Rationale of this project
With all the political turmoil that has been happening the neighbouring countries, it is no surprise that the refugee population is rising in Malaysia. In 2020, the total number of refugees in Malaysia was 21,499, an equivalent of 6406 households. Looking at the statistics, we feel the financial burden as a resettlement country receiving these huge numbers of refugee families. However, in all our humanity we cannot deny that these displaced people are not simply statistics but individuals who are trying their best to make a better life for their families.
As an institution that cares, and as a profession that strives to help people, the School of Psychology of SEGi College encourages our students to take up the social responsibility to enter the refugee community to turn caring thoughts into caring action.
About this project
After many observations and interviews with the refugee community we have noticed that this population has limited access to education. Sadly, most mothers stay at home to look after their children, and to add to their dilemma, most of these mothers are uneducated. Thus the majority of these refugee children have missed the critical period to develop school readiness, let alone the opportunity to enter formal education. This has resulted in a huge gap between these refugee children and our mainstream children.
The purpose of this project is to equip these refugee mothers as the first teachers for their children at home. Our vision is for every refugee parent to be able to give their preschool-aged children basic knowledge and moral values.
The First Teacher Project is a collaboration between our SEGi Psychology team and El-Shaddai Centre. Our students will participate as a trainers who will teach the parents how to teach their children using El-Shaddai’s materials. Classes will be conducted once a week, and each class will last between forty-five minutes to an hour. The lesson includes English, moral stories, and motor development activities.
What can our students benefit from these classes?
From this project, our students will have the opportunity to develop individual rapport with the refugee population. It is good exposure for our students to understand the lifestyles, backgrounds and needs of this community. Supervisors from El-shaddai will also give advice on how to interact with this community. This can be a platform for psychology students to practise their skills in serving the diaspora population. We will have first-hand sharing from social workers on how to protect their privacy and how to draw boundaries.
At SEGi College, we don’t teach students only in the classroom. Learning through experience is a more effective way to build our student skills and attitudes. Diverse learning platforms expand our students’ exploration in the psychological field. As psychology students, it is crucial for them to develop a sense of empathy before they step into the psychology profession. From this project, students will realise that refugees are not just a statistic, but individuals who deserve hope and help for a better future.
