Supporting Integrative Literacy carried out in Sunday Schools and Early Childhood Care and Development

The Union of Evangelical Churches in Indonesia, The Union of Churches in Papua, and Wahana Visi Indonesia support the creation of integrative literacy carried out in Sunday Schools and Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD). This commitment is also guaranteed by including it as a Building Inclusive Paradigm program. This was stated in the Building an Inclusive Paradigm Workshop which took place in Papua at the end of February 2022.

The activity which lasted for three days resulted in a derivative program in the form of five excellent and priority programs consisting of two educational programs, namely Integration of Sunday Schools and ECCD through the training program for Sunday School and ECCD teachers, and Fundraising Program.

Meanwhile, in the economic field, this workshop made two excellent and priority programs, namely data collection on the economic empowerment of congregations and traders at the Youtefa market, as well as superior programs in dealing with social issues including the handling of 60,000 refugees and the construction of temporary shelters for conflict-affected communities.

One of the main problems reviewed and discussed in the preparation of the program is that there is no integration between Sunday School and ECCD which is not integrative due to various root causes of differences in doctrine, lack of stakeholder support, and lack of funding, as well as the absence of a recruitment system, curriculum and so on.

This Sunday School and ECCD integration program have a wedge with the WVI program which deals with the main problems of children aged 6-11 years in reading ability and low overall comprehension. Programs that intervene are needed to improve the learning environment, increase student participation, teacher quality, and teacher quantity, increase parental support, increase school readiness and partner involvement, especially in churches.

At the end of the event, besides being filled with the commitment of the participants to continue MPI to their respective places of service.

"I promise to be inclusive of everyone," said Priest Johny Sugianta S.Th as expressed in his commitment writing.

The same thing was also expressed by Priest Yan Braher Tomasoa, he said, "I am committed from today to be open and involve many parties in my ministry, and use social analysis to do so."
 

Written by: Dr. Anil Dawan M.Th, Faith and Development Manager Wahana Visi Indonesia

Translated by: Aqueta Alexandra Kroons, Intern Wahana Visi Indonesia.