KOTA SAMARAHAN: Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah has suggested the formation of a body to represent the voices of special needs students in order to bridge the gap between them and the university.
The Minister of Women, Early Childhood, and Community Wellbeing Development said the concerns of special needs students are just as valid as those of regular students but are unique in nature due to their physical limitations.
“These special needs vary, and, of course, their needs are diverse.
“So, if they can establish a representative body for students with special needs, it can serve as a bridge between the students and the university. If only one person speaks out, it may not be powerful enough. When united within one organisation, their voices will be heard and much stronger,” she told reporters after her working visit to Kolej Cempaka at Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) today.
Fatimah also commended Unimas’ efforts in accommodating the special needs students, which saw a tremendous progress in terms of enrolment of about 67 students for the 2023/2024 session.
“There has been tremendous progress made by Unimas, starting with a single student with a disability in the past, and this year, there are 67 students with special needs. It is truly exemplary.
“There have been many challenges for the university itself in enabling the acceptance of students with special needs.
“Now, with 67 students, we on behalf of the state government, are truly thankful to Unimas for giving them the opportunity, just like other students, to step into the university and pursue tertiary education in various fields,” she added.
Aside from the working visit, she said that this is also a part of the ministry’s talent identification process to recruit potential athletes for the Para SUKMA games next year.
“I believe they were involved in sports during their school years, but when they entered university, their focus shifted solely to academics, even though their potential and talent in sports during school were quite outstanding.
“We would like to open our doors to allow them to continue pursuing their interests and potential in sports, and I believe there are some who can qualify,” said Fatimah.
