Parents and neighbourhood engagement to enhance the quality of maintenance and safety of playgrounds in private kindergartens

Permuafakatan ibu bapa dan kejiranan untuk meningkatkan kualiti penyelenggaraan dan tahap keselamatan taman permainan di tadika swasta

Authors

  • Syed Lamsah Syed Chear Fakulti Pendidikan dan Sains Sosial, Universiti Selangor, Bestari Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia
  • Sareena Hanim Hamzah Pusat Sukan, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
  • Norhamidah Mohd Yusof Fakulti Pendidikan dan Sains Sosial, Universiti Selangor, Bestari Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia
  • Norazly Nordin Fakulti Pendidikan dan Sains Sosial, Universiti Selangor, Bestari Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.37134/jpak.vol10.1.1.2021

Keywords:

playgrounds, private kindergartens, parent and community collaborations

Abstract

Children are often associated with play, which in turn makes playgrounds the main feature of highlight for kindergarten. The daily routine of letting children play freely with each other is a process for socializing and enhancing balanced physical growth. The Guidelines on The Establishment of Kindergarten, Ministry of Housing and Local Government 2012, as well as other guidelines related to the operation of kindergarten focuses only on the physical design of kindergarten buildings without due emphasis on play equipment. The objective of this study is to assess private kindergartens ability to maintain the playground and its equipment, perspective on the value of playgrounds, as well as parents and neighbourhood’s willingness to collaborate.  The data was obtained from questionnaires and visits to various kindergarten locations between August 2020 to October 2020 during the nationwide implementation period of MCO. More than 90 kindergartens have been contacted and 60 feedbacks was received. The potential for private kindergarten collaboration with parents and neighbourhoods was assessed based on International Association for Public Participation (IAP2), Public Participation Spectrum Model which emphasizes on five phases of collaboration i.e. informing, consulting, engaging, cooperating and empowering. Findings showed that the scores of private kindergarten capabilities for managing play equipment and playgrounds is at mid-level.  Private kindergarten operators are found to be less skilled at developing collaborative strategies with parents and neighbourhoods. Scores at good level are only for negotiation and engagement actions while related actions in the attempts to build relationships, work together and empower is at a low level and can be increased. Parents willingness to help private kindergartens is related to the community's potential to contribute to the quality management of public parks and enhancing the safety of children in public parks.

Kanak-kanak sering dikaitkan kepada peralatan permainan, dan taman permainan merupakan imej utama yang menonjolkan sesebuah tadika. Rutin harian di tadika membiarkan kanak-kanak bebas bermain sebagai proses sosialisasi dan untuk meransang tumbesaran fizikal yang seimbang. Garis Panduan Penubuhan Taska dan Tadika, Kementerian Perumahan dan Kerajaan Tempatan 2012 serta akta-akta dan beberapa peraturan lain yang berkaitan pengoperasian tadika hanya memfokus kepada reka bentuk fizikal bangunan tadika, manakala peralatan permainan tidak diperhalusi. Objektif kajian ini adalah untuk menilai tahap kemampuan tadika swasta untuk menyelenggara peralatan dan taman permainan, anggapan nilai taman permainan, serta kesediaan ibu bapa dan kejiranan untuk bermuafakat. Data kajian diperolehi melalui borang soal selidik dan lawatan ke lokasi antara Ogos dan Oktober 2020 iaitu dalam tempoh pelaksanaan PKPP di seluruh negara. Lebih daripada 90 buah tadika telah dihubungi dan mendapat 60 maklum balas. Potensi permuafakatan tadika swasta dengan ibu bapa dan kejiranan dinilai berdasarkan International Association for Public Participation (IAP2), Public Participation Spectrum Model yang menekankan kepada lima fasa permuafakatan iaitu memaklumkan, berunding, melibatkan, bekerjasama dan memperkasakan. Dapatan kajian menunjukkan skor kemampuan tadika-tadika swasta untuk mengurus peralatan dan taman permainan adalah di tahap pertengahan. Pengusaha tadika swasta didapati kurang berkemahiran untuk merangka strategi permuafakatan dengan ibu bapa dan kejiranan. Skor pada tahap baik hanya untuk tindakan rundingan dan keterlibatan, manakala tindakan-tindakan berkaitan cubaan membina hubungan, berkerjasama dan memperkasa pada peringkat rendah dan boleh ditingkatkan.  Kesediaan ibu bapa untuk membantu tadika swasta dapat dikaitkan kepada potensi kesukarelawan masyarakat untuk menyumbang kepada pengurusan berkualiti taman-taman awam sekaligus meningkatkan tahap keselamatan kanak-kanak di taman awam.        

Kata kunci: taman permainan, tadika swasta, permuafakatan ibu bapa dan kejiranan

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Published

2021-01-07

How to Cite

Syed Chear, S. L., Hamzah, S. H., Mohd Yusof, N., & Nordin, N. (2021). Parents and neighbourhood engagement to enhance the quality of maintenance and safety of playgrounds in private kindergartens: Permuafakatan ibu bapa dan kejiranan untuk meningkatkan kualiti penyelenggaraan dan tahap keselamatan taman permainan di tadika swasta. Jurnal Pendidikan Awal Kanak-Kanak Kebangsaan, 10(1), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.37134/jpak.vol10.1.1.2021