Reaching out to special needs pupils
SK Bukit Beruntung 2 and UPM worked together to organise a Special Education Week within the school compound.
NO man left behind. Primarily used in the military, this phrase originated in the field of war and combat but is now used in various circumstances in daily life – including education.
This motto is what SK Bukit Beruntung 2, Rawang, and Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) stick to in their effort to boost education for special needs children.
SK Bukit Beruntung 2 – which houses 78 special needs children – and UPM collaborated last month to organise a “Special Education Week” within the school’s compound to increase interest in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, reading and arts among special needs and mainstream pupils at the school.
Volunteers from various UPM faculties, such as the Faculty of Sciences, Engineering, Medicine, Computer Science, and Educational Studies, as well as the UPM Putra Science Park, helped set up a total of 10 interactive activities for pupils to enjoy.
Activities included Fun with Light, Soil Adventure, Water Power, Computer Happy Hour, The Magic Ball, an innovation exhibition, science experiments and quizzes.
UPM’s Putra Science Park director Prof Dr Samsilah Roslan, who is in charge of overseeing the collaboration with the school, said it is important to reach out to special needs children.
“Normal functioning children in society often have the upper hand over disabled or special needs children, but this shouldn’t be the case.
“Just because a child has a learning difference does not mean he or she cannot enjoy learning,” she pointed out, adding that this was the second time UPM had worked with SK Bukit Beruntung 2 for such activities.
“Activities beyond the confines of a classroom can help school children, including children with special needs to enjoy and experience science, technology, mathematics, innovation and agriculture.
“We are showing them through fun activities that these subjects are not dry and boring as perceived by many,” she said, adding that these activities helped teachers discover hidden talents of their special needs pupils.
“After the first activity we held three years ago, we found that there was a child who was a mathematical genius!” said Prof Samsilah.
Since the first collaboration with the school, UPM has been continuously conducting various science and technology-related activities on its campus and would invite special needs children from schools to participate.
Prof Samsilah, who was impressed with this school’s effort to raise awareness of education for special needs children, added that the UPM Educational Park also provides educational tourism packages approved by the Tourism Ministry.
“We already have all these learning packages ready and we receive about 30,000 local and international visitors annually,” she said.
SK Bukit Beruntung 2 Integrated Special Education Programme (PPKI) senior assistant Ruzita Mohamad Yusof – who has been in the field of special education for 13 years – said besides elevating her “children’s” interest in science and technology, interactive activities also builds their confidence.
“My pupils will get to learn about science while mixing with other pupils.
“When they mingle around, it can build their confidence so they won’t feel so insecure about themselves.
“It is important to help special needs children know that they are appreciated even though they are different from mainstream students,” she said, adding that if there are no programmes like these, there will be no awareness that special needs children exist in schools.
SK Bukit Beruntung 2 headmaster Zailani Karim said he was delighted to see his “children” out and about enjoying the activities.
“This is a good programme, which more schools should emulate. The children have every right to learn,” he said.