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Fulltext Education for non-citizen children in Malaysia during the COVID-19 pandemic: A qualitative study

Loganathan T, Chan ZX, Hassan F, Kunpeuk W, Suphanchaimat R, Yi H, et al.

PLoS One, 2021;16(12):e0259546.
PMID: 34855770 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0259546

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted schooling for children worldwide. Most vulnerable are non-citizen children without access to public education. This study aims to explore challenges faced in achieving education access for children of refugee and asylum-seekers, migrant workers, stateless and undocumented persons in Malaysia during the pandemic. In-depth interviews of 33 stakeholders were conducted from June 2020 to March 2021. Data were thematically analysed. Our findings suggest that lockdowns disproportionately impacted non-citizen households as employment, food and housing insecurity were compounded by xenophobia, exacerbating pre-existing inequities. School closures disrupted school meals and deprived children of social interaction needed for mental wellbeing. Many non-citizen children were unable to participate in online learning due to the scarcity of digital devices, and poor internet connectivity, parental support, and home learning environments. Teachers were forced to adapt to online learning and adopt alternative arrangements to ensure continuity of learning and prevent school dropouts. The lack of government oversight over learning centres meant that measures taken were not uniform. The COVID-19 pandemic presents an opportunity for the design of more inclusive national educational policies, by recognising and supporting informal learning centres, to ensure that no child is left behind.

Matched MeSH terms: Schools/organization & administration
Fulltext The Effects of Brain Breaks on Motives of Participation in Physical Activity among Primary School Children in Malaysia

Hajar MS, Rizal H, Kueh YC, Muhamad AS, Kuan G

Int J Environ Res Public Health, 2019 Jul 02;16(13).
PMID: 31269644 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph16132331

Brain breaks is a physical activity (PA) video designed for school settings that is used to stimulate student's health and learning. The purpose of this study is to measure the effects of brain breaks on motives of participation in PA among primary school children in Malaysia. Purposive sampling was used to divide 159 male and 176 female students aged 10 to 11 years old, mean (standard deviation (SD)) = 10.51 (0.50), from two schools in Kelantan, Malaysia into intervention (n = 183) and control (n = 152) groups. Students undertook brain breaks activities on school days (five minutes per session) spread out for a period of four months. Mixed factorial analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to test the students' motives of participation in PA for pre-, mid-, and post-tests using the Physical Activity and Leisure Motivation Scale-Youth-Malay (PALMS-Y-M). Mixed factorial ANOVA showed significant changes in enjoyment, F(2, 392) = 8.720, p-value (ηp2) = 0.001 (0.043); competitiveness, F(2, 195) = 4.364, p-value (ηp2) = 0.014 (0.043); appearance, F(2, 392) = 5.709, p-value (ηp2) = 0.004 (0.028); and psychological condition, F(2, 392) = 4.376, p-value (ηp2) = 0.013 (0.022), whereas mastery, affiliation, and physical condition were not significant (p < 0.05). Further post-hoc analysis revealed a significant downward trend in the control group (p < 0.05). Brain breaks is successful in maintaining students' motives for PA in four of the seven factors.

Matched MeSH terms: Schools/organization & administration*
Fulltext Evaluation of high school-based dengue solution model in Southern Thailand: a community participatory action research

Suwanbamrung C, Mehraj SK, Kercho MW, Stanikzai MH, Ageru TA, Jaroenpool J, et al.

BMC Public Health, 2024 Nov 28;24(1):3315.
PMID: 39609747 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-024-20767-4

