Question 1
Respond to the UNCRC’s General Comment No.7 (attached) and discuss how the perspective compares with:
a) your own assumptions about young children (particularly prior to ECE100). Elaborate on what you think about TWO of the articles highlighted in this Comment (i.e., articles 2, 3, 6, and 12) as having significant implications for rights in early childhood; and
b) the image of the child that is presented in the Singapore Early Years Development Framework (ECDA, 2013) and the Nurturing Early Learners Kindergarten Curriculum Framework (MOE, 2012).
Reference links:
https://www.ecda.gov.sg/growatbeanstalk/Documents/EYDF%20eng_secured.pdf
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Question 2
“As holders of rights, even the youngest children are entitled to express
their views, which should be ‘given due weight in accordance with the age and
maturity of the child’ (Article 12.1). Young children are acutely sensitive to
their surroundings and very rapidly acquire understanding of the people, places
and routines in their lives, along with awareness of their own unique identity.
They make choices and communicate their feelings, ideas and wishes in numerous
ways, long before they are able to communicate through the conventions of
spoken or written language.” (UNCRC General Comment no.7, page 7)
The underlying intent of Article 12 is not about giving in to the child’s
whims and fancies. Propose THREE
(3) ways in which ECCE teachers and programmes can support children’s
ideas in educative (non-frivolous) ways that are also meaningful to children. Create
short scenarios to describe and illustrate what you mean.
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Question 3
Read the UN’s response to Singapore’s first and second reports (attached) and compare
them with our most recent submissions (fourth and fifth reports) (attached). Select ONE (1) issue raised by the
UN as an area for improvement and discuss if you think Singapore has indeed
made significant improvements. The issue you select must be relevant to young
children (birth through age 8) and their families.
You should analyse and interpret Singapore’s progress in the issue by
reviewing relevant local news articles, reports and other reliable sources as
evidence to support your argument. You could also include ECDA’s Early
Childhood Development Centre licensing requirements and media announcements
from the period of 2017 – 2019.
Reference links:
Ministry of Social and Family Development ( https://www.msf.gov.sg/policies/Children-and-Youth/Pages/Obligations-under-the-UN-Convention-on-the-Rights-of-the-Child.aspx
UN Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC), General comment No. 7 (2005):
Implementing Child Rights in Early Childhood, 20 September 2006,
CRC/C/GC/7/Rev.1, available at https://www.refworld.org/docid/460bc5a62.html
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