Kickstarted a pilot workshop with SJK(C) Nan Kai to provide teachers with the skills needed to accommodate children with disabilities in classroom settings and to promote inclusive education in Malaysian mainstream schools. Established a mutually beneficial alliance based on collaborative research, academic, and industry efforts for the development of technologies to assist parents, caregivers, and teachers in diagnosing children with disabilities with the University of Technology Sarawak.
From left to right: Dr Lee Khai Yin, Mr Wallace Geh Cha Long, Dr Tan Gek Ling, Professor Datuk Dr Khairuddin Ab. Hamid, Associate Professor Ts. Dr Alan Ting Huong Yong and Mr Jackie Ting Tiew Wei.
Spark Child Development Centre has recently embarked on the journey to make inclusions in school for children with special needs and have equal access to learning. Two initiatives have been carried out to advocate the importance of inclusion for children in schools with disabilities which include the invitation of teachers from SJK(C) Nan Kai to its pilot workshop on 26th November, at Spark Child Development Centre’s headquarters in Kota Damansara. Aside from that, on 23rd November, Spark Child Development Centre and the University of Technology Sarawak (UTS) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish a mutually beneficial relationship based on research, academic, and industrial collaboration, allowing both parties to undertake technological development to assist teachers, parents, and caregivers in diagnosing disabled children.
Inclusion is a universal human right. It is about the dignity and worth of every person. It is about being accepted for who we are. Inclusive education means that all children, regardless of characteristics and learning abilities, receive education alongside their peers. Inclusion is not about the child fitting in and meeting mainstream education targets, but about making changes to the school system and environment to ensure the child participates fully and meaningfully in school.
Spark Child Development Centre Inclusion Workshop with SJK(C) Nan Kai, SJK(C) Chong Fah Phit Chee and Premfield International School
Children with special needs have been kept out of the limelight in the education sector, which has led to segregation and discrimination among the students. This has sparked a significant debate in the sector about establishing inclusion in schools, particularly in Malaysia’s mainstream schools. With that, Spark Child Development Centre is implementing this workshop to help teachers learn how to accommodate children in different classroom settings.
With the support from SJK(C) Nan Kai, the objective of the pilot workshop is to help Malaysia’s mainstream schools better understand how to make adaptations for children with physical or learning disabilities in the classroom or school settings. Additionally, this workshop intends to assist mainstream schools in their understanding of common children’s disabilities like Autism Spectrum Disorder, ADHD, Dyslexia, and others. Given the positive reception to the pilot workshop conducted with teachers from SJK(C) Nan Kai, SJK(C) Chong Fah Phit Chee and Premfield International School, Spark Child Development Centre is confident that more schools in Malaysia will benefit from this awareness campaign which is in line with the Malaysian Education Blueprint’s target of 75 percent children with special needs in inclusive education programmes by 2023.
All these trained teachers are a vital source of support and should be deployed into mainstream classes to support teachers in differentiating and co-teaching lessons; adapting teaching materials and lesson instructions; and planning behavioral and social skills support strategies. The concern that our schools and teachers are not yet ready for inclusive education is real. However, it should not be a hindrance for us to implement inclusive education in all our mainstream government schools.
“At Spark Child Development Centre, our main mission is always to ensure children with special needs are able to be accepted by the general public and learn how to adapt in a varied environment before they even step foot in schools. We are truly grateful for the opportunity to partner up with SJK(C) Nan Kai to provide a meaningful workshop with complimentary access for primary and secondary school teachers to learn about inclusion and readiness for school,” said Dr Tan Gek Ling, Founder and CEO of Spark Child Development Centre.
No constraints or segregation should be placed on any child due to their disability; instead, every child deserves to be loved and properly cared for. Spark Child Development Centre has managed to raise approximately RM16,000 with the generous support from reputable parties to make schools a better place for children with special needs. All donations received are contributed to the PIBG of SJK(C) Nan Kai for the development of inclusion programmes and facilities for children with special needs in the foreseeable future.
“We understand that advocating inclusion for children with special needs in schools is a long process and requires great support from all relevant parties, but one of us has to step up and do what is needed for these children. We are thankful for all the contributions we have received thus far and we are optimistic about the expansions of these workshops in schools all across Malaysia,” she added.
To better champion the inclusion for children with special needs in schools, Spark Child Development Centre has collaborated with the University of Technology Sarawak (UTS) to establish a mutually beneficial relationship. Academic programmes, staff and student exchange, joint research and publications are among the areas of collaboration between Spark Child Development Centre and the university. Some of the initiatives that have been confirmed include the artificial intelligence (AI) research, standardized developmental screening and assessment tools, and a health initiative project to assist communities in Malaysia with learning difficulties and stunting rates among children.
“This collaboration not only brings together two prestigious education titles, but it also gives hope to our children with special needs, allowing us to understand them better. Through the collaboration with University of Technology Sarawak, parents, teachers and caretakers are able to diagnose children with learning disabilities at an early stage and seek professional help. We hope that AI technology and tools are the means to aid these children because this is not their fault and they deserve to be understood equally,” Dr Tan said.
Furthermore, the two parties’ collaboration intends to kickstart technology development, which includes applications, websites, and a variety of other essential technologies to assist parents, caregivers, and even teachers in schools in diagnosing children with disabilities. Having said that, this also contributes to greater collaboration in human development.
“I am grateful to be a part of this collaboration with Spark Child Development Centre since it is extremely valuable not only for the children with special needs but also for the people who care for them. Technology advancement will play a significant role in medical contributions to the special needs community as a result of this collaboration. We hope that this collaboration will inspire future collaborations, projects, and grants involving researchers that support a good cause,” stated Professor Datuk Dr Khairuddin Ab. Hamid, Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of Technology Sarawak.
For more information about inclusions in school and children with special needs, visit Spark Child Development Centre’s official website at https://sparkcdc.com.my/ or Spark Child Development’s social media platforms, Instagram @sparkchildcentre and Facebook page @sparkchilddevelopmentcentre.
