga affected by the 2004 tsunami. It was part of the project's attempt to improve learning environments that had been washed away by the tidal waves.
''Children in their first six years are in a fast learning stage. This vulnerable period is critical as it forms the fundamentals in their path to becoming adults,'' said Dr Patana, who has more than 30 years of experience in early childhood education.
Child-care centres are among the places where children can learn social skills such as giving and sharing early by living with their peers of the same age groups.
In the early years of the project, much of the focus was on developing the environment for learning such as adjusting facilities and providing the right tools for education.
Aware that providing only physical support was not sustainable in the long term, Mead Johnson has added the train-the-trainer programme designed for teachers and caregivers at child-care centres. Lecturers and students from Srinakharinwirot University also helped with the training process.
''Most teachers or caregivers at the child centres under the project did not have sufficient experiences in looking after children or were not specifically educated in childhood education fields,'' Dr Patana explained.
Child development research by the Department of Health and other agencies also found that Thai children in their early years were subjected to a lower standard of development in terms of emotion, cognition, psychosocial development and intelligence. This was mainly caused by inappropriate child care by families where parents were forced to work away from home, leaving their children with others or early child-care centres that lacked proper training in child development.
‘‘Educating the teachers is a key. Children could benefit moreif their teachers are equipped with the necessary skills of child development such as knowinghow to use educational media or tools to assist their students in learning more effectively,’’ says Dr Patana.
''Educating the teachers is a key. Children could benefit more if their teachers are equipped with the necessary skills of child development such as knowing how to use educational media or tools to assist their students in learning more effectively,'' she said.
The media used include wooden blocks or local materials and toys. Corners equipped with books or basic science materials were also set up.
The training seminars this year have been expanded from the South to cover provinces in other regions including Loei, Chiang Mai and Lop Buri.
More than 150 teachers from child-care centres, mostly run by provincial administrations, attend the four-day seminar each time. The Chaipattana Foundation also helps co-ordinate by seeking childcare centres that require support.
The project also aims to create 10 model child-care centres in many provinces this year so that other child centres to use them as examples.
Jorge Pinedo, general manager of Mead Johnson Thailand, said the company aimed to continue with the project to make sure it was sustainable and self-sufficient.
''This is the example when we stop doing business and focus on giving back to the community,'' Mr Pinedo said.
สมัครสมาชิก:
ส่งความคิดเห็น (Atom)
ไม่มีความคิดเห็น:
แสดงความคิดเห็น