Page 53 - nhms2016 maternal and child findings

39
National Health And Morbidity Survey 2016 : Maternal And Child Health (MCH) Volume II : Findings

Table 6.4.2.2 shows that the proportion of children aged 36 to 59 months who have had adults
engaging with them in four or more activities that promote learning and school readiness during the
3 days preceding the survey was only 24.6%. These activities include reading books to or looking at
picture books with the child, telling stories to the child, singing songs or lullabies to or with the child,
taking the child to the playground, playing with the child and lastly, naming, counting or drawing things
with the child. In terms of adults’ engagement in activities with children, there was no gender and an
age difference noted, nor was there any difference seen among parents’ occupation or income level.
Interestingly, adult involvement in children’s learning was more common among Malays (25.2%),
compared to Chinese (22.5%) or Indians (17.5%). Adult involvement was inversely related to mothers’
education level; higher proportion was seen among mothers who received no formal education
(29.9%) and mothers with primary education (30.0%) compared to mothers with secondary (23.1%)
and higher education (24.2%). Mothers who are married appeared to have a lower proportion of
engaging with the child (24.2%) compared to those who were separated, divorced, widowed or not
married (34.8%). There was no difference in terms of fathers’ education level with their engagement
with children.

Table 6.4.2.3 shows that half (55.5%) of children under the age of 5 years had at least three children’s
books in their homes. The proportion of children with 10 or more books declines to 18.3%. While no
gender differentials were observed, a higher percentage of Chinese (60.5%) and Indian (61.0%)
children were reported to have access to three or more children’s books than other ethnic groups. The
same finding holds true for children with access to ten or more books. The number of children’s books
increases with the child’s age. Homes of 11.2% of children age 0-11 months have three or more
children’s books, while the figure was 45.6% for children age 12-23 months and 73.6% for children
age 24-59 months. A similar trend was also observed among children with ten or more children’s
books. The proportion of children, who have access to 3 books or more, and 10 books or more were
highest among those with parents who received higher education, work in the public sector and were
in the highest income bracket. Those from urban areas appear to have a significantly higher access
to three or more children’s books (60.0%, 95% CI 57.70-62.30) compared to rural areas (47.1%, 95%
CI 44.7-49.40), and similarly for access to ten or more children’s books (20.6%, 95% CI 18.7%-22.7%
compared to 13.9%, 95% CI 12.3-15.8)

Table 6.4.2.3 also shows the types of toys the children play with and the proportion of children having
two or more types of playthings in their homes. The types of playthings included in the questionnaire
were homemade toys (such as dolls and cars, or other toys made at home), toys that came from a
store, and household objects (such as pots and bowls) or objects and materials found outside the
home (such as sticks, rocks, animal shells, or leaves). It was interesting to note that 91.4% of children
play with toys that came from a store, compared to 56.0% who used household objects or objects
found outside their home to play with. Homemade toys were proven unpopular where only 25.9% of
children in the survey had them as their toys. Children’s gender, parents’ occupations and parents’
education did not seem to affect children who had manufactured toys, homemade toys or household
objects as toys. The proportion of children who had two or more types of playthings to play with was
60.7% among male children and 64.2% among female children. Children in the youngest age group
reported the lowest proportion of having two or more types of playthings. Parental education,
occupation and income did not show any difference in terms of children having two or more types of
playthings. A significant difference is seen for homemade toys, where children from rural areas appear
to have a significantly higher prevalence of 61.2% (95% CI 58.90-63.50) compared to urban areas
(53.1%, 96% CI 50.70-55.55).

6.4.3. Conclusion

Malaysian education has grown by leaps and bounds. Surprisingly, only slightly more than half of
Malaysian parents sent their children to early childhood education programmes. In addition, only one
in four engaged actively with their child in various activities that promote learning and school
readiness. It appears that higher levels of education and earning capacity in parents enable them to
send their children to early education programmes, and procure children’s books and toys. However,