CHILDREN’S INDEPENDENT MOBILITY TO SCHOOL IN MALAYSIA

Authors

  • Nuraihan Mohd Ibrahim Faculty of Built Environment, UNIVERSITI MALAYA
  • Yong Adilah Shamsul Harumain Faculty of Built Environment, UNIVERSITI MALAYA
  • Nur Aulia Rosni Faculty of Built Environment, UNIVERSITI MALAYA

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.21837/pm.v22i33.1539

Keywords:

Children’s independent mobility, Active transportation, School, Accessibility

Abstract

The concept of children’s independent mobility encourages children to participate in physical activity through active transportation. Children’s Independent Mobility (CIM) is defined as the freedom for children to move around their surrounding neighbourhood without supervised by an adult supervision. Currently, there are some concerns about the decline in children's levels of physical activity. Increased reliance on automobiles for children's daily transportation can have negative effects on the environment, as well as increase the level of childhood obesity, and reduce their sense of independence. Research suggests that independent mobility to school is an essential component of a balanced childhood, and it has positive impacts on various aspects of children's lives, such as physical health, social skills, and cognitive development. However, very few practical studies address the association between children`s independent mobility and school specifically. Investigating CIM in the specific context of children's mobility to school is important because commuting between home and school is a major issue in active school travel. Adopting literature reviews as an approach, this paper will outline some recommendations that can be used by the relevant authorities in implementing pedestrian policies and guidelines for school children based on school accessibility and connectivity to promote CIM. From the literature reviews, this paper establishes a conceptual framework for the promotion of CIM to schools in the Malaysian context. It was found that most residential areas and school surroundings in Malaysia are responsive to children`s needs but parents` mindsets hinder this concept to be successfully done.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Ahmad Rasdan Ismail, Noor Adilah Hamzah, Nor Kamilah Makhtar, Nurul Husna Che Hassan, Darliana Mohamad & Baba Md Dero. (2018). A study of road hazards faced by Malaysian school children using HIRARC. Malaysian Journal of Public Health Medicine, 2, 10-17.

BERNAMA. (2023, July 6). Empat dari lima remaja Malaysia tidak aktif secara fizikal - Dr Zaliha. https://www.astroawani.com/berita-malaysia/empat-dari-lima-remaja-malaysia-tidak-aktif-secara-fizikal-dr-zaliha-426891

Bronfenbrenner, U. (1979). The ecology of human development: Experiments by design and nature. On: Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4159/9780674028845

Chaudhury, M., Oliver, M., Badland, H. M. & Mavoa, S. (2016). Public open spaces, children’s independent mobility. Play and Recreation, Health and Wellbeing, Geographies of Children and Young People, 9. doi:10.1007/978-981-4585-51-4_17 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-4585-51-4_17

Chaudhury, M., Hinckson, E., Badland, H., & Oliver, M. (2017). Children’s independence and affordances experienced in the context of public open spaces: a study of diverse inner-city and suburban neighbourhoods in Auckland, New Zealand. Children’s Geographies, 17, 49-63. https://doi.org/10.1080/14733285.2017.1390546 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/14733285.2017.1390546

Economic Planning Unit. (2021). Twelfth Malaysia Plan 2021-2025. Retrieved from https://rmke12.epu.gov.my/en.

Gibson, J. J. (1979). The theory of affordances. The Ecological Approach to Visual Perception. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.

Habizah Sheikh Ilmi, Mariatul Liza Meor Gheda, & Nooridayu Ahmad Yusof. (2018). Neighbourhood safety and outdoor play activities among urban children in Shah Alam, Malaysia. IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering, 401(1). Doi:10.1088/1757-899X/401/1/012031 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1088/1757-899X/401/1/012031

Hamad, S. S., Moustafa, Y. M. & Khalil, M. H. (2022). Children's independent mobility: A study of middle childhood home ranges in two different socio-physical settings in El-Shorouk City, Egypt. Environment and Ecology Research, 10(2), 146-160. Doi: 10.13189/eer.2022.100204 DOI: https://doi.org/10.13189/eer.2022.100204

Hillman, M., Adams, J. & Whitelegg, J. (1990). One false move...a study of children's independent mobility. Policy Studies Institute (PSI) Publishing. http://john-adams.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2007/11/one%20false%20move.pdf

Intan Syuhana Aziz, Zaharah Mohd Yusoff, Dasimah Omar & Adzlia Noor Nadiah Abdul Rahman. (2014). GIS route network analysis for safe journey to school. (Intan Syuhana Aziz et al., 2014)IGCESH2014. 10.13140/2.1.2382.2721.

