The Special Educational Needs Support Educators (SENSE) initiative trained teachers in government, private and religious schools through the Special Education Introduction Course to increase capacity of workforce.

As of 2025, a total of 207 participants have been trained. One hundred and thirteen special needs student management officers have been placed in schools through the SkiPPA programme.

Minister of Education Yang Berhormat Datin Seri Setia Dr Hajah Romaizah binti Haji Mohd Salleh shared this at the Second Meeting of the 21st Legislative Council (LegCo) Session to queries by LegCo member Yang Berhormat Zainol bin Mohamed on the implementation of special education in all education institutions including the private sector.

Yang Berhormat Datin Seri Setia Dr Hajah Romaizah said, “The Ministry of Education, through the Department of Special Education, ensures that special education in all schools, including private sector, follows clear guidelines based on the Special Education Framework.”

She highlighted, “The ministry also set minimum specifications for facilities such as therapy rooms, barrier-free routes and special teaching aid. Private special schools such as Al-Ameerah Al-Hajjah Maryam School have also been established to accommodate Priority Level 4 and Priority Level 5 students.”

On the question of the ministry’s effort to assist under performing students raised by LegCo member Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Indera Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Suyoi bin Haji Osman, the minister explained, “The ministry implemented the Student Learning Survey (SLS), a national psychometric assessment involving students from Years 2 to 11. This assessment aims to measure the level of skills and proficiency of students in the fields of literacy, numeracy and science.”

She shared, “Through the data analysis, under performing students and needing assistance will join a structured additional programme. The Learning Support Programme (LSP) was introduced in 2022 to help schools plan and implement learning support programmes.”

She explained that the ministry does not see the need to introduce special certificates for Years 7 to 9 students with low academic performance or non-academic interests. These students are still required to follow the common curriculum to build a strong learning foundation before entering the Special Applied Programme (SAP) up to Year 11.

The question on introduction of specific certificate was raised by LegCo member Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Johan Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Adanan bin Begawan Pehin Siraja Khatib Dato Seri Setia Haji Mohd Yusof. Meanwhile, in response to a question by Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Indera Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Suyoi on the ministry’s plan to produce a generation of smart children, Yang Berhormat Datin Seri Setia Dr Hajah Romaizah responded; “The ministry has set up the Centre for the Development of Gifted and Talented Education (EDGE) in 2021 to plan and monitor the education of students identified as gifted and talented.”

(News & pic source: Borneo Bulletin)