Education, either formal or informal, plays an important role to help the masses. As such, educators, especially trainees, are entrusted to teach young generations all important elements, principles, or concepts in a wide range of disciplines. Surely, such an undertaking, especially for early childhood care and education, requires quality teachers. In this regard, existing early childhood care and education modules or curricula should be periodically reviewed and revamped (if necessary) to help produce competent teachers who are excellent in all aspects encompassing content, pedagogical, and technological knowledge. This paper discusses the professional growth and development of trainees in early childhood care and education (ECCE) in terms of short- and long-term goals, missions, and career path-planning. The paper also elaborates on the relevant training workshops, courses, modules, and curricula that can be implemented to help improve their practical skills. The discussion also highlights the importance of incentives, such as attractive salaries, bonuses, acknowledgments, and awards, from employers that can not only motivate trainees but also advance their professional growth and development. Certainty, strong development knowledge, practical skills, and experiences can help such trainees to be become highly competent, which can significantly contribute to nation-building efforts in Malaysia.
<span>This paper discusses the qualifications of operators of Malaysian childcare centers, namely TASKA and TADIKA, and the challenges faced by practitioners in the industry of early childhood education (PAKK). This research used both qualitative and quantitative methods involving interviews and a survey. The sample study comprised 727 respondents consisting of 282 operators of TASKA and 343 operators of TADIKA. The research used a set of questionnaires and interview guidelines. The findings of the quantitative method showed the operators of TASKA and TADIKA had a diverse range of professional and academic qualifications, while the findings of the qualitative method highlighted a wide spectrum of challenges faced by operators of centers involved in the early childhood education industry. Collectively, such findings suggest that running a childcare center is fraught with a myriad of challenges encompassing economic, logistical, social, educational, and financial factors, which have to be addressed effectively. Certainly, prospective operators must seek assistance from those who are involved in the running, monitoring, and managing of such centers, notably experienced practitioners and relevant government officers. Also, to become successful entrepreneurs in this industry, they need to develop the passion and zeal to operate such centers with great success.</span>
This study aims to examine issues, challenges, and solutions concerning the current practices of teachers and operators of early childhood education teachers and operators of both public and private sectors in Malaysia. This research was based on a qualitative method involving a series of interviews, which were carried out at the Department of National Unity and Integration (Jabatan Perpaduan Negara dan Integrasi Nasional, JPNIN), the Department of Social Welfare (Jabatan Kebajikan Masyarakat, JKM), the Community Development Department (Jabatan Kemajuan Masyarakat, KEMAS), and several public and private preschools (for children aged 5-6 years) and childcare centers (for children aged 1 – 4 years). The sample of the study consisted of xxx practitioners, namely teachers, supervisors, operators, trainees, and officers, who were selected from several TASKA and TADIKA centers in Malaysia. In this study, Malaysia’s provisional Early Childhood Career Educator (ECCE) National Quality Framework (NQF) was analyzed, which helped highlight four critical standards relating to leadership, organization and management, children’s experiences, and learning opportunities, which have become a major concern among practitioners. Through the interviews, the researchers were able to record and interpret ECCE teachers’ perceptions of the need for a policy that emphasizes their professional and career development. As revealed in this study, practitioners had to face a host of challenges and issues relating to leadership, organization and management, children’s experiences, and learning opportunities, which could adversely affect their current practices. In tandem, several solutions were identified to help them overcome such problems. In summation, the findings suggest that teaching children with special learning needs can be extremely challenging that entails all concerned to take appropriate measures, with each party having to focus on its role to help provide equal access to education to all children. Surely, through concerted efforts, special needs education in Malaysia can be further improved to help children with learning disabilities to learn as efficacious as their mainstream counterparts.
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