Centre not accredited - NST

Centre for special children not accredited Noel Achariam

Derek Fernandez (left) and Anthony Thanasayan.

PETALING JAYA: A simple case of misuse of a residential unit for commercial purposes in SS1 has led to the discovery of a centre for children with learning disabilities operating without proper facilities or teachers trained in working with special children.

Councillor Derek Fernandez said the centre's operators were told to vacate the house after it was found that they were using it for commecial purposes, but they had asked for six months' grace.

Fernandez said the City Council then decided to check on the legitimacy of the centre.

Councillor Anthony Thanasayan inspected the centre, said Fernandez, "and found that the centre had no proper facilities for the children and the teachers were not qualified to handle children with learning disabilities. After receiving Anthony's report we decided against giving them an extension.

Thanasayan said: "What I found was a mixture of children with mild learning disabilities and those with Down's syndrome. The children were given normal school books to read, which shows the teachers did not have any experience working with these children.

"I found that the toilet couldn't be accessed by the children in wheelchairs. A proper centre would have the right facilities.

"There should be one teacher to focus on a small group of children. This is a specialised need."

This centre has two sessions of 40 students each" said Thanasayan.

"It is important to have centres catering for the disabled, but they should be accredited.

Fernandez said the council does not have the power to stop the centre from operating -- that power lies with the Education Ministry.

The council has done what is within its legal remit, which is to order the operators to vacate the premises.

After the full board meeting during which the matter was discussed, Mayor Mohamad Roslan Sakiman said: "This whole issue actually stems from the misuse of property ...

"But we have to look after the children's welfare, and the council is looking for a proper learning centre for them."