TOPIC 2

History Of Early Childhood Education

LEARNING OBJECTIVE
Explain about the history of education in Malaysia
Describe the background of early childhood
education in US, Asia and Malaysia
HISTORY OF EDUCATION IN MALAYSIA
FOUR STAGES
 Before the coming of the British
 During the British colonial government
 Era before Independence
 After Independence
BEFORE THE COMING OF THE BRITISH
Informal education – limited to acquiring
skills for survival, like fishing and
farming for boys, and cookery and
weaving for girls

 Al-Quran and Islamic Studies at the

Surau, Mosques or Pondok Schools
DURING BRITISH COLONIZATION
No clear policy on education
Four types of vernacular schools – English-Medium,
Malay-Medium, Chinese-Medium, and Tamil-Medium
English-medium schools were run by British government
 The oldest school in Malaysia is the Penang Free
School (1816). Next Malacca High School (1826),
Singapore Free School (1834), and Victoria
Institution (1893)
 Most in the urban areas
MALAY- MEDIUM SCHOOL
Malay vernacular schools – Malay as a
medium of instruction
 Emphasis on 3 Rs – Reading, Writing, and
aRithmetic
 Focus on Living Skills, e.g. vegetable
gardening, poultry farming, basket making
and handicrafts
BEFORE INDEPENDENCE
1956 THE RAZAK REPORT
 The Education system should compromise of two types of
primary schools- standard primary schools- Malay as a
medium of instruction, and standard-type primary schools-
Kuo-Yu or Tamil or English as the medium of instructions.
Use common syllabus
Malay as a compulsory subject
BEFORE INDEPENDENCE
1956 THE RAZAK REPORT
 All National Secondary Schools should use a
common syllabus and examination
 And enforce Malay and English as
compulsory subjects
 All teachers should be trained with a common
syllabus in teacher’s training colleges
AFTER INDEPENDENCE
1961 THE RAHMAN TALIB REPORT
 Emphasize the use of Malay as the
medium of instruction
History of ECE in US
 INTRODUCTION
The American educational system
began in the colonies
Historically boys were educated before
girls
 COLONIAL DAYS
Children sent to school primarily for religious reasons
In the South, plantation owners import tutors from England
or opened small private schools to teach just their sons to
read and write
Care was given to pregnant women and babies because
children were looked as future labourers
 COLONIAL DAYS
In 1850 a nursery was set up on a South Carolina plantation.
An older women assisted by several girls 8-10 years of age
were in charge
After Civil war, private and public schools were opened for
African Americans
In 1873, Hampton Institute of Virginia established a laboratory
kindergarten for African Americans
In 1893, the Institute offered a kindergarten training school
and courses in child care
History of ECE in ASIA
 INTRODUCTION
The development of early education in Asia
stars in the Western Asian countries and
the Middle East – synchronize with the
development in the Europe
Most Asians accepts education which has
some influences in their religion, beliefs,
philosophy and culture
 • Middle East
History & development in Asia
• India
• China
• Japan
• Asian Countries

Before independence
History & development in Malaysia

After independence
 HISTORY & DEVELOPMENT IN ASIA
(MIDDLE EAST)
Education is based on Islamic values and beliefs
Recognizes several religious ideas & opinions
such as Imam Al-Ghazali, Ibnu Sina and Ibnu
Khaldun
 HISTORY & DEVELOPMENT IN ASIA
(INDIA)
The community in India receives education
based on their religion and beliefs
 HISTORY & DEVELOPMENT IN ASIA
(CHINA)
The children of China attend kindergarten from 3 to 5 years old.
Government regulations from 1981 dictate three separate
learning levels; Junior (3 y.o), Middle (4 y.o), Senior (5 y.o)
China has also set rules and regulations outlining the
qualifications of kindergarten teachers
Funding sources: Government-funded or government-licensed
private & neighborhood programs, etc
It focuses on a group of children, rather than one to one teacher-
child interaction
 HISTORY & DEVELOPMENT IN ASIA
(JAPAN)
The system of early childhood education in Japan is quite extensive," writes Susan D.
Halloway in the Early Childhood Research & Practice journal. "Over 90 percent of
Japanese children attend at least two years of a youchien (licensed preschool) or
hoikuen (child care center)
Funding sources: State & local governments (with some tuition contributed by
parents), but approximately 80 percent of children attend private preschools, some
of which are affiliated with a religious organization
The program is evaluated by the national government, which dictates the size,
facilities, and teacher qualifications
The schools are deeply influenced by Japan's rich religious beliefs: Christianity,
Buddhism, and Shinto
 HISTORY & DEVELOPMENT IN ASIA
(MALAYSIA)
The development of early childhood
education in Malaysia happened in
two phases:
1)Before independence
2)After independence
 HISTORY & DEVELOPMENT IN ASIA
(MALAYSIA – BEFORE INDEPENDENCE)
Early childhood education was run by the church voluntary body, private sector
and individuals
i. Influenced by the British education system
ii. Focuses only to the children of certain classes (status) who lived in the
urban area
iii. Rural area children with low-income did not receive any early education
before they start their formal education
 HISTORY & DEVELOPMENT IN ASIA
(MALAYSIA – AFTER INDEPENDENCE)
In 1969, the Asia Foundation provided some education fund to the ‘Malaysian
Workers Corps’ to build preschool models using the Head Start program in
United States
In the early stage, the program involved 3 villages in Selangor; Kg. Muniandi, Kg.
Manggis and Kg. Sentosa
The main target for this program is the children from low-income families of
various culture
 MALAYSIA
In 1970 Jabatan Kemajuan Masyarakat (KEMAS) started off
10 kindergarten classes named Taman Bimbingan Kanak-
kanak (TABIKA) in rural area
In 1970, Jabatan Perpaduan Negara build kindergartens as an
effort to unite various races in Malaysia
Teacher’s training started in 1972 to 1976 which was funded
by United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) - 137 teachers,
KEMAS and education staff involved in the program
 MALAYSIA
In 1992, Ministry of Education (MOE) started a pioneer
preschool called annex school
Preschool education officially stated in Act 550 (Education
Act 1996) as one of national education in Malaysia for
children aged 4 to 6
 MALAYSIA
For children aged 4 and below, their program is under
Jabatan Kebajikan Masyarakat (JKM)
Act 308 (Daycare Act) in 194 has established to provide
protection and care for them