Fatimah (front, left) studies the setting up of a play-and-learn set meant for children with special needs at OSEIC’s new activity room. — Photo by Galileo Petingi
KUCHING (Aug 17): A total of 339 children with special needs have been registered with the One Stop Early Intervention Centre (OSEIC) Sarawak, making Sarawak the only state in Malaysia with the highest number of special-needs children receiving early intervention services.
This was disclosed by Minister of Women, Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah, citing the data recorded as at July 31 this year.
According to her, 111 from the 339 children registered with the centre are those with Autism Spectrum Disorder, 108 are experiencing speech delays, 16 are children with Down’s syndrome, 19 have global development delay, four have Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), two have multiple disabilities, one has hydrocephalus, and one has cognitive rigidity, while the remaining 77 are still awaiting complete diagnosis.
“The children consist of 274 boys and 65 girls, aged between 1 and 6 years old,” she told reporters when met after chairing the OSEIC advisory committee meeting at the centre in Metrocity Matang here yesterday.
Fatimah also said the number of children registered with the OSEIC had been growing since the centre was officially launched on Oct 31, 2020 – thanks to the encouraging response from the parents. She added that there were only 47 children registered during the first intake session in 2020.
Meanwhile, after the meeting, the minister officiated at the opening of the centre’s latest facilities consisting of five activity rooms, one sensory integration room, one staff room, one pantry, and an access lift.
On these new facilities located at the centre’s first floor, she said they cost RM1.2 million.
“(They are) 80 per cent complete, and expected to be in operation by end of this year.
“Currently, the centre can only accommodate 257 children at one time, with 82 more still on our waiting list.
“The additional facilities are necessary, following the increase in the number of children as well as teachers and staff members.
“Upon completion, the 82 children (on the list) should be able to undergo their learning sessions there,” said Fatimah.