PART 1 THE COMMISSION’S REPORT ON THE RIGHT TO EDUCATION FOR CHILDREN WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES – FOCUSING ON PRIMARY EDUCATION by the government schools which are highlighted in the Chapter 3 of this Report. Forums on Right to Education for CWLD 14. The Commission organised three forums - in Kuala Lumpur on 22 April 2013; in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, on 23 September 2013; and in Kuching, Sarawak, on 25 September 2013; with the following specific objectives: i. To ascertain issues and challenges faced by CWLD and their parents in accessing primary education; ii. To provide stakeholders an opportunity to express their views on the right to education of CWLD; iii. To examine laws, policies and government practices in the delivery of the target group’s right to education; and iv. To identify concerns and draw up strategies and recommendations to promote and protect the right to education of CWLD. 15. Each forum was divided into two sessions. The first looked at experiences and challenges of CWLD, as described respectively by a student and a Special School teacher. The second session examined laws, policies and best practices by the relevant agencies for CWLD. 16. Representatives of government agencies like the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Health, and the Department of Social Welfare were invited as speakers. Other speakers comprised teachers, parents of CWLD, members of NGOs and children with learning disabilities. The forums were well received in all three locations, with lively discussions that highlighted issues of concern. Workshops on Human Rights for Special Education Teachers 17. In supporting its research, the Commission also conducted four workshops on human rights for special education teachers. These workshops, which were conducted only in the Peninsula, provided an overview on the applicable human rights principles and standards in Malaysia, in particular, those enshrined in the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). In addition, the workshops enabled the special education teachers to share their concerns and experiences with regard to the current special education programmes. That said, due to its resource constraints, the Commission was not able to conduct similar workshops for special education teachers in Sabah and Sarawak. 7