THE Education Ministry stressed on the importance of narrowing the gap between special and mainstream education.
Deputy Education Minister Teo Nie Ching said quality education for children with special needs was important.
“When we said we are committed to raise our education quality, that commitment includes the education quality for children with special needs.
“We want to close the education gap between the peninsula and Sabah and Sarawak; we want to close the gap education between schools in the urban and rural areas; and we need to also close the divide between the special and mainstream education.
“The Education Ministry targets 75% of children with special needs taking part in the Government’s Inclusive Education Programme (PPI) by 2025.
“About 40% of the students are participating in the programme now,” Teo said in her speech during her working visit to SJKC Aik Hua in Muntri Street today.
She also expressed her gratitude to the school for accepting special pupils to study in the school, and announced a RM1 million allocation in support of the new school building.
The school has been yearning for a relocation for the past 10 years.
The school’s board chairman Datuk Choot Ewe Beng thanked the state Education Department for allowing the school to be relocated.
“We are now raising funds to build the school. We have managed to raise RM18 million so far.
“The estimated cost of the project is RM22 million.
“We hope to begin the construction next year and it should take about three years to complete,” Choot said, adding that the school has been receiving insufficient student intake due to its location.
Penang Education director Mohd Jamil Mohamed said the department gave the approval on March 28 last year to relocate the school.
The school will be relocated to Lilitan Sungai Ara.
State executive council member Chong Eng said the Penang government would provide allocations to schools according to their needs.
“This is to provide fair and equal opportunities to all students,” she said.
The school headmistress Lee Shok Koon said there were 76 pupils studying in the school including 31 pupils with special needs.
Story by Christopher Tan
Pix by Law Suun Ting