Education for all – except autistic children?

ACCORDING to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, the word “special” when used to describe something or someone is defined as distinguished by some unusual quality or being in some way superior. Are autistic children considered and treated as special? In Malaysia, it is much easier to get an estimate of the number of children owning a particular type of phone than to get statistics about autistic citizens.

Each year, every child enrolling in a public school receives a grant of up to RM800 to ensure each and every child in Malaysia receives an affordable education. But is that grant truly applicable to every child in the country? What of autistic children, especially those on the severe end of the spectrum, who are denied entry to public schools or kindergartens?