PART 2 REPORT ON THE COMMISSION’S FORUM ON THE RIGHT TO EDUCATION FOR CWLD FORUM ON THE RIGHT TO EDUCATION FOR CHILDREN WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES 22 APRIL 2013, MONDAY 8.30 am – 4.30 pm TINGKAT 10, DEWAN MULTAQAM, MAJU JUNCTION INTRODUCTION 1. In 2013, the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (SUHAKAM) decided to embark on a project on “The Right to Education for Children with Learning Disabilities”. In undertaking this research, SUHAKAM had carried out certain activities including visits to public schools and NGO centres that run special education programmes. These visits, which were carried out in Sabah and Sarawak in March and April 2013 respectively, were aimed at gathering input and best practices pertaining to the education for children with learning disabilities. In continuation of the visits in Sabah and Sarawak, SUHAKAM will also conduct the same visit in Peninsular Malaysia. 2. As part of the project, on 22 April 2013, SUHAKAM conducted a ‘Forum on the Right to Education for Children with Learning Disabilities’. Seven speakers from various institutions were invited to present papers and share their views on specific topics on issues related to children with learning disabilities. The speakers were Dr. Hasnah Toran (Learning Disabilities: An Introduction), Ms. Teoh Hooi Ting (Long Life Learning or Mainstream Education?), Ms. Lok Yim Pheng (Challenges & Issues among the Special Education Teachers), Mrs. Dharshini Ganeson (Education for Children with Learning Disabilities: What Matters), Mr. Mad Kassim Abdul Malek (Prioritizing Primary Education for Children with Learning Disabilities: Policies & their Implementations), Dato’ Dr. Amar Singh (Screening & Diagnosing Learning Disabilities: Early Intervention Draws Positive Impacts) and Tuan Adnan Abu Bakar (Community Based Rehabilitation Centre: Empowering Children with Learning Disabilities). 3. The objectives of the forum were (i) to increase the number of children with learning disabilities in Malaysia receiving quality and inclusive primary education, (ii) to raise awareness among education professionals, decision makers and the public about the challenges children with learning disabilities experience in accessing primary education, (iii) to identify the gaps in information on education for children with learning disabilities in order to support education of children with learning disabilities and (iv) to build bridges between government agencies and civil societies, so as to promote more participatory, transparent and accountable policy-making in the education sector. 51