PART 1
THE COMMISSION’S REPORT ON THE RIGHT TO EDUCATION FOR CHILDREN WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES
– FOCUSING ON PRIMARY EDUCATION
TABLE 6: QUALIFICATION OF SEIP TEACHERS IN PRIMARY SCHOOLS43
SEIP Teachers
Year
Specialised in Special
Education (by training and
qualification)
Non- specialised in Special
Education
2008
1189
3107
2009
2041
3493
2010
2389
4111
2011
3153
5028
2012
3847
3977
2013
4180
3730
Total
16799
23446
100. Apart from a one-off three-day special education course, the majority of the
deployed mainstream teachers were not provided with any comprehensive,
intensive and continuing training to develop teaching skills required to cater
for the needs of special education students.44 In some cases, the deployed
teachers were not given any training at all. Conversely, teachers in NGO
learning centres are mostly not trained in special education. Apart from the
on-job training, the teachers there are also given the opportunity to attend
trainings, including international programmes, to enhance their knowledge
and skills in special education.
101. Of equally grave and growing concern, which was raised in all the four
human rights workshops organised by the Commission for special education,
is the mis-matching of the qualifications and expertise of special education
teachers and their placement.
102. Allegedly in many instances, special education teachers were deployed
to mainstream schools or SEIP not directly related to their qualification in
special education and trained expertise. For example, a teacher whose
qualification was in learning disabilities was deployed to teach in a special
education school for hearing-impaired students. Clearly, this teacher was
unable to deliver the lessons effectively due to the lack of sign language
skills.
103. Such mis-matching contributes to the loss of appropriate talents which in
turn is detrimental to the progress of the education system, in particular to
the special education programmes.
Information obtained from Data Unit, Special Education Department, Ministry of Education.
This observation is made based on SUHAKAM’s visits to SEIP in schools and the feedback gathered at
the SUHAKAM’s human rights workshops for special education teachers.
43
44
33