Lin, E., Witten, K., Oliver, M., Carroll, P., Asiasiga, L., Badland, H., & Parker, K. (2017). Social and built-environment factors related to children's independent mobility: The importance of neighbourhood cohesion and connectedness. Health & Place, 46, 107-113. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.healthplace.2017.05.002 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.healthplace.2017.05.002

Lopes, F., Cordovil, R. & Neto, C. (2018). Independent mobility and social affordances of places for urban neighborhoods: A youth-friendly perspective. Frontiers in Psychology. 9(2198). Doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2018.02198 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.02198

Love, P., Villanueva, K. & Whitzman, C. (2019). Children’s independent mobility: The role of school-based social capital. Children's Geographies. Doi: 10.1080/14733285.2019.1634244 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/14733285.2019.1634244

Mariana Mohamed Osman, Muhammad Faris Abdullah, Najihan Khalid, Syahriah Bachok, Nor Suzilawati Rabe, Syafiee Shuid, & Zakiah Ponrahono. (2017). Perception of parents and guardians on safe distance for children to travel to public areas. Journal of the Malaysian Institute of Planners, 15(1), 201 – 208. DOI: https://doi.org/10.21837/pmjournal.v15.i6.235

Mariatul Liza Meor Gheda & Habizah Sheikh Ilmi. (2019). The safe and nurturing living environment for urban children. Journal of the Malaysian Institute of Planners, 17(1), 280 – 291. https://doi.org/10.21837/pm.v17i9.605 DOI: https://doi.org/10.21837/pmjournal.v17.i9.605

Marzi, I. & Reimers, A. K. (2018). Children’s independent mobility: Current knowledge, future directions, and public health implications. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 15(2441). doi:10.3390/ijerph15112441 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph15112441

Marzi, I., Demetriou, Y. & Reimers, A. K. (2018). Social and physical environmental correlates of independent mobility in children: A systematic review taking sex/gender differences into account. International Journal of Health Geographics, 17(24), https://doi.org/10.1186/s12942-018-0145-9 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12942-018-0145-9

Masoumi, H. van Rooijen, M. & Sierpiński, G. (2020). Children’s independent mobility to school in seven european countries: A multinomial logit model. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(23). https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17239149 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17239149

Nur Aulia Rosni, Zakiah Ponrahono & Noorzailawati Mohd Noor. (2018). Segregated land use sprawl: TOD approach for mixed-use housing development in Kuala Lumpur. Journal of the Malaysian Institute of Planners, 16(1), 145-154. DOI: https://doi.org/10.21837/pm.v16i5.418

Nurulhuda Jamaluddin, Sharifah Allyana Syed Mohamed Rahim, Nur Zarifah Haron, Azzuhana Roslan, Akmalia Shabadin, Muhammad Marizwan Abdul Manan & Khairil Anwar Abu Kassim. (2020). Research Report on Determination of the exposure and travel mode to school. Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (MIROS).

PLANMalaysia. (2022). Garis Panduan Perancangan Kemudahan Masyarakat. Kementerian Kesejahteraan Bandar Perumahan dan Kerajaan Tempatan. https://mytownnet.planmalaysia.gov.my/ver2/gp/GPP%20KEMUDAHAN%20MASYARAKAT%20(GP004-A.2022).pdf

PLANMalaysia. (2017). Garis Panduan Pelaksanaan Bandar Sihat Mesra Pejalan Kaki (Healthy Walkable City). Kementerian Kesejahteraan Bandar, Perumahan dan Kerajaan Tempatan. https://mytownnet.planmalaysia.gov.my/ver2/gp/GPP_WALKABLE_CITY.pdf

Pelletier, C. A., Cornish, K. & Sanders, C. (2021). Children’s independent mobility and physical activity during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A qualitative study with families. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(4481). https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18094481 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18094481