INTRODUCTION: By the time the globe started to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic, Southeast Asian countries had faced an increased dengue incidence, which has eventually become an important public health problem. However, effective and sustainable disease control measures in the area are still lacking. Therefore, the current study is aimed to evaluate the development and implementation of high school-based dengue solution model in Southern Thailand.
METHODS: Integrated community participatory action research (CPAR) was employed using preparation, planning, implementation, and evaluation. Data was collected using quantitative and qualitative methods from high school students. Descriptive statistics such as frequency and percentage, chi-square and fisher's exact test were used to summarize and compare quantitative data before and after intervention. Similarly, qualitative data was collected through interviews and focus group discussion (FGD) and then analyzed through thematic analysis.
RESULTS: Two hundred and thirty-nine (96.3%, n = 239/248) and 232 (93.5, n = 232/248) participants were included in the interventions before and after, respectively. School-based dengue prevention was developed with input from a variety of stakeholders, including students, community leaders, health educators, district officials, and community health volunteers. As demonstrated by pre- to post-test results, students understanding of dengue and the larval indices surveillance system has increased. Students who received the training were not only inspired but created a sense of community responsibility with a high commitment to teaching and sharing information in their circle to enhance overall community wellbeing. Being female and higher educational attainment was associated with students understanding of dengue and larval indices surveillance.
CONCLUSION: This participatory action research not only improved students' understanding of dengue but also empowered them to be proactive in various community health initiatives. The positive correlation between educational attainment and students understanding of dengue solution and larval indices surveillance underscores the need for tailored educational interventions that address diverse learning needs within the community. Collaborative efforts to establish dengue health information center based at primary schools and above can better improve reduction of dengue incidence.

Matched MeSH terms: Schools/organization & administration
Fulltext Teacher Reporting Attitudes Scale (TRAS): confirmatory and exploratory factor analyses with a Malaysian sample

Choo WY, Walsh K, Chinna K, Tey NP

J Interpers Violence, 2013 Jan;28(2):231-53.
PMID: 22902514 DOI: 10.1177/0886260512454720

The Teacher Reporting Attitude Scale (TRAS) is a newly developed tool to assess teachers' attitudes toward reporting child abuse and neglect. This article reports on an investigation of the factor structure and psychometric properties of the short form Malay version of the TRAS. A self-report cross-sectional survey was conducted with 667 teachers in 14 randomly selected schools in Selangor state, Malaysia. Analyses were conducted in a 3-stage process using both confirmatory (stages 1 and 3) and exploratory factor analyses (stage 2) to test, modify, and confirm the underlying factor structure of the TRAS in a non-Western teacher sample. Confirmatory factor analysis did not support a 3-factor model previously reported in the original TRAS study. Exploratory factor analysis revealed an 8-item, 4-factor structure. Further confirmatory factor analysis demonstrated appropriateness of the 4-factor structure. Reliability estimates for the four factors-commitment, value, concern, and confidence-were moderate. The modified short form TRAS (Malay version) has potential to be used as a simple tool for relatively quick assessment of teachers' attitudes toward reporting child abuse and neglect. Cross-cultural differences in attitudes toward reporting may exist and the transferability of newly developed instruments to other populations should be evaluated.

Matched MeSH terms: Schools/organization & administration*
Prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders and its relation to depression among workers in kindergarten

Pirbalouti MG, Shariat A, Sangelaji B, Taghavi M, Kamaliyeh NG

Work, 2017;58(4):519-525.
PMID: 29254133 DOI: 10.3233/WOR-172648

BACKGROUND: Working in a closed environment for more than 7-8 hours can affect both psychological and physical health among kindergarten workers.
OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) and depression as well as the correlation between them, if any, among kindergarten workers.
METHODS: In a cross-sectional observation, one hundred and five healthy female staff members (age: 34.27±7.01 year, working duration: 7.42±0.81 hr/d, BMI: 24.50±2.61 kg/m2 (mean±SD)), who have had at least one year of working experience, were selected randomly from 10 kindergartens. The subjects completed both the Cornell musculoskeletal and Patient Health (PHQ-9) questionnaires to enable the assessments of MSD and depression scores accordingly. The correlation between both questionnaires was then measured to find any links. To assess the reliability of Farsi-language versions of the Cornell questionnaire and PHQ-9, the Inter-class Correlation Co-efficient (ICC) was measured through test-retest with 1-week delay and the prevalence of MSD and depression were subsequently assessed as well.
RESULTS: The Inter-class Correlation Co-efficient (ICC) illustrated that the Farsi version of MSD instruments showed high levels of repeatability. The ICC coefficient was (0.932-0.987, p

Matched MeSH terms: Schools/organization & administration