SEKOLAH Bimbingan Jalinan Kasih (SBJK) is the only school in the country which uses a special module prepared by the Education Ministry to help street children study.
SBJK principal Zulkarnain Fauzi said the school used the 'Multi-Grade Learning' format which saw children put into classrooms according to their skill levels, and not strictly according to age.
"As many of the children here have never been to school, if a student is aged 17, we cannot put him or her directly into Form Five...as he or she may not even be able to read well, and that is how the special module comes into play," he said after the closing of a Jalinan Kasih Camp organised by Masjid Negara in collaboration with the school last Wednesday.
He said the school provided access to formal education in a conducive environment for homeless or underprivileged children, and allowed them to sit for public examinations that were suitable for them according to their age and skills to read, write and count.
According to teacher Raihan Abd Hamid, the school has 138 pupils aged between four and 19, with 11 teachers, and practises a 'fun learning' concept.
The school which operates from 8am to 5pm houses seven classrooms including a music room, a dental or treatment room, a rest area and provides three meals a day as well as free learning amenities. — Bernama
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