Busy parents, poor diets hinder PPR children’s learning development

SHAH ALAM – Some children living in People’s Housing Projects (PPR) are relying heavily on fast food due to their parents’ work commitments, a situation that affects their concentration and learning development.

Muslim Volunteer Malaysia (MVM) Chief Operating Officer Suzilawati Abdullah said the issue arose because working parents often did not have sufficient time to prepare balanced meals at home.

She said this had a direct impact on children’s ability to focus, particularly during basic 3M classes involving reading, writing and counting.

According to her, poor nutrition had caused some children to struggle to concentrate during lessons, affecting their early development.

In response, she said MVM launched a nutritious meal initiative in 2023 at PPR Kota Damansara to help improve children’s health and learning focus.

“Among the menus provided are rice, protein-based dishes, vegetables, fruit and milk, while light snacks include bread, biscuits, fruit, milk or juice, as well as vitamins.

“There was a boy who received this initiative who told us that he was very happy to be able to enjoy the food because previously he only ate bread and sometimes did not have lunch due to his parents’ busy schedules.

“So, when there are children who show better performance during lessons after eating, that is a small success for us because the issue of focus has been addressed and they have managed to master the 3M skills,” she said in a statement.

Suzilawati said nutritional challenges were not the only difficulties faced by children living in flats.

She also added that many also experienced pressure arising from family poverty, limited living space and financial constraints, which led to irregular school attendance for some.

She highlighted that such environmental conditions increased children’s exposure to the risk of dropping out of education and negative social influences if ongoing support was not provided.

She further said MVM was currently collaborating with several NGO partners to raise awareness among volunteers about the realities of flat community life, including the everyday challenges faced by children growing up in such environments.