KOTA SAMARAHAN: The state’s first Special Olympics Club may be set up in Sibu by middle of the year once the approval is gained from the Education Department.
Welfare, Women and Family Development Minister Datuk Fatimah Abdullah yesterday said the request to set up the club in every school of special education had been forwarded to the state’s Education Department in a letter dated Feb 28 this year.
The club, she said, would provide children with special needs a way to participate in sports activities as well as enhance their self confidence and esteem through non-sports activities.
Sibu with its conducive atmosphere coupled with dedicated volunteers had been chosen to run the pilot project, said Fatimah after the opening ceremony of Samarahan Community Based Rehabilitation (CBR) centre’s charity sale and Open Day here.
“We want our children with special needs to enjoy quality life. It will also benefit the teachers as they will be given opportunity to be trained and get the related certificate which is recognised worldwide,” she said.
Other benefits included free health screening for children with special needs through the Special Olympics Healthy Athlete programme and non-sports initiatives such as Athlete Leadership Programme, Fatimah pointed out.
“I hope it (the club) would become a reality by the middle of the year. We would then extend it to other schools,” she said.
On CBR, Fatimah said the application to have nine more centres in the state had been forwarded to the federal government. The state has 25 CBRs to date.
Earlier in her speech, Fatimah said the government had allocated RM7.7 million to all CBRs in the state last year of which Rm275,000 was for Samarahan CBR.
Early childhood education for children with special needs had been introduced at five primary schools in the state – two from Kuching, one each in Sarikei, Sibu and Miri.
Ninety-eight primary schools and 40 secondary schools had classes for special education, said Fatimah, adding that the government had also set up four SK Pendidikan Khas in Sarawak.
“Although special education in Sarawak starts a bit late compared with the Peninsula, the system is improving now. Parents should send their children with special needs to schools to let them have the opportunity to be educated.
“Parents must be aware that you can’t stay with your children forever. You have to prepare them to be independent. Therefore, it is very crucial for parents to get early intervention programme for the children,” said Fatimah.
Fatimah also urged parents of children with special needs to register with the Social Welfare Department.
She said the registration would help the government to have details on the group and to provide necessary programmes for them.
Samarahan CBR chairman Mohammad Brahim pointed out that it was the first charity sale of the centre which was set up in 1996.
He said the activity was also a platform for local community to gain more understanding on CBR as well as on the people with special needs.
He expressed his hope that the government would provide the centre with a permanent location.
“For the past 12 years, we have been moving from one place to another. We really hope that we could get a more permanent place.
“We also hope to get a van to transport the trainees. We have so far raised RM12,000 and still need about RM108,000,” said Mohammad.