Caring School 2.0 program relaunched

PETALING JAYA: The Caring School programme, which was shelved in 2018, was officially relaunched on Feb 22 under the name Caring School 2.0 Programme.

The programme will involve concepts and activities based on the five areas of the Caring School plan - environment, culture, service, management and teaching.

At the virtual launch ceremony, Deputy Education Minister Datuk Dr Mah Hang Soon said he hopes the programme can be promoted in all the primary schools in Malaysia, and help accelerate the implementation of the Malaysia Education Blueprint 2013-2025.

Dr Mah said that the programme, which emphasises loving and caring education, is especially needed during the Covid-19 pandemic.

It should be fully practiced in a child’s home-based learning and life, he added.

He also encouraged online educators to continue using the concept of a caring education in the new normal, and strive to improve themselves, their family, society and the country.

The programme, originally mooted by former deputy education minister Datuk Hon Choon Kim in 2005, was initially meant to reduce the dropout rate at Chinese schools.

In 2013 and in line with the Malaysia Education Development Blueprint 2013-2025, the goal of the programme shifted towards promoting a holistic education to form well-rounded individuals.

A total of 137 Chinese primary schools nationwide have applied to the Caring School 2.0 programme with the support of each school’s board of governors and parent-teacher associations.

A total of 3,990 teachers and 58,713 students participated in the programme so far.