KUALA LUMPUR: There are over 40,000 children with autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) nationwide who are receiving special education, says Fadhlina Sidek.
The Education Minister said that as of this year, there are currently a total of 44,211 students with autism and ADHD receiving education in schools under the ministry.
"Of this 32,642 students have autism while 9,569 have ADHD," she said in a written reply to Datuk Alias Razak (PN-Kuala Nerus) in Parliament on Tuesday (Dec 3).
Of this total, she said that a total of 2,478 students with autism and 1,266 with ADHD were undergoing stream education through the ministry's inclusive education programme.
Under the inclusive education programme, Fadhlina said these special needs students are placed in mainstream classes with other students.
"The implementation of the inclusive education programme provides a positive impact to ensure that the special needs students receive the same rights and education without restrictions.
"This allows them to familiarise themselves while improving their skills and self-confidence,"she said.
She added that the programme also helps create better awareness and acceptance among students and the community as to the abilities of such special needs students.
The Minister said that the ministry is constantly taking steps to improve in providing the necessary needs for all categories of special needs students.
Among them, she added, was improved access and mobility which includes providing at least four basic elements in schools.
This, she said, were ramps, handrails, parking, disabled friendly toilets while improving on special classes and special needs services centres.
Currently, Fadhlina said that the ministry is preparing its Education Development Plan 2026-2035 and is gathering feedback from relevant stakeholders.
She said the plan also includes matters related to special needs education.
The goal, she added, was to end all forms of discrimination in education to ensure equal access to all levels of education and vocational skills training for special needs students under the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG4).
