Persepsi ibu bapa terhadap pusat penjagaan kanak-kanak yang berkualiti (Parents’ Perception towards childcare centres)

Abstract

This article is based on the results if an exploratory study which is aimed to identify (a) the criteria assumed by parents as important in determining quality child care centres (physical, social and administration aspects) and (b) factors related to child-care centres: (i) reasons for sending their children to the chosen child care centre, (ii) factors that encouraged parents in choosing the chosen child care centre and ways of handing child care, (iii) how parents gain information on the chosen child care centre and (iv) level of parents' satisfaction towards the chosen child care centre. A number of 236 respondents which consisted of either parent who sent their children to 18 child care centres chosen randomly in Klang Valley have filled out the distributed questionnaire. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics with the help of Statistical Package for Social Science version 18 (SPSS 18) program. Descriptive results showed that education which is related to moral and religious teachings was the main aspects chosen by parents as criteria of quality child care centres. However, simultaneously, parents reported that the main reason for sending their children to child care was because there were no babysitters at home instead of seeking formal education. The factor which encouraged parents to enrol their children at any particular child care was due to convenience since child care centre was near to respondents; home or workplace. Parents aslo reported high satisfaction towards their children's child care centres. In addition, findings also indicated that parents prioritized moral and religious teachings despite their children's early age of 1-3 years old. Overall, the awareness of education as a whole which leads to children's development in a holistic way is yet to be achieved.