Pérez, M. C. T. (2020). Children's independent mobility a child-oriented perspective on walking, playing, and socialising in Aguablanca District. Cali, Colombia. [Doctoral dissertation, University College London). OpenEd@UCL. https://open-education-repository.ucl.ac.uk/676/1/Trujillo%20Perez%2C%20Maria.pdf

Qiu, L. & Zhu, X. (2017). Impacts of housing and community environments on children’s independent mobility: A systematic literature review. International Journal of Contemporary Architecture, 4(2), 10.14621/tna.20170205

Riazi, N. A. & Faulkner, G. (2018). Children’s independent mobility. Children's Active Transportation. 77-91. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-811931-0.00005-3 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-811931-0.00005-3

Perry, C. A. (1929). The neighborhood unit: A scheme of arrangement for the family-life community. Neighborhood and Community Planning, 22-140.

Sharmin, S. (2020). The impact of built environment on children independent mobility: A comparative analysis between discretionary and nondiscretionary activities [Doctoral dissertation, Queensland University of Technology (QUT)]. QUT ePrints. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/201388/

Sharmin, S., Md. Kamruzzaman, & Md Mazharul Haque. (2017). The impact of topological properties of built environment on children independent mobility: A comparative study between discretionary vs. nondiscretionary trips in Dhaka. Journal of Transport Geography, 83(6), 102660. https://doi.489org/10.1016/j.jtrangeo.2020.102660 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtrangeo.2020.102660

Tung, S. E. H.; Ng,X. H., Chin, Y. S. & Mohd Taib, M. N. (2016). Associations between parents’ perception of neighbourhood environments and safety with physical activity of primary school children in Klang, Selangor, Malaysia. Child: Care Health Development, 42(4), 478-85. https://doi.org/10.1111/cch.12355 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/cch.12355

UNICEF. (2018). Child Friendly Cities and Communities Handbook. https://www.unicef.org/eap/reports/child-friendly-cities-and-communities-handbook

United Nations (2021). The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2021. https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/report/2021/The-Sustainable-Development-Goals-Report-2021.pdf

Veitch, J., Carver, A., Salmon, J., Abbott, G., Ball, K., Crawford, D., Cleland, V., & Timperio, A. (2017). What predicts children's active transport and independent mobility in disadvantaged neighborhoods? Health & Place, 44, 103-109. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.healthplace.2017.02.003 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.healthplace.2017.02.003

Wong, J. E., Parikh, P., Poh, B. K. & Deurenberg, P. (2016). Physical activity of Malaysian primary school children: Comparison by sociodemographic variables and activity domains. Asia Pacific Journal of Public Health, 1–12, Doi: 10.1177/1010539516650726 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1010539516650726

Yong Adilah Shamsul Harumain, Suhana Koting, Nur Sabahiah Abdul Sukor, Melasutra Md Dali, Hamzah, N. F., Osada, T., Ruslan, F. I. & Nurfatin Fauzi. (2022). Built environment role in changing mothers’ perception on children’s walking independently to school. Jurnal Pengembangan Kota, 10(1), 1-9, Doi: 10.14710/jpk.10.1.1-9 DOI: https://doi.org/10.14710/jpk.10.1.1-9

Yong Adilah Shamsul Harumain, Suhana Koting, Nur Sabahiah Abdul Sukor, Melasutra Md Dali, Nurfatin Fauzi, Osada Teppei. (2022). Mode choice of mothers travelling with young children in Malaysia. Journal of the Malaysian Institute of Planners, 20(5), 352–362. DOI: https://doi.org/10.21837/pm.v20i24.1211

Zaharah Mohd Yusoff, Intan S. Aziz, Nabilah Naharudin, Abdul Rauf Abdul Rasam, Ling, O. H. L. & Na’asah Nasrudin. (2022). Mobility and proximity coefficient to high-traffic volume in daily school operations. Journal of the Malaysian Institute of Planners, 20(2), 321–332. DOI: https://doi.org/10.21837/pm.v20i21.1116

Downloads

Published

2024-08-26

How to Cite

Mohd Ibrahim, N., Shamsul Harumain, Y. A., & Rosni, N. A. (2024). CHILDREN’S INDEPENDENT MOBILITY TO SCHOOL IN MALAYSIA. PLANNING MALAYSIA, 22(33). https://doi.org/10.21837/pm.v22i33.1539