Equal Opportunity in the Nursery Setting
The Encarta World English Dictionary defines equal opportunity as "the availability of the same rights, position, and status to all people, regardless of gender, sexual preference, age, race, ethnicity, or religion." In the nursery setting this would mean that each child should be guaranteed access to particpate in all aspects of the nursery setting regardless of their gender, race, ethnicity, social or economic status. A child that is denied access to fully participate in all that the nursery has to offer may feel excluded, have low self-esteem and develop social or emotional problems. The child 's right to quality care and education in the early years is not only the responsibility of parents and childcare professionals but also government officials who formulate legislation and policy.
In recent years the issue of children 's rights has been the topic of much discussion and debate. The United Nations General Assembly, in recognizing that children are individuals with the rights to survival, development, protection and participation, adopted the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) in 1989. Article 2 of the UNCRC clearly stresses the need to "respect and ensure the rights (of) each child without discrimination of any kind, irrespective of the child 's race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national, ethnic or social origin, property, disability, birth or other status." The existence of equal opportunity in the nursery setting ensures that the child is allowed the freedom to develop emotionally, physically and spiritually without any discrimination.
Malaysia 's commitment to the development of children in the areas of survival, protection and development existed long before Malaysia became a signatory to the UNCRC in 1995. Through the National Action Plan for Children (1991-2000) steps were taken to improve the quality of care for children at childcare centres and kindergartens nationwide.
In recent years the issue of children 's rights has been the topic of much discussion and debate. The United Nations General Assembly, in recognizing that children are individuals with the rights to survival, development, protection and participation, adopted the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) in 1989. Article 2 of the UNCRC clearly stresses the need to "respect and ensure the rights (of) each child without discrimination of any kind, irrespective of the child 's race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national, ethnic or social origin, property, disability, birth or other status." The existence of equal opportunity in the nursery setting ensures that the child is allowed the freedom to develop emotionally, physically and spiritually without any discrimination.
Malaysia 's commitment to the development of children in the areas of survival, protection and development existed long before Malaysia became a signatory to the UNCRC in 1995. Through the National Action Plan for Children (1991-2000) steps were taken to improve the quality of care for children at childcare centres and kindergartens nationwide.
Bibliography: Encarta World English Dictionary, http://www.encarta.msn.com/dictionary_/equal%20opportunity.html Haq, F., (2000), From Divided Responsibility to Shared Responsibility: Inclusion In Malaysia, http://www.isec2000.org.uk/abstracts/papers_h/haq_1.htm Malaysia 2006 Annual Budget, http://www.mgcc.com.my/mgcc/main.nsf/ Mokshein, S (2004), Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) in Malaysia: An Overview, http://www.ias.unu.edu/binaries2/Malaysia_EducationReport_Aug2004.doc SUHAKAM Roundtable Discussion: The Indigenous Community 's Right to Education (2005), http://www.suhakam.org.my/en/document_resource/details.asp?id United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, http://www.ohchr.org/english/law/pdf/crc.pdf