KUCHING: Preliminary findings from the Sarawak Child Wellbeing Index (SCWI) indicated that 54 per cent of children experience deprivation in at least three dimensions of wellbeing, which provide a crucial foundation for the Sarawak Government to design more targeted interventions, particularly in the areas of education, safety and emotional support.

Minister for Women, Early Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development, Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah said that this study is the first of its kind in Sarawak, involving 3,124 children and enables the government to identify specific groups and areas that require focused attention.

“This is what we need to know. Where we must direct greater attention following this study, so that targeted interventions can be implemented,” she said during a press conference here on Thursday.

She added that the study, conducted by the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), assessed seven dimensions of wellbeing namely economic status, education and development, social, emotional and cultural aspects, health and nutrition, family and peer relationships, safety and security as well as access to information and communication technology (ICT).

The study’s findings reveal that 54 per cent of children experience deprivation in at least three dimensions of wellbeing, while 30.5 per cent face deprivation in at least four dimensions.

Regarding education, although 95.5 per cent of children expressed that they enjoy learning, more than one-third have yet to reach the established proficiency level in mathematics, while one in four children has not attained the required level of literacy.

Regarding safety and emotional support, 49 per cent of young children do not meet the established standards for physical safety at home and in their daily environments, while nearly 30 per cent lack someone to talk to when they feel lonely.

“The findings also reveal gaps in access to basic and digital facilities, while 82 per cent of children meet the established standards for access to clean water, nearly half of school-going children still lack adequate access to learning devices,” she stated.

Meanwhile, the study identified Miri and Kota Samarahan as divisions that recorded outcomes below the state average across several dimensions of wellbeing.

According to Dato Sri Fatimah, these findings underscore the importance of intervention approaches that account for geographical differences and local needs.

She added that the preliminary findings from the SCWI will serve as a guide for designing policies and programs that are more responsive to children’s needs, through collaboration among various agencies, specifically those in the education, health and welfare sectors as well as local authorities. -UKASnews