PUTRAJAYA: BEGINNING next year, the Education Ministry will implement the Zero Reject Policy to ensure that no special needs child is turned away from school.
The policy, which will be rolled out in stages, aims to ensure that all children in the country, including those with special needs and undocumented children, will have access to education.
Special Education Division deputy director Datuk Dr Yasmin Hussain said under the policy, special needs children would be able to receive education corresponding to their abilities, either through mainstream schools via the Inclusive Education Programme (PPI), the Special Education Integrated Programme (PPKI) or the Special Education School (SPK) for primary and secondary levels.
Education Rules (Special Education) 2013 defines special needs students as those among six categories, which are hearing-impaired, sight-impaired, speech-impaired, physically-impaired, learning difficulties and multiple disabilities.
She said the ministry would identify the special needs students and the differently abled students so that early intervention could be given before the children began their school year.
Yasmin said by doing so, this would reduce the impact of the student’s disability and help to influence their willingness to participate in the teaching and learning process in school.
Parents are required to register their children online at the ministry’s website two years before they are to start schooling, and schools must accept the special needs students who register with them.
“However, these children must undergo some form of screening verified by a medical officer, optometrist, audiologist and psychologist before they can enrol in a special needs programme at government schools or government-assisted schools.
“Through the Early Intervention Programme, we will be able to prepare the students to learn in a formal education setting and reduce the impact of their disabilities by using support services, therapy and rehabilitation from as early as possible,” she said in an interview yesterday.
Early intervention also helps to identify the special tools which can be used to help these children.
“Parents can contact the Special Needs Service Centres (Pusat Perkhidmatan Pendidikan Khas) nearby or the ministry and we encourage parents to be involved during therapy sessions to allow consistent practice of the intervention methods at home,” she added.
Besides the service centres, parents can also opt for early intervention programmes at centres operated by non-government organisations.
Yasmin said the potential of these special needs students could be harnessed through cooperation from all parties, especially parents and the community.
“Parents play an important role in assisting teachers, and they can do this by participating in the child’s Individual Teaching Plan (Rancangan Pengajaran Individu).”
The RPI is a written record which details the child’s individual education plan, which is based on his abilities, strengths and weaknesses. The teacher needed to understand the needs of each individual child, through observation and also discussion with the parents and use this to adapt the teaching and learning process for that particular child, she said.
“The teacher will prepare a specific plan for each child as each child will have different issues and needs.”
Yasmin said the plan would help the students improve their skills and speech before they moved on to the next phase of the teaching and learning process, and parents must give their cooperation by extending the learning process at home so that the students could better absorb what they have learnt.
As of Oct this year, 83,598 special needs children have received education in mainstream schools, with currently 2,530 in special education schools, 65,120 in national schools that offer the PPKI, and 15,948 students in the PPI.
Yasmin said to support the implementation of the zero reject policy, the most important component was the provision of infrastructure in schools.
The division will be providing disable-friendly facilities to all government schools in stages, beginning with the special education schools and PPKI. At present only 170 schools nationwide are equipped with these facilities, which include special stairs, ramps, toilets and parking areas.
The ministry will implement the PPI for students all primary schools, in stages beginning next year.
“This year, the division achieved a 50.1 per cent participation rate and we are aiming for a 75 per cent participation rate by 2035.”
Other improvements to be undertaken include upgrading the teachers via courses beginning next year.
This course involves the participation of all teachers in mainstream schools as well as special education schools from primary to secondary level. Emphasis will be given on how to manage behaviour, self management and the 3Ms, which are reading, writing and counting.
“All educators must embrace and understand their responsibilities in educating those with special needs. This is in line with Education Minister Dr Maszlee Malik’s hopes to emphasise the three elements of love, happiness and mutual re spect among our younger generation.”