Chapter 3- Report of the Research and Policy Development Group Table 1: Enrolment of Primary Students1 YEAR ENROLMENT IN GOVERNMENT SCHOOLS (OVERALL) ENROLMENT IN SPECIAL EDUCATION PROGRAMMES PERCENTAGE 2010 2,898,407 23,104 0.7% 2011 2,859,921 25,181 0.8% 2012 2,804,405 27,096 0.9% 2013 2,742,169 28,455 1.03% 2014 2,698,883 28,658 1.06% While assessing the enrolment of CWLD in the SEIP, the Commission found that the number of CWLD enrolled in primary education is not reflective of the number of CWLD who are registered with the JKM. The record of the MOE shows that there are more CWLD in primary schools than those registered with JKM. Table 2: Data of Registered CWLD (Age Group 7-12)2 With JKM YEAR REGISTERED CWLD 2010 3796 2011 5613 2012 8856 It is pertinent to stress that the registration of persons/children with disabilities in Malaysia is voluntary. Thus, it is not possible to gauge the actual percentage of CWLD who are not registered and who may not be presently enrolled in schools. The Commission was also made to understand that there is another set of data on children with disabilities kept by the Ministry of Health (MoH). At the point of writing this Report, it would appear there are three independent and separate databases kept by three different agencies in Malaysia. The Commission is of the opinion that immediate measures should be taken to reconcile these data into one common database which could be shared by all agencies and be subsequently made available to other parties. ii. Availability of Special Education Programmes in Malaysia While the Government has established Special Education Schools for specific types of disabilities such as visual and hearing impairment, and more recently autism, the SEIP is only available in selected schools throughout Malaysia. In addition, the majority of these schools are located in urban and suburban areas. Parents in rural areas may have the option of sending their special needs children to Community-based Rehabilitation Centres (CBR) but it is argued that CBR do not have the same role and functions as the SEIP. 1 2 62 Quick Facts 2014 – Malaysia Educational Statistics by the Ministry of Education Malaysia. Information obtained from the Department of Social Welfare.