SANDAKAN, Feb 8 — Deputy Education Minister Lim Hui Ying hopes that the Integrated Special Education Programme (PPKI) can be established in all primary schools to ensure no children with disabilities drop out of getting a proper education.
Lim, who described the importance of providing educational services to these children as being very close to her heart, said access to education is the right of all Malaysians, irrespective of race, religion and ability.
“I hope we can have these classes (PPKI) according to districts because every place has special needs children.
“I am moved (that there are schools offering PPKI) and this programme must be retained,” she told reporters after visiting two schools, including Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Sungai Anib 3 that has PPKI classes, near here, today.
Lim also announced an allocation of RM100,000 to SK Sungai Anib 3 for the school’s maintenance and repairs.
The deputy minister also visited SJK(C) Pei Ying in Batu Sapi, near here, which had sought the support of the Ministry of Education to shift to a new location due to the lack of pupils at the existing location.
“The population here is declining, so the number of pupils is also decreasing. The best solution is to move. I will give my full support to make it a success,” she said.
SJK(C) Management Board chairman Lo Pao San said they managed to obtain a 1.2-hectare piece of land in Taman Nasalim, about six km from the city centre, to build the new school.
He added the RM5 million school will have a two-storey building that can accommodate 10 classrooms to be used as a kindergarten and a three-storey building with 30 classrooms for primary school pupils.
— Bernama
