Parents looking to enrol their children in government special needs schools or integrated special needs programmes for slow learners can find a one-day alternative to the long wait before obtaining the required diagnosis for them to enter.
Instead of waiting between six months and a year to get the diagnosis directly from a government clinic or private hospital, parents can take their children to a special screening programme run by the Education Ministry's Special Education one-stop centre.
Education Minister Fadhlina Siddek in a written parliamentary response cited the functions of the one-stop centre, which offered intervention, rehabilitation and consultation services in Audiology, Psychology, Speech Pathology, Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy.
She said the screening programmes can identify children with special needs.
"The target group is children aged nine and above who have yet to master basic reading and counting skills," she said in response to Ahmad Tarmizi Sulaiman (Perikatan Nasional-Sik).
Fadhlina said the programme which started in 2021 involved cooperation from several agencies including the Education Ministry, Health Ministry, Welfare Department, Bank Simpanan Nasional, higher education institutions, Audiolab and private therapy centres.
"Students involved in the programme will be screened and evaluated in terms of psychological aspect, hearing, vision, speech and motor skills by a multidisciplinary team.
"This will be followed by a medical evaluation for doctors to confirm a diagnosis," she added.
Unlike the long wait for a diagnosis from government clinics or private hospitals, going directly through the one-stop centre would only take one day, according to Fadhlina.
Alternatively, parents can take their children for an initial assessment at any of the 13 one-stop centres nationwide but they would have to wait one month for a referral to a government clinic or hospital, and the final diagnosis will be given in less than six months.
Among others, children categorised as slow learners would be unable to follow the teaching and learning process in a conventional classroom and require extra assistance offered through a special needs programme. - Mkini
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