Dr Muhamad Akmal (second from right) with Ahmad Zahid (second from left) in a meeting to discuss the opening of the Autism Nursery in Melaka.
SHAH ALAM: The first autism-friendly children's nursery by the Community Development Department (Kemas) will open next year in every district, starting in Melaka and prioritising children from the B40 group.
Merlimau State Assemblyman (Adun) Datuk Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh said the implementation proposal was well received after he met with Deputy Prime Minister and Umno President Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
According to the Umno Youth Chief, among the complaints identified was the high cost of therapy classes at private centres, which burdens parents financially.
"We do not want these children to miss their education opportunities due to financial constraints,” he said in a Facebook post on Tuesday (Dec 24).
Last July, the media reported that six teachers were selected to work at the Kemas Autism Nursery in Melaka.
The director of Kemas Melaka, Asri Saleh, informed that the individuals involved were selected after undergoing an initial screening to find qualified teachers, especially those with a degree in Early Childhood Education with a specialisation in Special Education.
He explained that selecting teachers was one of the preparations made by Kemas to make the first pilot project in Melaka a success.
