Kathryn Watts reporting worldwide [Article 2] [page 5 of Kathryn's pages]
 |
Childhood is celebrated in China too, and
representations abound. The people in some
communities in Taiwan regardless of age are
often reminded of the significance accorded to
children within traditional Chinese culture and
modern Taiwanese society. The emphasis is not
on making them social but on protecting a
natural process and to emphasise certain forms
of identification. The children are regarded as
becoming persons in part through learning and
also through self-cultivation. Various
celebrations are made to mark the passage of
time since the child`s birth. This is generally
after twelve days, one month, one hundred days,
and one year. |
In a community in Java the labour of the Kampung child, particularly that of girls
is much utilised. Families of from two to seven form their own kind of community
called `cells`. These cell associations employ each others children to run errands,
mind possessions and younger children, prepare small salegoods and perform
various other chores. The children move freely in and out of the houses within
these cells and are never refused snacks when asked for them. A certain amount
of sharing of responsibilities by adults and older children goes on. The older
members may mind, discipline, medicate and entertain other families children along
with their own. These cell child minding arrangements enable many women to earn
extra income, have some leisure time and basically to spread the `burden` of
childcare. This is yet another example of the kind of `social harmony` that exists
between people in such cultures, and appears to be a necessity in order to fulfil
everyday affairs. There are vast differences between Javanese and Japanese
cultures, but in this respect the similarities in everyday life at this level are
remarkable.
 |
Voluntary organisations often provide services for
women, extend non-formal training, operate childcare
facilities and so on. In 1988 there were 2,200 agencies
based in developed countries, involved in this type of
work. In Britain, at the time, among the largest charities
are those devoted to overseas aid, including Oxfam, Save
the Children Fund, Christian Aid and the Catholic Fund
for Overseas Development (CAFOD). |
'Education' is in fact an English word from Latin meaning 'to raise' and 'to lead
forth'. Education in such societies as I have been talking about probably does not
hold the same value as it does in England. This is understandably so, since
different priorities are apparent. Opportunities, success, and future prospects
have different meanings, and success often is associated with survival. Perhaps
though with the expansion of such countries the importance of education will shift
in another direction. Indeed in Java a few `rukin warga`, neighbourhood units run
information and educational sections which help school children with studies, run
general education programmes and work to increase literacy levels. Facilities,
equipment and experienced teachers are not as readily available to these third
world countries which already puts them at a disadvantage to countries such as
ours. Nevertheless in the cities universities exist and one often meets people in
this country that have come from one of these poorer countries in order to obtain
a better form of education. In Taiwan the lives of the children and young people
seem to be dominated by universal, mandatory education. This takes place though
in clearly set off modern institutions.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
 |
 |
|
~ linking children all across the world ~ |
| |
| |
publicity for this site is always
much appreciated ~ thank you |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
 |
sign up here for our free Newsletter - Project HappyChild News - see also our "Latest News" page
|
|
![French - 800+ free-to-print self-test French-English-French worksheets for learning French verbs + French vocabulary, eg food + drink [38 pages], plants, trees, numbers, shops, colours, telling the time, animals, birds, insects, the body, clothing, sports, driving, car parts, tools, home, family, etc.](http://www.happychild.org.uk/Webimage/paris01.gif)
